View Full Version : question about pros and cons of NOBO or SOBO between Harpers Ferry and Springer
I'm planning to thru-hike the AT next year (2006) and am playing around with possible itineraries. Right now I'm leaning towards starting at Harpers Ferry in early May and hiking north to Katahdin. Various reasons -- convenience (my brother lives near DC), easy terrain to start, follow the weather north, minimize crowds.
Then I'll do the southern half of the trail in late summer, early fall. What I'm trying to decide is whether it would be better to start the southern half at Harpers Ferry and go south or start at Springer and go north. Any comments?
BookBurner
05-06-2005, 08:35
By my estimations, you'll be starting the southern half approx. August 1.? If that's the case, I would vote for Harpers Ferry south. August in Georgia is brutally hot and muggy! It may not be much better in W.V. but it's got to be at least a little better!
But either way, the trip will be wonderful.
-- BookBurner
www.enlightenedthruhiker.com
[QUOTE=BookBurner]By my estimations, you'll be starting the southern half approx. August 1.? If that's the case, I would vote for Harpers Ferry south. August in Georgia is brutally hot and muggy! It may not be much better in W.V. but it's got to be at least a little better!
But either way, the trip will be wonderful.
-- BookBurner
www.enlightenedthruhiker.com[/QUOTE (http://www.enlightenedthruhiker.com[/QUOTE)]
My initial thought was to follow spring north and fall south. If I understand the "optimum times to hike" info on the ATC site correctly, August is not the best time for Georgia and Central VA, while it's an OK time for Southwest VA, TN, and NC. Since the distance from Springer to NC is about 1/4 the distance from Harpers Ferry to Southwest VA, I was thinking I would be out of the hot weather faster if I started at Springer. But I don't know the topography or weather patterns well enough to know if my thinking is valid.
I would start at springer and head north to Katahdin. If not that start at Harpers ferry head south to Spinger. Then Harpers to Katahdin. Either of these ways you should see the great leaf colors in Maine in late Sept. early Oct.
I'm planning to thru-hike the AT next year (2006) and am playing around with possible itineraries. Right now I'm leaning towards starting at Harpers Ferry in early May and hiking north to Katahdin. Various reasons -- convenience (my brother lives near DC), easy terrain to start, follow the weather north, minimize crowds.
Then I'll do the southern half of the trail in late summer, early fall. What I'm trying to decide is whether it would be better to start the southern half at Harpers Ferry and go south or start at Springer and go north. Any comments?
Good question, and one that I faced. I also started at Harpers Ferry and went north. Then I went back and did the southern half.
Certainly the Blue Ridge of Virginia hiking is easier than the Southern Appalachians. Another consideration is time of year, and other long distance hikers. There are lots of others starting at Springer in March and April and going north. Not too many outside of these months. So, that can be a factor in your decision.
I don't see the need to make the decision now. My recommendation would be to postpone the decision until after you have done the northern half and reached Katahdin.
Good question, and one that I faced. I also started at Harpers Ferry and went north. Then I went back and did the southern half.
Certainly the Blue Ridge of Virginia hiking is easier than the Southern Appalachians. Another consideration is time of year, and other long distance hikers. There are lots of others starting at Springer in March and April and going north. Not too many outside of these months. So, that can be a factor in your decision.
I don't see the need to make the decision now. My recommendation would be to postpone the decision until after you have done the northern half and reached Katahdin.No doubt I will do as you recommend. I suspect which direction I tackle the southern half will depend upon how I feel after reaching Katahdin. I'm just trying to gather information while I have the time so it can sit in the back of my mind.
I contacted the ATC about the Springer to Harpers Ferry hike between August and November and no thru-hikers on their flip-flop correspondence list have done it. They suggested I post my question on whiteblaze.net :)
Singletrack
05-13-2005, 06:45
I'm planning to thru-hike the AT next year (2006) and am playing around with possible itineraries. Right now I'm leaning towards starting at Harpers Ferry in early May and hiking north to Katahdin. Various reasons -- convenience (my brother lives near DC), easy terrain to start, follow the weather north, minimize crowds.
Then I'll do the southern half of the trail in late summer, early fall. What I'm trying to decide is whether it would be better to start the southern half at Harpers Ferry and go south or start at Springer and go north. Any comments?
Check out www.trailjournals.com/singletrack/ I started in HF, went North, Flipped back to HF, and hiked South. You will have the Trail, and shelters for yourself.
Check out www.trailjournals.com/singletrack/ (http://www.trailjournals.com/singletrack/) I started in HF, went North, Flipped back to HF, and hiked South. You will have the Trail, and shelters for yourself.I read your trail journal. Thanks. I was pleasantly surprised to learn how few other hikers you encountered. I hope that is typical.
Since you are from Georgia and hiked south from HF in July and August, can you give me a sense of how the weather compared to the weather on the AT in GA, TN, and NC in August?
Singletrack
05-16-2005, 22:04
I read your trail journal. Thanks. I was pleasantly surprised to learn how few other hikers you encountered. I hope that is typical.
Since you are from Georgia and hiked south from HF in July and August, can you give me a sense of how the weather compared to the weather on the AT in GA, TN, and NC in August?
Hot in the lower elevations, but cool on top. Not too bad at all. But I am use to the Southern Summers.