reccomended part of the trail for June-July 2013?

[Galkim]

Hey all!
i'm thinking about doing a part of the trail from mid-June through the end of July this summer (2013)
Can you guys recommend a part which is best at this time of the year, in terms of best scenery and wildlife?

[Southerner]

Just in terms of scenery and wildlife, the northern end of the trail (Maine and New Hampshire) is my clear winner. The northern terminus at Katahin is arguably the most incredible mountain on the AT; the Hundred-Mile Wilderness is a mix of lakes, streams, and rugged mountains; the rest of Maine (southbound) gets increasingly more rugged, which makes for exceptional viewpoints; and New Hampshire is home to the famous and gorgeous White Mountains, including the Presidential Range. You have the best chance of a moose sighting in this section, and deer, bears, beavers, porcupines, and lean-to rodents abound. However, if you are not in good hiking shape starting this section, it could be a very scenic torture trail (just look at the elevation profile for the section, then add rocks (often short rock climbs), roots, and mud). The section is also buggy, though the worst of the bug season should be starting to taper-off as you start in mid-June (to be clear, you would still need bug gear).

Scenery and wildlife should just be two of your many concerns when picking a section, and people on here can be more helpful in pointing you toward an appropriate section if they know more about your hiking ability, experience, and comfort levels. The same section that might be a thrill for an experienced hiker could be torment or even dangerous for a beginner.

[fredmugs]

Agree with Southerner. It's tougher for sure but the climate will also be better for hiking.

[Cookerhiker]

You could start at Rt. 2 in Massachusetts - the northernmost road crossing in that state - and hike north through Vermont, New Hampshire, and at least part of Maine. A mid-June start here should let you escape the black flies more so than a SOBO start from Katahdin. By the time you hit the heat of mid-July, you'll be in the higher elevations of the Whites.

[Galkim]

thanks for the comments guys!
regarding my hiking shape -
im 30 years old, and im in an ok shape. i regularly exercise.
i have hiked before but not to this extent, so i am no beginner, but i probably dont have a huge technical experience like some of the people around here.
so still, is the routes that you mentioned (Cookerhiker, Southerner) are recommended for me or not?

[Southerner]

If you haven't done a multiple-day backpacking trip before, I wouldn't take my first one in the wilds of Maine. That's not to say it can't be done. Previously inexperienced through-hikers prove it can be done every year. But, that also doesn't make it advisable. Only you (the OP) can make that call, and at least now you have a "heads up."

If you do decide to dial it down a notch, I think Cookerhiker's trip is a good one. However, I found western Massachusetts to be a great part of the trail (Mt. Race, Upper Goose Pond, and Mt. Greylock are all nice spots), so I would recommend adding that state to Cookerhiker's trip by starting in say Falls Village or Salisbury, Connecticut and heading northbound. Even at a slow pace, you would probably be able to make Gorham, the last town in New Hampshire, over your timeframe. The Whites can be almost as tough as Maine, but by that point in the trip you should be in trail shape.

If you weren't heading out in the dead of summer, I would whole-heartedly suggest Virginia, and, even in summer, it's worth considering. Virginia is nice because it is a very scenic state (Shenandoah Nat'l Park, Tinker Cliffs, McAfee's Knob, Dragon's Tooth, Grayson Highlands) while providing an increasing level of challenge as you progress southbound. It would also be easy logistically as Harpers Ferry, WV (just northbound of the state line) is one of the easiest access points to the AT with train service from DC. The downside is the risk of stifling heat. The average summer isn't that bad, but it can be tough in a heat wave, especially at lower elevations and during arduous climbs.

Best of luck, and have a great trip hiking whichever section you select!

[Galkim]

thanks again for the advice, Southerner.
i would try and check the route that you mentioned.
few other questions
1 - what kind of temperature range am i expecting in that route During June/July, i mainly ask that in terms of which gear to take, obviously....
2- in terms of cost (without gear) how much should a 40 day trip would cost? i could find an average for thu-hikers, but couldnt find a good estimate for section hikers like me...
3- how much milage does a beginner hiker usually covers per day?

Thanks...

[Southerner]

1.) Temperatures: I've only done the Mass. / Vermont / New Hampshire section once so far (on my through-hike), so you may want to search other threads or, if you can't find a thread, start a new thread asking for weather conditions in that section. When I went through (July & August), lows were occasionally in the 40s, but usually in the 50s, and highs in the mid-80s. For the Whites, I would be prepared for lows in the mid to upper-30s, so I would probably carry a 32-degree bag. Virginia: I am more experienced with Virginia summers, which can vary greatly. There, I would expect lows in the 50s, maybe even lower-60s, and highs typically in the mid-80s to lower-90s, though upper-90s is not unheard of. In fact, readings over the 100-degree mark are not unheard of in some of the lower-elevation valleys through which the AT passes during a heat wave (such as late June 2012).

2.) Cost: The biggest factor in the cost is the hiker. If you're the sort who will want to go into every town, party with new trail mates, get occasional motel / hotel rooms (or at least a hostel), take zero-days, eat a lot of Mountain House meals, and the like, you could easily run up a big total (say well north of $1,000 for on-trail costs only). On the opposite extreme, if you are a nose-to-the-grindstone sort who only stops in town long enough to re-supply and maybe grab a quick restaurant meal, I could see on-trail costs in the $400 range. Keep in mind, it's easy to be a Spartan when planning only to become an Athenian when on the trail, so it's best to save assuming a very high total. One specific note about the Whites if you pick that section: Some of the shelters and campsites run by the AMC charge about $8 per night, and huts are very expensive (I think about $100-120 per night) if you stay there as a guest (and work-for-stay may not be open to you as a section-hiker), so you may want to plan to avoid overnights in huts. You should buy a book like AWOL's The A.T. Guide for all of the trail-specific information you will need.

3.) Daily Mileage: Again, hugely dependent on the individual. I would guess that a relatively inexperienced backpacker would hit around 8-12 miles per day as a starting point, though a really in-shape beginner could likely do more. Just don't over-do it as beginners are prone to injury, and everyone is prone to injury when pushing his or her limits. Blisters can be especially bothersome and even trip-ending. For a good gauge on daily mileage, try reading the first few entries of several trail journals. I know that TrailJournals.com has the daily mileage of the journalist written right at the top of each entry, so you don't even have to do the math.

Sorry to be vague, but backpacking is never one-size-fits-all. Hope this helps!

[Cookerhiker]

One other point I'd add is that Galkim, I see that you're from Israel where you're accustomed to heat. But the heat you've experienced is dry, desert-like heat whereas the Eastern US summers are very humid. The major difference is felt at night when the humidity rises. You might find yourself laying on top of your sleeping bag sweating all night anywhere along the AT up to Vermont. In fact, I did a short section hike in VT years ago and experienced one of the hottest nights ever on the AT. And in the states of NJ, NY, CT, MA, and VT, you don't have the option of sleeping outside the tent because of the mosquitoes.

Re. the daily mileage, even if you're in good shape aerobically, your days in Maine and New Hampshire will be shorter not just because of the steepness but the footing in general slows you down with the rocks & roots.

[Galkim]

thanks again for the advice guys...

oh, and cookerhiker, Israel is not all desert... actually very few people live in the actual areas when the climate is dry. most of the people, like myself live along the Mediterranean where it is VERY humid in the summer. so yeah.. i know exactly what you mean about humid hot nights...

[ratfaceraines]

something to consider would be the logistics of such a hike(coming from israel). my suggestion would entail you flying into dulles airport,d.c., taking metro(subway) to union station,there catch the mega bus to christiansburg,va., get a shuttle to pearisburg, get on the AT(north), hike 389 miles to harpers ferry, wva., take amtrak back to union station, amtrak back to dulles, back to israel. you would make one big loop. 40 days, you'd need to average 10 miles a day. in this hike you would visit mcafees' knob(the most photographed site on the trail), dragons' tooth, tinker cliffs, shennandoah nation park ending at the 1/2 point of the AT. and of course, if you have not visited d.c., you could take this opportunity to do so. now the down side------water. i don't know of the rest of the trail, but SWVa can be a bear. if you do decide to do something like this suggestion, try to do so may-june.