Thru-Hike: SOBO vs. NOBO

[Kelseyem]

Can someone essentially sum up the pros and cons of South Bound vs. North Bound hikes? If I'm planning to begin in June in Maine, what are the advantages and disadvantages opposed to beginning in April in Georgia?

[jeffmeh]

The biggest advantage to going NOBO in my view is that you can more easily hike yourself into shape. SOBO, has you starting with as difficult a hike as there is, then the 100 mile wilderness, then more tough terrain in southern Maine and through New Hampshire.

[rickb]

Can someone essentially sum up the pros and cons of South Bound vs. North Bound hikes? If I'm planning to begin in June in Maine, what are the advantages and disadvantages opposed to beginning in April in Georgia?


There have been some good threads on this subject. Here is a link to one:


http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?84299-So-Why-Did-You-Go-SOBO


One thing that is common to every discussion on this topic is that there has never been a Sobo who has posted that he or she regretted their decision to go that way.

[fiddlehead]

The biggest difference IMO is the number of people who will be around you and hiking in your direction.
If you want a social experience (party?), then go NOBO.
If you want more alone time, or hiking with just knowing a few other thru-hikers, go SOBO.

Yes, SOBO is a harder start and you should be more prepared than if you go NOBO, but you don't have to hurry to beat the season so much, and will have more of a wilderness experience.
Have fun.

[sobonole]

I went SOBO in 2010, and since I have worked at an outfitter with a handful of NOBOs, so we've discussed this thoroughly.

Going south, you are going to have a little bit of a rougher start, no place to bail after 20 miles, plus the 100 miles aren't the easiest. However,if you can get through that, you can go to distance. You will also have the reverse weather patterns than you would going north. As frequently brought up as well, you'll be in far less of a crowd. After Labor Day, you'll virtually have the trail to yourself, save for Columbus Day. Another big advantage is not having a time constraint to finish. This is the main reason I went south, my time frame didn't allow me to go north.

Going north you will have an "easier" start, with more of a chance to ease yourself into a routine. There is also an undeniable social aspect to going north. Some call it a party others call it a community, either way it appeals to some more than others. Your start will be colder and you'll be hiking to warmer weather, meaning your pack will get lighter rather than heavier.

Ultimately, either way you are going to have an incredible experience, it just matters what your preferences are.

[Mags]

I will say that Katahdin was the single most dramatic ending of any of my long walks.

take that FWIW

[stranger]

I never thru-hiked...but I tried twice, going NOBO.

I must say that for me there is something special about 'starting' at Springer Mountain and walking north with spring. However, going NOBO the hiker can get lazy, there are town opportunities everywhere - Neels Gap, Hiawassee, Franklin, NOC, Fontana, Gatlinburg, Hot Springs...all in 270 miles. Then there are the hordes of hikers, this can be tough when you arrive in town after 4 days of rain the the hotel is full of hikers who have been there for 3 days, etc...

I suspect going NOBO is more fun...but I suspect going SOBO prepares you far better for a thru-hike, but I wouldn't really know.

[Meriadoc]

I think it's easier to grow inner peace going SOBO because of the two external factors already mentioned: fewer people and no time pressure. I flipped, so did neither a true NOBO nor SOBO but I experienced a bit of both. I was not planning to flip so I had the schedule of a NOBO until Harpers Ferry. I learned the most when I was hiking alone and without any time constraints - which for me meant SOBO. (I know for certain that this does not apply to everyone - folks respond differently to stimuli.)

Going SOBO there is not as much of a dramatic finish and even less of a dramatic finish at Harpers Ferry, but I didn't want a dramatic finish. I wanted a reflective finish, which I made.

[yellowsirocco]

One big thing is after 30 miles NOBO is one of the best outfitters in the country. SOBOs have to wait until after the 100 mile wilderness and even then you have to get a ride to Greenville and then the outfitter isn't tailored to long distance hikers. I have seen plenty of people going NOBO in that first 30 miles that only barely made it to Mountain Crossings for a total overhaul of their kit. You can't really do that going SOBO.

[Blissful]

I've done it both ways. I sum it up on my hiker blog (http://www.blissfulhiking.com) in three parts (just search north vs south). There are a lot of variables out there between the two hikes.

[fredmugs]

If you begin SOBO early in June and run into the black flies you could have a miserable experience.

[Rock Lobster]

I hiked SOBO, my best friend hiked NOBO. Both of us, for at least part of the hike, walked with the other and went the "wrong way." Our combined experience:

NOBO: Many more people, much more social. Many trail services are geared toward NOBOs, you'll see more trail magic, and you'll hit all the trail festivals if you want to. You start easier (many will say Georgia is hard; it isn't, relatively speaking). You hike with slightly warmer weather (assuming you don't start early, as many do). You walk toward a big, magnificent mountain to end on, and will probably finish with several long-term friends. Downsides: everything, everything is crowded early on. You will find 50 people at a shelter. This can be fun, but for some is a pain, especially every night. There will be more temptation to stay in towns. People will drop out in bunches as they hike with a group and one person calls it quits, which can make it easier to quit yourself.

SOBO: Solitude is yours, if you want it. Approximately 300 start SOBO and 50 or so finish. You can also hike with a group if you choose (I did for a while) so don't skip it just for that reason. There will almost always be space in hostels, campsites, and shelters, and you will get to know those who run them better because they have time to sit down and chat. There is less peer pressure either way, so your decisions are yours alone. Hiking with fewer people can result in stronger bonds with those few - like a marriage, you tend to get over the little stuff instead of just joining another group, because there isn't one. Downsides: stuff closes - hostels, restaurants, shuttle buses, etc may not be there when you are. You will probably hike in the cold and get snowed on at some point. Loneliness can be a drag over time, even if you do enjoy solitude - after a week without a substantial conversation with anyone, I was really tired of solitude.

Hope it helps.

FWIW, both my friend and I agree that our way is the best :) He is more of an extrovert, and I'm more of an introvert, so we both chose the direction more suited to our personalities. I'm sure you'll have a great experience either way.

[rickb]

Since most people quit, a person who starts Sobo will have seen some world-class hiking no matter when he leaves the Trail. You build your confidence quickly as a southbounder, too.

[Papa D]

SOBO PRO:

Tight knit community of hikers - very good but smaller clan than NOBOS
Usually a more well prepared, fitter and driven group of people
Perfect for those that want to start a hike in late June through mid July
beautiful weather and uncrowded trails in the Fall in NC/TN/GA
Bragging rights - far less SOBOS finish
Finish on your own schedule

SOBO CONS:

Difficult to travel to Baxter State Park
Hard hiking out of the gate
Smaller Group of Starters - lots of figuring out on your own
trail "sets-up" for NOBOS - SOBOS are a minority (time wise)
less trail magic
you'll get lonely at times
cold wet (and might snow in the GSMNP) if you don't hustle
Springer Mtn is anticlimactic.

PROS NOBO

Perfect for a Springtime Start - follows the seasons
trail sets up NOBO - every hostel and town is waiting on you
lots of people, lots of help, lots of trail magic -easy as pie to fall in with the pack
everybody is doing it - lots of fun - party all the way if you want
easier hiking starting out compared to SOBO
saves the best for last - VT,NH, ME

CONS NOBO:

wet cold start in GA - sketchy springtime weather
Crowded shelters and tent sites (unless you start on the very early side - like February)
lots of people but not such a tight-knit community as SOBO (IMO)
lack of solitude - unless you specifically seek it out
you MUST finish before BSP closes to hiking (October) as opposed to SOBO where the only time limit is the calendar year.