View Full Version : Walking the first 1/4, starting in mid jan in maine
Hi
I'm planning on walking the first quarter of the trail, starting in early to mid january next year. If anyone has ever started the trail at this time of the year can you please post of your experiences and any tips of how to male it successful. I'm also unsure of exactly what to pack, what size bag to carry, whether to get a 3/4 season sleeping bag, how many of certain clothes to bring etc I work at an outdoor activity centre in England, will be flying over to some friends and then going to georgia from there. Basically, any advice that anyone could give about walking at this time of year would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Paul
Teacher & Snacktime
09-15-2013, 16:35
You can't climb Katahdin in Jan; the mountain closes Oct 15 and doesn't open up again to hikers until May/June. Thus I don't think too many people tackle the northern end this early. It would be annoying to have to go back to the start to finish.
Apparently, I wasn't concentrating when I wrote my title. I meant Georgia. I'll start a new thread!
chiefiepoo
09-15-2013, 16:54
You will be getting a lot of opinions about the possibility and conditions pertaining to starting in January, even in the warm and pleasant South. Have a look at the link for conditions at Clingmans Dome. You'll be climbing over it. Not really all that high as mountains in the US go but you will find similar conditions prevailing along the AT in winter months.
http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/weather.htm
double d
09-15-2013, 18:51
I would suggest getting some winter hiking in, especially long distance hiking in hard winter conditions. I've done it many times in Wisconsin-its fun, but be ready, experienced and prepared.
mtnkngxt
09-15-2013, 19:09
You're going to spend a lot of extra time in towns drying out and nursing illness if the weather is at all bitterly cold. It's one thing to go out for a weekend or even a 5 day trip in those conditions, but you're asking for constant moisture, below freezing temps, and trying to keep up with the trail.
You'd be better off pushing back to the middle of Feb and giving it a run then.
If you have so little winter experience that you don't even know what clothes to bring, then I would strongly recommend against a January start. I'm not trying to be negative, but you could be dealing with several feet of snow, strong winds, and extreme cold!! There are people who have succeeded with a January start, but these were hikers with many previous outings in winter weather.
Another Kevin
09-16-2013, 09:25
You can't climb Katahdin in Jan; the mountain closes Oct 15 and doesn't open up again to hikers until May/June. Thus I don't think too many people tackle the northern end this early. It would be annoying to have to go back to the start to finish.
They eventually do open K for winter climbing - at least they used to. They keep it closed from when it starts getting icy until there's a decent snowpack up top, to help protect the routes from erosion. Of course, when it is open in winter, you need full-up winter mountaineering gear, including snowshoes or skis, full 12-point crampons, ice axe, ... and the skills to use them. It used to be that to get a permit, you had to speak to a ranger and convince him that you had the gear and experience to do the climb safely.
You will be getting a lot of opinions about the possibility and conditions pertaining to starting in January, even in the warm and pleasant South. Have a look at the link for conditions at Clingmans Dome. You'll be climbing over it. Not really all that high as mountains in the US go but you will find similar conditions prevailing along the AT in winter months.
http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/weather.htm
Wow, that's Clingman's? That's mild weather for up north. Above-treeline travel is an entirely different world.
But yes, winter starters, even in the South, all seem either to fail to finish, or to have to take enough time in town drying out and recuperating that the folks who start a few weeks later catch up with them. Weekender that I am, I'm clueless about prolonged winter travel, but from what I've seen on weekends, I can't imagine that it's much fun.
Remember, too, that your mileage will be very short. First, you don't have much daylight, and second, you'll be carrying very heavy gear. Good mountaineering snowshoes weigh about four pounds a pair, all by themselves. Winter clothing is heavy and bulky, and you'll need a dry set to sleep in. You need a winter sleeping bag, an underpad built for cold temperatures (or two lesser underpads), a winter tent (although you can get away with a three-season one IF you have the skills), a naphtha-fueled stove for snow-melting, and a pack to hold all your stuff. 85- and even 100-litre packs are common for winter travel. And you'll either be postholing through snowdrifts or breaking trail on snowshoes a lot of the time, and that's slow.
Perhaps a moderator could merge this with your other post.
colorado_rob
09-16-2013, 11:37
You can't climb Katahdin in Jan; the mountain closes Oct 15 and doesn't open up again to hikers until May/June. Thus I don't think too many people tackle the northern end this early. It would be annoying to have to go back to the start to finish. With due respect, I wish folks would check their facts and quit perpetuating this rumor. Katadin/Baxter does have some closed time in the fall due to tundra sensitivity, but it is open in the dead of winter to those with the skills to safely navigate this mountain.
OP was mixed up a little bit. He has since started a new thread. Closing thread. Thx