PDA

View Full Version : Northern part of Shenandoah



WolfCBP
10-31-2013, 04:22
When do the bulk of NOBO and SOBO reach that area? I plan to head there on weekends in 2014 with coolers full of drinks and snacks for thru-hikers. I assume the times for SOBO and NOBO will be slightly different.

fredmugs
10-31-2013, 05:49
I assume the times for SOBO and NOBO will be slightly different.

I would assume they will be highly different. NOBOs will start about two months before SOBOs and the northern end of SNP is not really that close to the halfway point. Plus SOBOs will be doing smaller mile days on average to begin with.

fredmugs
10-31-2013, 05:50
I assume the times for SOBO and NOBO will be slightly different.

I would assume they will be highly different. NOBOs will start about two months before SOBOs and the northern end of SNP is not really that close to the halfway point. Plus SOBOs will be doing smaller mile days on average to begin with.

WolfCBP
10-31-2013, 06:31
I would assume they will be highly different. NOBOs will start about two months before SOBOs and the northern end of SNP is not really that close to the halfway point. Plus SOBOs will be doing smaller mile days on average to begin with.

So, any insights for months to expect the bulk in both directions? Or did you just want to correct the wording I used?

Tuckahoe
10-31-2013, 07:13
A lot of thru-hikers going north bound are starting March and April, and many of them are also timing their hike to hit Trail Days in Damascus. So I would say that they are up towards northern Shenandoah sometime in May through June. Depends on the actual pace of individual hikers.

For southbounders I'd put them near you in August to September.

Of course I'm not a thru-hiker

johnnybgood
10-31-2013, 07:33
[url]http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php?44[

The southbounders are entering the park between late August thru September.

johnnybgood
10-31-2013, 07:42
The bubble for the northbounders for the southern terminus at Rockfish Gap is May 28th. So anywhere from mid May to mid June really.

WolfCBP
10-31-2013, 07:44
Awesome, thank you all! I hope to meet some of you out there during those months. Will take a break July.

map man
10-31-2013, 09:28
johnnybgood has it exactly right for northbounders, I think -- late May through early June. For southbounders, the "median" thru-hike completer leaves Katahdin in late June and takes a little over three months to get to SNP, so I think that bubble, such as it is, would be more like late September through early October. The numbers are not going to be very big for southbounders, in any case.

DeerPath
10-31-2013, 09:53
When do the bulk of NOBO and SOBO reach that area? I plan to head there on weekends in 2014 with coolers full of drinks and snacks for thru-hikers. I assume the times for SOBO and NOBO will be slightly different.

I think 4th of July is a good time to feed hikers in Northern Va. Most any spot between SNP and Harpers Ferry.
Happy Trails

Coffee
10-31-2013, 10:33
I did some section hiking in the northern district of SNP this spring. I hiked from Thornton Gap to Front Royal in late April and didn't see any thru hikers but did run across a number of longer section hikers. In mid-May, I hiked a section of the AT in the Central district southbound and I did see a number of thru hikers; however, since I was going southbound, I didn't get a chance to say more than hello to any of them but they did at least appear to be thru hikers.

WolfCBP
10-31-2013, 11:00
I think 4th of July is a good time to feed hikers in Northern Va. Yes, that day I should bring beer as well for the 21+ crowd. Probably just north of SNF to avoid any rangers who might be grumpy that day.

Tuckahoe
10-31-2013, 11:19
Forgive me for being a stick-in-the-mud, just be mindful of Virginia's public consumption laws. You'll have to be just as concerned with the local popo.

Studlintsean
10-31-2013, 11:49
Manassas Gap in Linden (55 I believe) would be a great place to set up with a burger stand (on the southside of the road). In fact, keep us updated and I might even join you (especially if the beer is involved).

fredmugs
10-31-2013, 12:25
So, any insights for months to expect the bulk in both directions? Or did you just want to correct the wording I used?

No intent on trying to correct anything. It appeared as if you wanting to be in a place where you would encounter thrus in both directions and I doubt that's really possible. There's a huge drop off rate for NOBOs by the time they reach Daleville so predicting where any of them are going to be north of SNP is a crap shoot. Also - any speculation is totally dependent on how good or bad the upcoming winter will be.

WolfCBP
11-01-2013, 07:07
No intent on trying to correct anything. It appeared as if you wanting to be in a place where you would encounter thrus in both directions and I doubt that's really possible. There's a huge drop off rate for NOBOs by the time they reach Daleville so predicting where any of them are going to be north of SNP is a crap shoot. Also - any speculation is totally dependent on how good or bad the upcoming winter will be.

My apologies for the misunderstanding, and thank you for clarifying. I was thinking it would be a 4 month window that I would make myself available. I am thinking that should get many of those who will pass both directions.. Now I am thinking a July 4th bash for thru-hikers would be kinda fun to set up. An unofficial event of course.

Cookerhiker
11-01-2013, 13:13
j... For southbounders, the "median" thru-hike completer leaves Katahdin in late June and takes a little over three months to get to SNP, so I think that bubble, such as it is, would be more like late September through early October. The numbers are not going to be very big for southbounders, in any case.

Is there really a "bubble" for SOBOs? There's much less of them, and aren't they spread out? You may get as many long-range section hikers as SOBO thrus.