January 1st, 2014. Our departure day!

[QuabbinHiker]

We are pleased to announce we are leaving to thru hike the AT again in 2014! This time we are leaving from Amicalola Falls Jan 1st, 2014. We thru hiked in 2012 during the "regular" season and were discouraged by the negativity and competitive feel of the trail during the "traditional" starting time. So we are going back for our second thru hike as early as possible.

See you on the trail! I am sure you will catch up as this time we are talking our time and enjoying every second of the trail, we plan to finish in mid-September. People say the trail is a lot more fun the second time around and we have to agree, the newbie fears are gone and with our previous knowledge of the trail from 2012 we can just... enjoy this time.

Gear has been modified for the winter travel and we are ready to go! We just need Jan 1st to come along now.

[Zippy Morocco]

Sounds fun. Enjoy the trip. Will you have a journal?

[Tuckahoe]

Well bless your heart

[QuabbinHiker]

We kept a journal in 2012 and shared it with our family when we returned home. We swore them to not open the books until we got back!

[JustaTouron]

discouraged by the negativity

Based on what you added to the thread regarding the missing hiker, your comments about illegal poaching and that the only thing you could add to a thread regarding a 15 year old hiker is trying to introduce a discussion about statutory rape, I doubt you will be able to escape from negativity by hiking off peak. However, you choosing to avoid other hikers is of great benefit to other hikers.

[RED-DOG]

Yes i too hiked in 2012 my third successful completed thru but I started in FEB and i do know what you mean by all the Negativity, and competiveness of the trail, if you plan to start in JAN you better have some really warm clothes and you will have a better trip this time around if you start early. Good luck and have fun.

[QuabbinHiker]

Yes i too hiked in 2012 my third successful completed thru but I started in FEB and i do know what you mean by all the Negativity, and competiveness of the trail, if you plan to start in JAN you better have some really warm clothes and you will have a better trip this time around if you start early. Good luck and have fun.

Congratulations Red Dog! First time hikers have no clue before going in how negative and the aura of competition that occurs during peak season on the AT. We did not have any clue going in in 2012!

I am confident my -40 degree Western Mountaineering sleeping bag will keep me quite warm.
The shocking thing is even though we prepared for winter travel along the AT, our pack weights will be LOWER than when we were inexperienced starting in Mid march in 2012! That is what experience brings to the table.

Thank you for your genuine wish of luck and we will be having a great time! We are eager to get punished in the Smokies.

[da fungo]

Quabinhiker, your tag line says:

"Expose the pink blazers for lone women to avoid."

Did you ever consider that some of the lone women might enjoy the attention?

Enjoy your hike, in any case.

[Papa D]

Cool - literally and figuratively

[horicon]

Are you still on planning on January 1st?

[DavidNH]

Hope you're prepared for sub zero temps and full on winter in southern Appalachians. You'll also miss the beautiful fall in New England since you'll be finished by August if not sooner!

[ratherbclimbin]

That's awesome....we hope to see you out there. My girlfriend and I are starting on the pinhoti trail in Alabama and hiking to katadhin. Your journey is going to be so amazing and I am excited just reading your post!!!! Best of luck and Congrats on going for your second thru.

[wornoutboots]

Have an Awesome Hike!!! I'll be heading Sobo into the NOC for SoRuck & may run into ya! Happy Trails!!

[max patch]

Hope you're prepared for sub zero temps and full on winter in southern Appalachians. You'll also miss the beautiful fall in New England since you'll be finished by August if not sooner!

While that may be an appropriate warning to someone planning their first hike, the OP has already done a thru and should know exactly what he's getting into.

Good luck QH.

[ChinMusic]

We thru hiked in 2012 during the "regular" season and were discouraged by the negativity and competitive feel of the trail during the "traditional" starting time.

I'm not understanding the "competitive feel" part. I just did a "regular season" thru and never felt any "competition".

[Tipi Walter]

The most challenging part of your hike will not be the cold (0F) or the rain (at 35F) but the actual hiking conditions---i.e. "Snowdowns" and postholing. Since the AT stays on ridgetops, you will of course get to see the worst snow depths than experienced in the valleys. So, will you bail for storms and head into a town or will you sit put and pull in-tent zeros or will you forge on thru deep snow (2+ feet) and snowdowns?

Snowdowns happen when the green tunnel of the AT collapses on itself due to snow load---common in the mountains of TN and NC. If you have a light pack and you enjoy belly crawling thru a low narrow white trail, well, you'll be right at home.

Postholing happens with snow around 8 inches deep and beyond---24 inches is common and 3 feet (drifts) is usual at higher elevations. Ridge drifts can be brutal, hence the bail-outs to towns so common for winter thruhikers. But hey, this isn't discouragement as I'll be out in January too but this year I'm bringing my Kahtoola microspikes "just in case"---and plus I can pull tent zeros to my heart's content when Miss Nature turns feisty.

[horicon]

QuabbinHiker, Are still planning your January 1st trip??? We are having are having a rain in NY.

[nickgann]

Right behind you... Heading out January 11! Not planning to thru though just go as far as I can before the first week of April.

[George]

the OP probably has not been on the site since Aug

[Slo-go'en]

For those who will be starting on Springer tomorrow, at least the weather looks to be fairly mild for the next few days. Better then the sub zero temps and a blizzard coming as we have here in NH!