Any January Starters?

[Gunner1776]

Just curious, do we have anyone else that plans on starting NOBO in January? January 1st?

[Tabasco Hikes]

Just curious, do we have anyone else that plans on starting NOBO in January? January 1st?

Hey Gunner: I have flight reservations into Atlanta on January 9th with a shuttle from Hartsfield to Springer, but I will make a "game time decision" after the first of the year based on snow, ice, and temps. I've been watching the weather and it was 50 degrees on most of the southern trail today. If it remains unseasonably warm, I will step off Springer headed north.

However, if the snow and ice accumulations make it prohibitive, I will either hike the Florida trail or the Palmetto trail until mid-March. Then I will bounce up to Springer. My Jan/Mar pre-hike is to work out any kinks in my equipment and work on conditioning for an extended hike.

I thought I saw where you were considering the FT in January. Did I misread?

Tabasco

[JumpMaster Blaster]

Hey Gunner: I have flight reservations into Atlanta on January 9th with a shuttle from Hartsfield to Springer, but I will make a "game time decision" after the first of the year based on snow, ice, and temps. I've been watching the weather and it was 50 degrees on most of the southern trail today. If it remains unseasonably warm, I will step off Springer headed north.

However, if the snow and ice accumulations make it prohibitive, I will either hike the Florida trail or the Palmetto trail until mid-March. Then I will bounce up to Springer. My Jan/Mar pre-hike is to work out any kinks in my equipment and work on conditioning for an extended hike.

I thought I saw where you were considering the FT in January. Did I misread?

Tabasco

Hey Teach, you're not too far from me. Good luck on your hike!

[Tipi Walter]

Just curious, do we have anyone else that plans on starting NOBO in January? January 1st?

This should be interesting. Last year I tried to follow all the AT Trail Journals starting in January and came up with NOTHING. The Polar Vortex really sorted them out and shut down their grand plans etc.

[Slo-go'en]

The problem is, it might be kinda nice at the start of the trail in early January, but once you get into the real mountains of North Carolina and winter kicks in big time in February, your in trouble.

[Tipi Walter]

The problem is, it might be kinda nice at the start of the trail in early January, but once you get into the real mountains of North Carolina and winter kicks in big time in February, your in trouble.

I love it when the Trail Journal thruhiker has 100 pre-trip posts leading up to a winter start and then they do 2 days on the trail and DISAPPEAR off the interweb and they post a short final sentence about bailing permanently. Dangit, it's never as bad as they make it out to be. It's not a Denali winter ascent.

When the bad stuff kicks in big time, know it is temporary and sit put in basecamp tent mode and wait it out. Then start up again.

[Boots and Backpacks]

We're start on 12/30. Don't listen to what anybody tells you about the weather. None of them know what the weather will be like, or when anything will happen. Be smart, prepared for the worst, and have extra food. We're allowing ourselves until July to finish, and that should give us plenty of time in case bad weather comes. Most winter thru-hikers aren't prepared, and the ones that think they are still aren't. We think we are, and I'm sure we'll have to make some changes. ALWAYS HAVE A DRY CHANGE OF CLOTHING FOR CAMP!!!!!!

[Tipi Walter]

We're start on 12/30. Don't listen to what anybody tells you about the weather. None of them know what the weather will be like, or when anything will happen. Be smart, prepared for the worst, and have extra food. We're allowing ourselves until July to finish, and that should give us plenty of time in case bad weather comes. Most winter thru-hikers aren't prepared, and the ones that think they are still aren't. We think we are, and I'm sure we'll have to make some changes. ALWAYS HAVE A DRY CHANGE OF CLOTHING FOR CAMP!!!!!!

I hope to be out the same exact time so we can compare notes at the end. My goal is to find the highest mountains in TN and NC and take my new Voile snow shovel and pray for a series of stupendous blizzards with very low temps and hope for a tough couple weeks on snow-blocked ridges. I want to get snowed in but I'll have my geese and my microspikes and my Hilleberg tent. Did I mention the geese?

You're right, there's no way to know what's coming after Christmas weather-wise, but with a little luck we'll get another polar vortex and achieve some sort of nirvana above 5,000 feet. After last year's Polar Rectum I think I can handle whatever comes and eagerly want to see my fellow backpackers bail off the mountains in a howling fit. Not you guys though, but all others.

[rocketsocks]

I hope to be out the same exact time so we can compare notes at the end. My goal is to find the highest mountains in TN and NC and take my new Voile snow shovel and pray for a series of stupendous blizzards with very low temps and hope for a tough couple weeks on snow-blocked ridges. I want to get snowed in but I'll have my geese and my microspikes and my Hilleberg tent. Did I mention the geese?

You're right, there's no way to know what's coming after Christmas weather-wise, but with a little luck we'll get another polar vortex and achieve some sort of nirvana above 5,000 feet. After last year's Polar Rectum I think I can handle whatever comes and eagerly want to see my fellow backpackers bail off the mountains in a howling fit. Not you guys though, but all others.

I hope you do...many here love the photologs.

[Boots and Backpacks]

I hope to be out the same exact time so we can compare notes at the end. My goal is to find the highest mountains in TN and NC and take my new Voile snow shovel and pray for a series of stupendous blizzards with very low temps and hope for a tough couple weeks on snow-blocked ridges. I want to get snowed in but I'll have my geese and my microspikes and my Hilleberg tent. Did I mention the geese?

You're right, there's no way to know what's coming after Christmas weather-wise, but with a little luck we'll get another polar vortex and achieve some sort of nirvana above 5,000 feet. After last year's Polar Rectum I think I can handle whatever comes and eagerly want to see my fellow backpackers bail off the mountains in a howling fit. Not you guys though, but all others.

When looking through all the threads of people who plan on starting around the New Year. You can tell who the ones are that are ready for hell, and those who aren't. We're carrying all the warmth (we hope) that we think we'll need. Some people should wait until March to start, especially those that are asking what the weather will be like. If you don't know what the weather is going to be like in January or February you clearly haven't done your homework, and that scares me. All anybody knows is that it's going to be cold, and colder than hell some nights. I see people starting in March with nothing more than a base layer and running shorts, and I wonder just how prepared they actually are?

We're still debating on if we should pack in a roll up sled or not. Sledding down Max Patch does sound like a blast in free powder.

[Honuben]

I would love to read blogs from early starters and hope and wish for the best of luck and weather for all of those. Good luck to you all starting early and cold. I will be drinking my coffee in my undies as you having fun outsde.

[Cadenza]

I understand through hiking the AT is a different kind of experience, but the whole concept of "getting to the next town" is so foreign to me.
My whole reason for being in the woods is to get OUT OF TOWN.

Back in 2009 and 2010 my best friend spent a year camping continuously in the Cherokee National Forest. Though he has returned to civilization (if you can call the New York City area civilized!) he still reminisces about being in the woods.
I'm thinking about dropping out of the rat race and retiring to the woods. For as long as I can function, manage my gear, cook, gather firewood, and survive,.....I see little point in getting to the next town.

[kayak karl]

i don't look at it as "getting to the next town", but the next resupply. was never in a hurry, but if i have 5 days of food i would like to be to the next town in 5 days, give or take a few hours.

[Tipi Walter]

I understand through hiking the AT is a different kind of experience, but the whole concept of "getting to the next town" is so foreign to me.
My whole reason for being in the woods is to get OUT OF TOWN.

Back in 2009 and 2010 my best friend spent a year camping continuously in the Cherokee National Forest. Though he has returned to civilization (if you can call the New York City area civilized!) he still reminisces about being in the woods.
I'm thinking about dropping out of the rat race and retiring to the woods. For as long as I can function, manage my gear, cook, gather firewood, and survive,.....I see little point in getting to the next town.

I thought about making the same comment as yours---but then I realized this is a Class of 2015 AT thruhike thread and ya gotta remember, the AT folk love to carry minimal food and seem motivated solely to reach the next town and the next hot pizza. This is foreign to me also but it's the way thruhikers roll as we will never get them staying out with 21 days worth of food and avoiding yellow blazing and hitching as much as possible.

Frequent resupply and very frequent motel stays and hot restaurant food (and the UL packs which go with such hiking) is the norm nowadays, especially for winter backpackers. It's really a form of "snippet backpacking" whereby they take tiny bites of uninterrupted "wilderness" travel and then bail for resupply, motel stays and laundry mats.

I read a book called Awol On the Appalachian Trail by David Miller and was blown away by his near constant town visits, motel stays and frequent slackpacking. Of course, here's an apt quote from him on page 122---

"Sometimes I want to be done faster . . . ." DAVID MILLER.

And this jewel---

"Why did I leave town? I could still be sleeping in a comfortable motel bed in Front Royal." DAVID MILLER, page 147.

It boggles the mind.

[Abatis1948]

I understand through hiking the AT is a different kind of experience, but the whole concept of "getting to the next town" is so foreign to me.
My whole reason for being in the woods is to get OUT OF TOWN.

Back in 2009 and 2010 my best friend spent a year camping continuously in the Cherokee National Forest. Though he has returned to civilization (if you can call the New York City area civilized!) he still reminisces about being in the woods.
I'm thinking about dropping out of the rat race and retiring to the woods. For as long as I can function, manage my gear, cook, gather firewood, and survive,.....I see little point in getting to the next town.

You must be real good at living off the land. Would like to follow your journal if you do the AT.

[Tipi Walter]

You must be real good at living off the land. Would like to follow your journal if you do the AT.

I believe his point is that there are different ways to hike the AT and some of us hate the idea of hiking roads or hitching into towns or going to stores for near-constant resupplies. We put a dollar in our pack on Day 1 and come out on Day 21 with the same dollar.

I did 19 days on the AT in June 2011 w/o resupply and in April 2012 did 20 days on the AT w/o resupply. In May 2014 I did 21 days on the BMT/AT combo w/o resupply.

I concede of course that Thruhikers have to resupply because they are out for 5 or 6 months. Or they could carry 30 days of food and resupply 5 or 6 times for the whole trip. Different options available. The Fast & Light mindset, the Forced March mindset, the Gotta Make The Miles mindset is predominant, not the unbroken nature experience mindset.

[oldwetherman]

Tipi. Did you ever wonder if you were a polar bear in a previous life? ...Just teasing. I truly admire what you do.

[Tipi Walter]

Tipi. Did you ever wonder if you were a polar bear in a previous life? ...Just teasing. I truly admire what you do.

Thanks for the encouragement but no, I'm just an old bitter geezer trying to stay on speaking terms with Miss Nature.

[4shot]

the one thing about winter camping that too often gets overlooked (imo) is the incredible amount of downtime in the winter when it gets dark at 5 - 6 PM. I don't like night hiking so I like to set up about an hour or so before dark.When temperatures gets to freezing and below, a fire that is generated by the sticks and twigs one can collect around a campsite doesn't generate sufficient heat. I take a headlamp and try to read some but I have been in my bag as early as 5PM. I have woken up to handle the inevitable "nature call" at night thinking it was probably around 1 or 2 am but my watch tells me it is only 9:48 PM or so. That makes for a very long night. And the one thing I most dislike about winter hiking. I do love the absence of bugs. and people.

[Tipi Walter]

the one thing about winter camping that too often gets overlooked (imo) is the incredible amount of downtime in the winter when it gets dark at 5 - 6 PM. I don't like night hiking so I like to set up about an hour or so before dark.When temperatures gets to freezing and below, a fire that is generated by the sticks and twigs one can collect around a campsite doesn't generate sufficient heat. I take a headlamp and try to read some but I have been in my bag as early as 5PM. I have woken up to handle the inevitable "nature call" at night thinking it was probably around 1 or 2 am but my watch tells me it is only 9:48 PM or so. That makes for a very long night. And the one thing I most dislike about winter hiking. I do love the absence of bugs. and people.

You're right about the down time. There's still many hours of daylight for hiking though, but then again, the hardest part of winter backpacking is packing up in the morning. It tests the feet and hands right off the bat from a sitting state and winter is all about the feet and hands.

I have no trouble with the added hours of darkness as I like to read so I take books or "internet book rolls" to read and BURN BABY BURN. Nothing is carried for long but in the meantime I get in some good reading. And then there's the little Sangean radio with the headphones and/or speaker. Then there's the trail journal which requires some effort to keep up to date. And then there's the camera to ponder and review.

And food galore---always snacking or cooking up something---morning tea with honey, evening pot cozy meal---no-cook foods the rest of the time.