Starting in august??

[patches01]

Hey y'all, due to some mitigating circumstances I can't get started on the thru hike until around August (applying to med school ).

Does anyone have any advice or personal experiences about starting so late?

Thanks!
Patches

[4eyedbuzzard]

Hike SOBO quickly. Seriously, you want to be through NH by the end of September, early October at the latest. Add that there would be a big difference starting Aug 1 vs Aug 31. Winter comes early to New England.

[Jedeye]

You could possibly do a flip flop. As far as the terrain goes I think it would be an easier start. But a late start is better than no start.

[Slo-go'en]

You could possibly do a flip flop. As far as the terrain goes I think it would be an easier start. But a late start is better than no start.

Yea, rather then starting at Kathadin, start say in Mass and go north, then flip back to Mass and go south.

That way you start out somewhat easier, will be in with a bunch of NOBO thru-hikers (who will be speeding past you until you can keep up) and get to Baxter before it gets too late in the season. Plus you qualify as a thru-hiker making the Baxter end logistically a bit easier. You also pretty much eliminate the risk of encountering bad fall weather in NH and Vermont. When you flip south, you'll meet back up with some of the SOBOs you passed on the way north.

[garlic08]

As noted above, you'd want to be able to start in ME and move pretty quickly right out of the gate, say 100+ mile weeks and then get faster. Do you have any long distance hiking experience? That's hard to maintain on the first hike, but not impossible. You'd want your gear, fitness, foot care, and diet dialed fairly well to avoid long rest stops.

One advantage will be cooler weather and fewer bugs down south. You'd want to pick up a pretty good headlamp later in the season for possible night hiking, if you're still out there near the winter solstice.

[patches01]

Thanks for help. I think I'm gonna try sobo from katahdin.

The only problem is that I live in alabama and I'm going to have to find a ride, so I need to figure that out.

[Hot Flash]

Thanks for help. I think I'm gonna try sobo from katahdin.

The only problem is that I live in alabama and I'm going to have to find a ride, so I need to figure that out.

You'd have to find a ride anyway, so it's not like an extra complication thrown in.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Thanks for help. I think I'm gonna try sobo from katahdin.

The only problem is that I live in alabama and I'm going to have to find a ride, so I need to figure that out.

Fly Atlanta to Boston Logan airport $150 - $200, Concord coach or Greyhound bus Boston to Bangor, ME $50, Cyr bus Bangor to Medway/Millinocket $45 , hitchhike to Baxter. Roughly $250 to $300.

[Jedeye]

Thanks for help. I think I'm gonna try sobo from katahdin.

The only problem is that I live in alabama and I'm going to have to find a ride, so I need to figure that out.

So just hike in on the Pinhoti Trail