Best month in June - Sept to hike Georgia AT?

[fivemillionsteps]

Hi - 63 yrs old, been hiking Florida woods for some years now, and I've got the itch to walk on the AT. In fact thinking about it, seeing what equipment I already have or need, and making plans has been taking up a lot of my spare time :-).

Last long hike was 51 years ago with the Boy Scouts - I still have my leather Boy Scout 50 mile hike patch :-) I remember we had really heavy packs!

I've already been hitting the StairMaster for strength and cardio workouts. I do like to walk, and rarely look for a close parking spot as my philosophy is to enjoy the use of my legs while they still work.

I live in Florida, so I guess the logical place to start will be the Georgia section. I figure that I won't be able to hike until at least June, and any time through September seem like it would be Ok. Any thoughts on best/worse months from June - September? October too cold?

I'll be retiring soon and would really like to keep doing sections and finish the whole trail someday... thus my sign in name 'fivemillionsteps' (surprised that wasn't taken).

Anyway thanks for any comments.

Granville

[moldy]

To answer the basic question (June to September). I would say as late in September as you can go. October is even better. June, July and August are too hot, too buggy and tend to be more snake'y for me. October is not too cold by a long shot. Good sleeping temps and good hiking temps. But, I can clearly see from your words that you are "off to the races". Your reading, youtubing, gear researching, posting will drive you nuts. You have the hiking bug and you will be getting to the trail as soon as you can get there. That's OK too and reflects what happens to most of us. See you out there.

[soumodeler]

October would actually be better to me. Not too cold unless we get an early winter next year and even then it shouldn't be bad.

Other than October? June would be my pick.

[colorado_rob]

I know it's outside your range, but to add to the other two opinions, my vote would also be October! I sure like it in April too,. watching the forest coming alive. You're retired (soon), why would you insist on June-September?

[MuddyWaters]

++ to all of the above

Late June, July, Aug can be downright miserable
Every hiked in 95F heat with oppressive humidity?
Its not the days that are so bad to me, its the hot humid sticky nights. I get sweaty, damp, itchy and cant fall asleep until after midnight when temp starts to get to a reasonable (<70) temperature.

Early June, or late september in that range. October or early November is better



But no matter what, go when you can.
Because it still beats sitting on a couch or behind a desk.

[fivemillionsteps]

I won't be retiring for two or three years actually. I didn't consider October because I assumed it would be too late in the season. I'm actually glad to find that October/November is recommended -- that will give me more time to save for better (lighter) equipment.

My old aluminum external frame backpack fell apart (thankfully). I weighed some of my other stuff and was shocked to find that my North Face Cat's Meow sleeping bag is 60 oz! and my Therm-a-rest inflatable 32oz! And then I need trekking shoes, trekking poles, ect. etc.

Thanks again - after reading for a while on White Blazes I knew that I'd get the information I was looking for.

Granville

[Dan Roper]

May and October are the best from a weather standpoint, but May has the advantage of having much more water. October can be quite dry.

I was born and raised in Miami and was a Boy Scout there, backpacking in the Keys and Everglades. I've lived in Georgia since 1979. I much prefer hiking in the mountains. I've done the Georgia AT in May, July, August, September, October and November (even the latter isn't too cold most years). The heat can be tough to deal with in the summer, but it's doable.

P.S. I still use an external frame pack. I much prefer them. I don't use trekking shoes or poles, though many hikers find them indispensable. An old-fashioned staff suits me fine.

[ScareBear]

Early June or Late September...I'd go with Early June...better colors...

[Engine]

We did a long section down that way from Fontana south in mid-October a few years ago and it was almost perfect weather. If September is as late as you can go, make it the end of the month.

[Dan Roper]

But always bear in mind that your trip might encounter conditions very different from those we are describing. Many of us are describing the delights of the Smokies and Blue Ridge in October. And usually that's the most benign month of the year. But conditions vary wildly, dramatically, and sometimes catastrophically. One hiker got caught in the great snowstorm that accompanied Super Storm Sandy in late October 2012 (you can find his journal at trailjournals.com). On my trip through the Smokies in 2012, I reached Clingman's Dome on September 1. It was sunny, breezy, and comfortably cool (perhaps 60s). I returned one month later (October 1) to 40 mile an hour winds, temperatures in the mid 30s, and rime ice covering everything.

October is an excellent month to be in the southern Appalachians...except when it isn't (which is probably about 25% of the time).

[fivemillionsteps]

It really sounds like October is the month to go... and if it happens to get 'wild' out there, it's all part of the experience to enjoy.

Thanks

[Tipi Walter]

I was out this October in the mountains of TN and NC and it was 90F on October 30th. December is now the new October. Nowadays Sept/Oct are downright hot. I would go in June. Plus, yellow jackets are bad in Sept/October.

[colorado_rob]

We do have to remember that the OP is from Florida, and despite Tipi claims (I just looked at some temperature records, he was, er, posturing just a bit apparently), October can be kinda chilly at night. Still, that whole part of the country is really marvelous that time of year. We were out climbing Brasstown Bald (very near springer) a few Octobers ago, spectacular. We were car camping.

[bigcranky]

I'll be a contrarian and say that I really liked our two Georgia hikes in June. Now, it was early June -- the first time was the first week in June 2003, and we had frost on our tents overnight the first couple of days. So it wasn't too warm. Overall the weather was pretty close to perfect, even. Plenty of water in the springs and streams, too.

[Tipi Walter]

We do have to remember that the OP is from Florida, and despite Tipi claims (I just looked at some temperature records, he was, er, posturing just a bit apparently), October can be kinda chilly at night. Still, that whole part of the country is really marvelous that time of year. We were out climbing Brasstown Bald (very near springer) a few Octobers ago, spectacular. We were car camping.

I got my dates wrong on that trip. It was October 19 and 20---with recorded temps at 88F just a few miles away in Maryville TN. Oh and on November 1 it was 85F. See---

http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/mar...weather/335673

[MuddyWaters]

I got my dates wrong on that trip. It was October 19 and 20---with recorded temps at 88F just a few miles away in Maryville TN. Oh and on November 1 it was 85F. See---

http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/mar...weather/335673

I tramped around in Va in mid-late October.

It was HOT. Every bit of 85-90 in days. It was 65F at night. Forecast the week prior was for it to be ~45-50 F.

Wayyyy off.

Somewhat of an anomaly I think. Like freezes in first week of June. Last time I was in GA in first week June, it was 55F at night. Maybe 75-80 in day.

[colorado_rob]

There is the daylight advantage of June as well... October daylight is fading really quickly. I'm biased though, I just cannot take the heat of that part of the country during the summer, whereas our OP is from Florida, June in the GA mountains will probably feel nice and cool.

[daddytwosticks]

Early May thru early June is really nice down on this end of the AT. It does start getting very hot and humid by mid June.

[Dan Roper]

I think the "contrarian" meant to say that there was condensation or dew on his tent in Georgia in June 2003. Even in Georgia's highest mountains (or deepest valleys, where cold air settles), frost is exceedingly rare in June. Only once in June 2003 did the Georgia Mountain Research Center (located at the foot of Blood Mountain) record a temperature lower than 46 degrees - that was 40.5 degrees on June 2. Mostly the lows ranged from the mid 50s to mid 60s.

[Maineiac64]

If you are not tethered to just Georgia you could also consider the Northern states on AT in summer. It is miserable here in GA in middle of summer but can be done.