Earliest Start Time Going NOBO

[AllDownhillFromHere]

Where did you get that info? Can you post your source please

He didn't respond 9 days ago, I'm sure he won't now. What a turd.

[Venchka]

He didn't respond 9 days ago, I'm sure he won't now. What a turd.

Sarcasm eluded you.
Wayne


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[Gambit McCrae]

Jan 1st= More Solitude, Cold start, earlier finish. Walking without leaves a big chunk of your trip

April 1st= Social time, warmer start, More establishments will be open, later finish

[Sovi]

Will be starting second week of Feb '18, prepared for the cold start. Mainly to get ahead of the big crowds, but also to get a warmer finish. Will still likely get passed by the speedsters, but expect to have several solo days before that happens.

[George]

From the same source that says tomorrow is the earliest one can start a NOBO hike.
Or maybe the day after.
The important, real world question, is how early can you finish a NOBO hike?
The answer: It depends. Research is the key.
Wayne

the real question is how long one can procrastinate starting their hike??????????

[George]

Will be starting second week of Feb '18, prepared for the cold start. Mainly to get ahead of the big crowds, but also to get a warmer finish. Will still likely get passed by the speedsters, but expect to have several solo days before that happens.

with a mid feb start, it was Buena vista VA before the first group of speedsters passed

[Sovi]

the real question is how long one can procrastinate starting their hike??????????

25 years for me.. i started planning when i was 16

[rafe]

I think it happens almost every year... the super-early starters spend an inordinate number of nights in town and aren't making anywhere near the sort of miles they'd expect. So, the net gain (over folks starting later) tends to be not so much.

Days are cold and short. Nights are cold and long. Long-distance hiking in snow, slush or cold rain takes extra special grit.

Check out Chris Gallaway's excellent video, Long Start to the Journey. He had a fairly early start. Walked through a lot of snow and slush in the Smokies.

[dukakis]

I started a 250-mile section in mid-Feb. Loved every minute of the weather. Beautiful and not jammed with crowds. Way better than when I started my thru in April.

[Greenlight]

I followed Slipknot on trailjournals.com two years ago. He started Jan 1 and did fine. His circumstances were well aligned with his plans, though. Retired. Support at home. No mileage goals per day. Outdoor and cold weather skills. When the weather got bad, he pulled off the trail, sometimes for days and mostly at hostels. Some of his pictures of the winter landscapes in Georgia, GSMNP, Virginia especially are breathtaking. are gorgeous. It is possible, but not always preferable. You can get yourself in serious trouble very quickly and get injured, lose your life because of an innocent mistake.

What's the earliest that people can start going NOBO? Does anyone ever start in January or early February?