Long Section Hike

[smokemonster]

Good afternoon!

So this spring, I will be able to take 4-6 weeks to do a long section hike of the AT. My plans are to hike from Springer to Damascus, and I will be preparing as if doing a thru hike. What I am having a hard time determining is a good start date. I feel like if I were doing an actual thru hike, I would like to start on or around March 1st, finishing sometime in August. However, with the time I have, would it be better to wait until later in April or May, when its warmer, or should I experience the South in all it's cold glory? Thanks

[moldy]

I made that same hike in 32 days. I like the idea of "misery reduction". The misery's can be snow, cold, rain, heat, bugs and dried up water holes. Leave too early and you get snow, and cold. Leave too late and you get heat, bugs and dried up water. To avoid both the former and the latter on this hike I would start on tax day, 15 April. By the first of May you hit the Smokey's, by the third week of May you should be getting close. On a normal weather year you will be avoiding some misery. You can't avoid rain in the Spring.

[Venchka]

Avoid the Hoards in the Bubble.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jayne]

I wouldn't go anywhere near that section of the trail in March personally. Just way too many people for my tastes. May is perfect weather for hiking and the bubble will be just a faint memory by then.

[MuddyWaters]

I wouldn't go anywhere near that section of the trail in March personally. Just way too many people for my tastes. May is perfect weather for hiking and the bubble will be just a faint memory by then.

Well, if you not careful you can catch them. They not move very fast.
Id also avoid it.

[bigcranky]

May in the Southern Appalachians is glorious. The trail is a lot less crowded, though there are still plenty of hikers. The weather is warmer, but not too warm during the day and can still get chilly at night. It's starting to leaf out at the higher elevations. Plenty of wildflowers. The trail isn't overgrown like it'll be later in the summer. You'll need less gear and clothing given the warmer temperatures.

I'd start end of April or May 1 if it were me.

[Hikingjim]

See the nobo graph
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home...tration-charts

Any time for late april to mid-may would be a pretty good time for less congestion and better weather

[Hikingjim]

I would personally pick a Monday around May 20 if it was around 4 weeks.

[skater]

Bigcranky nailed it.