Pen Mar State Park to Katadin

[tawa]

Just finished Shenandoah NP north to Pen Mar. I have plans to go from Pen Mar to Katadin in one trip the Spring of 2018.
How much time should I allow for to complete that long sectio?. Would consider myself an average of the pack hiker and will take zeroes when Im around solid trail towns.
Your thoughts on how early in Spring I can back on trail for this long session? How early would you leave?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions.

[Deacon]

Just finished Shenandoah NP north to Pen Mar. I have plans to go from Pen Mar to Katadin in one trip the Spring of 2018.
How much time should I allow for to complete that long sectio?. Would consider myself an average of the pack hiker and will take zeroes when Im around solid trail towns.
Your thoughts on how early in Spring I can back on trail for this long session? How early would you leave?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions.

It’ll take around 2.5 months, since it’s nearly half the entire trail, less a few days. If it were me, I wouldn’t leave before May 15. That should put you out of any raw weather, though you would still get some very cool days. I left Harpers Ferry on May 9th, and walked in some cold rain.


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[Slo-go'en]

I left Harpers Ferry on 4-17-2016 heading north.
on 4-26 I was at the Doyle in Duncannon, PA
on 5-11 I crossed into NJ
on 5-17 I crossed into NY
on 5-20 I crossed the Hudson river
on 5-29 I crossed into MA
on 6-9 I was in Manchester Center, VT- at which point I skipped the rest of Vermont and went to Hanover, NH since I got tired of hiking in knee deep mud. Anyway I have done that section of Vermont about a dozen times already. I then did Hanover to Glenncliff and decided I had enough so just hitch hiked home, since I was pretty close.

So, it took me nearly 2 months to get 1/3d of the way through Vermont. The few other flip floppers who I left HF with and stayed on the trial didn't reach Katahdin until the end of July.

You definitely don't want to leave any earlier then the middle of April and early May might be better. This year we had a long, cold and wet spring which lasted well into June. The weather really didn't improve up here in NH and ME until July. Of course, next year will be completely different.

[THEDON]

I was wondering the same thing. I've gone from about 20 miles South of SNP to Duncannon as day hikes and a few overnights here and there. Thinking about doing to Katadin this spring after I retire. Would likely start again in either Harpers during the flip/flop kick off at end of April or start at Penn Mar first week of May. Maybe see you out there.

[moldy]

I would depart about 15 May. You won’t encounter snow in the Whites and black fly season will be pretty much over. You should be at the end by late July or early August

[George]

hey Tawa, one more year and I could join you - like others said mid april would be good, with an early july finish - not much company until school is out in june, the hikers that come up on you will be fast movers

[tawa]

Nice hearing from you. Next yr might work if I hike half this year and half or so next year. Will just have to see how it goes.
Only sections left to complete going south is mostly all of Virginia from Waynesboro to Damascus---did complete a fifty mile section outside of Perisburg--plan to complete that in fall of 2018.
Keep in touch and maybe it might work.

[rafe]

One problem with that plan is the bugs... New England forests can be nasty in spring and early summer. Also, snow, which is likely to be found at high elevations in the White Mountains and Maine, well into June.

Aside from that, extrapolate from your experience so far, bearing in mind that the mountains of NH and ME are tough hiking, with intense vertical elevation changes almost every single day.