Advice for planning some time off the trail

[tokin]

This year I will be doing a SOBO hike starting on June 13th. My question is for people who have already done a thru-hike, and relates to taking a substantial amount of time off of the trail.

I would like to apply to law school during this same time, and am thus considering taking off for pretty much the whole month of September to do my applications. (I would wait until I am finished with the trail, but my chances of acceptance increase substantially by applying earlier.)

Does this seems like an unreasonable expectation? I know that it is "possible," but is it something from which I will be able to step away from right in the middle? I worry that I will be so much into the hike that taking the time for this purpose won't be effective. Or maybe I am just setting some unreasonable expectation for being able to do this and finish the trail without trudging through tons of snow.

Advice?

[rafe]

What do these applications involve? If it's just letter and essay writing, and filling out forms... can it be done in advance? Then just have someone at home mail them in at the most appropriate time.

[tokin]

They require a bit of time in preparation (at least 3 weeks) to revise the essays, and there is no time in advance (I teach and then have to take the LSAT on June 11th, so I don't forsee my actually working on them much before). I could potentially push back my start date...when does it become questionable to start a SOBO hike?

But otherwise, beforehand is not really a viable option.

[rafe]

...when does it become questionable to start a SOBO hike?

That depends. When do you need to finish by? Can you deal with winter hiking and camping?

[1Pint]

They require a bit of time in preparation (at least 3 weeks) to revise the essays, and there is no time in advance (I teach and then have to take the LSAT on June 11th, so I don't forsee my actually working on them much before). I could potentially push back my start date...when does it become questionable to start a SOBO hike?

But otherwise, beforehand is not really a viable option.

Could you possibly copy the apps (and seriously shrink them down - I've found 12 point font is still completely legible when copied on 50%) or just write out the essay questions then work on your essays from some most spectacular trail vista? Then schedule yourself for 3 consecutive nights at a reasonable hostel/town with library & computer access. Mail yourself the pretty resume paper, envelopes, original application, copies of your resume, etc. Get into town, transfer your brilliant writing into acceptable format, tidy things up a bit and off you go back onto the trail. Repeat process as necessary. Whatever you do - GOOD LUCK!

[Old Grouse]

If you're serious about going to law school in 2008, I think you should give it your best shot. If that means going home for a month, so be it. If you are admitted, you'll be looking at 3 years of hard study followed by a couple of months of intense study for the bar exam(s), followed (you hope) by a job where you'll be low on the totem pole. You will therefore probably not again have the opportunity to thru-hike for a number of years. Keep that in mind and it may give you whatever incentive you need to get back on the Trail after completing your apps. And good luck!

[tokin]

Could you possibly copy the apps (and seriously shrink them down - I've found 12 point font is still completely legible when copied on 50%) or just write out the essay questions then work on your essays from some most spectacular trail vista? Then schedule yourself for 3 consecutive nights at a reasonable hostel/town with library & computer access. Mail yourself the pretty resume paper, envelopes, original application, copies of your resume, etc. Get into town, transfer your brilliant writing into acceptable format, tidy things up a bit and off you go back onto the trail. Repeat process as necessary. Whatever you do - GOOD LUCK!

I've thought about something like that, shrinking down the essays and bringing them along to work on...but I just wonder whether or not they will get done. I know that is more of an issue of making sure I am personally motivated about it, but when I thru-hiked the Long Trail, I rarely found myself wanting to work on anything like that after the day was done.

Part of my question also deals with, when does it get snowy down on the Southern end?

[firemountain]

As far as weather conditions... things can vary wildly year to year. This winter I didn't start hiking through snow every day until I crossed the Grayson Highlands in southern VA. This was the second week of January (heading south). For some perspective I started Sept 5 on Katahdin and took a total of 22 zero days, finishing Feb 13 with 32 days over 20 miles per day (mostly in the south).

[bobgessner57]

Snow in the southern mtns varies year to year but generally doesn't come in any great quantity or stay for very long until after Christmas. The high elevations can be an exception any time from November on and northern slopes can hold on to a delightful icy crust any time after a snowfall/thaw.