Does a SOBO get lonesome?

[robertbrowder]

I'm planning on starting a solo SOBO from Maine around July 1. My biggest concern (actually, all my friends' biggest concern too) is that there won't be anyone on the trail to hike with by the time October/November/December rolls around. Does anyone who has hiked SOBO before comment a bit about what the SOBO community is like? Can you really go for weeks at a time without seeing another thru-hiker?

[YoungMoose]

From what ive read in a couple of books alot of people say that if your going sobo you definetly have to like being by yourself. Some parts are defnietly busier then others but sometimes you would only see 1-5 people a day. im not sure if thats correct but i read that a couple of times.

[Wheeler]

I finished my sobo this past jan. There aren't many people on the trail, but there are still a few. I was in a group of 4 hikers. We grouped up when the weather started getting pretty cold. There were two groups in front of us that did the same. Each group seemed to finish about 2 weeks apart. Twice, I went about a week without even seeing another person on the trail,but that seemed rare,usually you will at least bump into a hunter. But the weather had turned pretty ugly. Once I went almost two week's without seeing anyone,but I did go in to town for resupply. This was before I grouped up. Had I hiked faster(not so late in the year),obviously there would have been more people around. You will have ample time up north to meet people you are comfy hiking with. As far as seeing other thru-hikers goes, I didn't see any, but like I said,I knew of groups ahead of me.I didn't see a single NOBO,though I heard from locals,Hostels, etc... that they were crossing my path. Funny that we didn't see a SINGLE one. They must have all been night hikers. You don't have to be alone, but I think it's good for you to take some time alone.

[GotDuhka]

Im flying from NC up to Bangor on june 8th. Its getting pretty close and this question, among many other worries, come to mind often. However try to think of the positives and don't think your planning it. YOUR DOING IT! Also I am really into spirituality/philosophy so if you are into it or not maybe you can try it out. It helps the most during lonsome times and sadness. When I say spirituality I don't mean religion, there is a large line between the two. Try out Alan Watts on for size, he has some really good books that are small and light! The nature of non-dualistic ideas and false individuality are my favorite dwelling places and plan on coming back to these truths on the trail... it is a primary reason for my hike.

[kayak karl]

I'm planning on starting a solo SOBO from Maine around July 1. My biggest concern (actually, all my friends' biggest concern too) is that there won't be anyone on the trail to hike with by the time October/November/December rolls around. Does anyone who has hiked SOBO before comment a bit about what the SOBO community is like? Can you really go for weeks at a time without seeing another thru-hiker?

NOBO this winter i'd see maybe a total of 2 people from mon-fri and maybe 6 on a weekend day. i hated the weekends.
maybe its my age, but i loved it. going to finish my hike SOBO. you have a great hike. take a book

[Lone Wolf]

I'm planning on starting a solo SOBO from Maine around July 1. My biggest concern (actually, all my friends' biggest concern too) is that there won't be anyone on the trail to hike with by the time October/November/December rolls around. Does anyone who has hiked SOBO before comment a bit about what the SOBO community is like? Can you really go for weeks at a time without seeing another thru-hiker?

you'll be around plenty of folks. SOBO is the way to go

[DapperD]

I'm planning on starting a solo SOBO from Maine around July 1. My biggest concern (actually, all my friends' biggest concern too) is that there won't be anyone on the trail to hike with by the time October/November/December rolls around. Does anyone who has hiked SOBO before comment a bit about what the SOBO community is like? Can you really go for weeks at a time without seeing another thru-hiker?

I haven't thru-hiked, but it stands to reason there will be less opportunity to meet and interact with other's heading Southbound on a thruhike, as from what I understand about 85% of people who thruhike go Northbound, so right there you will be starting out with less people. As far as not seeing people for weeks at a time, I doubt that, this being the heavily populated East Coast, however as far as thru-hikers go you will be in the minority. In my opinion, being young and most likely very social, you would be better off going Northbound.

[RITBlake]

We finished in mid November. Very few days if any went by without seeing other hikers on the trail. Now having said, chances are you won't be in a big 'pack' of fellow thru hikers. Sobo's tend to form much smaller, tighter groups. People tend to appreciate that more when they see photos of 30 nobo thru hikers jammed in to a shelter.

[DAJA]

I'm kicking off the beginning of my section hike of the AT heading SOBO this year in Maine. I'm going SOBO specifically to reduce the number of people I hike with.

[Ron Haven]

I'm planning on starting a solo SOBO from Maine around July 1. My biggest concern (actually, all my friends' biggest concern too) is that there won't be anyone on the trail to hike with by the time October/November/December rolls around. Does anyone who has hiked SOBO before comment a bit about what the SOBO community is like? Can you really go for weeks at a time without seeing another thru-hiker?

robertbrowder,keep in mind that we have a Hiker Christmas Party gathering on the 1st weekend of December in Franklin,NC and south bounders are sure welcome.

[D-wreck]

I started my SOBO hike on July 1st 2008 without knowing anyone. Ran into lots of SOBO's and NOBO's until Glencliff, NH. It thinned out after that, and I hiked alone a lot in Vermont, Mass and Conn (and then I ran into Wheeler!) I ran into others in New York and New Jersey, and finally ran into the Vermont Mafia and hiked the rest of the way to Georgia with them. We continued to meet other SOBO's along the way, but it was rare. We picked up Bearwalked in Virgina, Bookworm in North Carolina, and One Gallon on Springer.

If you leave around 7/1, you will get the chance to meet as many SOBO's as you want. You can slow down / speed up to hike alone / hike with others as you choose. You'll only be as lonely as you want to be. There will always be lots of day hikers and section hikers to keep you company too.

I was nervous about going SOBO, but it couldn't have turned out better. OK, the weather got stupid cold in December, but it was worth it.

[Marta]

There is a SOBO "pack," mostly composed of guys about your age. It's small, compared to the herds of NOBOs, but it exists. You can be alone, if you wish, or you can join up with one or more other hikers. Your choice.

[davian]

NOBO this winter i'd see maybe a total of 2 people from mon-fri and maybe 6 on a weekend day. i hated the weekends.
maybe its my age, but i loved it. going to finish my hike SOBO. you have a great hike. take a book

when are u going to finish your sobo hike. i am planing on hike the at in june from harrisburg pa south to springer

[hammock engineer]

I finish in Jan. It definitly seperated out by PA, if not before. There was a big group in from (12 or 18 if you belive it) than I was always a week or 2 back. If you are looking for a group for most of the way I would do it early.

I figured I did about a third of the trail solo, half with 1 other guy, and the rest in a small group. Solo I went 4 days with only seeing someone in a car at a road crossing. I joined a group just before Damascus. The funny thing is by that point you saw someone and it wasn't a big deal or hard to start hiking with them for awhile.

The cold definitly thins people out. Enjoy. When you get used to hiking alone or in a very small group, it's hard to beat.

[mindi]

I'm starting to wonder how often I'm going to be all alone, too, since I'm not starting until July 12th. Seems like everyone is heading out a week or two before that (or more) and I'm REALLY slow so the odds of catching up are pretty slim. I am looking forward to having some alone hiking time for sure, and avoiding the crowds, but I think I am going to miss the camaraderie that I had going northbound, at least starting out when I'm still nervous.

Sugargrits

[THEmapMAKER]

If you go SOBO do you miss a lot of trail magic compared to going NOBO? If you go SOBO are a lot of the hostels closed in the south when you get there? Do you miss anything by going SOBO?

[RITBlake]

If you go SOBO do you miss a lot of trail magic compared to going NOBO? If you go SOBO are a lot of the hostels closed in the south when you get there? Do you miss anything by going SOBO?

Trail Magic: To quote the movie Office Space... " I wouldn't say I've been missing it, Bob."

Yes there is a lot less trail magic for SOBO's. But I would argue that when you do come across it it's more 'magical' because it's so much more unexpected.

This year I saw a video of a guy that set up a camp on the trail w/ a huge tent, food, drinks, cots, etc.... That's a bit ridiculous if you ask me. Not saying I wouldn't stop in if I was hiking, but come on. Towns arn't THAT far apart. Add on that the hiker feeds, the people at road crossings... it softens you.

Hostels: We went from June - November and only came across two hostels that were closed for the season. If trail magic and hostels are your thing, then you should be going NOBO.

Do you miss anything by going SOBO?
Crowds.

[max patch]

I like to "hike" more than "camp" so I tend to hike till (almost) dark. I'd go stir crazy doing a SOBO with the shortened days near the end of the hike.

[hammock engineer]

I'm starting to wonder how often I'm going to be all alone, too, since I'm not starting until July 12th. Seems like everyone is heading out a week or two before that (or more) and I'm REALLY slow so the odds of catching up are pretty slim. I am looking forward to having some alone hiking time for sure, and avoiding the crowds, but I think I am going to miss the camaraderie that I had going northbound, at least starting out when I'm still nervous.

Sugargrits

Blake said it best. All about what you are looking for. If you want to hike around tons of people, have tons of people everywhere, feel cheated if people don't give you things all the time, than go North. If you want to spend time alone or with less people (a couple people I hiked with where never alone), spend more time hiking and less with the hiker feed scene, hike through 2 months of leaf changing, and into Winter than go south.

Basically most of this boils down to if you think you need a lot of people around to enjoy your hike go north if you don't go south.

In the end it is all about what you are looking for. I think in the end you would enjoy whichever one you choose. Have a good time and don't pay attension to all the anti-southbounder stuff you are going to read here. Never saw any of it actually hiking. Man I usually don't get caught up in this.

[sasquatch2014]

While you may hike with less folks during the day you tend to pass a few of the Nobo through out and it's an easy way to find out who is ahead of you quickly. Depending on your time frame I may bump into you when I do my fall Sobo section down in VA this year.

By the time you get down my way you will be in true thru hiker shape but if you want company for the day give me a shout I'll run out for the day. I can also help with the resupply in Pawling or a lift to the train station. It is easier it seems with the Sobo crowed to help out as it's not as crazy as in the middle of the summer.

One issue depending on the year is as you enter into the late fall some of the springs can be pretty dry by then if we have not had much rain. I know a lot of folks help out by setting out water near road crossing etc. Who knew that simple water can be a form of trail magic until you have been hiking on empty of a while.