Start Date?

[peacelovehappiness]

I am hoping to thru-hike after I graduate in December, but I might be starting grad school the following late August/September. I am wondering how early I'd have to start to finish by then, or would I even be able to get the whole trail in. Consider the time for an average hiker, I figure I'm not going to be blazing trail or poking around.

[Two Tents]

Hey! Welcome to White Blaze- use it and enjoy it! I would think if you started the first part of march you should be ok to finish by late july. Do you have all your gear figured out? Good luck and Happy trails-- Two Tents

[Two Tents]

That is a time-frame that is do-able from Springer, not a SOBO hike. Two Tents

[Spirit Walker]

Most AT hikers do the trail in five to six months. (My 5 1/2 month hike meant an average of 12 mpd, or about 11 per day if you include days off.) It can be done faster if you are determined, but starting March 1 would give you plenty of time for a thruhike before you go to school in August.

[stranger]

Just keep in mind that a start date of 1 March (potentially) means two months of cold weather, which is 30-40% of your hike. Alot of hikers who start in early March, not all, but many, find the cold weather a bit too much and end up spending alot of time in town, which means spending money, instead of hiking. I started on 2 March back in 1995 and had no problem with the cold, but it did get down below freezing about a dozen times that year.

Last year I left 9 April, and we got ice and snow in GA/NC, again, many hikers were in town for multiple days, unplanned days.

If you don't mind the cold, leaving in March is no drama, if you do, mid April is better in terms of weather, but not time in your case.

[Blissful]

No problem starting late Feb, early March. It can get cold and snowy through mid April anyway so early or late start doesn't make that much difference. Just have the right gear for the season in your sleeping bag and a jacket. But I saw lots of NOBOs on my section and they started in late Feb and are now in VA with potential of finishing late July / early August. They were having a blast. Go for it.