hammock camping north from Harpers Ferry

[shades of blue]

In the summer of 2005, I hope to finish my hike from Harpers Ferry to Katahdin. Are there any major sections where hammock hanging is either too difficult, or impossible? For example...can you get through the white mountains with a speer type hammock? I would be leaving Harpers Ferry, or the 1/2 way point in Penn (if I can hike this spring break). I also should have a long summer this year...toward the end of August, beginning last day of May. One more quick question, I've heard that the Northern AT is more difficult than the southern AT. Is an 84 day hike from the 1/2 way point to Katahdin feasible?

[Peaks]

There is no reason why a hammock would not work in summer north of Harpers Ferry. The only place where it's not going to work is above treeline, but no camping allowed there anyway.

If you do the northern half in 84 days, that works out to 14 miles per day, or 98 miles per week. That's a little faster than the "average" thru-hiker, but certainly doable. In order to give you a better answer, how long did it take you to do the southern half? And what shape will you be in when you resume at Harpers Ferry?

[shades of blue]

I averaged around 15 miles a day this past summer, and was in pretty good shape. I had a string of 18 to 23 mile days...but never got past the 23 miler. Not sure I want to push myself that many miles at a time this summer. I would like to hike big miles only if I feel like it, not because I have to. My hope is to go from Harpers Ferry to Pine grove furnace state park this spring break, so that will leave me about 1086.4 miles in those 84 days. That averages out to 12.9 miles a day...if I figure in 12 zero days...I would need to average 15.1 miles per hiking day. 15 miles per day in the south was on the low average for me once I got my hiking legs. I averaged 14 to 15 miles for the first week or so of last summers hike, but I was pushing it last year.
I have also heard stories of the difficultness of New Hampshire and Maine. By the time I get there, I should be in pretty good shape, but I figure I will slow down going through there.

[Youngblood]

Blue,

I think you have it figured out pretty well.

Younblood