Early Mach starters - good luck!

[Slo-go'en]

March is only a few days away and there are a lot of hikers planning on starting in the next week or so. With yet another big storm brewing out west and headed east and still lots of snow and ice in the hills of NC, I wish you all a lot of luck and hope your really ready for some nasty weather in the next couple of weeks.

April 15th used to be the day most people started a thru hike in years past and it's starting to look like that would be a good idea this year.

[Spirit Walker]

i wish we had the option of starting later, but the lease is up tomorrow. Oh well, it will be an adventure ;-)

[Blissful]

i wish we had the option of starting later, but the lease is up tomorrow. Oh well, it will be an adventure ;-)

At least you have experience under your belt. Lots of newbies will be looking to you for help.

[weary]

Wise folks who have to start now, need to reassess their gear needs -- and most importantly where best to hike for a few weeks. If I were committed to hit the AT now, I would seek the least storm impacted section I could find for the first few weeks, and when conditions bettered, if necessary, skirt back to Springer to pick up missed sections.

Since I haven't been particularly paying attention to detailed southern AT trail conditions, I can't offer specific advice, but I definitely would try to avoid the peaks of snow cover if I could.

Weary

[Spirit Walker]

I'm not sure there is an area that hasn't got a lot of snow right now.

[Birdy]

I'm in a similar predicament but only because I am going nuts waiting. Following Weary's post, my working plan is to start on March 2 and average only 5 miles a day on the AT, so that I arrive at Fontana no earlier than April 1. My hope is that there will be some potential for side hikes at lower elevations, or I can always check into a motel and watch basketball.

Anyway, I'm not sure I can sustain that pace -- although I have prepared myself well with a mountain of cheese pizzas and endless hours in front of the computer.

Hope to see you on the trail and good luck!

[Hoofit]

Hey Birdy, I understand..
Itching to hit the trail and gonna be there March 8th, come snow or rain or hopefully a little sunshine!
At least this is the right end of winter...
Misery is just a state of mind, I don't care how cold it is and snow means more water along the trail for hot coffee.
Enjoy!( Now where's that bourbon...)