Thru Hike in Winter

[Graywolf]

Does anyone know anyone who started around, say, late November or Early December for a thru-hike? Maybe a journal I could read??

Thanks,

Graywolf

[thestin]

If you can get a copy of the two volume set "Hiking the Appalachian Trail" there iis a journal there about hiking the AT in winter. That hike must have been at least 40 years ago.

The Barefoot Sisters yo-yoed a few years back. The have two separate books out about the trip south and the trip back north. The trip south was done under some winter conditions.

Felix the Cat hiked the AT a few years ago starting in August.
http://felixhikes.tripod.com/AT.html

Some winters are mild and don't present problems beyond the obvious ones of short days, limited services and loneliness. However, the past winter featured feet of snow in areas like the Shenandoah park where travel was nearly impossible.

[Waterbuffalo]

There was a young guy who was on trail journals about 7 years ago that started in GA real early his trail name was Rocket
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=991

[Marta]

When I was hiking SOBO late in '06 I ran into a couple of NOBOs who had started in the fall. One, Bookworm, was booking right along. He was getting lots of reading done, alone in the shelters every night. The other guy was mostly staying in town, and doing a tiny bit of hiking in between. In two months he'd only gotten as far as Davenport Gap. I have no idea how far either of them ended up hiking.

[warraghiyagey]

I have no idea how far either of them ended up hiking.

I met up with Bookworm in the 100 mile around June 4, '07. . . . he had hiked through the winter with some extended stays off the trail. . . he probly finished 3 days after I met him. . . real decent dude. . .

[Wolf - 23000]

Graywolf,

If your thinking of starting around Nov. or Dec. time frame your trip is going to be different than most articles previous written. Are you planning on going Northbound or Southbound? If you want a really butt kicker then go Southbound. Winter hiking Northbound is really not that hard.

The hardest part going Northbound will be around the Smokies. After 2 - 3 weeks of hiking, it gets fairly easy. It still not hard to resupply - not as easy as during hiking season but it really is not that hard.

Southbound is harder. Your going to be snow hiking the entire New England states. There are still places to resupply but it is harder sense nobody really wants to hit the breaks when their driving on ICE. It also is hard HIKING, hiking 10 miles will seem like 30 miles. Water is the biggest problems sense everything is frozen.

Hopes this helps.

Wolf

[Marta]

I met up with Bookworm in the 100 mile around June 4, '07. . . . he had hiked through the winter with some extended stays off the trail. . . he probly finished 3 days after I met him. . . real decent dude. . .

Very cool! Glad to hear it. We had a great time talking with him in December.

[JAK]

AUGUST. Dreams of Winter.
WINTER. Dreams of Spring.

[Graywolf]

Graywolf,

If your thinking of starting around Nov. or Dec. time frame your trip is going to be different than most articles previous written. Are you planning on going Northbound or Southbound? If you want a really butt kicker then go Southbound. Winter hiking Northbound is really not that hard.

The hardest part going Northbound will be around the Smokies. After 2 - 3 weeks of hiking, it gets fairly easy. It still not hard to resupply - not as easy as during hiking season but it really is not that hard.

Southbound is harder. Your going to be snow hiking the entire New England states. There are still places to resupply but it is harder sense nobody really wants to hit the breaks when their driving on ICE. It also is hard HIKING, hiking 10 miles will seem like 30 miles. Water is the biggest problems sense everything is frozen.

Hopes this helps.

Wolf

Hey Wolf, still dont know hwat Im going to do. I missed my time frame this August for getting a long section hike done, (Springer to Virginia, somewhere), because of unusual work load. Our Fall season at the Race Track ends November 13th so I am considering a late fall hike. My thoughts is go as far as I can since I'll have the time on my hands..I have several options opened up for me right now..

[dcmidnight]

Given the height of some of the snow drifts this year in SNP I have to imagine the blazes would have been burried under the snow in most parts.

[Graywolf]

Given the height of some of the snow drifts this year in SNP I have to imagine the blazes would have been burried under the snow in most parts.

That was at the beginning of the year. I think the snowdrifts are melted by now..