1/2 a thru hike?

[Transient Being]

I've been seriously considering a thru-hike this year. I've got the money and the time, but am really beginning to question my desire to hike that far. Don't get me wrong, I love the mountains and backpacking, but the longest I've ever been in one trip is 100 miles, which I really liked. I know this is an entirely subjective question, but how many people are satisfied with 1/2 a thru-hike. I guess what I'm trying to get at is, do alot of people who do 1/2 the trail decide that's good enough? I'm sure I'll decide for myself when I get there, but would like the input from wb community. A related question for former thru-hikers, which half of the trip did you enjoy the most, the first or second? I know, vague unanswerable subjective questions.

[4eyedbuzzard]

A lot of people find 31.7 miles (Neel Gap) is enough.
I found that about 450 miles was enough (Damascus).

Just "Gump it". Walk until you don't want to walk any more.

That said, if I could only hike one-half of the AT it would be the first 1/4 and last 1/4.

[WingedMonkey]

There is no such thing as "1/2 a thru-hike". It's apparent you don't have the heart to complete a successful thru, so why attempt it?
I'd say do the middle half. Save the first quarter for the hoards that have to be there, and wait till they thin out. Save the north quarter for when you have the real goal of reaching Katahdin.
If you have the gear and the money just have a nice hike, and come back and do a thru-hike when you feel it's something you really have a desire for.

[Blue Jay]

That is exactly the way I like to hike the trail.

[JAK]

Don't think of it as half a thru-hike.
Think of it as 100% of a 1000 miler.

Gives you some freedom also, as you can choose to hike whatever 1000 miles you wish. If I was down that way I would love to hike the first part of the AT and the BMT, and more of the AT or whatever to make it 1000 miles. The Benton MacKaye Trail is 300 miles, so you could start at the Northern end of that, hike back to the start of the AT, and then do 700 miles on the AT, or something like that.

[FlyPaper]

I love hiking, but don't think I would do a thru-hike even if I had the money and time. A thru-hike has to balance two challenges (among others), speed and cold. You can take it slower if you're willing to start and/or end in colder weather. You can avoid the cold if you hike at a very extreme speed. I hate cold weather and I don't really want to have to hike so fast that I would avoid the cold.

If I had the opportunity, I'd do half the trail one year, and if I felt like it, the other half later. If you start in March at Springer, you'll meet a lot of thru-hikers and you might be tempted to try to keep up with them, and perhaps feel like a bit of an outsider if you aren't shooting for Maine. You might avoid this problem if you start in May because even those few who think they're thru-hiking starting in May probably aren't going to finish.

[JAK]

Lots of other options for 1000 miles. Like Long Trail and part of AT, and part of IAT. Lots of great canoe routes in Maine and New Brunswick also. The IAT from Maine to Mount Carleton is rather silly in a way, because most of the time you would be hiking right alongside a perfect canoe route. It's not really following a ridgeline again until you get up into the Gaspe, then from there it takes some sort of leap of faith. I think it is better to make up your own routes. Springer to Katahdin makes great sense, because it follows a ridge. Katahdin to Mount Carleton should really be done by canoe. You should be able to find some 1000 mile route that is meaningful to you. It is good to have a significant destination.

[About_Time]

That said, if I could only hike one-half of the AT it would be the first 1/4 and last 1/4.

I would second that approach.

[birdygal]

I would second that approach.

Exactly what I am doing I don't think I have what it takes to do 2200 miles so I am planning on first and last 1/4 The middle states just don't interest me much

[CrumbSnatcher]

i could thruhike virginia and be very happy

[Slo-go'en]

I'd go north to about Roanoak, VA then skip north to Vermont. That allows you to complete the more interesting half of VA and be in good enough shape to do New England, but without being too worn out by the time you get there. You also get to skip the druggery of the middle section, along with the heat and humidity which goes along with it and causes a lot of people to drop out.

[Lady Grey]

I'm planning on starting in Georgia in 2013 and heading north, hopefully as far as the Mass border. I live in VT and have hiked the AT here, will hike Mass in 2012, and plan to hike NH and ME eventually. I was just approved to take a leave from my job in the spring of 2013 and hiking in the south appeals to me since it's different than anything I've done before. I want to finish it all, but don't feel compelled to do it all as a true thru hike!

[Blue Jay]

It's called a flash, fing long a$$ section hike (coined by Subby 2010).

[Blue Jay]

I'd go north to about Roanoak, VA then skip north to Vermont. That allows you to complete the more interesting half of VA and be in good enough shape to do New England, but without being too worn out by the time you get there. You also get to skip the druggery of the middle section, along with the heat and humidity which goes along with it and causes a lot of people to drop out.

Notice where this guy comes from. To me NH is druggery, but I still enjoy it.

[Hooch]

Hike your own hike and don't let anyone tell you how to do it. Get out and start wherever you wish and hike for as long as you wish. You may get out there and decide that you want to hike longer than you originaly anticipated. Strap up, hike on and, no matter what, enjoy!

[4eyedbuzzard]

Notice where this guy comes from. To me NH is druggery, but I still enjoy it.

Yeah, it sucks. Just more green tunnel. Nothin' much to see. Best bet is to skip it.

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[Blue Jay]

Never said it sucks, did say I enjoyed it, in fact Franconia is one of my favorite places. However you hike one big pile of empty rocks you don't need too many more.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Just a little sarcasm. I will admit there is some druggery sometimes in watching your feet constantly going uphill with every step. I like SNP too, which is kind of the opposite in many ways.

[Hannie]

Shoot for the entire trail if you have the time and money. If you come to a point to where you want to stop then stop. But as said before there is no such thing as half of a thru hike.

[rjjones]

I agree with Hannie,and who ever said "Gump it"{i like that}.I just felt like walking!