Anyone hiked the full 800 miles in January? I’d like to.
Advice welcome.
Cheers,
Mike
Liverpool, England
mike
AT in January - Arizona Trail
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#2
If you plan the AZT in January, it’ll pay to be flexible. Especially if you’re coming over from the UK to do it. Better have a plan B just in case we get several feet of snow in the high country. It might be dry, it might not be. I hiked the desert portions in January one year and it was wonderful. I did not have the gear or quite enough fortitude for snow travel in the high country, though, so I waited until spring.
I have seen thick water ice covering the AZT route in the Grand Canyon in March, enough to turn me back without crampons. And the route from the North Rim to Jacob Lake Lodge might best be done with skis, or at least snowshoes. Lots of gear. You’d need a lot of fuel for melting snow, too. There’s very little surface water up there when the facilities are closed.
Garlic
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#3
If you plan on taking snowshoes or cross country skis for the stretch from the Grand Canyon north. You can mail them to the bottom of the grand canyon, at Phantom Ranch. That way you don’t need to hike down with them if you mail them to the south rim. Just as convienent, same shipping costs, but less hassle.
Guino
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#4
Hi Mike - In a word, no. I’m almost sure of it. But why? If you can explain your motivation and level of experience, we’d be more likely to help and less to shoot in the dark at what could either be an informed goal or a passing fancy to air from the armchair. Quality feedback should only follow an earnest inquiry.
blisterfree
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#5
We started in January and finished march. There will be lots of snow at higher elevations some sections can be tricky and icy requiring crampons and snowshoes. If you’re not experienced with snow travel don’t do it. The four peaks and mazatzels can be very treacherous. Eroded trail and icy snow aren’t a good mix. Water north of flagstaff and grand canyon was tricky not enough snow melt. And that was march for us. My partial journal is on this site (look for apple pie).
Apple pie
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#6
thanks for advice.
good point “blisterfree” - i’m an experienced mountaineer, climbed Denali last year independently (not guided) so I know how to move and look after myself in winter conditions.
Guino, thanks for postal tip. Apple pie, I’ll check out your blog
mike
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#7
Well, if you’re experienced with snow and ice you’re biggest issue is to decide what to bring when and where (you’d probably want crampons in four peaks, mazatzels and grand canyon and snowshoes north of Pine probably all the way thru the grand canyon). There will probably be water issues north of flagstaff, we found only random puddles, same for north rim to Jacob lake. Sometimes we got lucky and found melt water in metal cow throughs. My journal is probably most interesting for the photos. It shows some snow conditions. Miller peak at the start can be a bit icy too but micro spikes are probably sufficient there. Trail may be hard to find at Travis ranch but if you take the time to look at the map you should be fine (we weren’t paying attention too much).
Apple pie
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#9
Hi Mike - You don’t mention long-distance hiking experience. The mountaineering expertise could potentially come in handy, but is not likely to make or break the hike. Most important would be to know how to move and look after yourself over the course of 800 miles of l-d hiking in the desert Southwest with its extreme variances in terrain and climate, capricious water sources, and on a rough, little-used trail that will test your patience and resolve at least a little bit every day.
Would you attempt to complete the trail entirely in the month of January or maybe start toward the end of that month and dedicate 6-8 weeks for the thru-hike? The latter would greatly improve the chances of success. Most hikers start in March or April, recognizing that snow and cold can be real obstacles to forward progress along parts of the trail in mid-winter, and that steady progress is important in the thru-hiking game. Most of the trail is not at Phoenix-type elevations and winter temperatures are sometimes significantly colder. Overnight lows near or below freezing - in some cases well below - are the norm in January and February along just about the entire trail. A strong storm could bring a foot or more of snow to the high country, into which you might climb just a day after hiking in shorts and shirt sleeves across the desert.
Thru-hiking in winter, you’re likely to have the Arizona Trail entirely to yourself. I wouldn’t count on meeting any other trail users, save for near-road sections of trail around the Tucson basin, the Superstitions, and maybe along the South Kaibab Trail at Grand Canyon.
That said, whoever completes the first thru-hike of 2012 will be forever remembered as the first to complete the finished Arizona Trail. Looks like the trail is due to be completed, well, just about any day now! Break out the snowshoes and aim for glory.
blisterfree
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#10
Heck Mike if you “climbed Denali last year independently (not guided)” Then I would think anything in the lower 48 would be easy! 
Just joking, but if I remember right it quite a hike in and out for that trip. I have not done it just read about it. I would say go for it, just be prepared and be safe, flights out can always be rescheduled. Good luck and I hop you post a Journal.
Wolfman
Wolfman
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#11
blisterfree, my long distance experience - I’ve completed two 200 mile treks in Costa Rica, a lot warmer down there. So 800 miles would be a big step up for sure. But I think if I coupled my winter experience with my other experiences, along with a large helping of determination, I might be able to pull it off.
I have a good friend in Tucson who is prepared to support me, caching supplies etc, and keeping me company on some sections, which could be crucial.
I only have 38 days available… do you think I would improve my chances at all by walking from North to South?
Wolfman thanks for your encouragement!
mike
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#13
With only 38 days available, skiing the Kaibab Plateau could help make up for any mileage deficit you’d incurred to that point, especially likely if dealing with snow and storms throughout your trek. Winter is hard to predict in Arizona, but the Kaibab Plateau is pretty reliably snowbound. Statistically, you’d probably encounter more snow depth there if hiking nobo, so would be more likely to glide your way to Jacob Lake without having to walk the skis in places.
Probably the best scenario in your case would be minimal snow from the Mexican border to the Mogollon Rim, and then a nice big, cold storm to cover the high plateaus all the way nearly to Utah, allowing you to travel by skis for a couple hundred miles. Wishful thinking anyway!
blisterfree
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#14
Agreed, north bound seems best with a view to skiing the last section.
I’ll be flying from the uk into phoenix. Is there somewhere to hire skis near the Kaibab Plateau section?
mike
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#15
Good question. Payson should have ski shops. Check whitepages.com or yellowbook.com for US phone listings. Or Google.
Payson would make sense if the Mogollon Rim is snowbound. Ideally you could have the skis shuttled to Pine and carry them from there. You wouldn’t get much use from them until topping out on the Rim a day or so later. Carrying skis for anything distance below the rim would probably be “ugh” as they’d get caught on the ubiquitous low, brushy vegetation.
Otherwise, Flagstaff might be your last bet, nobo. Not sure about Tusayan, though I’d tend to doubt it. You could mail them there, though, or to GC South Rim or Phantom Ranch (per Guino’s suggestion) if not needing skis until reaching the Kaibab Plateau at the north rim of GC.
blisterfree