Can anyone tell me how late in the year you can start the AT Southbound? I've seen that many people have started southbound year round, but I'm curious what time of year the weather gets extreme? Also, I'm looking for hiking buddies or at least some people who may also be on the trail at the same time as me starting in the fall of 2010.
_Ray Duke_AT Southbound, Fall
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#1
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#2
Lots of people try to get an early start in the beginning of June when Baxter opens for camping. The bugs can get god awful at that time of the year and some of the river crossings in Maine are deep and cold in June. Maine does not believe in no stinking bridges. You also have to deal with the heat in August in lower elevations. If you leave in early August you get generally drier nicer weather with less bugs but you will finish in late December which can get very cold and snowy as you go through the Smokies and Nantahalas. So pick your poison and have fun.
_Big B_
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#3
Ray,
First and foremost - an AT SOBO hike can NOT be started year-round. Most of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont will barely be passable in the Winter months - anywhere from November to late April, depending on the year.
To give you a little perspective, I was on the Presidential Range March 15th of this year. There was no trail, and temps dipped to -30 on the higher summits. Crampons and an Ice-Axe were more or less mandatory. It’s not conducive to long-distance backpacking.
That being said, I think you can safely start a SOBO hike MUCH later that most people think. You are PROBABLY going to hit some Winter-like weather in the south regardless of when you start, but the key is getting out of New England before the serious cold and snows set it.
If I were going to hike the trail again - I would probably start South from Katahdin on either August 1st or September 1st. Late Summer/Fall is a BEAUTIFUL time to hike in New England. No bugs, cooler temps, and water is still relatively accessible.
At a six-month pace, an August/September start would put you on Springer in January/February - so again, you’ll certainly hit some Winter weather down south.
If you are a super-fit, 15-20 mile per day hiker, starting in Mid-September is also a possibility. Just keep in mind that you’ll be starting off in the HARDEST section of the entire AT - and it’s difficulty (especially for someone just starting their hike) should not be underestimated.
Also keep in mind that SOBO hikes are much lonelier than NOBO hikes. This is obviously due to the fact that MOST AT hikers head North. Heading SOBO so late in the season will give you an even lonelier hike as there will probably next to no one starting in that direction, that late.
I lastly want to point out that thru-hiking the New England section of the AT in Winter is probably possible. I don’t want to give off the impression that it is an absolutely impossible feat. Unfortunately, you’ll probably have a pretty heavy pack (you’ll need a lot more food and clothing) and it’ll probably be EXTREMELY slow going. The possibility of serious injury or death (especially in Maine and The White Mountains) is pretty high. Excuse my language, but it is pretty ****ing hostile up here come Winter.
If you are ballsy enough to try though and have solid Winter backpacking experience, you could make it through, but most likely not.
Best of luck. The AT rules. Feel free to hit me up on email if you have any other questions.
_Low_
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#4
Ray - I live right next to the A.T. in Vermont and am on the trail everyday. Over the last two years SOBO hikers have trickled through here (near Woodstock, VT) into late November. The last SOBO I met last year was ‘Stallion.’ I met him when I was cross country skiing on the A.T. at the end of November in '08. He left Katahdin in mid-October and had a lot of severe conditions, but was loving it. He picked up Snowshoes in Rutland, VT to traverse Killington and some of the other higher peaks in the Green Mountains.
Both Stallion & the stragglers this year (the last group - so far - came through at the end of October) have talked about BRUTAL conditions in the Whites. Almost all of them are forced down to lower elevations and end up skipping some miles by hitching around some sections.
So… how late you depart depends on a bunch of factors, like your ability to deal with winter conditions, your hiking speed, your tolerance for suffering, your route finding ability, and of course the weather conditions on any given year.
If I were heading SOBO on a ‘late’ thru-hike, I personally would want to be through the Whites by the end of September. I think the Whites are the biggest hurdle heading SOBO on a late season hike. If you’re willing to skip sections of trail, then you could start later up at Katahdin and just skip the brutal stuff when you run into it.
Once your past the Whites, its mostly smooth sailing below treeline - you just have to deal with snow, cold temps and some navigational issues.
I think that a prudent thing to do, regardless of when you head SOBO, is to keep a close eye on weather forecasts and stay down in town during nasty weather. This should be obvious, but often thru-hikers feel a need to keep moving & so they take risks by pushing through severe weather.
Happy Trails!
_freebird_