Hudson to Maine: mid April start?

imported
#1
									Because of time constraints, I was wondering about the feasibility of hiking from the Hudson River to Maine starting about mid-April.  Specifically, snow conditions, given variance, insects especially onset of black flies, and weather to be expected during this time of year.  Any guidance appreciated.  I have also been known as Mr. Clean (AT) and cog (PCT) even though I go by my real name now.

									_Chuck Koehler_
#2
									The onset of the blackfly season in The Whites is mid to late May and they typically last through June till early July.  I would guess Maine's flies are on a simular schedule.

The snows above 2000 ft can linger until mid may if snowfall is above average. Most average years you’ll still find snow along the forested ridges above 3000ft, especially in the cols. The snow will be fairly consolidated but unless its been packed often during the winter it won’t hold a hiker’s weight except when temps are below freezing. Most of the A.T. in NH isn’t heavily used in winter.

Every year a few hardy long distance hikers traverse NH in May, the earliest was around April 25th from Kinsman Notch. It can be done. I know some of these people journaled on www.trailjournals.com. Sweeper in 2001 comes to mind.

									_Celt_
#3
									My post should read, "Most average years in May you'll still find snow along the forested ridges above 3000ft, especially in the cols.

									_Celt_
#4
									I would respectfully amend one of Celts comments to be that most of the AT where you will find snow lingering into May IS heavily used and should be fairly packed down. The exception would be the Kinsmans which hold a fair amount of snow and from Kinsman Notch to the Fishing Jimmy Trail get relatively little use. But even there many of us New Hampshire hikers will have packed the trail some. If you plan your hiking well you can hit the snowy areas early in the morning after it has set up during the cold nights.

									_Big B_
#5
									I'm not sure which comment you were amending but I respectfully I stand by my statement, "Most of the A.T. in NH isn't heavily used in winter".  The routes to the 4000 footers are what I consider heavy use.  Most of those routes only use small sections of the A.T. 

									_Celt_
#6
									Mid-May old snow between 2k and 3k is possible, but would be more of the freakish oddity, generally among the red spruce thickets I'd think. Admittedly I don't spend much time hiking in NH at that time of year, due to the many-mandibled pestilence known as Aphis fabae. 

									_bf_
#7
									Thanks for all the info.  I will check out the snow reports, and the black fly report.  Yes, there is a black fly web site, even a black fly breeders site.  Sweeper's journal was a big help, especially his near-epic account of the trip through the Whites.  BTW, Aphis Fabae is a black bean aphid, probably not too much of an annoyance in New England, more likely in Old England. "The black flies comprise the family Simuliidae, and that is probably the best collective Latin name to give for them as a group."  Dredge up the old head net!

									_Chuck Koehler_
#8
									if you're lucky you'll see tracks on these sections

hanover to moose hillock
kinsman notch to south kinsman
lafayette to garfield
south twin to guyot
rte 302 to jackson
madison to pinkham
north carter to stoney brook jct
moriah to rte 2
rte 2 to rte 26 in grafton notch
but if you’re starting in ny in april you’ll have to struggle only in a few of those sections depending on what kind of winter we have

									_neighbor_
#9
									gosh that came out scrambled it was in list form when i sent it

									_neighbor_
#10
									Chuck, I eat a lot of black beans on the trail. I suppose this makes me something of a pestilence in my own right. 

Anyway, thanks for clarifying - I pulled the Latin straight out of my Google.

									_bf_