Hi all, new to this forum. I can’t get away until June 1 2011. Any advice on starting that late? I should take 4.5 months to do the trail.
Thanks!
Dale
Dale
June 1 2011 start date
system
#2
Hi Dale, If you’re going NoBo you might want to ship good rain gear, a colder-rated bag, and maybe a double wall tent for the Washington stretch. It’ll be cold and wet by late September. If you’re SoBo, hike like hell to get out of the Sierras before the snow starts. I’m not an expert but you might be better off going SoBo.
bowlegs
system
#3
An alternate to a SOBO given a June 1 start date:
Start at Agua Dulce going north, which would put you only a week or so behind the center of the herd.
You’ll have about 250 miles to toughen up to the trail before the high Sierra - not ideal, but enough.
After getting to Canada, come back and do the southern most 450 miles.
Token Civilian
system
#4
If you’re confident you’ll be able to handle big miles in prolonged high daytime heat (maybe 90-110F), then it could work out OK. TC’s suggestion is probably the best way to go, otherwise.
SOBO is an option if you’re good at route-finding over snow for a good long while.
Al H.
system
#5
I realize the flip flop suggestion is probably the most logical choice, but would like to avoid it if I could. I’m okay with long miles, not sure about the heat (i live in Vermont). I’m assuming if I start that late the trail will be pretty empty in southern cal as it would if I starting hiking south on the flop in september. I;m assuming the desert might be cooler in sept vs june.
dale
system
#6
What I suggested is an estimate of what is practical given the conditions you listed (June 1 start and 4.5 months).
Starting at Campo on June 1, taking 4.5 months, will have you finishing mid October. You might luck out, like this year, or 2006, where the snow in the North Cascades has yet to fall (or didn’t fall until late October, respectively). Or, you’ll get nailed in southern Washington when it snows in late September, like it did in 2007. Or most likely, you’ll be snowed out around Stevens or Snoqualmie Pass, give or take, with the typical early October first significant snow.
Hope is not a substitute for a reasonable plan based on typical / average / most probable conditions.
If you want to NOBO straight through - hey great, as a straight through hike is probably the most satisfying style. Take 4.5 months - best of luck on that, it might even work out, but the odds indicate you will more likely than not be snowed out.
But, if you want a plan that takes typical conditions into account, given your listed starting conditions, start further north, agua dulce being a reasonable place for this (distance, logistics, etc).
If you don’t like that, change your starting conditions. Many folks have started in early June and done a straight through north bound hike. Most took considerably less than 4.5 months however.
The math is pretty simple:
4.5 months, no zeros = 19.5 miles a day average. Take 10 zeros (a reasonable number, although I used 28) and you’ll need to do average 21 miles a day on your hiking days, including nero’s into / out of town, days when you feel like crap, etc.
Speed up for a 4 month hike (which is doable - June 1 to Oct 1, and its what you’d need to plan to do to have a fair chance of beating the snow) and you’re at 21.8 miles a day with no zeros, 23.8 miles a day with 10 zeros. Up that to 24.9 miles a day for 15 zeros.
Can you do almost 24 miles a day, every day, with 10 zeros? You’ll need to answer that for yourself. That’s what you’ll need to do to have a reasonable chance of getting to Canada ahead of the snow (again, in a typical year) on a straight NOBO with a June 1 start. Even then, you might get nailed like the '07 crew did.
Heat: Yes, it’s hotter in the desert in June than late September or with a late April start. Others will need to comment on the seasonal water sources with a June start vs. a September (which would be a consideration).
Empty: Yes, you’ll run into relatively few other thru hikers with either a June start, or Sept So Cal section.
One thing in your favor on a straight NOBO with a June 1 start: Chances are there will be very minimal snow in the High Sierra. You’d probably hit KM in early July (if you were on schedule to finish by October 1), by which point it’ll be pretty well melted out allowing for a relatively fast, relatively easy stretch compared to a more typical start date with a more typical mid June KM date.
Token Civilian