Late Starting--May 14th

imported
#1

For those of you who have been out, is this idea overly bad in your opinion?

I know this year was a HEAVY snow year, so I almost feel that this may be benificial to the High Rivers and what not…but the Heat in the South and the weather changed in the North I need to know about as far as this kind of timing goes.

The reason I may have to do it this way is because I am screening my AT doc at Trail Days, and Backpacker Magazine is sponsering it and setting it up, but they want me there…so I couldnt start until after Saturday and getting from VA to SOCal is a day or two trip…at least…I thought about starting on April 22nd with the crew, then getting to VA…then back again, but I am not sure if this is worth the time and effort and the down time away immediately after starting…any thoughts?

LK

Lion King

#2

It’s an excellent idea. You’re avoid the stampede of hikers in March and April.

It is cooler in the South in the summer time than it is in Pennsylvania in the summer time along the Appalachian trail. That is because the elevation in Georgia, NC, and TN is several 1,000 feet higher than Pennyslvania on the AT. Your run into hot weather when you reach central Virginia by leaving on this date. I think May is an excellent time to begin, you can always flip-flop if you aren’t going to make it Katahdin by mid Oct. I would flip-flop in July, cooler in summer in Maine, NH, and VT. This would get you into PA in Sept or Oct, perfect weather then.

Patrick

#3

No, I was asking is this a too late time for the PCT…as I have to be back in Damascus on the May 12th, but I want to do the PCT, and I was wondering if May 14,15th is too late to start.

Lion King

#4

Hell, its your hike…

start it when you want…not, when the “primetime” is for the masses! So, you have a “SPONSOR”???

WOW! that’s coool, i think…where can i sign up for that?

ANd speaking of thangs…what is gonna be different about your A.T. documentary… than the dozens of others that come out every few years?

It seems like in the past few years…anyone that can carry a DVC-pro cam has put out “THEIR A.T. STORY”.

Jaybird

#5

can’t wait to see it…I saw his short film that was on the website (spnsored by budwieser??) where his “wife” kicked his butt and got thrown in jail, and then the one on the big-sas-yeti, or whatever that thing was…hilarious! Made me want a smoke, that one did…and haven’t sleep the same in the woods since! If his doc is as cool as his shorts, I really think it will standout on its own in the crowd. Bring it Lion King!:cheers

Big Dee

#6

Check out Wookie’s PCT journal, I think he started around the 17th of May or so, and still finished, though with some snow at the end. The start WILL be very hot, but a late start could benefit you greatly with all the snow that has built up in the Sierras. Would have a chance to melt some.

Anyway, If you wait a yr I’ll see ya out there in 06’.

Oh and the idea of going to the kick off and back to TDays and back to Cali seems crazy, but if you want to be part of the PCT culture and you’ve got the means…

Good luck!

A-Train

#7

What was that? I could care less about starting with the masses, I am a hiker who enjoys his solitude.

Word on the street is it is a very enjoyable film so far.
Backpacker and Leki are sponsering the screening, Jansport sponsered the hike with Backpacks, no money, but with gear…did a screening at Sundance Film Festival, great crowd, write ups etc…I do my own thing, I was asking for a legitamit answer to avoid problems, nothing more.

Mine is different as it isnt your typical ‘how to, history of’…whatever. Its my interpatation of the emotions of what it is. Im happy with how different it is. If you watch it, you will know.

and Big Dee, thanks for the views of my other short films…didnt know anyone from here watched that stuff!

Lion King

#8

Nothing wrong with that date to start, in fact many of the last folks to leave in late May and in early June make it to Mann. Park first. If any year this is the year to start later BUTby all means come to the adz kickoff if poss. Its great to get to see your fellow 05 hikers as well as all the past hikers reunions.

Meadow Ed

#9

LK-

As has already been stated, we started May 17th in 2003. We found out that there is a reason for the mass exodous. At the water caches in the desert, we were reading entries of hikers 2 weeks before us in SNOW. We had 110 degrees! The difference was more drastic in the San Jacintos and Mt. Laguna, where we encountered INTENSE heat, while the “masses” had dangerous snowpack and some needed ice axes while heading down into San Gorgornio Pass.

For most of the hike, we trailed the majority of hikers. We gradually moved up the ranks, but some were just too far ahead and kept a good pace. By northern Cali we finally got midway into the big pack, but then we took a 10 day break in Humboldt (Reggae on the River, ect.) and the next thing we knew we saw no other northbounders for 500 miles. Eventually we caught the stragglers, most of whom had started in the Sierras or spent more time in town (bars) than on the trail.

When we finished, we caught a big group of folks that last day. As far as I know, we were the last to reach the end point, and only one other guy started after us that finished (he finished before us I think). Gnome finished after us, but he and Burrito never even found the end marker in a snow storm 2 days after we finished -they just popped out onto a road in Canada.

The thing is, we kept a strong pace the entire time, except for our 10 day break.

I have told myself that if I ever do the PCT again, I will start earlier. I liked the solitude (with island Mama), but the HEAT in SoCal is really FREAKING INTENSE! I often thought they should have given up on water sources in the data book, and instead gone with SHADE SOURCES.

So even if you limited your zero days to beat the snow in Washington, you’ll not avoid the near-literal HELL in SoCal. Of course, the temps may differ year to year. But From my own personal experience, I would advise getting use to the heat and pouring on some miles in the beginning or starting several hundred miles up the trail. I would also NOT start that late without an umbrella.

Also, don’t worry about Jaybird… he’s just jealous.
:wink:

tha wookie

#10

I dunno, A-Train, perhaps you should define “crazy” for the rest of us before slinging the term around. I mean, some of us might think driving VT to Asheville in a weekend for a bluegrass show …well, that’s crazy!:happy

Backtrack

#11

Yes, you do seem to have a point. I guess everyone finds their inspiration somewhere. Glad to have run into you (or you into me) and great show!

A-Train

#12

I started May 9 on the PCT and finished Aug 21. The weather in SoCal was warm, but not unpleasant, except for a few days. All the water sources were fullly charged and I didn’t have to rely on caches (which were still filled anyways). I started running into the main pack of hikers around Agua Dulce (450 miles in) and by Kennedy Meadows had reached the pack itself. After Kennedy Meadows, I saw very few hikers other than those I was hiking with.

SoCal was very pleasant for me, with a lot of stunning beauty. The heat and sun can be handled by drinking a lot of water and covering up from the sun. It really isn’t that bad. In fact, it is very good indeed.

Suge

#13

it’s nice to see somebody praise the desert. i was born & raised here and i think the desert is a beautiful place.

tarbubble

#14

Tarbubble, I too, was raised in a desert (Yuma, AZ), so I can also say that there exists a lot of good things about hiking through the desert.

Funny thing about me hiking this year is that while lots of people are worried about hiking in the desert, that’s the one place I’m NOT worried about. It’s old hat for me, pretty much.

verdick