Starting in May? Advantage or not?

imported
#1

I know the rush crowd to start will be mostly gone by then but will everything be open? Flip-flopping is okay with me so getting to Katahdin by October is not a factor. Good idea or bad?

DP32

#2

Don’t think you will have any trouble with things being open - actually it is sometimes the reverse - I started in early march and many things hadn’t opened yet when I came thru - I figure it might get cold towards the end, but what the hey - it’ll be warm in the beginning! Hike your own hike!! It will be an incredible experience any which way you go.

scuba

#3

It does avoid the hiker stampede of the earlier two months. Probably a lot more day hikers will be encountered though espeically near trailheads. From what I understand, the AT has gotten so busy that sometimes close to a 100 people will start on a weekend thier thru-hikes during the earlier two months. And if you feel you aren’t going to make it to Katahdin by Oct 15th, flip flopping is an excellent idea.

Energizer

#4

Starting in May might have several advantages. One of the things very early starters miss out on is the wildflowers. If you haven’t seen trillium fields, or masses of Rhodos or Mountain Laurel, you’ve missed out on something wonderful. Starting in May also means you’ll probably miss any snow that early starters might be wading through. Start in May and you can swap out to a summer weight bag earlier. On the down side, all the cold weather and snow you missed down south might be waiting for you in Maine.

Moose

#5

The first week in May in my opinion is the best time to start a northbound thru-hike. First of all there all thru hikers who start in May. I would say about 5-10 a day for the first week. Most of the frigid winter weather that is freezing many hikers off the trail who start in Jan-March is gone. There still will be some cold nights but they will be few in the south. Spring will have already sprung. There still might be snowfall in the Smokies but less common in May. The shelters areas won’t be as crowded. You will be able to see the leaves change colors in New England. So if you don,t want to wake up to a dark and cold morning every day May is a great time to Hike. In Jan. and Feb. it doesn’t even get light until after 7 am and its dark by 5 pm. In May its light before 6 am and stays light until after 8 pm. If you like cold weather and fozen water bottles Jan. and Feb. is a good time to start. I started my thru hike on May 5 and there were more who started after me. I met about 35 thru hikers while hiking in 1990 so you will still meet other thru-hikers. I would say snowfall and cold weather is much more common in March in the Smokies in , then you will find in Maine in late Sept. and early Oct.
Scaper Ga-Me May 5 - Oct9

Scaper

#6

Isn’t he planning to hike the Trail this year? I recall him saying that he liked to start early in May. He will probably be doing 30 mile days, so if you want to learn from him you had better be ready to keep up. Don’t plan to call home for help, because if he catches you will a cell phone you might be banned from the Trail.

Bob J

#7

The advantage of long section hiking is enjoying the trail at it s peak. Forever, there has been a perceived hierarchy of thruhikers and section hikers. However you hike your hike is your business, in recent times, if you want to avoid a humanoid pack, either start early or SOBO sections, and flipflop. It still is possible to enjoy your hike according to your style and expectations, not those imposed by others or concensensus motivated by insecurity. Mike

mike

#8

you can see yourself moving with purpose. Last year, I did the Approach T April 30th and the next day, May 1, I was on my way. By carrying “lighter” loads I found I could make more miles without the grind. Well, that’s not totally candid, sometimes it most definitely is a grind. Anyway, I took 20 Zeros and stood atop Katahdin Sept. 16th. Four months and sixteen days later without missing a vista. The key is keeping the weight lower and that many times means pulling out the wallet and taking advantage of the revolution in gear. When I GA-ME again, I’ll start May 1st again for all the reasons stated above.

Postcard

#9

Like postcard said, times are a changin, and weight is a factor in hiking. It is a happy medium btw weight and expense/praticality, you could hike with Army surplus goods, like many thruhikers of 20+ yrs ago or spend $200 + for a 10 oz parka that weighs alittle more than 10oz of cotton balls. You can ligthen your load and hike 3MPH to spend several hrs at choice vistas or hike 2,5MPH or less and take more time w/0 the concerns of completing a “thruhike”. Anyway you chose, the more time,as in days you allow for your hike, the more flexibility you have, and regardless of hiking style, flexibilty has to have some consensus regarding freedom .Peace, MIke

mike