When to start - Appalachian Trail

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#1

I have to be in school September and I want to know from other thru hiker what time they left spring. I was think march 17. Would that work? I am young and dumb to if that helps.

luke kaim

#2

Hey man, young and dumb ain’t a bad way to hike. March 17th is a righteous start time. I started the 18th of march and finished september 25, but i was lazy and took lots of zero days. You could probably finish a few weeks earlier without having to push it too much. You dig?

slick b

#3

I left Springer that same day and finished the last week of August. Just be ready ready for some cold nights and snow the first few weeks, but who doesn’t like snow?? Not me! Also, views in the south are best before the leaves come out. So in my humble opinion an earlier start works best.

Gusty

#4

a march 17 start will get you back in time…but i would suggest an even earlier start for better ridgeline views, better water supply, cooler hiking, less poison ivy and bugs and less crowds…paw-ee and i started feb 22 in '03 (feb 13 last year)and finished aug 14…5 1/2 months…

maw-ee

#5

School starts September 5 and I am planning on leaving March 17. Will that work.

luke kaim

#6

March 17 to Sept 5 gives you 165 days to hike 2150 miles. You can easi;ly hike the 13 miles a day required to finish. If you take 10 zero mileage days you will need to hike 14 miles per day.

I personally hate hiking the short, dark, cold, miserable days of March. A later start with a few more miles per day is my preferance.

Have a good hike!

Hiking math

#7

I started Apr. 1, 2005 and walked 14 miles in a blizzard on day 2. I recommend the Apr. 1 start date b/c the earlier people spent money and days off trail hunkered down in hotels during snow storms, which are more likely in March. I agree with Hiking math that you should start 2 weeks later and hike a little more each day toward the middle/end, when you’ll be capable of anything. That said, I finished in 4 months flat by July 31, b/c I had school starting too. It takes a certain kind of (crazy) person to take that few zero days and push on so hard but if you have 5 months, that should be fine.

Shera, Princess of Power

#8

the math above sounds very similar to our first hike in’03…13 miles a day was what paw and i did (with 19 zeros)…and we’re OLD! (LOL)…are you ‘old’, too, luke?..(just teasin’!)…you won’t have a bit of trouble…just hike your own hike, of course…there will be things about YOUR hike that will be totally unique to YOU!..as far as weather goes?..the weather we had leaving feb.22 in '03 was MUCH worse than our weather last year, leaving EARLIER! (feb.13)…looks like you’ve got your heart set on starting march 17…so enjoy! (no matter WHAT happens!)…'cause no matter HOW long it takes you, it’ll all be over a lot sooner than you want it to!

maw-ee

#9

I began last year Mar. 11 and finished on Sept. 13, with 25 full days off the trail. 10 of those days were not planned and due to Lyme disease in VT. I’m 63 and the youngsters were flying by me, but they were taking more trail town zeroes. Enjoy the little things O.D.A.A.T., sandman

sandman