I am told that on the beginning of April the trail will be crowded and as I’m planning on taking a tarp, no tent, I’m afraid the shelters will be full.
Is the 15th a better date to start?
zammy
When to start? april 1st or 15th?
system
#1
system
#2
Most thru-hikers start between mid March and mid April. So, I suspect that the most popular start dates will be March 20, the first day of spring, and April 1. The other popular start dates will be any Saturday and Sunday.
Once you are out there on the trail, expect shelters to be full on any Friday and Saturday with weekend hikers.
Peaks
system
#3
Forget the shelters, they are cold, dirty and filled with mice and snorers. Find a nice quiet flat spot for your tarp and get a good nights sleep, you will need it!
papa john
system
#4
I started April 12, and hit crowded shelters up through Tennessee.
There are usually decent tent sites at the shelters, though…except in the Smokies. Depending on the day you are there, you may or may not have crowd issues in the Smokies. Plan a week day trip, and there should be little to worry about.
bearbait
system
#5
it would be less crowded the 15th. but still crowded. essentially any number of circumstances can and will have you arriving at full shelters no matter when you start provided that your goal is to do the whole shebang in one summer. learn your knots, seal the seams, and get good at that tarp. when you are good at the tarp it is as good as gold keeping you dry. you will probably be in a shelter for most of your rainy nights, but you cant count on it, know what i mean?
milo
system
#6
I started on Friday March 20th, the first pretty day after 4 days of rain (and one of the few pretty days for the whole trip). I shared the Stover Creek sheter with two other fellows (did not do the approach trail). I did not have a shelter space problem until the Smokies.
I would caution you not to get attached to the idea that “you have to get a shelter space”. It will only detract from your hike. Accept what you can’t control and either get used to sleeping under a tarp (with mud, bugs and slugs) or get a tent.
Last Minute
system
#7
Started my 2001 hike on April 13th. A lot of folks on the trail. most shelters were full if you didn’t stop by 4PM.
I was hikeing an avg. of 10mi. a day at the start. The crouds didn’t thin out until after Demaskas.
Grampie-N->2001
Grampie
system
#9
april? are you kidding? seriously, i regret to inform that you are already too late to start this year. the small window of opportunity opens january fifth and quickly closes on january fifteenth. anyone planning any other starting dates are sorely mistaken and i wish you well in 2005.
hiker caucus