just wanted to know where are the majority of thru hikers now?
frogger
Where are the thru hikers now?
system
#3
tracks gps locatable chips implanted in the back of hikers heads by trained deer flies.
BB
system
#6
You should think in terms of Damascus to Harpers ferry for the bulk of the class of 04, and never forget those 200 SOBOs that have begun to move south. now that 200 number is frankly speculation, but there are thruhikers up north also.
Burn
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#7
We saw our first few NOBOs in early March come through Shenandoah National Park. It really started to pick up about three weeks ago. If past years are a guide, NOBO Prime Time starts about now and lasts until late June.
That would put the bulk of the NOBOs, I’d guess, somewhere between Damascus and Harpers Ferry right now…with an even bigger concentration between Pearisburg and Waynesboro.
Of course those few who came through SNP in March could be in New England by now, and having returned from Trail Days a few days ago I know some who left the Trail to come to TD were still between Hot Springs and Kincora.
The general thought, for average hikers going north, is if you can make it to Harpers Ferry by the 4th of July you can still finish without needing to flip-flop. As always, YMMV.
“Skyline”
system
#8
Baxter State Park opened the Hunt Trail last weekend and I as of a few days ago I heard about six SoBos had started.
Celt
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#9
Something like 85-90% of the Northbounders are thru Hot Springs already. The majority of them are spread out between Atkins and Waynesboro, VA., with the “main pack” probably being in the Pearisburg-Troutville area.
Of course, some are further along, as several dozen have already reached Harper’s Ferry, and a few of the really earlybirds are probably in New England.
As to the “200 SOBO’s”, most of them don’t even start til June, and in any case, there probably won’t be 200 of them; that seems a little high.
B. Jack
system
#10
I am in CT and have seen about a dozen go thru. I just spent the night with the Solemates at Upper Goose Pond in MA, and have seen a bunch of names in the log at Riga Shelter in Salisbury, CT.
CamelJohn
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#11
I gave a bunch of hikers rides back to Atkins on sunday after traildays. I gave lots of shuttles around there and Bland. Was seeing hikers everywhere, mostly mid to late march starters. Magic “hiked” to the Whites, tho hes probably around the Maine line the way he moves. Taco was just in Hanover
A-Train
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#12
There’s still a thruhiker trickle down here at Neel Gap as well. Probably the bulk of the NOBO class of '04 is in northern VA, give or take a couple hundred miles 
If you’re looking to do trail magic, I’m sure there’s a big clump 5-6 days north of Damascus (the traildays bubble.) Have fun!
Skittles
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#13
An exact number? 102 thru hikers had been through the Harpers Ferry photo count by last Friday May 19th. :eek:
Traildad
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#15
Traildad—
There are no EXACT figures; also, while 102 folks have had their picture taken for the 2004 Thru-Hiker album, this doesn’t mean they all came from Georgia. I’ve seen pictures of folks in the “Thru-Hiker” albums who skipped Virginia. According to the good folks at the Outfitter in Harper’s Ferry, who see almost ALL of the hikers passing thru town, the number of hikers that have reached Harper’s is significantly less than 100, at least for now.
B. Jack
system
#16
Not all folks who go through HF get their picture taken either. Isn’t the office closed on Sunday? Also, some just might not choose to have it taken.
Maybe the numbers even out overall.
DL
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#17
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#18
We were day hiking around Delaware Water Gap this past Sunday 23 May and we saw a few NOBO’s.
googs
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#20
my thru-hiker bud: “WILDCAT” & his partners (“Dharma” included)are above WAYNESBORO as of TRAIL DAYS 2004!
man, i hate those black flies!
“Jaybird”