OK it’s 2/1. Where are the thru hikers? All I see in posts is endless crap about preparing for the hike. Is anyone out there hiking The Trail? Get your asses out there!!
Boston Bruce
Bruce
Where are the thru hikers?
system
#2
There are folks walking in the snow. We got 2 southbounders(!) and a northbounder in the last 3 days at mm 111. The southbounders had snowshoes. The northboubder (Phil) left Springer for a few days of hiking and decided to go for it! I wish him well thru the Smokies with the storm coming in. APPLE and friends
APPLE
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#4
Bruce, this is a bad year to get an early start. Anybody that has started is getting slammed by bad weather. Waking up and putting on wet freezing socks, boots and clothing is a tough task. Walking in knee deep snow is a tough task. It’s not much fun trying to cook in the freezing cold weather either. And the people that have started will be hiking in that type of weather for 2-3 months. Ouch!
Canoe Man
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#5
I agree with Canoe Man. We are out here to help the hardy folks who are hiking this early, but I would reccomend waiting till mid March. 
We are at 4900 feet and the trail has no snow at all in sunny places and up to 2 feet in shady north-facing sides. It is tough walking in frozen snow. We are 3 days south of Fontana. APPLE
APPLE
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#6
Good for Phil!! Is he in Trail Journals? I did a search but can’t find him. Listen all you thru hikers who are delaying your hike because of a couple of snow flakes, get your arses out there and start entertaining me. Spend a couple of thousand dollars on winter equipment and hit the trail. BOSTON BRUCE (formerly Nostrildamous & Twizzler).:cheers
Bruce
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#9
Where are the hikers?? The smart AT thru-hikers are waiting for the weather to improve, like in March. The dumb ones are trying to hike in the crap…8)
Grampie-N->
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#10
Take a deep breath. Slowly exhale. Aaaahhh…isn’t that better? I share your eagerness to get these thru-hikers started. I am retired and have plenty (maybe too much) time on my hands. I have read the journals of all the potential AT thru-hikers for 2011 and have handicapped each hiker from 10 being most likely to succeed to 1. The numbers fluctuate as the hikers post more journals. I will lock the numbers in on March 1st. So far I have one 10, no 9’s, four 8’s, four 7’s, and ten 6’s. My rational side agrees with Canoe Man, but like you, I am ready for these thru-hikers to head out the gate.
Wingo
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#11
I prefer snow to rain but really wished I had my snowshoes when I hit the Smokies in early March last year. It was just plain hard. Mid-March start is good advice.
Maybe I shouldn’t talk so much about liking snow. I live in the Chicago area and man–did we get slammed!
Croft
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#12
JOE - Yes, you are on Trail Journals to entertain me. THATGUY - I’m not on the trail because I am defending your butt as I patrol the countryside of Afghanistan. GRAMPIE-N> Anyone can hike in good weather. Pick a date and start hiking and learn to deal with the consequences. Conquer your fears and go!WINGO - I took a couple of deep breaths and I do feel better.
Bruce
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#13
I leave March 5th. Trust me, I want to be out there now, but aside from a few shakedowns, I have to finish my job and have my arrangements in order. Gear is ready, head is ready-ish, heart and feet are ready, but the calendar says I have 4 more weeks of work.
If it makes you feel any better, read the journals from people who made it the last few years. And stay safe!
Stearman
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#14
Bruce, You sound like people should be willing to go out and suffer the extreme weather while spending extra money for gear they’ll only need for a month, most people don’t have that kind of money and they can save it by starting a little later. I do commend you for fighting for our country. I myself was in the 1st gulf war 20years ago and beleave me when I say that I suffered many hardships while I was in. But I also learned that if you can avoid putting yourself in a dangerous situation then it should be avoided. Also my train of thought is, I’ve suffered already why not make things easier.
In 07 we ran into some cold weather in the Smokeys and had 1 guy (older man maybe mid 60s) get to the shelter who was suffering from hypothermia (even in May it was cold at night) every1 gave him something to warm up, keeping the fire going and making him something hot to eat. He was way undergeared but had no one been at that shelter he would have been in real danger or possibly die.
All I’m saying is a thru hike is no way near fighting for your country where dangers are expected, being safe is most important when on the AT and not about who can suffer the most. It should be fun.
Now if your willing to give up some of your huge military pay check(lol) and buy people the cold weather gear they need and hire a sherpa to carry it then by all means have people start early :-P.
Keep safe… Semper Fi.
Tony
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#15
I think Bruce is somewhat misguided. I doubt he is in the military. If I was fighting for my Country, and I did, I would not be spending precious time on Trailjournals when I could be communicating with family. If he is fighting for our Country them God bless him, but he knows nothing about hiking the AT. NedtheFed 05 and 09.
NedtheFed
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#16
I planned my thru-hike to start March 1, 2011 to go inside with my other life, weather conditions, and max time to complete the hike. I do not know the reasons for other hikers start time. I do not think its due to being wimps. Remember the mantra: “ hike your hike.”
I hope you follow my journal and “God willing and the creek don’t rise” I will reach Kat.
See you on the trail…
onegreywolf
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#17
Trailforums, stoking the fires of armchair voyeurism since the late 90s. Glad you could join in for a spell, Bruce. Clearly you’re an enabler.
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