Where to jump ahead

imported
#1

Our son is through-hiking on the AT. He is currently in Waynesboro, VA and is worried that he’s not going to make it to Katadin before October 15th. He doesn’t want to flip-flop because he wants to stop hiking at Katahdin. He’s thinking about jumping ahead (by car) and not doing 150 miles of the trail. He is debating (and would like your advise) about whether to 1) make one jump forward of about 150 miles, or 2) making several smaller jumps forward of 20-30 miles or so along the way. Also, if you feel that one big jump forward would be best, what 150 mile stretch of the trail would you skip? Thanks for your help!

Ground Control

#2

I think you son is making a good decision. I totally concur with hiking north to Katahdin. All through Maine hikers are thinking Katahdin, and it builds as you get closer to Baxter. At first, you see Katahdin as a small peak on the horizon. And once you see it for the first time, you continue to look for it every time you have a view from a high point. The closer you get, the more prominent it gets, and the closer you feel to the achieving your goal. Katahdin is truely a kick a$$ goal.

If I had to jump ahead in order to get to Katahdin before the end of the season, I’d suggest jumping over Pennsylvania, and then later hike Pennsylvania southbound to finish at Harper’s Ferry. I’d also suggest one big jump rather than several smaller ones. It makes it easier to finish up then to try to go back for several shorter sections.

Whatever where the jump, most hikers enjoy upstate New England. So, I would suggest not jumping Vermont, New Hampshire and especially Maine and hiking them from south to north. The common problem is that many thru-hikers are burned out or run out of time by this point in their hike, so they regret not having or taking the time to enjoy these last 3 states.

Peaks

#3

To quote my wife, Pinball. We hiked SOBO last year and did ot finish on Big K. When asked if we were sad we weren’t finishing on K, my wife responded “There could be a big pile of sh-t at the end of this trail and it would still be exciting.”

You’re son still has 3 months to finish the trail and he’ll start picking up the piles through PA. I don’t think he has to skip ahead unless he’s moving slowly. If he does need to skip I concur with Peaks, PA was the least exciting part of the trail. Boiling Springs to Deleware Water Gap.

Grimace

#4

I’ll repeat part of my earlier post advocating going north to Katahdin.

I have been backpacking for decades, doing 3 to 5 day section hikes. However, it wasn’t until I did a long section hike (1100 miles) last summer that I really made the people connection.

There is a lot of support and group effort that encourages a hiker all the way through Maine. It was definately part of the magic in Maine. It’s hard to describe unless you have been part of it. I can’t imagine doing things any other way.

And to repeat, allow plenty of time to enjoy the Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Definately worth doing a leapfrog. It would be really crappy to have to push through these states in order to beat the cold weather that closes Katahdin usually in mid October.

Peaks

#5

New York.

I’m pretty good at finding out what is nice about each state. Except New York. It is a positively unpleasant walk over a lotta rocky nothing. I felt like that coyote in the cartoons when ever I hiked head first into one of those nearly vertical rock walls. Yeah, you do get to see New York City from certain vantage points…but I’m pretty sure the view has changed from last year…

As for other points to skip, I know many people will say Pennsylvania because of the rocks and heat but I can’t help think that it’s an integral part of the thru-hike experience. Even the complaining! And how can one pass up the temptation of $1 draft Yuenglings?

My other vote for “skippage” would have to go to Massachusetts. Few campsites and irregular shelter spacing makes for either really looooong days or really short, unless one wants to camp in someones backyard - or in a mosquito infested swamp. If one should skip this state, be sure to pick it back up in Cheshire for the blood-pumping hike up Greylock. Lastly, I have little love for the section in Vermont between the Inn at Long Trail and Cloudland road.

Sleepy the Arab

#6

Wow, Sleepy, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear that was us typing that post. We totally concur on the New York, Mass and latter part of Vermont, but hey, I guess that’s what the trail is all about, good and bad! Or try finding the old AT. Can be much more interesting.

Bramble "01

#7

Hm. I just did the math. I recommended skipping a total of 173 miles. For a trail hardened hiker, that’s less than two weeks saved, and not even 10% of the total distance of the AT. I just wish I could have made it easier by encouraging the skipping of Connecticut - thereby making it one contiguous chunk of path - but I can’t. Too much in CT worth seeing.

Sleepy the Arab

#8

What we did to take away some of the more depressing trails was to look for the old AT. Brown blazes on phone poles, routes on the maps that “look” like the could have been it. In most cases the ATC maps are still drawn with AT marked on another lesser used trail. From Fingerboard Shelter, at the road/park after it go up the road east from the consesion stand to a trail that turns left through a marsh. Its a barely visible AT trace from years ago. Nice little bit, hooks up again in a few miles at that wooden bridge over the stream. When it comes down to it, did you walk from Georgia to Maine?

Bushwhack '01

#9

The original question was where to do a leap frog. Not which section of the trail is the least interesting.

I think that we all agree that going north to Katahdin is the way to go. Now, if the kid want to get to Katahdin by say mid October, then what is a good section to do afterwards and finish the thru-hike? So, pick a section with good access at both ends, and figure out that if you can’t complete the thru-hike at Katahdin, then what makes a good alternate finishing point.

My vote goes to Harpers Ferry or the Water Gap. I think that Pennsylvania would be nice to hike in late October. New England could be a little nippy at night.

Peaks

#10

I agree that skipping a large chunk is preferable to skipping smaller sections, as it would be easier to pick up later. I think the “uninteresting” thoughts come into play because, many times, people fail to get back to pick up skipped sections, especially after they’ve summited Big K. Perhaps he should skip one of the better parts to ensure that it gets done! I do agree that PA would be nice in Oct. when the trees are changing and the poison ivy is dying off and the weather is cooler, but not too cold. Harper’s Ferry is a nice place to end up, as one of our fellow thru hiker’s did last year on a flip-flop. You get to stop in at the ATC office, fill out your application for your patch, etc.

Bramble’01

#11

With a late May start to my hike, I didn’t hit VA until July. Like your son I realized I wouldn’t be making it to Maine before the snow. I chose to flip flop, but there is a certain appeal to ending on Katahdin.

If he is feeling rushed, it might make sense to skip more than 150 miles. Everyone has a different pace, and no reason a thru hike should feel like a race (unless you want to). With that in mind, I would say skip Harpers Ferry, WV to Hudson River, NY. About 450 miles if my memory serves me. I agree with the others that skipping one big section and getting it over with is preferable to many small jumps.

Every state has something special, and I enjoyed this section. However, at under 2000’, they aren’t big mountains, so for that reason it seems like the best place to skip. I wouldn’t skip any of Vermont, New Hampshire, or Maine.

Part of the reward of hiking the trail comes from challenging yourself, so taking the easy way isn’t necessarily the best.

Ted (Waterfall GA->Damascus,VA<-ME 1999)

Ted