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Weird flip flop and a couple questions

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    • Weird flip flop and a couple questions

      I am considering hiking the entire AT by employing a slow pace and strategic flip-flops to avoid larger crowds and the mid-Atlantic during the summer. Here is my proposal:

      Southbound 736 miles in 74 days: Waynesboro, VA (Sep 1, 2023[/b]) to Springer, GA (Nov 17, 2023[/b])
      <Winter break>
      Southbound 723 miles in 75 days: Kent, CT (Mar 13, 2024[/b]) to Waynesboro, VA (May 30, 2024[/b])
      Northbound 720 miles in 79 days: Kent, CT (Jun 7, 2024[/b]) to Katahdin (Aug 28, 2024[/b])

      Is this still considered a “through hike” since it’s the entire trail and less than twelve months long?

      Are there a flaws in my plan that seem ill-advised?

      Thank you for any comments.
      David
    • The ATC defines a thru hike as a completion within 12 months, so if you stick to your schedule, it would qualify.
      Keep in mind the ATC does not make a distinction between thru hikers and 2000 milers as far as "official" recognition, the only distinction is by their definitions.
      You'll have a much better idea as to whether your schedule is realistic after your first leg.

      How does the ATC define thru-hiking?
      We define a thru-hike as a hike of the entire A.T. in 12 months or less. These 12 months are not restricted to a calendar year.
      What is a 2,000-miler?
      A “2,000-miler” is a hiker who has walked the entire length of the A.T. and reported his or her hike completion to the ATC. The ATC has been keeping records of thru-hike completions since the A.T. was first completed in 1937. The ATC uses the term “2,000-miler” as a matter of tradition and convenience. When the term was coined, the A.T. was only slightly more than 2,000 miles. Its length changes every year due to pathway relocations. In recognizing 2,000-milers, we don’t consider issues such as the sequence, direction, speed or whether one carries a pack. We do expect that persons applying for inclusion in our 2,000-miler records have made an honest effort to walk the entire Trail. A 2,000-miler application form can be found here.
      its all good
    • Definitely do not get hung up on the definition of a thru hike. But for fun, you could ask "what exactly is a thru hike" on some other on-line hiking forum and watch the sparks fly for entertainment purposes.

      My only thoughts are 1) You are pretty specific with the dates. Are you tied to a specific schedule due to commitments off trail? I would not want to be tied to such a specific schedule, unless necessary. and 2) the first leg is mostly after the fall equinox so you will have a lot of short days. Be prepared for some long quality time alone in the dark. You will be crossing paths with some SOBO thru hikers, but they will be trail fit and wizz past you, at least at the start. The last two legs will have longer days.
    • +1 on not getting hung up on the definition of a thru-hike.

      I've hike the majority of my long sections in the mid-March timeframe and can personally attest to being snowed on, hailed on, rained on and sunburned. And the great Blizzard of 1993 was on March 13th - 14th. 3' of snow in Pennsylvania. It's like a box of chocolates...

      There are no obvious flaws in your plan. Section 1 will definitely get you away from the crowds. Section 2 will put you ahead of the SOBO thrus and almost guarantee reliable water sources through the mid-Atlantic. Section 3 puts you into Vermont after mud season, and into New Hampshire & Maine after blackfly season. And you'll have enough time to develop your trail legs before you hit the White Mountains.

      Happy planning!
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • Thank you! Good points/observations from everyone.

      I use the dates as initial planning milestones, but will immediately treat them with... ah... humor. :) Perhaps a less stifling plan would simply be:

      Average about 10 mpd (about 10 zeroes give or take)
      SOBO from Waynesboro, VA in the Fall
      SOBO from Kent, CT to Waynesboro, VA in the Spring
      NOBO from Kent, CT in the Summer
    • I'm looking at your numbers again. Your mileages seem off. Waynesboro to Springer is a lot further than 736 miles. Perhaps you mean US 220 at Daleville (by Roanoke)? That would make sense.

      Since you are interested in planning miles per day and days per section, the definitive analysis of thru hiker rates per section was done by Map Man and is found here.

      whiteblaze.net/forum/content.p…-Rates-Section-by-Section

      There is more data than you could possibly want about what typical thru hikers do. Bottom line is your plan is less ambitious than most so should not be a big problem.
    • buzzardwhiskey wrote:

      Thank you for your comments!

      I will definitely adjust the number of miles per day in the beginning. My thought is to average 10 miles per day over the entire trip, but early on I will probably only do 8 or 9. I am not super fit.
      You will probably peak in the middle as far as MPD, because expect to decrease when you get to NH & ME, even though you are in the best shape. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • StalkingTortoise wrote:

      +1 on not getting hung up on the definition of a thru-hike.

      I've hike the majority of my long sections in the mid-March timeframe and can personally attest to being snowed on, hailed on, rained on and sunburned. And the great Blizzard of 1993 was on March 13th - 14th. 3' of snow in Pennsylvania. It's like a box of chocolates...

      There are no obvious flaws in your plan. Section 1 will definitely get you away from the crowds. Section 2 will put you ahead of the SOBO thrus and almost guarantee reliable water sources through the mid-Atlantic. Section 3 puts you into Vermont after mud season, and into New Hampshire & Maine after blackfly season. And you'll have enough time to develop your trail legs before you hit the White Mountains.

      Happy planning!
      Just in one March Spring Break trip in the Smoky Mountain National Park I went from teens to 50s (if not 60s). :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Astro ().

    • Is it a thru hike? Of course not, says me. It most certainly is, sez the ATC. A bit of background...

      For years the definition of a thru hike was that you started at one terminus and basically hiked almost continuously until you reached the other terminus. The ATC refused to define the term, stating they had no interest in how one hiked the trail, only that those that claimed 2,000 miler status actually hiked the ENTIRE trail. That could be 1 trip or 20. Or more. Backpack or slackpack. North or south or a bit of both. So if you are interested in meeting the requirements of a 2,000 miler you need to hike the ENTIRE trail. No blue blaze short cuts, no yellow blazing -- just follow the white blazes. Of course only about 5% of claimed 2,000 milers actually meet that definition which is a whole nother discussion.

      Finally, out of the blue, the ATC started to define thru hiking. Their definition was that if you hiked the entire trail within 12 months you thru hiked.

      Why the change?

      (Up to this point everything has been factual. I'm adding a bit of opinion from here on out.)

      I live in Georgia. And I can tell you too many people start their thru hikes at just about the same time. It's a madhouse. So the ATC came up with a great idea to help thin the herd and endorsed the flip flop. While they have several recommended versions, they strongly endorse starting in Harpers Ferry in late April (and even have a festival) hiking north, and then returning to Harpers and hiking south.

      Great idea but one problem...this does not meet the recognized defintion of a thru hike. What to do?

      So...they change the definition!

      According to the ATC you can hike the trail any way you want and as long as you do it in a year you're a thru hiker. Hike 3 months, take 6 months off, hike 3 months -- that's a thru hike. Anything goes as long as it's done in a year. Since the ATC calls the shots, and I don't -- you're doing a thru hike.

      Remember...while the ATC "defines" thru hike, they do not recognize it. They recognize 2,000 milers -- those that hike the ENTIRE trail regardless of time, distance or backpacking/dayhiking.
      2,000 miler

      The post was edited 1 time, last by max.patch ().

    • David,
      I like your plan. It looks doable and has some benefits over the conventional thru. Of course, once you start hiking, things will come up and adaptations made. That is part of the fun.

      I especially like that you plan your finish for Katahdin. That will be the perfect cherry on top to complete your hike.

      Good luck!
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • Thank you so much for all your comments!

      After someone noted my possible mileage error, indeed I did get it wrong. Here is perhaps a better one taking into consideration lower mileage start and finish days.

      SOBO Waynesboro to Springer 863 miles = about 96 days = Aug 25 to Nov 29
      SOBO Kent to Waynesboro 592 miles = about 60 days = Apr 1 to May 31
      NOBO Kent to Katahdin 714 miles = about 80 days = June 1 to Aug 20

      Completing it in one year would be cool, but not a huge issue at my age if that one doesn't work out.
    • Is there any particular reasoning behind doing the 2nd & 3rd parts that way (south first then north)?

      Only seems it could be easier to just start in VA and go through towards ME - not having to do that trip back to Kent (which is probably not the easiest town to get to in that section - a few miles further south into the NY section may offer better transport options) and seeing that there isn't any major gap there (be it the few days in the original pattern or none in the 2nd pattern) that would indicate you have something else to do between the two.

      One might think starting with the VA section would eliminate most issues weather wise that might be more likely further north at that time (though likely less starting in April) as well.