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I'm a section hiker and will complete my 2019 section later in July.
Until then, I'm in NH near Hanover and would like to do some trail magic. Is the bubble anywhere near here yet? Or too early?
I also welcome suggestions for your favorite trail magic...
I found hitching in VT and NH to be fairly challenging on my thru last year. If you want to help hikers out, work some popular hitching spots into your everyday driving routes if you can, and pick them up when they're thumbing it. I moved to NH back in March and recently starting going a little out of my way to check for hitching hikers in Crawford Notch and surrounding areas, but June was too early and I only had one section hiker as a taker a couple weeks ago. I'm out of town for the summer now, but I'm hoping to repay some of the rides I received as a smelly hiker when I'm back in the area next month.
Other than that, on your own day hikes in the area, carrying any extra cold drinks or offering to pack out trash could be nice. But as a thru-hiker, I certainly didn't expect those kinds of things. Honestly, a well-timed hitch is the best trail magic in my opinion!
Oh, but to actually answer the question in the title, I think from now until Labor Day there will be thru-hikers in NH! Some of the earliest, fastest Nobos have already finished the trail, while with my mid-April start, I didn't hit NH until the very end of August. The Sobos are probably in the area too, since they couldn't really get started until a few weeks ago with Katahdin opening so late.
There’s a SOBO bubble in southern Maine right now. A number of them have already passed Rattle River and into the whites.
More of a smear than a bubble of NOBOs. Smaller thru-hiking tramilies spread out all along the AT from the mid-Atlantic thru Maine by this point. Baxter opened Katahdin trails late this year (June 15), 21 days ago, so you should be seeing the faster (15+mpd) of the SOBO's in the Whites by this point. I'd estimate the peak from NOBOs and SOBOs combined for Hanover area will probably be late July thru early August.
Is this of any help?
https://www.wherearethehikers.com/heatmap/
Scott
I’m NOBO now near the end of VT. There are a lot of NOBOs and northbound Flip Floppers in the area. I’m sure if you are on the trail or at a road crossing near Hanover you will probably see several hikers a day. Always love some fresh, juicy fruit on a hot day (watermelon, oranges, grapes, etc.).
My daughter and I will be arriving in Hanover in two days heading Northbound to Lincoln. Maybe we will cross paths. We usually hike outside of trail bubbles so she has never experienced trail magic before.
I was sad to hear that the omelet guy is no more because I used that to help sell her on this trip.
My wife and I are planning on doing some Trail Magic on July 14th in memory of our son. Our plan was to find a spot in PA a days hike before Delaware Water Gap. Will there still be through hikers coming by or are we too late in the season? Any idea of numbers? Any help is appreciated.
Wind Gap, PA. 15 miles south of the Delaware Water Gap. Popular parking spot for local hikers. Wind Gap is a resupply point for thru-hikers, but even if they bypass the town they will come right past you in the lot. https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8592...7038,16z?hl=en There should be a fair number of both thru-hikers and section hikers going through there in mid-July on a weekend.Quote:
Originally Posted by otisorgans
Thanks for the suggestion! I also found a spot right before Kirkridge Shelter on Valley View road. Not ideal but it will work. Still curious if I should have enough for 20 hikers or 80 hikers ?
Depends if you will be offering something to thru hikers or to all hikers. Best advice typically embraces offering refreshment to all given the difficulty identifying thru hikers from section hikers from day hikers and to avoid the issue of elitism from the event. Left over goods can be reused at home or brought to a shelter (check with the recipient shelter first as some may not be able to take perishable food or opened containers, etc) which extends the good will gesture to people away from home on vacation to people without a home not on vacation. Kind of a win/win there.
All hikers, of course. Thanks for the clarifying question!Quote:
Originally Posted by Traveler