Flip Flop Kickoff Harpers Ferry

[Kebler]

Hi everyone! A couple weeks ago I saw it posted somewhere that the Flip Flop kickoff in Harpers Ferry would be on April 16th. I can't seem to find the date again or anywhere else. I'm wanting to register as well as solidify my plans and was tentatively going to start with the kickoff. Can anyone confirm this date? Also, anyone else planning on starting then? Any insight would be much appreciated.

Merry Christmas everyone!

-Kebler

[Furlough]

ATC website has the details. 16 April is the 2016 flip flop kick off date. http://www.appalachiantrail.org/a-walk-in-the-woods/get-informed

Furlough

[Kebler]

Thanks Furlough...Visited the site half a dozen times and managed to miss that, lol. I'm now registered.

[CedarKeyHiker]

Merry Christmas!!! I'm looking to section hike from Harpers Ferry to Springer in April. Is there anything I need to anticipate headed southbound at that time that I might not encounter hiking from Springer Mountain.

[Slo-go'en]

Merry Christmas!!! I'm looking to section hike from Harpers Ferry to Springer in April. Is there anything I need to anticipate headed southbound at that time that I might not encounter hiking from Springer Mountain.

Last year I headed SOBO from HF on May 1st, which was when the kick off was held last year. It was very hot which might be why the kick off was pushed ahead to the middle of April this year. I meet very few other hikers at first and hitting the "roller coaster" after only two days out was a very difficult 20 miles or so. I was south of Waynesboro when Trail Days let out and all of a sudden the trail was very busy and it stayed that way until I got off at Daleville.

Starting two weeks earlier in mid April you won't run into the hoards until maybe south of Pearisburg. Although if the weather stays mild the rest of the winter there maybe more early starters and fewer dropouts due to weather, so it might be busier sooner. Except for Shenandoah NP, I think VA is as difficult or maybe even more so then GA/NC for those just starting out. Virginia has a lot of PUDS which wears at you.

This year I'll be going back to HF for the April kick off and head north with everyone less, although some might question my sanity for doing PA a 3d time. It's been 11 years since the last time, so I guess the bad memories have faded enough for another go.

[Kaptainkriz]

Is there a kickoff event?

[CedarKeyHiker]

Slo-go'en, Thank you. That's just the kind of information I'm looking for. Best of luck to you...

[Slo-go'en]

Not many people have yet registered to leave HF on the kick off weekend. Only like 2. Hope a few more will show up or it will be kind of lonely. I'll be there, but not planning on a full thru hike so not registering. Wonder how many others are like me?

I'm going to try and "walk home". Literally. Once I get to the Perch on Mt Adams, I'm like 3 miles from my front door down a side trail, about 840 miles from the start in HF. I figure I can do that in about 7 weeks.

[jimmyjam]

I'll be there. Going SOBO this time to get the piece of trail from HF to Elkwallow that I'm missing. Then I plan to flip again from there (after a break) and pickup at Killington, VT where I left off last year after injury.