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  1. #1

    Exclamation AT Lodge reports 450+ sobos as of 6/30.

    "We are heading for another record breaking season for SoBo's. The count now at around 450."
    Appalachian Trail Lodge.
    55 nobos as of 6/30, too.
    Teej

    "[ATers] represent three percent of our use and about twenty percent of our effort," retired Baxter Park Director Jensen Bissell.

  2. #2

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    At least one made it to Gorham, gave a ride to one yesterday. I bet the attrition rate this year is pretty high. It's been a very wet and cold June this year.
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  3. #3
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    We hosted our first SOBO here in Manchester Center June 30 trailname ROCK....although he started north from Gorham mid May and flipped after summitting Katahdin, cruising south doing big miles.

    He said "Never again that early hiking Maine"
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  4. #4

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    The ATC reports that 271 SOBOs this year registered their intention to start a thru-hike no later than June 30. If the AT Lodge's numbers are pretty accurate then I guess around 60% of SOBO thru-hikers registered with the ATC this year.

    In comparison, 3112 NOBO hikers have registered their intention to do a traditional NOBO hike this year. ATC is estimating 3735 NOBO thru-hiker hopefuls started in Georgia this year. That would mean about 83% of NOBOs registered their intention with ATC.

    I can't think of any good reason why the percentage of registrants would be so different for NOBOs and SOBOs. Either AT Lodge's estimate of SOBOs is high or ATC"s estimate of NOBOs is low, or a combination of the two.

    Since traditionally around 65% of SOBO hopefuls start before July 1, projecting the Lodge's numbers out over the rest of the SOBO season would mean almost 700 SOBO attempters this year. ATC estimates there were 490 in 2016. I suppose it's possible that ATC's campaign to encourage people attempting thru-hikes to do something other than a traditional NOBO could have resulted in significantly more SOBOs this year.

    Whether the number of SOBO attempters is 600 or 700 by the end of the season, to put that in a context that I find interesting, that's how many NOBO attempters there were around 25 years ago at the onset of the 1990s.
    Last edited by map man; 07-04-2017 at 12:41.
    Life Member: ATC, ALDHA, Superior Hiking Trail Association

  5. #5
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    Met a bunch of sobos this weekend while I was hiking from Flagstaff to Caratunk. Nice bunch of people. Much friendlier than the nobos who just want it over with and wont stop and chat cuz they gotta make those miles.

  6. #6

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    I can tell you for sure there are over 500 permits issued fo katahdin stream as my permit is like 507 or something. Too lazy to dig it out of my pack

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Krippledprophet View Post
    I can tell you for sure there are over 500 permits issued fo katahdin stream as my permit is like 507 or something. Too lazy to dig it out of my pack
    Congrats!
    50+ in just a few days, wow!
    Teej

    "[ATers] represent three percent of our use and about twenty percent of our effort," retired Baxter Park Director Jensen Bissell.

  8. #8

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    Some of those SOBO hikers may be section hikers who didn't register because they aren't planning to thruhike. Same with Springer.

  9. #9

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    A number of people are doing some sort of flips this year, and after doing another part of the trail have already flipped up to Kahtahdin. So unless the lodge is making a distinction between traditional SOBO hikers, and flipfloppers, it isn't possible to extrapolate how many traditional SOBOers there may be this year.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by gpburdelljr View Post
    A number of people are doing some sort of flips this year, and after doing another part of the trail have already flipped up to Kahtahdin. So unless the lodge is making a distinction between traditional SOBO hikers, and flipfloppers, it isn't possible to extrapolate how many traditional SOBOers there may be this year.
    AT Lodge is the primary shuttler of sobos to the Park. They get the number from the sobos themselves that they take to the KSC Ranger cabin, where the sobos get their number. Flippers get their own number. Since AT Lodge right there at the cabin when sobos get their card, I'd say their numbers are accurate.
    Teej

    "[ATers] represent three percent of our use and about twenty percent of our effort," retired Baxter Park Director Jensen Bissell.

  11. #11

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    The number of 490 sobo starters in 2016 comes directly from Baxter State Park.

    And, actually, different categories of hikers do participate in the voluntary thru-hiker registration at different rates. Although I don't have numbers at my fingertips, when I've done sampling, flip-floppers have always had the highest rate of participation, southbounders the lowest.

    Btw, we are at 1408 nobos in Harpers Ferry through yesterday, compared to 1248 on July 4 last year.

  12. #12
    Registered User Engine's Avatar
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    We're in the White Mountains now and we're passing 8-10 Sobo hikers daily now.

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    “He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.” –Socrates

  13. #13

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    I'd say I see a new sobo or two I hadn't seen before daily. Gotta be pushing 600 strong now.

    Not moving fast but I can say for sure shaws has been busy I stayed there and poet said they'd been full daily for a month or more.

    Which for good measure I feel it's worth mentioning how great a stay I had at shaws in monson. Very accommodating. Fantastic breakfast. Great hostel environment!

    A guy going by the name of sota dipped out on his tab there as they are very entrenched in the honor system. If anyone sees him on trail he deserves an ear full.

  14. #14
    Some days, it's not worth chewing through the restraints.
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    Quote Originally Posted by map man View Post
    I can't think of any good reason why the percentage of registrants would be so different for NOBOs and SOBOs. Either AT Lodge's estimate of SOBOs is high or ATC"s estimate of NOBOs is low, or a combination of the two.
    I think SOBO's tend to be more introverted and may not care about such things as registering their intention to do something.

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