Increase in Winter NOBOs

[Dogwood]

Not psychic. Just have a great GPS satellite connection. Salty, you have something stuck in your teeth. Shrubs need a trimming too.

[Dogwood]

You have to start a thread reviewing Dutch's Chameleon.

[Cathole]

Interesting discussion here...
I'll be starting NOBO on Feb 20 willing to roll the dice a bit on the weather to avoid the bubble. I know that GA solitude is easy to find even in April but I'm not so keen about competing for hostel space and town services (although some won't be open early in season). I also know that local resident tolerance for the few "bad seeds" is finite and figure the seeds won't sprout 'till I'm up the trail. The past few years have also seen many new suppliers offering quality lightweight winter weather gear (though be it at high cost) extending the "comfort" season. I'm going into this after much thought and research and am equipped, financed, and prepared as well as I know how. I do most of my backpacking in winter and the challenge of of it appeals to me. I suspect many of my fellow Early Birds share these thoughts.

[Shrewd]

I'm starting the approach trail February 28, and the AT proper March 1. I am starting early in part to avoid the party people. I understand the suckitude of winter hiking. I've got a sleeping bag, a silk inner liner, an SOL Escape Bivvy outer liner, an insulated air mattress, fleece long johns, extra-thick merino socks, fleece beanie, and even a quart Nalgene that I can use as a hot water bottle. I've got experience backpacking in New England mountains in winter, so it seems I've got a reasonable chance to manage the last 19 days of the season in the South.

I'm definitely not starting early enough to avoid the (non-party) crowds, because there were already 50 people registered for a March 1 start the week after I got my registration number. But (excepting freezing rain, where shelter space beats tenting) I won't mind sharing the trail with other hikers because I can have solitude in my tent at night.

A lot of the reason I'm getting an early start is I have a harder time persevering in the heat than the cold. I may start taking afternoon siestas around the time I get to New Jersey instead of hiking through the hottest part of the day. That's assuming I don't suffer some debilitating foot/ankle/knee injury, which I regard as my biggest noncompletion risk.

So I have thought this through. I can't speak for the hundreds of others making Winter NoBo attempts, of course.

You’ll be good, man.

I started on the 12th last year and never really had an issue. A few of the early shelters were full but I found it led to interesting groups of people and good chats. Plus one of them always made a fire, which I’m always happy for

I actually liked camping near shelters; especially in the beginning when we were all new and nervous. I’d set my hammock up a short walk away then being my cooking stuff over to the shelter and chat while we took care of water and food and such.

Most of the partying took place in town, or from day hikers coming to a shelter for a night with booze.

Even then they usually offered me beer and asked questions about my thru.

The only real obnoxious times I had were at a hostel in Damascus, and Uncle Johnny’s in Erwin, where the party died down around 5am

[saltysack]

You have to start a thread reviewing Dutch's Chameleon.

No...I’ve only played around in my yard with it...should have my new quilts and tarp in a few weeks and plan on getting out for few days probably pick back up at Spivey gap to 19E...also need to try out the new burn....


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[Ethesis]

Interesting discussion here...
I'll be starting NOBO on Feb 20 willing to roll the dice a bit on the weather to avoid the bubble. I know that GA solitude is easy to find even in April but I'm not so keen about competing for hostel space and town services (although some won't be open early in season). I also know that local resident tolerance for the few "bad seeds" is finite and figure the seeds won't sprout 'till I'm up the trail. The past few years have also seen many new suppliers offering quality lightweight winter weather gear (though be it at high cost) extending the "comfort" season. I'm going into this after much thought and research and am equipped, financed, and prepared as well as I know how. I do most of my backpacking in winter and the challenge of of it appeals to me. I suspect many of my fellow Early Birds share these thoughts.

reading the shelter logs on a section hike near the roller coaster complete with 40+ people in a campground in the bubble when the privy failed.

Convinced me that the bubble needed to be avoided if I ever through hike.

I met a number of people who started ftom Feb 15 to March 1 and they had it much better.

Neat to read about some of them on trail journals. ( Sweet Cherks and Piccolo for example).

[George]

if you go with the lone wolf "just walking" theory - then you need an early start for any kind of challenge

[Dogwood]

Umm, starting in Feb/early Feb at the AT southern terminus avoiding the bubble might be the least of your issues. That's what I believe the OP was getting at. One could avoid many aspects of the bubble and not have to start in Feb. That's been anal-yzed ad nauseam on WB. Starting in Feb entails a greater amount of very real winter LD backpacking.

[LittleRock]

You know, I used to think hiking the AT was a challenge. Then I had 2 kids, and now it's my vacation.

[juma]

I can only hazard a guess, as well, but avoiding the party crowds - in full rut - who start in March/April is a powerful urge.

Because, even though the ATC denies that there is a problem, we've all seen the same reports of overrun campsites and late-night carousing in the first 500 miles of the trail. And some hikers just don't want any part of that. I've spoken to more than a few people who have wrestled with this decision and while they may be making a mistake by heading out into awful weather, their choice usually comes down to this: "Do I want to do a flip-flop, go SOBO or go NOBO like God and Grandma Gatewood intended?" If your decision is "go NOBO," then the second part of that question is "do I want some level of quiet or not?"

So the only choice for some is to start early and hope for the best. Let's face it, most of us head into the woods for the solitude. But somehow, in the past five years, hiking the AT has turned into a vast northbound mating ritual for the un (der) employed. (Hey, lycra, bro-beards, vlogging, selfie-sticks, cellphones and IPA's for everyone!)

Some hikers don't want any part of that and clearly, I agree with that sentiment.

HYOH has the unwritten understanding of "by yourself."

So maybe it should be: "HYOH-BY"

I've always enjoyed the "rut" and I think its helped keep me young!

[sadlowskiadam]

I completely agree. This puts added stress on hiker budgets and morale. By starting later in the season, the weather is significantly better and the days are longer because of more sunlight (which allows higher mileage days). I've been reading lots of horror stories at trailjournals.com in the past couple of weeks with the bad winter weather the southeast has been experiencing this year.

[Venchka]

March has been relatively normal from what I’ve been watching. After all, The TN/NC border above 5,000’ more closely resembles New England than Knoxville or Charlotte. Unfortunately, about 99% of the population can’t grasp that reality.
Good luck to everyone out there. Be safe.
Wayne