2014 SOBOers thread

[JakeyJ994]

Hey everyone Im going to be going SOBO this summer and Im super excited about it. Im going solo and plan on starting July 1! If anyone is starting that day and wants to hike together for a bit let me know wouldn't mind some company. Good luck to the rest of you!!

[thbdc]

Hey everyone,
Planning to go SOBO this summer possibly with a friend but most likely solo. My projected start date is August 15th. I know its late, but I have substantial backpacking experience (mostly in the American southwest but good chunks of the AT as well) as well as winter camping experience. Just looking for any planning advice or company!

[forrest!]

Hey everyone,
Planning to go SOBO this summer possibly with a friend but most likely solo. My projected start date is August 15th. I know its late, but I have substantial backpacking experience (mostly in the American southwest but good chunks of the AT as well) as well as winter camping experience. Just looking for any planning advice or company!

Fall in New England will be beautiful. And you are young and strong, so no doubt you will catch me (I start a month before you) with no trouble! You might want to just start out carrying the cool weather gear, since it will probably be September before you get out of Maine.

[Ostrogoth]

Hey everyone,
Planning to go SOBO this summer possibly with a friend but most likely solo. My projected start date is August 15th. I know its late, but I have substantial backpacking experience (mostly in the American southwest but good chunks of the AT as well) as well as winter camping experience. Just looking for any planning advice or company!

Expect the unexpected in NH. I have started climbing in a short sleeve shirt and above tree line there was a 25mph wind, 10 feet visibility (navigating via cairns is easy) and pea size hail ( also not a problem with eye and face protection).

[SmilingSammy]

OK, who's going SOBO? There are fewer of us, and we face a slightly different set of challenges than the NOBOs, so I thought a thread of our own for checking in, getting acquainted, and asking questions would be a good idea.

I had originally planned to go SOBO in 2013, but life got in the way. 2014 is my year - I hope.

Trail name: Forrest (I use my middle name when on the trail - seems appropriate).

Start date: July 12th (how's that for being specific!)

I did the 100 mile wilderness in late June 2013, as sort of a shakedown hike, so I would know what to expect. It wasn't too bad. The first half was relatively flat and fairly easy. No need to dawdle, since it gets much worse when the climbs start. Mosquitoes were bad, black flies not so much. It was very wet, with high-water crossings. Anyway, I will get to do it again next July.

And I'm going on another shakedown hike in the Smokies in December. I did one in Dec 2012 too, and it was cold, wet and dark. But a July start probably means a finish in December (for me anyway), so it's best to know what to expect...

Hi ya'll my husband and I are in the planning of a July 10th (ish) start SoBo

[SmilingSammy]

Primary leave date is June 3, my backup date is first week of July. I will be the one hiking with the Great Dane.

Please leave the first week of July! Then I can catch up, Great Danes are my absolute favorite breed!

[Old Baldy]

I am flying into Bangor on the 7th and starting my hike on the 8th. Hiking solo looking for a partner.

[forrest!]

I am flying into Bangor on the 7th and starting my hike on the 8th. Hiking solo looking for a partner.

June or July?

[Old Baldy]

Hiking up Katahdin on July 8th, then sobo

[forrest!]

Hiking up Katahdin on July 8th, then sobo

I'm a few days behind you then - going up Katahdin July 12. No doubt we will see each other down the line.

[Old Baldy]

Maybe so. I hope to average 12 mi/day through the 100 mi W. I am locked in on the start date since I already
purchased my airline ticket.

I'm a few days behind you then - going up Katahdin July 12. No doubt we will see each other down the line.

[oilfieldpilot]

Anyone familiar with Maine Wx for start of SOBO hike, end May, First June... please say what temps to expect daily for that time of year; day/night. 30-40 deg nights still common in early June? Greatly Appreciated from a very hot-blooded ectothermic lizard-type hiker who feels anything below 90F is cold...(ok, can tolerate 80) thanks. Somehow, somewhere I missed a turn into the Gobi... ended up towards SOBO on AT...damn camel!!!???!!!!

[Slo-go'en]

Anyone familiar with Maine Wx for start of SOBO hike, end May, First June... please say what temps to expect daily for that time of year; day/night. 30-40 deg nights still common in early June? Greatly Appreciated from a very hot-blooded ectothermic lizard-type hiker who feels anything below 90F is cold...(ok, can tolerate 80) thanks. Somehow, somewhere I missed a turn into the Gobi... ended up towards SOBO on AT...damn camel!!!???!!!!

You had best bundle up. Temps wander all over the place in late May and early June. You can have 20 degree nights and 70 degree days - often in a period of hours. When it rains, it will feel even colder. It usually rains a lot in June. Actually, hope it does stay cool and wet - that will keep the Black Flies from becoming unbearable.

[scs]

Well, it's official. Flight is booked, and more importantly tent site at Katahdin Stream Campground is booked for the night of Monday, July 7! I am beyond excited, you guys. This trip has been several years in the making and it really is surreal how close it is to becoming reality.

[Ostrogoth]

Anyone familiar with Maine Wx for start of SOBO hike, end May, First June... please say what temps to expect daily for that time of year; day/night. 30-40 deg nights still common in early June? Greatly Appreciated from a very hot-blooded ectothermic lizard-type hiker who feels anything below 90F is cold...(ok, can tolerate 80) thanks. Somehow, somewhere I missed a turn into the Gobi... ended up towards SOBO on AT...damn camel!!!???!!!!

Expected average temps for that time period has been on my mind too. I have been monitoring the average temps and currently it is around the 30's for the low and high 30's for the highs. These averages of course will only increase over time and I expect to make my final clothing decision in the days just prior to my departure. You can get weather forecasts for that area through Baxters web site.

One other question I had was whether any traction like micro spikes might be needed to summit Khatadin on June 1st. My experience with treacherous icy conditions above tree line in NH makes me cautious. Again though the answer will have to wait until the end of May.

[Nick P]

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/product...ay/fxus05.html have National Weather Service seasonal (90 day) predictions. Looks good for us SOB's...above avg temps and maybe below avg precip this summer in New England.

[oilfieldpilot]

Brrrrrr! Ok, thank you for the heads-up... will come prepared, or if get too cold will find a nice hot body and slither in besides for the night. am well prepped for the comforts and joys the black fly brings to hiking as well...! Smoked the camel so he won't be accompanying this journey. look forward to meeting others along the trail - perhaps "waterways" is more apropos for this year!

[Slo-go'en]

BTW, for those of you starting early, like June 1st, you'll likely run into a lot of blow downs along the trail in Maine, along with the usual sticks and branches. It would be a big help to everyone if you removed branches and kicked sticks off the trail as you come to them. I use my poles to flick small sticks and branches off the trail - it's a never ending process.

Carrying a small folding saw to clear minor blow downs or cut a path through an obstruction would be nice. Stopping for a few minutes to clear a tree is a nice break and makes you feel good when your done. You'll have to leave the big stuff to the maintainers with thier chainsaws, but it amazing how much good you can do with a small hand saw.

[Ostrogoth]

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/product...ay/fxus05.html have National Weather Service seasonal (90 day) predictions. Looks good for us SOB's...above avg temps and maybe below avg precip this summer in New England.

Good info Nick. Let's see if the following paragraph from NOAA actually plays out:THE TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK FOR MAY-JUNE-JULY (MJJ) 2014 INDICATES ELEVATED ODDS OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR ALASKA AND A REGION FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TO
CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA, EASTWARD ALONG THE SOUTHERN TIER OF THE CONTINENTAL U.S.
AND ALSO ALONG THE EAST COAST TO INCLUDE MUCH OF NEW ENGLAND. THERE ARE
ELEVATED CHANCES OF BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES MAINLY IN MONTANA AND NORTH DAKOTA.

[gollwoods]

7/5 I am going to millinocket, start south on 7/7 after going up to baxter peak