Introduction
Starting on about May 1, 2016 I will begin a 'thru' hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) 'flop-flop' style. Flip-flop style refers to hiking the AT by starting in the middle then hiking to either of the ends (Georgia or Maine) then returning to the middle and completing the hike in the opposite direction. Why flop flop? Because each year so many hikers start in April in Georgia that the trail has become a crowded mess. About 2000 hikers a year attempt the AT, many of them staring on April 1st in GA.
Harper's Ferry, WV is considered the middle of the AT, although the exact middle is in PA. That's because the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) has it's headquarters there and that's also why I plan on starting there too. I'll begin just after the "Flip Flop Kickoff Weekend" hosted by the ATC. I'll be able to meet other flip flop hikers there. Most of them, like me, will be hiking north towards Maine. You might think that hiking north in the spring would mean that it would be colder than it would than hiking south but it's actually warmer, since the trail to the south rises significantly in altitude and therefore it's colder.
A Little History
I've spent the last 2.5 years completing the SNAP 500 and in doing so have already hiked the AT in Shenandoah National Park (SNP). I don't plan to re-hike that section. Since I'm starting my thru hike in Harper's Ferry I'm going to hike the 57 miles between SNP and Harper's Ferry this fall (2015). Now, some might say I'm cheating by pre-hiking some of the trail before starting my thru, but since there are no official thru hiking rules and only other thru hikers have any standing on this issue, I'll do whatever I want. If you don't like it, hike the trail with me then lodge your complaint, I dare you! ;) A reoccurring mantra among hikers is HYOH (Hike your own hike) and that's exactly what I plan on doing.
Some Perspective
The trail has one end at Springer Mtn, GA and the other on Mt Katahdin in Baxter State Park ME. Hikers are basically bound by weather to the months from March to October. In the South it's still icy cold in the mountains in March and the trail impassable in the Maine. At the other end of the date range, Baxter State park in Maine closes October 15th due to winter weather. So, most hikers start in Georgia around April and hike north to Maine hoping to finish before Baxter park closes for the winter. Doing a flip flop really helps the situation, starting in the middle avoids the colder mountain weather in the south and puts you in Maine in early August way before Baxter closes. Then in the fall when hiking the southern half you avoid the the hot summer months in the south.
The AT is about 2200 miles long, most hikers give themselves 6 months to finish, April through September. That gives hikers 180 days to cover 2200 miles or 12 miles per day. That's without any days off (called zero days, since you hike zero miles on a day off). Hikers really need to have off one day a week, to go to town and resupply and perhaps shower and sleep in a real bed. So you either need to hike more than 12 miles per day or hike longer than 6 months. Taking off one day a week leaves 156 hiking days and you'd need to hike 14 miles per day. Or alternatively you could hike 7 months instead of 6 months, including zero days that leaves 186 hiking days and you're back to hiking 12 miles per day.
Phew....really! Crazy, right? I hope I make it to Maine, I'm not even going to think about the southern half until that's done first.
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