Why you should NOT start your thru hike in March | Appalachian Trail 

As a soon-to-be third-time AT thruhiker this is some of the best advise that has hit the internet so far. Good job, great advice!!!!! Just maybe you will save someone's life..at the least you may have allowed some to succeed who would have quit without this video. Well done!!!

My plan that I never got to do but my daughter followed was an mid-April start in Harpers Ferry going NOBO hiking with spring, summit Katahdin w/o worry of closure traditional NOBO's risk, then return to Harpers Ferry and SOBO south hiking with fall to Springer. You avoid the bubble(s), black fly season, extremes of winter cold and summer heat/humidity = all positives. Surprised more hikers do not follow this plan.

My wife and I started in Feb. 98, cold : yes 6 degrees at times. Other thru hikers : no! there were 2 inexperienced back packers at Springer shelter. They left next morning and went back home . Too cold for them and rain. No other hikers till Mt Crossings. There was one guy there . Pipes frozen, no heat. We enjoyed it. No bugs, no people, shelter to ourselves.

I used to think that I wanted to hike the AT but, after this video, not so much! I am a former Truck Driver that has experienced more traffic jams through out the U.S. and Canada than I care to think about. I visualize an I-95 traffic jam and then a traffic jam on the trail, NO THANKS!. I am too old and out of shape to even consider it! The AT was a dream for soooo long but common sense says, just read about it and be satisfied! Thanks for the info and your channel.

You are 100 percent correct on the weather part. Some college friends and I went on a spring break (i.e., March) backpacking trip in the Smokies a "few" years back. Back at school, folks had been playing softball and suntanning in the quad. In the mountains -- not so much. It was in the high 30s or low 40s, with something like 30 mph steady winds and horizontal rain. We couldn't get a fire started. We could barely keep our stove lit. Nobody slept. Not what we had been expecting, to say the least.

I'm glad you emphasized the weather issues for the folks starting early. I'm here in Erwin,TN and help out with a local shuttle service. Already this year I had a couple of wet and frozen hikers calling for a rescue shuttle at ten o'clock at night because all their gear was soaked and with temperatures plumenting they couldn't make it through the night. One thing to remember is that it's not easy to find someone willing to get out of bed at 10:00/pm and drive 20 miles to a mountain gap to pick you up. The other thing to remember is that if weather conditions are deteriorating, a shuttle service may not be able to get to you.

Boy was this prescient. I am watching so many vloggers spending days and days off trail at hotels and shelters. Lots of older folks, who may have the $$ to do so, and probably started early because they thought it would take them longer.

I thruhiked in 86. Started on April 19. I was happy to avoid all the people, parties and congestion. BTW, on blood mtn, my water bottle froze and on Tray Mtn it was a Blizzard. Ended up finishing 6 mo/5days later. In Baxter, they close the mtn in Mid Oct and only allow hikers to finish when weather permits. It was warm and clear for me. Snowed 9 inches in September at Pinkham notch. Subzero windchill over Mtn Washington. Happy Hiking!

1. Cold weather. Rainy season in March in GA 2. Money. Cold weather gear cost lots of (more) money 3. More gear for cold, backpack is heavy and hike less mile= stay trail longer 4. Overcrowded. Overcrowded shelter, unsanitary water source etc. 5. Since overcrowded NO VACANCY in town or hostel in March ..... Well made video, Thanks

just the name "sir packs a lot" makes me feel like i have a twin out there lol

Lol, as someone who has lived in GA for more than 25 years, I can say GA weather sucks. I remember that day where the wind chill temp was -4⁰F. I almost froze that winter one day out on the trail. Went to bed at 28⁰F, woke up at -7⁰F and it had snowed and iced. Put in a 28 mile day to get back to my car and get down off the mountain.

Great information . New hikers watch the ultra light guys and girls , and that doesn’t give them the gear for the conditions need. Keep up the good work 👍👍👍👍

I started my hike 3/16/15. Temperatures at night still dropped below freezing in PA in May. If I ever did it again, I'd start in April for sure.

I really like that you used those images as a visual representation of the people your were referring to. It made it really easy to follow the stories! Also now I'm pretty sure that little bike has a lot of hiking knowledge.

i started a thru hike in March 2002, APRIL 1999 & one in February 2003 good times :)

We'll I am 62 and have had 4 spine surgeries so doubt I will be able to take on the challenge. But I sure wish I could seeing I use to be a trained Scoutmaster for a Boy Scout Troop. We trained regulary on winter hiking and camping and wish I was able to take the challenge of starting a winter AT through hike. I had to give up being a Scoutmaster I just was no longer able to keep up the pace of a large group of teenage boys. But if I was to hike at my own pace given time I might just still be able pull off a long distance hike. Sure is tempting anyway.

EXTREMELY helpful!! I really appreciate all your research and the different sources you used. AND thank you for calling attention to the hygiene issue💩which will become a heath🤮issue if people don’t act responsibly. Great job!

This is the fastest one of my interests has been softened into a healthy interest instead of close-obsession. Thank you.

Last March I did a section hike through the Georgia section. It was amazing. We had freezing rain, snow, ice and below freezing weather for most of the trip. I loved it. Nothing builds character like fitting as many people as possible in a shelter in the hopes that it will ward off hypothermia! In reality it wasn't that bad if you were an experienced hiker, but the new folks looked pretty miserable.

I remember Bob sir packs a lot from 2005-6 so nice to hear he's still there!

I listen carefully to each of your videos, and I think they are very good, I am one of those who wants to start early in January, I understand that everything I have to buy will be more expensive and even heavy, therefore I am putting my eyes on things that support up to -30 F, I want to arrive at ME before the park closes in October, so my daily average will not be more than 10 miles (walking every day), I will not go to hotels, or eat In restaurants, my goal is to complete the trail. I plan to prepare two backpacks and at the end of winter send for the second backpack and send the first one to the house, and I want to start in 2021 but if I can't do it in 2022, I am in the second five-year period of my fifth decade, and I have to take my time.

Very Good! One of the thru hikers that I'm following started in late February. So far he has had overall good weather and is now past Charlie's Bunion in the Smokies. He got lucky because I've seen what others have gone through at this time in past years.

I live in the appalachian area. I've seen snow storms, in April. Very cold. I suggest to go in May and carry lots of tick and mosquito repellant! I highly suggest, purchasing a GPS locator. It can save your life! I suggest, not to go on the Appalachian trail ALONE. Carry a gun, that would take down a grizzly. No pee shooter's. Extra socks, shoes. A head lamp, LED flashlight, large knife, extra ammo, Warm clothing, if in an early spring and in the fall. Police, bear spray. It's the best. It's potent! Spring time, is rainy. A raincoat with a hood, a thermal tent. I suggest purchasing. I purchased a Sechelle water, bottle with a filter in it. That is if one has to get water from a stream. It filters, up to 99.99%.

I still watch you videos dude and please don't take them down. Such useful content. I hope you're doing well buddy.

This is a really well thought out and well said video! The T-Shirts are dope too! I completely agree with you about a Georgia section hike being the PERFECT place to get ready for an A.T. thru hike...you get a lot of what the trail has to offer within those first 3-5 days. Thanks for making these videos...they helped me not be such a dummy when I did my 1st thru hike last year. And as a lover of the A.T., I especially appreciate your commitment to trying to teach hiker etiquette and LNT values! Good luck with your channel and with your hikes... F-Ward

Good advice. We hiked the trail 20 years ago. Very few hostels then. We started in Feb. Mt Crossings was a life saver due to low temps. Their pipes were frozen but being inside was nice. We had the proper equipment and not in danger , but it was still nice to be in solid structure. If the situation is right I like your idea of starting in Harpers Ferry or Penn- Mar in late April and heading north for many reasons. Good video.

Great point! I was excited to follow the new class and one dude who started in Feb dropped out in TN due to weather... I was like DUH! YOUR HIKING IN THE MTs IN THE WINTER YOU GOOFBALL!

ENJOYED ! THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPERIENCE & YOUR FRIENDS INPUT TOO! HELPS OUT A LOT WETHER THROUGH HIKING OR SECTION HIKING! BE SAFE! HAVE FUN! GOD BE WITH YOU'LL ALWAYS!

Thank you for this video! I always thought it was good to prepare for the worst possible weather, temperature conditions. This just makes it even clearer that it will most likely be cold and wet in March in Georgia.

Great video, I started my 2018 thru-hike attempt April 9th (66th birthday) hoping to avoid the worst of the weather and had great weather through Georgia until leaving Top of Georgia Hostel when all hell broke loose with the wind and rain. Got to a shelter in NC soaking wet and woke up to a blanket of snow and everything frozen. I'm from the PNW (think north end of the PCT) so I wasn't expecting snow and below freezing temps in April in the South, especially at such low elevation. Needless to say the Smokies weren't much better, no snow but lots of rain, wind and cold. Never seen so many thunder storms than when hiking the AT. Unhappy to say I had to bail out at about 1430 miles including the approach trail but am very happy with what I did accomplish. Hoping to get back to complete my hike or maybe just start all over again. I learned a hell of a lot about hiking the AT on my attempt, beautiful country.

One of the best vids I've seen so far. Right down to the brass tacks and very important info. Thanks for making this.

Great vid and content BF! Starting in March or earlier is not for everyone. But if I did it again. I would start in early to mid February again. I only had 4 days over 80 deg the whole hike, and stayed ahead of Spring which equaled max views. I got the opportunity to hike in that cold spell in Mar 2017 and loved the challenge of having Noro and hiking in 8 deg temps at the same time! My character added a few more feet of foundation during that one. Thanks for what you do buddy!

This is a great video speaking a hard reality for many thru hikers who are new to backpacking. March definitely has winter weather down here and winter backpacking is not really for beginners. I think a lot of folks start in March because they want to be done before it gets too warm. Better to hike in the early morning when the weather starts getting hot. Thanks for this informative and timely video!

Excellent video!!! Very useful advice. Thanks for sharing and taking time to interview people at ground zero... I know you have been as well but its always good to hear other's perspective. Its how you learn!

It's utterly mind-blowing to me that 1 in 5 quit only 30ish miles in. That tells me a whole lot of people who haven't done any serious backpacking are just buying a bunch of gear and clearing their schedule, thinking they're gonna find themselves on the AT. I've hiked and camped my whole life but I haven't done a multi-day backpack trip in 30 years, and that's why I'm not about to try the AT.. I daydream of thru hiking it someday, but until I have way more relevant experience, that's all it's ever gonna be. Daydreams 😅

Thanks for all of your videos- I'm going with the ATC suggestion-- Springer Mountain North to Harpers Ferry, W.V.; Katahdin South to Harpers Ferry. Mid-April to early May Start Start at Springer Mountain after April 15 and hike north, reaching Harpers Ferry, W.V. in middle of July; then flip to Katahdin and hike south to Harpers Ferry, ending in the first half of November!

Thanks for the reply...I am planning and organizing my trip for 2019 and follow you and a few others that give insight and information that is useful and truly helpful. You four or five give thought that one size doesn’t fit all and there are options to consider for any type hiker. I am not a new camper or backpacker but this trip is in sorts a whole new adventure and your information is a big help so keep up the the good work!

Hi Bigfoot, love your videos. My husband and I started to section hike the AT last year at the end of May during heavy rainfall from Hurricane Alberto. Hiked the the approach trail to Fontana. One zero day in Franklin. We had been backpacking in the Smokies for 20 years...we didn’t realize until we started our section hike that our beloved Helly Henson rain gear was going to fail us. We were soaked but luckily it was not too cold and we had plenty of other warm gear. My husband can also start a fire in just about any conditions. Good advice to do a section to find out about the performance of your gear. We were able to finish our planned section and purchase new gear afterward. Thanks for your advice.

Did a section hike from Neels Gap to Dicks Creek Gap. I had to show almost everyone I camped with how to PROPERLY hang a bear bag. No joke my first night there was a bag hung 4ft off the ground.

Dude, spot on! I started on March 3rd and all but about 3 days so far have been cold, rainy, or both.

terrific video, Bigfoot...thanks!!!

Great video some of your best information to date you’re one of the channels that I fall the most always learn something thank you

Great advise Bigfoot thanks for sharing!!!

Rock solid advice. I wish everyone could see this. IMO, one of the most important vids out there. Well researched. Thanks for well presented info and experience👍

Hi Bigfoot. I really enjoy your videos. I'm a Georgian and I can attest to our unpredictable March weather. In March of 93 we had a historic blizzard that folks still talk about. We never know if we'll have a mild, warm or cold March. This year it was mild but we had several days of extensive rain. March is Georgia's bipolar month.

Great video. I sectioned hiked GA in march with my nephew and the weather was terrible. We actually gave a thru-hiker a ride to the bus station who was calling it quits. If I was a thru-hiking I would probably look at starting closer the beginning of April.

I stated June 5th at Springer and I was able to finish the trail. I don't know of anyone that finished that started later than I did. I loved hiking behind everyone because it gave me a chance to catch up to a lot of straglers.

Love your videos. Hope to see you on the trail some day and share a coffee/tea.

Excellent video. A must watch for all thru hikers... well said.

You’re correct about March of 2017. We had below zero day time temps with rain and yes, a couple of people had to be rescued for hypothermia and fractures from falls do to icing of the trail.

Thanks again for another informative video!

Lots of good advice! Thanks! And love the shirt!

I started April 23, 2016 also. Hiked slow for the first month, hit the Smokies mid May. I'll never forget a near sleepless night in my 40 degree sleeping bag at Double Spring Gap Shelter as the temps dropped into the 20s. A surprise front had rolled through. The next morning, it was 30 degrees, sunny, windy so it felt way colder. The trees were covered in ice and it was so gorgeous. I probably would have stopped to take some pictures if it wasn't so damn cold. I was wearing every item of clothing I had and ran up to Clingman's dome to get a ride into Gatlinburg. It was May 14. Good times. Got back on the trail after a zero and it was a lot warmer. Didn't deal with cold temps at all after that. The Smokies will pull a fast one on you no matter how late you hit them, guaranteed. Can't wait to go back to them in a couple years, in April this time. I think I'll be more prepared with my 10 degree bag.

Well I was all set to step foot on trail on March 1st of 2022. Now I may reconsider and start a little later. Thank you for all the wonderful information!

Thanks for focusing on cold and pushing warm gear and the extra weight it creates

Currently thru hiking made it to Dicks Creek Gap taken two zeros and back on the trail tomorrow. I went thru those cold temperatures and I can vouch that there are hikers that did not have the gear for the single digits. Be prepared or start later! Safe travels!

Fascinating video! I've been section hiking for a couple years now. I live in Nantahala and I hike in January and February all the time. Personally I don't think it's a big deal. I love hiking in winter. People just need to use their weather app and if a nasty storm is coming, be prepared or take a break. But it seems like 80% of the time I'm able to hike no problem in January.

Like the graphics and cut aways! You saying the number one reason people quit is it wasn’t meeting expectations is interesting.

It's insane that people start in February or Early March. It's much more expensive (look at all the zero days people take in towns) and people drop out right and left because they didn't bring enough cold weather gear and didn't know how to keep dry. The difference between start March 1 and starting April 10 is less than 2 miles per day extra to arrive at Katahdin at the same date.

Great video. Thanks for all the good information😊

Take a Test Run!!! I’m interested in a thru-hike, so I’m planning a 100 mile Test Run on AT trails to get familiar with my equipment and my abilities. Don’t rush anything, plan it out, try it out, and be responsible.

One great video I hope it opened a lot of people's eyes that are going to hike

Great video. I have always been planning to start in late April, with a lighter pack and move faster to finish by the end of September. Most of my reasons are discussed here.

@FollowBigfoot Really appreciate this advice. I will be delaying my first through hike on The AT to April*.

Great info. I’m seeing too many hikers starting to early this year on the PCT. we have had some crazy weather. The sierras will be packed with snow and the run off will be crazy.

I started March 24th last year and heard that it was pretty rough earlier in the month. As far as goals, i divided the trail into 44 section hikes. Sorta makes it easier going from one point to another in smaller bounds rather than a 2000 mile plus A to B.

Thanks for your advice.

Superb segment.

Great stuff man! Thanks for sharing

Love how you talked to some "boots on the ground" (local, experienced people). This is a key differentiator in this video, separates it from the other bloviators on the inter-webs. That, and of course your own good personal experience.

Great content....glad to see you still making videos,are you planning on going to trail days this year...it sure seems like this year is typical and tough....I'm following some hikers this year and most are spending more nights in hostels or motels than in the woods....that seems to be a combination of weather and experience from what I gather.....I have yet to attempt a thru hike but have hiked the sections from GA through NJ,many of the southern sections numerous times....your spot on about the Smokies weather,I actually did the Smokies in February and the snow was over 2 foot near Spencefield shelter...my group was the only people on the trail as we broke ground(snow) through the Smokies ...I still remember how my knees felt....recovering from a hip replacement here at the house dying to get back out....I'm doing country road walks for now...living near Pearisburg VA there are many days hikes for me to hike as my recovery progresses...have plans for a fall hike NJ-MA in late September...which me luck- happy trails Bigfoot ...

I'm planning an AT ThruHike in 2020 and this was SO helpful!!

Gotta say though, the last week here in Georgia (March 16-23) has been spectacular weather in 2019!

Wow! You did an excellent video touching on so much info. Well done!! I look forward to you videos and get a lot of good and useful/useable info from older videos as well. I plan to start April 29th following the Flip-Flop Festival in Harpers Ferry and head NOBO. If I make it to Katahdin as hoped I may swing back to my childhood state and go the rest of the way on the Long Trail before doing the SOBO route from HF. I want to stay out of the South and FL for most of the summer. :) Thanks!!

Great vid and great advice. Thanks.

Sounds like alot of good advice and wisdom! ...especially about how your pride can cloud your judgement. Thanks!

Great video, Bigfoot! Thanks.

I started my Thru hike late March (March 23) and am not regretting it at all. There have been some cold nights, rainy nights and even a tornado watch with 70+ mph winds so far. Although I’ve dealt with those conditions, the bugs haven’t been an issue (no ticks yet) and I’m in line to walk right into trail days in Damascus. I think more hikers should use non-traditional hiking strategies. Flip flops, sobo hikes, etc. the trail would be in better shape for sure! When 2000 or more people leave in the same 30 day period, many sections of the trail get overused and erode quickly. There are a lot of things to consider but besides having the gear to make it, make sure you keep your down and clothing dry!! Pack covers aren’t enough, liners are a life saver. I’m using a garbage bag and have always been able to keep everything bone dry. We’ve had a hypothermia scare in my bubble, someone was evacuated out of the smokies in the snow, their gear was soaked and they couldn’t keep warm. Just think as you go and think ahead, don’t take chances, take the time to pack everything away in liners or dry sacks, especially in the early wet months, happy hiking everyone! Hike the hike you want, if you want to roll into trail days in the parade of hikers rather than finding someone to hitch you back or rushing through those beginning sections before you have your trail legs, a March hike is traditional, many have done it before you with heavier, less-forgiving gear. Some would say it’s “crowded,” but if the AT is a social experience for you, then I would consider it a comfortable amount of people with a broad range of experiences. If you’re hurt, someone will walk by If you have no service and need to call out to someone, someone will have a cell phone with a different provider If you’re cold and can’t start a fire, someone will know how If you need to lean on fellow hikers, stick to the shelters and there will always be 3-7 camping around you. Just my few cents, a March start has worked out for me and it has some advantages. It also has a sense of community that you might not get starting other times.

Very good informative no bs video. Have never hiked but watch videos of people suffering as they have to drop out for the very reasons you have mentioned.

What great advice this should b a standard must watch video !!

Very, very good video a lot of what you covered could also work for a long section hiker. Thanks

Awesome video!!🤘

Very helpful info! Some of the best, most useful info I have seen on the AT!

Excellent thoughtful video.

Thank you so much for the useful advice brother.

To support your point #4- there was a big problem with norovirus (or Norwalk virus) on the trail last year.

I really enjoy your channel, great job 👍

Great info. Due to my job, I'll never be able to start prior to mid-May and have to be back around September 1. A thru hike isn't in my future, but 2 summers of 3 months hiking isn't a bad deal either.

I started Feb 8th and have zero regrets. Had a great time and I saw the trail in a way most people don't. If I thru hiked again I might even start earlier

Probably the best common sense and informative channel on RU-vid regarding hiking.

Thanks for the reassurance, Bigfoot! The anticipation is killing me, but I’m sticking with my start date of April 17th for many of those reasons you mentioned! I enjoy your videos, they have been very helpful in planning my trip! Hope you’ll follow my journey! -Kentucky

I’m in Tennessee. It was a beautiful 70 degrees today.

Great advice 👍

Found it extremely helpful, Zero experience, Live in ny, lowest part of at Purchased gear, not the lightest, but tried to match to Conditions, goals, money, Section hiking will be on my second set of goals, 1st, just walk with day pack, Then increase as I go, work on experience, thanks again, PS , your vid on trek poles, No one else, big help !

One more problem with hiking "with the masses" in March - Norovirus. Because of the sheer number of the masses clustering at the front in of the trail, and the fact that many of them are inexperienced and eager to share and congregate + time of year when Norovirus is more prevalent, the result is one big virus cluster. So if diarrhea and vomiting are on your check list, go ahead and show up in March, otherwise reconsider.

Good content. Thanks.

This was a great video.

I'd like to flip flop and hike all the states at the best times . I don't know what people think of that, but I don't care I'd be satisfied with that.

Nicely done.

Great video. Thanks!