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Comment by TuringNYC | Hacker News Reader

I had friends do the Appalachian Trail and much of the decisioning was on how to start it after the winter but complete it before the next winter. I can see how the trail becomes nX more difficult during winter.

Doing three in a year is remarkable for this reason, I think the almost mandates you done some through the winter.

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I did a section of the PCT. Too early in the year? Too much snow. But if you go later in the year the melting snow makes the streams too high and fast and dangerous - people drown. But if you go later in the year the mosquitoes will drive you insane. But if you go later in the year, that's when things dry out the fires will drive you off the trail...

Pick your poison.

The limiting factor going south to north is that you have to climb Katahdin in Baxter State Park at the northern end. And you probably want to do this by about October 15 (and will run into park restrictions shortly after that). (There is a lot of steep rocky terrain through northern NH and areas of Maine as well).

So you have to work back from that to when you start from Springer Mountain in GA which can be as early as about March 15 I gather although you're still sort of semi-winter conditions. Some people recommend starting more like mid-April for better weather and fewer through-hiker crrowdsbut you're obviously giving up 30 days or so of margin.

Yup, it means hiking in winter, albeit in the more southern areas.

IIRC we are now at the point where there have been the same number of single-year triple crowners as moonwalkers.

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