Thru-hiking NOBO

[foxhazel]

I'm taking a bus to AZ early next month... I've never been out west! So naturally, I'm curious... will I be happy hammocking? I know I need to check my shoes for buggos before I put them on each morning... Anything else important?:) Also WHICH TOWN on the Greyhound line is closest to the southern terminus of the trail?

I'm willing to hike SOBO if I find the *sweet deal* on a flight to Vegas lol. I'm not a NOBO purist or nothin...

[garyc57]

will I be happy hammocking?

Now, I've never "hammocked" before, but I have hiked much of the AZT. There are miles upon miles with no "tree" that I would consider good enough to strap a hammock to. Possibly up north above the rim, and on the sky islands; but down south? Nah, I wouldn't plan on it.

[foxhazel]

@garyc57 Thanks for the tip... As a general rule, don't attach ur hammock strap to a tree that's any less than four inches thick:)

[sandyfortner]

I know that you're from Vermont and used to snow, but just FYI - this is generally not the time of year to go NOBO. You'll probably be OK in the Sky Islands when you start, but by the time you get into Four Peaks, Mazatzals and on north, you could wind up in a LOT of snow. Generally fall is predominately SOBO hikers and spring is NOBO. So, if NOBO is you're plan, then you need to plan for crampons / micro-spikes, low temp gear, extra nutrition if you wind up postholing, etc. Passages 6 and 7, 14 - 17 may be tricky to hang, but I'll bet not impossible. Maybe someone who regularly hammocks can chime in on that. If you can get into Kanab, I believe there are some trail angels in the area that can get you to the State Campground.

[foxhazel]

@sandyfortner Good tips!!! I never knew AZ gets the snowy weather:) I'll pick up the crampons thru Amazon Prime when I reach the vicinity. God forbid I can't stand post-holing though D: home hum. Happy hiking!

[Tough_Boots]

@foxhazel
What I've learned about hammocks is that people like me who don't "hang" are always surprised at how successful experienced hammock folks are in areas that would appear impossible at first glance.

Maybe a pro like @te_wa will respond with some good info.

[te_wa]

I agree - SOBO

if you are in low elevations, sub 3000' and NOT a riparian area, prolly slim pickin's on trees. the kind of trees YOU are prolly used to, that is.
if you are in low elevations and you ARE near a stream/creek, there are usually tons of cottonwood, boxelder, willow, sycamore. careful of the latter, they make widows.

usually, from 3,500 and up to 11K you'll get into the smaller juniper/pines at first, then the big ones and aspen, too. fir and spruce are a PITA to hang from, as the branches go all the way down to the floor.

as you know, non-hangers are not really trained to look for hanging spots. Kyle nailed it.. the trained eye can make a tenter say "WTF?"

I've had some funny hangs. once off an old cowboy fence and a trailhead sign (the bigass metal kind), others hitched around a boulder to a treelimb wedged into some rocks. last night I slept in my blackbird along the salt river, between two gnarly and twisted mesquite trees.

if for various reasons there are not spots to hang, you know the drill - hammock becomes bivy. although that seems a pain to bring a pad AND a underquilt.

[foxhazel]

@te_wa heh heh, those tenters always acting like, WTF? I absolutely love my hammock, man. Yah know, it is a little pain to bring pad and underquilt. But I've grown accustomed to it with the season. They're both really worth their weight in gold; their pack-weight.

Y'all think I should hike SOBO?

[te_wa]

dude.. SOBO. you're looking at temps in the 30's for a HIGH and the lows into the single digits as of this weekend (in flagstaff). 4000-10000 feet is cold. get off the Colorado plateau asap, and down into the deserts. you really won't even get to sonoran desert until the southern mazatzal range, and then you have the sky islands to reckon with. again, 6-8000' -

[foxhazel]

@te_wa Loves me some cold weather

[foxhazel]

How do y'all recommend traveling to the northern terminus of the trail??

[hikeaz]

How do y'all recommend traveling to the northern terminus of the trail??

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