HikeArizona.COM

I know that most people do a S-N thru-hike starting in the spring. Problem is, my job ends on September 21st and I have to find a job and start working again by the beginning of January. Is it just a complete folly to do a late fall/early winter thru-hike? BTW, I've been living in AZ for less than a year, and all the hikes I've done have been down South herebouts, so I don't know what I'd be getting into re: weather, water sources, required gear, N-S or S-N, etc... Any words of wisdom appreciated. Thanks in advance!

There is usually a small group of thruhikers that start at the Utah border around September-October and head south every year. It's not as popular as northbound in the spring, but it has its own advantages. One being the trail in the north is generally easier terrain than in the south, with a few exceptions (Grand Canyon, San Francisco Peaks), which makes it easier starting out. Instead of following the wildflowers north, you follow the fall colors south. Here's a journal from last year: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=361946

The earlier you can begin hiking southbound from Utah following monsoon season the better, in terms of the likelihood of finding water with some regularity. October and November are typically dry months, so the season is fairly long in terms of being able to finish before the snow flies in the high country (heading southbound). But water can be a concern if you wait too long before starting. I would plan to start no later than Oct 1, even if it means you walk through the tail end of the monsoon with its heat, higher humidity, and mucky wet ground in places.

Spring of a wetter year heading northbound is undeniably the classic way to thru-hike this trail. And for good reason, as the Sonoran desert in high season is a unique and unforgettable experience. But life is full of compromises, and I'd say any compromise that still provides an opportunity to thru-hike the Arizona Trail is probably one worth making.

Thanks for your replies! I'll be on here plenty as the time for my hike approaches. I look forward to any advice y'all can give!

Just out of curiosity, has anyone recorded an up-and-back thru-hike on the AZT? I think there's actually a term for thru-hiking a trail and then hiking back the opposite direction.

My hunch is that no one has yet to yo-yo (as the feat is called) the Arizona Trail. The combination of seasonal challenges and, frankly, the trail's measly (heh) 800 mile length and consequent lack of "gravitas" among those who hold such accomplishments dear, probably means that carrot is still dangling. I'd call it a fairly low hanging vegetable for anyone who truly put their mind to the task. There are only so many coherent famous firsts left to garner, so I suspect someone will grab what's theirs one of these years.

Ah yes, yo-yo. Probably some people would think that anyone who would do something like that is a yo-yo, also. ;)

Now that I think of it, in 2010 a hiker named Will Lady hiked the trail northbound in spring, then southbound in fall. The latter was a thru-hike, to my knowledge. The former may have been likewise, although I'm less certain of that, but for sure he made it from the border to somewhere mid-state that spring. A yo-yo usually means turning around at the end of the trail and starting back again without taking time off in between (except to reprovision as needed). But a single-year double completion would be impressive no matter how you slice it, and maybe moreso given the summer off to otherwise come to your senses!

It would be difficult to finish the yoyo entirely during the cool season, I would think, you'd have to have a lot of luck with a very moderate winter.

When I was hiking the trail ( '08-09), I met a guy, German Tourist, who was trying to yo-yo in one calendar year. He had done it one and a half times when I saw him last but I never heard if he finished.

Interesting! I guess it's the nature of a wild trail that a lot of trips such as that possible "yoyo" are not recorded all in one place.

@sirena
Hi, Sierena. Do you know of that group of hikers you mentioned. Wanted to know if they needed an extra hiker.

Thanks,

Shawn

@Ringworm
Are you still thinking about doing this.? Are you looking for any addl hikers.

I am definitely planning on taking off Oct 1, but not until 2013. I received a grant of one more year's employment with my current job, so I'll be sticking it out in a cubicle until next September. I've been doing some training and will keep it up so I can take off next year as soon as my job is over. Good luck to anyone hitting the trail this fall! I'll look forward to learning from your trail journals and hearing of your fun times!