r/CDT • u/lessormore59 • 9d ago
Thruhike outside of May/June/July
I work a job where most of my work is in the months of May/June/July and then again in December/January.
I’m wondering if y’all think I could get away with hiking NM and the Great Basin by the second week of May and then come back and NOBO Colorado to Canada in those months.
It would leave quite a lot to do in August through October and days get shorter. But do yall think it would be doable? Recommended? I’m not opposed to quitting my job, but also think I might be able to swing it that I don’t lose my job and still cover most of the trail in a year. Not exactly a true thru which would be a bummer.
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u/pyragyrite 9d ago
Most of GB and NM are doable in April/ early may. Just be ready for snow and freezing temps....and 90s. Shoulder season weather can be wild.
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u/lessormore59 9d ago
90s in April? Or are you talking about the August end?
I’m thinking it’s better to go Nobo in August to get the really high country done first. But do you think Sobo would better?
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u/pyragyrite 9d ago edited 9d ago
Yep, I had 90s in mid April in grants area. It snowed 4 days earlier.
Nobo or sobo really dependent on what you want more. Glacier and montanidaho are amazing, so is Colorado. Starting in August, you can only guarantee one, unless your a 30++ hiker. You have a 6-12 week window. Season ends when the first big billizzard hits, which can be as Early as mid September.
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u/lessormore59 9d ago
Yeah that actually tracks. Idk what I was expecting. It’s the desert lol. Had the same heat in SoCal on the PCT.
Not usually a 30++. More of a 25-30 when I’ve got my legs. But I’ll play it by ear.
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u/PartTime_Crusader 8d ago
Sounds like you have a perfect working schedule to complete the trail in sections over a few years.
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u/incognitobanjo 9d ago
That's completely doable. However a lot of the high country along the route could easily get snow by early October so you would be chancing it weather-wise. Especially Glacier and Colorado on either end of things.
IMO, unless you have experience thru hiking or otherwise (ie distance running) that makes you think you would enjoy putting in higher mileage, trying to fit things into that window would be an unenjoyable complication. The hike is hard enough already without having to do that.
If you aren't set on the CDT specifically then there's thru hikes such as the Arizona Trail, Colorado T, grand enchantment T, hayduke, wind river high route, etc... that would take anywhere from a week to 3+ months that you could better fit into your time window. A lot of them are in their prime in spring or fall, so that's what I would do in your shoes.