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<p>All the bears on this thread are going to be North American Black Bears (although they come in colors other than black). The only wild population of grizzlies in the lower 48 states lives in Yellowstone National Park.</p>
<p>It’s sad that the California Golden Bear (a sub-species of grizzly), the official symbol of the state, has been extinct for over a hundred years. These days the only place you can see one is on the flag.</p>
<p>I saw a grizzlie bear in Yellowstone. It was really an awesome sight, in the true meaning of the word awesome, also a very large black bear in the San Juans when we were horseback riding and flyfishing out there.</p>
<p>I guess I just didn’t realize there were so many blackbears in the NE.</p>
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<p>I believe this is backwards. </p>
<p>
[Bear</a> Resistant Canisters - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation](<a href=“http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7225.html]Bear”>Bear Resistant Canisters - NYDEC)</p>
<p>The thing about bear canisters is, if the bear gets it, they still can’t (usually) open it. Plus, bear canisters are raccoon-proof. You might not tangle with a bear on a backpacking trip, but you are almost guaranteed to see raccoons, and they will steal your food if they can.</p>
<p>There is actually nothing more cute and fun to watch than the bear cubs and their mama. The cubs wrestle with each other like human siblings. They test mama’s patience. We had a couple of cubs on our deck and the mama was on the ground. She spotted us watching. One cub ran down to her and then she ran up on the deck, grabbed the other cub and took it down. </p>
<p>My S came face to face with what was probably a yearling bear on our back deck after he let our dog out not knowing the bear was there. Fortunately the bear took off after S lunged for the dog who was going toward the bear. I think they were about 2 feet apart.</p>
<p>They have walked by our windows so close that you can see into their eyes. It is so cool.</p>
<p>But sleeping out there in their environment? Mmmmm, not so sure.</p>
<p>Reading the Appalachian trail blogs makes me realize how social an Appalachian Trail through-hike is. </p>
<p><a href=“http://blog.appalachiantrials.com/appalachian-trail-thru-hiker-resources/appalachian-trail-2013/#at-blogs[/url]”>http://blog.appalachiantrials.com/appalachian-trail-thru-hiker-resources/appalachian-trail-2013/#at-blogs</a></p>
<p>(I hope the link is permitted. If not, Google Appalachian Trail blogs to find some.)</p>
<p>OP: I have hiked parts of the AT, as well as in the Rockies, the Adirondacks, the Tetons, and a few other places. I would consider the AT to be relatively straightforward depending on how much of it you plan to hike. A couple of day hikes or overnights are no big deal. Spending a week on the trail can be, depending on the section. How much are you planning on hiking, and do you have any backpacking experience at all?</p>
<p>As to the bears, use the canisters and remember that ANYTHING with an odor to it goes in the canister. Including you, if you put anything smelly (like deodorant or perfumed soap) before hitting the sack. Do that and you should be fine - the vast majority of bears have no interest in human.</p>
<p>As to the gear, the most important items are your pack and your boots. Don’t skimp, and break them (and you!) in before doing more than a one-day hike.</p>
<p>thanks everyone!</p>
<p>CF, that’s a really cool resource, thanks.</p>
<p>Also, I wanted to mention to you that I watched a documentary on Netflix about a group of people who raced bikes from Canada down to mexico on that route you were talking about. (Or I think it is the route you were talking about.)</p>
<p>It’s actually one of the things that got me thinking about doing a hike like this.</p>
<p>It’s a pretty well done doc. The first woman to finish the race is in it.</p>
<p>cosmicfish, I’m completely new to backpacking, though not long hikes. This summer, I will go up to the smokies and do a few day trips on the trail, a long weekend trip. But, it’s not until next spring that I would like to do the NC to Georgia, or vice-versa, leg of it.</p>
<p>I appreciate everyone’s input.</p>
<p>My oldest who has done a lot of this kind of stuff, but out west, says I should be able to keep my pack at around 35 pounds if I get the ultra lite stuff she and her friends use for mountain climbing. </p>
<p>As you can probably tell, this is the first “empty nest” endeavor. </p>
<p>again, thanks.</p>
<p>The movie is about the Great Divide, which is (surprise) along the Great Divide, and is almost all dirt. The Great Divide is (at least in the northern part) the Rockies. I’ve thought about doing the Great Divide, but haven’t done it yet. I rode in the Sierra (California) and the Cascades (Oregon and Washington). </p>
<p>One thing I like about bike touring on the road, instead of backpacking or mountain bike touring, is that the food is better. I camp and cook, but many mornings around 10 or 11 I manage to find a diner for a second breakfast. Plus, bike tourists can have fresh vegetables.</p>
<p>poetgrl, you should definitely try some camping to find out if you like it. If you don’t like sleeping on the ground, if you find camp chores unpleasant and burdensome, if you don’t want to be hiking more or less all day every day, better to find out sooner rather than later. I love camping, I sleep like a rock in my cozy tent, I like cooking breakfast on my little alcohol stove, but not everyone is like me.</p>
<p>kitty56- the guys from St.B spend 5 days on the trail. Prior to that they spend three weeks full-time in training: classes on first aid, survival, leadership, cooking, navigating. Each member of a team (about 8 guys) has a responsibility. They do day hikes and a two day overnight to help prepare. The school has been doing this for 30 years so they have it very well organized (well as much as you can when dealing with 150ish 14-15 yo guys). They sleep in tents. They don’t go out all at once, but several teams staggered each day over several days. Rain or shine, they do it. The hardest part for most, is not the hiking, but getting along and depending on each other for days on end.</p>
<p>Poetgirl, read the book “Wild” as referenced in post #9. While this was on Pacific Crest trail, I think the book may give you some helpful do’s/don’ts and/or things to consider. </p>
<p>I am one that could not survive more than a day without a shower, so I’ll look forward to your CC travelogue!</p>
<p>New Hampshire is crawling with bear, but it is unusual that hikers even see them (although plenty of signs of bear, like clawed up trees). The food is the only real issue. I don’t think there have been reports of someone actually getting hurt by a bear.</p>
<p>People die hiking in New Hampshire almost every year, but it’s almost always the result of either getting caught in an avalanche in the winter or exposure from getting lost/stranded when the weather turns bad – the mountain peaks are violently bad in a storm. In both of those cases, you can usually boil it down to stupidity and lack of preparation/common sense. A failure to properly understand the challenges of a particular trail in particular weather conditions and to properly gauge your own skills/experience/preparation.</p>
<p>The people who get in trouble and need to be rescued are people who end up lost, after dark, with no map, no flashlights, no water, and no warm clothing. Or people who think it’s a good idea to continue hiking on the exposed trails above treeline with a storm approaching.</p>
<p>Part of doing the weekly day hikes is to a) improve your hiking skills/experience and b) to accurately access how you are doing on easier trails to better project what trails will or will not be sensible choices.</p>
<p>The Appalachian Trail sections along the top of the Franconia Ridge and along the Presidentials up and over Mt. Washington are the most demanding hiking trails in the Eastern US (and I hear Maine is no piece of cake). </p>
<p>Mt. Washington has the worst recorded weather on earth. </p>
<p>[Mount</a> Washington Observatory (MWOBS) – White Mountains, New Hampshire (NH)](<a href=“http://www.mountwashington.org/]Mount”>http://www.mountwashington.org/)</p>
<p>For example right now, in mid May, it is 17 degrees with a 56 mph wind and 65 mph gusts on the summit of Mt. Washington.</p>
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Well, backpacking is sort of like hiking drunk - everything is harder and your sense of balance is off. Try out some packs and see what fits you well, bearing in mind that (at least to start) you should use 25% of your body weight as the maximum your pack should weigh fully loaded. Try out some boots, aiming for at least middleweight, preferably waterproofed leather.</p>
<p>Georgia to SC is not very specific - that could be 50 miles, it could be 250 miles. In my experience new backpackers average around 2 mph and about 10 miles per day sustained, so you could be looking at a week or a month here. I would aim to have a half dozen overnight hikes before trying a weeklong trek - it does not matter where you do them, the only thing exceptional about the AT is the length.</p>
<p>On my bucket list!! That and the Muir Trail. Just need to find someone to do it with me… wont go by myself :)</p>
<p>D2 said she met a number of solo hikers on the JMT. Like the AT, people who do the trail are very social and it might be fairly easy to hook up with another bunch of folks on the trail.</p>
<p>Wanted to say that if you have trekked in Nepal, there are a number of different issues. I did that as well years ago, though Annapurna, not Sol Kumbu. The altitude is the big deal with trekking, and there is food available, so less needs to be brought. If you had a supported trek, they provided. I was independent, and bought food. So carried far less weight than American backpacking. But I remember altitude acclimatization to be a regular concern, making the weight less of an issue. </p>
<p>Have you looked into hikes with Sierra Club in your area, REI nationwide? As well as a plethora of other folks who do trips, both locally and internationally? This might be good way to learn backpacking skills.</p>
<p>No, I have not looked into those groups, but I will. thanks.</p>
<p>Check out the Appalachian Mountain Club website. It’s a group that promotes recreation and conservation activities in the Appalachian Mountain region (from VA to Maine). Its various chapters sponsor many hiking and biking trips. Friend of mine was active in the MA chapter and I went on a couple of hikes with them. It’s a great resource. Here’s one of the group’s FAQs on hiking the AT.</p>
<p>[Appalachian</a> Trail FAQs - Appalachian Mountain Club](<a href=“http://www.outdoors.org/conservation/trails/at/at-faq.cfm]Appalachian”>http://www.outdoors.org/conservation/trails/at/at-faq.cfm)</p>
<p>I’ve been reading Appalachian Trail blogs. It seems that, at least in the southern regions where the hikers are now, people often sleep in crowded shelters instead of their own cozy tents, and sometimes they are required to sleep in the crowded shelters instead of cozy tents.</p>
<p>I also find it sort of crazy how the hikers are so frequently hitchhiking to towns. Sounds like it’s a lot more crowded and urban than hikes in the West. In the West, you might end up hiking 30 miles without even water, let alone roads with cars on them, towns, motels and grocery stores.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I’m reading blogs by AT hikers. And the people who are through hiking without going to towns all the time probably aren’t keeping blogs, because where would their power come from?</p>
<p>The rather unique nature of the AT means that there are far more support structures in place for hikers than almost anywhere else in the US. Through-hikers are on the trail so long that sooner or later they WILL need a store or a doctor or a divorce lawyer, and the trail attracts a lot of newbies who don’t realize that they forgot something or otherwise need help until they are ten miles in. Plus the east coast is so developed that you just are never THAT far from something nominally like civilization.</p>