Hiking The Appalachian Trail, or parts of it

Parent Cafe
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<p>Heard there was a teleportation portal somewhere on the Appalachian Trail that takes you to Buenos Aires, Argentina. :)</p>

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<p>That’s just it. When I was riding my bike near the Pacific Crest Trail last summer, there were times when we were fifty miles from the nearest store, and we were on paved roads. The PCT hikers go through areas that are truly remote. But the AT hikers are not usually far from civilization, though I guess in the northern reaches of the trail, they’re not that close either.</p>

<p>From reading the blogs, it sounds like people run regular businesses picking up hikers from the Appalachian Trail and delivering them to inns and motels, and then bringing them back the next morning. It sounds like that’s a job that people have.</p>

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<p>The distances are obviously different in the east and in the west, but the Appalachian Trail in Vermont, NH, and Maine is mostly in pretty remote locations. You would never be 50 miles from the nearest town, but you could definitely be 25 miles. The only reason there is ANYTHING nearby is that the area has been an outdoor tourism destination for 150 years, mostly because it was accessible by rail from Boston and New York. The trail I hiked last week was first blazed in 1900 and many of the more popular trails in the White Mountains, including the trails that make up the Appalachian Trail date that far back. the [Crawford</a> Path](<a href=“http://images.summitpost.org/medium/117972.jpg]Crawford”>http://images.summitpost.org/medium/117972.jpg), which is part of the Appalachian trail from Mt. Pierce to Mt. Washington, is the oldest continuous use trail in the United States, dating back to 1819.</p>

<p>Oh, BTW, the weather right now on that section of Appalachian Trail at the summit of Mt. Washington, 8:45 pm in mid May, is 19.7 degrees with a relatively calm 44 mph wind. Wind Chill of -2 degrees.</p>

<p>I would say that north Georgia and western Carolina qualify as pretty remote from civilization, too!</p>

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<p>S thru-hiked the 2200+ miles of the AT three years ago. He started in March at the Southern Terminus, Spring Mountain GA and finished in early August at Mt Katahdin Maine. </p>

<p>He spent months researching the best way(s) to accomplish this journey and found numerous resources that were very helpful. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy.org has an excellent website which breaks the AT up into manageable section hikes and I think I recall you could like into some interesting blogs. White Blaze (mentioned by another poster) was another great source of info, especially in the endless discussions about gear. There is an AT guide published each year, with updates about everything from water sources to trail towns that every hiker carried.</p>

<p>S believes the key to completing the hike, or at least enjoying it, is to go as light as possible. He didn’t initially start out as an “ultralight” kind of guy, but ultimately felt it’s the best way to insure success. Another key is to make sure to complete a “shake-down” hike before heading to the AT…a several day hike where you try out all your gear. There’s a stop along the Trail, in Georgia, famous for how many hikers mail home LOTS of gear they can’t carry or just don’t need/want to!</p>

<p>He also noted the importance of hiking for the joy of it, not just as a day-to-day mileage goal. He started out alone but met many others to hike with, if he wanted to. There is an amazing AT sub-culture that exists that another poster has mentioned. That was the biggest surprise to him (and to us–fascinating!)</p>

<p>He feels without a doubt that those who had a flexible, low key approach, not into so much partying, etc had the best chance at victoriously summiting Mt Katahdin at the end.</p>

<p>As others have pointed out, the AT is well supported and easy to find supplies. Although H & I did act as logistics managers in occasionally sending along packages to various Post Offices along the way, he felt it was pretty easy to cover all his needs on the Trail. He rarely used the shelters, opting instead for a hammock with a tarp and some peace and quiet. (Although there was one shelter, can’t remember which state it was in, that actually had a phone which had a direct line to a pizza place! It was VERY popular with hikers who begin dreaming about the food they can’t wait to eat)</p>

<p>He did find some sections of the Trail very physically challenging, especially in Maine and New Hampshire. However, by the time the thru hikers got there, they most definitely had their “trail legs”. </p>

<p>S has also thru hiked the 2600+ Pacific Crest Trail which runs from Mexico to Canada through CA, OR, and WA. He preferred the PCT for its incredible vistas and serious Sierras challenges. He also felt that hiking the AT first was like getting his Bachelors Degree in long distance hiking. On the PCT he earned his Masters. And someday, he hopes to get his hiking Ph.d by doing a thru hike of the Continental Divide Trail. </p>

<p>He made friends with some unique people he probably wouldn’t have met otherwise, changed his general philosophy about what’s important, and developed a greater appreciation for the purity of a simple life punctuated by incredible physical and emotional highs and lows.</p>

<p>Please keep us posted on how you decide to proceed. H & I had the most fabulous hike experience vicariously because of S and some fellow hikers who were wonderful writers and shared their experiences. Best of luck to you! </p>

<p>PS Re footwear: He ended up sending back his heavy duty hiking boots. Most thru hikers actually wear trail runners which are much more comfortable for an endless “Walk in the Woods”.</p>

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<p>BTW, Netflix streaming has a high def National Geographic show on hiking the Appalachian Trail.</p>

<p>[Watch</a> National Geographic: Appalachian Trail Online | Netflix](<a href=“http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/National_Geographic_Appalachian_Trail/70146671?trkid=2361637]Watch”>http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/National_Geographic_Appalachian_Trail/70146671?trkid=2361637)</p>

<p>Nice scenery and at least some sense of what a through-hike would entail.</p>

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<p>Interesting about the footwear. Sounds much more comfortable, actually. </p>

<p>Thanks Idad, I will watch that.</p>

<p>So, plan 1. H and I will go up to Wisconsin over memorial day weekend and do some hiking and camping and see how we feel about camping at our age. As a start.</p>

<p>It will only be day hikes so I’m not going to get a backpack, just until I’m sure it is something I’m ready to commit to doing.</p>

<p>All of your suggestions have led to this first plan, so thanks.</p>

<p>We are in Chicago, so I am looking for any favorite Wisconsin spots if anybody has any.</p>

<p>thanks.</p>

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<p>Devils’ Lake, near Baraboo. This will give you a hint of real hiking in mountainous territory. Emphasize hint. Park at either the north or south end and walk around the lake. You have a choice of two trails, the bluff trails or the flat trails around the lake. On the east side, this is railroad track. The East bluff trails contain some longer routes and switchbacks, from what I remember. The West bluff trail is beautiful, and I am reminded of how out of shape I am for mountain hiking when I ascend every year. In the area is part of the Ice Age Trail, a through Wisconsin hiking trail that has been in development for a number of years. There are many other places in the state to access the Ice Age Trail. </p>

<p>Folks do backpack in Kettle Moraine, which might be closer to Chicago.</p>

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<p>No. That sounds exactly perfect. Thank you.</p>

<p>I love CC.</p>

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<p>I am more of a day hiker & have done short sections of the AT over the years. However, a close friend & his wife are currently “section hikers” & just completed a 200-mi section in NJ/PA last week. (They did not encounter any bears or rattlesnakes, which was causing my friend great anxiety.) My S1 has done a lot of long-distance hiking with this couple, including the 220-mi John Muir Trail & the 200-mi Coast to Coast Trail in England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea.</p>

<p>Their advice is ultra-light hiking. It is worth investing in ultra-light gear (backpacks, tents, sleeping bags) at REI. Another good source is [Campmor[/url</a>] or [url=&lt;a href=“http://www.sierratradingpost.com/?afsrc=1&gclid=CPXZ-qP0mLcCFQgx4AodhksAAg&codes-processed=true]Sierra”&gt;http://www.sierratradingpost.com/?afsrc=1&gclid=CPXZ-qP0mLcCFQgx4AodhksAAg&codes-processed=true]Sierra</a> Trading Post](<a href=“Campmor: Your Quickest Link to the Outdoors”>Campmor: Your Quickest Link to the Outdoors). The advice upthread about low-top hiking boots is very good.</p>

<p>Some of the faster AT thru-hikers average 20+ miles a day; they tend to sleep in hammocks + tarps or in the shelters to save on the weight of carrying a tent (~5-7 lbs).</p>

<p>A lot of backpackers carry baby wipes. They will not replace a hot shower, but the wipes help a lot with the “grunge factor.”</p>

<p>bear bags/cannisters: check with the [Appalachian</a> Trail Conservancy](<a href=“http://www.appalachiantrail.org%5DAppalachian”>http://www.appalachiantrail.org) & their regional offices for their recommendations of bags vs. cannisters. I know that out West in the Sierras, hikers are required to carry cannisters. You can pack ~1 week’s worth of food into a cannister. When S1 hiked the JMT, they hired an outfitter to mule-pack their 2nd week’s worth of food to a resupply point.</p>

<p>rescue insurance: When S1 was hiking in the high Sierras, we had him join the [American</a> Alpine Club](<a href=“http://americanalpineclub.org/p/global_rescue]American”>http://americanalpineclub.org/p/global_rescue). Membership in the AAC costs less than $50 but has benefits which include $5000 domestic rescue & evacuation benefit as well as discounts on gear & lodging. Thankfully S1 did not need the rescue insurance, but he did encounter an experienced backpacker who had slipped on some gravel, broken his ankle, & required a helicopter evacuation. Rescues can run into thousands of dollars out of pocket.</p>

<p>And should your hike take you through Boiling Springs, PA (outside Harrisburg, PA), the [Allenberry</a> Resort Inn and Playhouse](<a href=“http://www.allenberry.com/]Allenberry”>http://www.allenberry.com/) offers a discount on lodging, meals & a show to hikers who want a respite from the AT. :)</p>

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<p>Some of that ultralight advice sounds just horrible to me though. I’ve been reading the journal of an engaging-sounding couple who are currently hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. They go ultralight by, among other things, sharing one spoon between them (it broke), subsisting mainly on cold oatmeal, cookies, peanut butter and cold instant mashed potatoes in flour tortillas (because they have no stove), with outings every three or four days, often involving hitchhiking, to places where they can buy fast food.</p>

<p>They also carry three squares of toilet paper per day, combined for the two of them. </p>

<p>I’m all in favor of a long walk in the woods, but life is too short to subsist on cold instant mashed potatoes in cold flour tortillas. In fact, life is to short to eat cold instant mashed potatoes in flour tortillas at any time, IMO. I’d rather go slower and enjoy myself more. I may be constitutionally more suited either to a week long backpack with no support (which is not what the PCT or AT people are doing) or something like the Camino de Santiago, which has restaurants at the end of every day.</p>

<p>But different strokes for different folks. It obviously works for them.</p>

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<p>Or, just do a hiking vacation. You could set yourself up with a nice tent, stove, etc, basecamp in a car camping camp site in the White Mountains (national park or private campground) and have a solid week of spectacular day hikes within a 20 mile drive and have the option of a nice dinner at the end of the day or a Dunkin Donuts coffee on the drive to the trail head. There are actually a couple of campgrounds in places where you could do a week’s worth of hiking without ever getting in the car if you wanted to, but at least the car gives you a place to recharge iPods and cellphones, store food, etc. </p>

<p>And, you don’t have to go tiny ultralight on the tent. Daughter absconded with our 3-person tent, so I just got a four person tent big enough for queen size air mattress which I intend to use this summer just for one person. It all goes in the trunk of the car and it’s no more hassle to set up a little bigger tent than a little smaller tent.</p>

<p>I would want to do a bunch of that sort of stuff before I even considered a long-distance through-hike.</p>

<p>PoetGirl: that state park in Wisconsin looks really nice, although I bet it will be crawling with people on Memorial Day weekend!</p>

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<p>I’m surprised the ultralite folks aren’t using Jetboils. H & S1 both have them for scouts and they are very light-weight and boil water in short period of time. Fuel canisters are small. </p>

<p>The hut-to-hut in the Whites is a leisurely way to hike the AT, but avoiding the need for tents and cooking gear. (We use the saved space to pack in happy hour essentials for the week!)</p>

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<p>Car camping, no. Bike touring, yes. I have twice ridden my bike across the country, camping along the way. And I’ve always thought that canoeing the Boundary Waters would be fantastic.</p>

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<p>I like the Trangia alcohol stove. Small, easy to use, easy to get fuel for. I dislike stoves that require canisters-- it seems wasteful to use those single-use canisters. Plus, the JetBoil is for boiling and the Trangia can actually be used for cooking.</p>

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<p>“Devils’ Lake, near Baraboo.” We did some hiking there back in 1997. DH was a little annoyed with me, because I tired easily and couldn’t finish the hike. When we returned home, we found out I was expecting kid #3! Then he felt bad for telling me I was in bad shape. I have to say, though, that hiking there would be just a TINY hint of mountains!</p>

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<p>My ultra-light AT-section-hiking friends are foodies. Trust me, food is NOT where they choose to cut weight! For the JMT hike, they sent several bottles of wine up with the mule-packers & consumed it at the resupply point.</p>

<p>We’ve gotten tasty & inexpensive backpacking food at Trader Joes - the eggplant curry & boil-in-bag rice is a particular favorite. Our local grocery story also has boil-in-bag meals, such as Old El Paso steak, black bean & rice tortilla stuffers. The problem is that this food is heavier than traditional freeze-dried backpacking foods. But it also tastes better & is less expensive. S1 overdosed on tuna-in-a-pouch during the JMT hike. By the end when they hiked up & down Mt. Whitney, he was hallucinating about eating marmots. :eek: By contrast, the following year he hiked the Coast to Coast trail in England with our friends. They camped behind pubs every night, had a hot pub meal & 2 pints, then staggered back to their tents & slept soundly. Very civilized.</p>

<p>That reminds me - don’t forget to check on the recommended daily caloric intake while hiking. S1 found that he was not getting enough calories while hiking (hence his marmot hallucinations). He ended up losing 15 lbs in 2 weeks. (He is rail-thin & can’t really afford to lose weight. I, on the other hand, should take up long-distance hiking for that very purpose. :slight_smile: )</p>

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<p>nj2011mom & interesteddad: I always wanted to do the AMC hut-to-hut in the White Mtns. I’ve done overnights & really enjoyed the comraderie in the huts. You’re convincing me to get in shape to do it again.</p>

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<p>Hah! Maybe I’ll get to eat carbs again when I am hiking. :wink: Haven’t had them in ten years.</p>

<p>This trip is for the camping part, to see how we feel about camping. I think we both agree on day hikes just in general as a part of the empty nest life. We don’t know, yet, about camping. I liked it when I was younger, but it’s been a good long while.</p>

<p>CF-- D did the boundary waters and loved it. That’s an idea. She said the bugs in the summer are the size of the bugs in Houston, TX, though, and that is saying something. She really recommends that trip.</p>

<p>Hearing about the low rise hiking shoes is very encouraging at this point, I must say.</p>

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<p>Never liked the ultra-light style. I always prefer to be a little safer and a little more comfortable than to be that little bit lighter or faster. It all just comes down to conditioning.</p>

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<p>I would suggest getting in really good hiking shape for visits to the AMC huts in the White Mountains! Some of them are on pretty challenging terrain.</p>

<p>The one I have on my bucket list for this summer is the [Lake</a> of the Clouds Hut](<a href=“http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RMYQiQq4pzY/TWWzeT5Pt_I/AAAAAAAABI4/5Hc_266wd6M/s1600/hut.jpg]Lake”>http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RMYQiQq4pzY/TWWzeT5Pt_I/AAAAAAAABI4/5Hc_266wd6M/s1600/hut.jpg) on the approach to Mt. Washington. This one is right on the Appalachian trail.</p>

<p>I don’t honestly know if I’m capable of getting there. It’s a very strenuous hike up a steep trail. if I can get up to this hut, then I can actually climb Mt. Washington by going to the hut the first day, spending the night, and continuing to to the summit of Mt. Washington and down the second day. The round trip is probably just too much for a day hike for me.</p>

<p>The other one on my bucket list is the [Greenleaf</a> Hut](<a href=“http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Greenleaf_Mountain_Hut.jpg]Greenleaf”>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Greenleaf_Mountain_Hut.jpg). This one is on a connector trail, maybe a mile from the Appalachian trail.</p>

<p>This would be my option for a really nice loop hike across three summits on the Franconia Ridge. It’s one of the most spectacular hikes in NH, but, fast young hikers take 8 or 9 hours and it’s unrealistic for a day hike for me. But, again, there’s an option to hike to the hut, spend the night, then finish the climb, the ridge, and back down.</p>

<p>I’ve got day hikes in mind on these routes this summer. if those go well, then I’ll do one of the multi-day outings.</p>

<p>I made it to the [Lonesome</a> Lake Hut](<a href=“http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EIeQs13tPQw/T-COejNO8BI/AAAAAAAAMGg/bsctXMrV9OQ/s1600/img_3571.jpg]Lonesome”>http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EIeQs13tPQw/T-COejNO8BI/AAAAAAAAMGg/bsctXMrV9OQ/s1600/img_3571.jpg) on snowshoes this [url=&lt;a href=“- YouTube”&gt;- YouTube]winter[/url</a>], but people coming out the hut said that, with no heat, it was actually warmer outside in the sun. So I just kept my snow shoes on an had hot coffee standing out on the frozen lake before hiking back down the mountain. This one is right on the Appalachian Trail and is only one of a couple of the huts that are accessible on relatively easy hikes – although it’s still a 3.5 mile round trip hike with an 1100 foot climb.</p>