Thru hiking the AT

[Guest ab28]

I love hiking and being outdoors. I decided to take a break from college before I become completely burned out. I will be heading down to Springer early March.

[jtluttrell]

Post pics. From what I've read that's a hike.

[sigmtnman]

Sounds very cool, are you planing on going it alone?

[MacGyver]

Sweet. Keep us apprised of your progress - when you can, of course. Though, I bet coverage on the trail is a lot better than it used to be.

If you are thinking of thru hiking, my guess is you've got a lot of experience. That said, if you need any recommendations on gear, approach, etc... feel free to shoot me a PM.

[ttocswob]

I was expecting a rant...I thought you were through hiking the AT!

I understand the burnout part. I'm not sure I ever recovered from college burnout. Anyway stay safe, and armed, now!

[peejman]

I also enjoy hiking, though I'm a day-hiker only. I think I'd like to section hike the AT. If I had no responsibilities, thru hiking might be fun too. Sounds like now's the time for to do the thru hike. It's far more difficult after college.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Have fun, but be careful. Send back pics, unless you meet this guy.

He might think you have a purty mouth.

[Guest jackdm3]

"Thru hiking"

Sounds like

"Fence jumping"

(Not phonetically, dammit!)

[Guest ab28]

Sweet. Keep us apprised of your progress - when you can, of course. Though, I bet coverage on the trail is a lot better than it used to be.

If you are thinking of thru hiking, my guess is you've got a lot of experience. That said, if you need any recommendations on gear, approach, etc... feel free to shoot me a PM.

Yeah, I have hiked for years, probably about 1500 miles altogether. I did the first 200 miles of the AT last summer, went almost to clingman's dome and turned around, had parked at Amicola. I fell in love with the place, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. There were miserable days, to be sure, it rained a lot there, cold and windy as well, but getting to the top of a mountain, seeing the fog and trees stretched across miles was amazing.

I probably won't be stopping in town much, if anyone has done much hiking on the AT, they know how town visits can eat up money. I will be in and out of towns, a shower, laundry, and hitting the grocery store. Staying overnight is much more expensive.

[Guest Randy]

If you have not been to REI latley they hold classes about hiking the AT. I have only done about 38 miles, it is a great Hike.

[R1100R]

I have a friend that worked with me in the past that has done the complete AT

twice. A true fact is that he only had one leg. He also worked at REI in Atlanta

teaching. He always had great stories. What an accomplishment.

I have only done about 40 miles when I was in the scouts.

[Oh Shoot]

Note that since the AT is "owned" by the NPS, I guess you can now carry in at least 8 of the 14 states it runs through, with a TN HCP (plus, I guess Maine, which seems to allow open carry).

Maybe more, if some states have an "incident to hunting, camping, hiking, ..." type provision like TN does. You'd have to research each state's firearm laws.

The trail isn't necessarily "unsafe", considering the number of hikers that traverse it each year, but there have been any number of crimes committed on hikers through the years on the AT, including 9 homicides since the 70's. Obviously the higher risk areas are where the trail crosses roads near towns.

- OS

[Guest oldsmobile98]

ab28: Very cool. Hope you reach Katahdin!

Two of my former teachers (8th and 9th grade) thru-hiked as Sobos and wrote a book about it:

Amazon.com: A Road More or Less Traveled (Madcap Adventures Along the Appalachian Trail) (9780615203058): Stephen Otis, Colin Roberts: Books

[Guest ab28]

Note that since the AT is "owned" by the NPS, I guess you can now carry in at least 8 of the 14 states it runs through, with a TN HCP (plus, I guess Maine, which seems to allow open carry).

Maybe more, if some states have an "incident to hunting, camping, hiking, ..." type provision like TN does. You'd have to research each state's firearm laws.

The trail isn't necessarily "unsafe", considering the number of hikers that traverse it each year, but there have been any number of crimes committed on hikers through the years on the AT, including 9 homicides since the 70's. Obviously the higher risk areas are where the trail crosses roads near towns.

- OS

My Glock is staying home for this one.

[Guest TheJammer]

Best of luck to you, OP!

Thru hiking the AT is something I definitely plan to take on before finishing college. Wanted to start March 2011, but because of money I'll probably delay it another year.

[Guest milkman]

Good luck, if you plan on carrying I can tell you that in Massachusetts it is illegal to possess any firearm without a (Massachusetts) permit so carrying on the trail is out unless you have someone drive it through Massachusetts.

[Guest ab28]

Good luck, if you plan on carrying I can tell you that in Massachusetts it is illegal to possess any firearm without a (Massachusetts) permit so carrying on the trail is out unless you have someone drive it through Massachusetts.

Yeah, I am not carrying. I count every ounce in my pack, my family has a history of back problems. I was discharged from the Army for severe stress fractures, so pack weight isn't simply a matter of comfort.

[Will Carry]

Carry a bar of Ivory soap. It will be worth it's weight in gold when you meet those hot Canadian chicks. You can smell a through hiker a mile away. I have stayed in hostels with Threw hikers on the Nolichucky River, the French Broad River and the Nantahala River. Gamey ain't the word for it. You don't need a gun. The smell will stampede cattle. ROF

Edited February 28, 2010 by Will Carry

[Guest oldsmobile98]

Funny you should mention hot Canadian chicks... they run into some in the book.

"A mile later, still chewing on grit and particles, they came upon a group of eight French-Canadian teenage girls, planted in the dirt, stewing in their anger, crying in their frustration, swatting weakly at the insects."

This was in the Hundred Mile Wilderness in Maine.

Hundred-Mile Wilderness - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And sorry, this is just too good to leave out... also from the Hundred Mile Wilderness.

"Futureman made his way along the shore, stumbling over the uneven rocks. He watched uncomprehendingly as the outboard approached. A mile back, he'd made the decision to armor himself in full rain gear, preferring to smother in plastic rather than surrender his flesh to the thousands of bloodsucking black flies that lay in wait along the path."

So yeah... watch out for those.

[Will Carry]

I was young once and strong. Ok not strong like a through hiker but strong like a whitwater kayaker.

[Capbyrd]

Only part I have done is Katahdin. Best of luck friend. That was once one of my life goals but times have changed for me. I no longer want to thru hike it but section hiking might be in my future.

[Oh Shoot]

My ex squeeze did whole thang in her late 40's. I think she took two breaks of about a week each.

- OS

[Guest Centennial]

I've long wanted to thru-hike the AT. Good luck on your adventure. Every spring I think about Springer Mountain and that I should have spent the previous months making preparations...

[Guest mustangdave]

did this in my mis-spent youth...out west...hike the Pacific Crest Trail for 3 weeks in California

[Guest Randy]

REI in Brentwood tonight. March 2nd, 7:00 PM, Hiking the Appalachian Trail - Part 1 Come learn from our experienced thru-hikers! Part 1 will cover trip planning, motivation, information on the trail itself, and what to expect!