Anyone wanna do an AT thru-hike next year? :-)

[Technetium]

I'm on pace to finish the NH 48 in Spring, culminating in a 3 day Pemi hike (with many hikes of mountains I've already done this winter). I'm giving a lot of thought to setting on beginning my long-term goal - hiking the AT - shortly after that. I understand it takes about 6 months to complete, so if I were to begin in March or April down in Georgia, I should be done in Maine right about the time that things start getting chilly.

This sounds like it would belong the forum for arranging hiking trips, but I actually want to ask questions about hiking the whole trail.

Besides the obvious (sleeping bag, tent, ground pad, extra food and water), what else do I need to think about bringing that I would not bring on a normal day hike in the White Mountains?

How do you find trustworthy people to go hiking with? I'd like a group of 3 (including myself).

Just how much preperatory experience does one need? I've been hiking in the whites off-and-on for about 6 years. I finally completed my goal of climbing Mt Washington (which I did in combination with Monroe). I have not yet done any overnights up there, but that will be coming soon.

How many miles/day should one expect to average? The Washington/Monroe hike that I did just yesterday was about 10 miles total, and that was with a late start at 10:30 (and about the most strenuous area of the AT from what I understand). I think I could get 15 miles/day on average at my current state.

Most AT hikers seem to try really hard to cut out pack-weight wherever possible. I'd really like to document my AT hike with my digital camera, but it weighs about 2 pounds (it's a good SLR camera). Is it crazy to consider bringing it with me?

 

[Papa Bear]

I'm on pace to finish the NH 48 in Spring, culminating in a 3 day Pemi hike (with many hikes of mountains I've already done this winter). I'm giving a lot of thought to setting on beginning my long-term goal - hiking the AT - shortly after that. I understand it takes about 6 months to complete, so if I were to begin in March or April down in Georgia, I should be done in Maine right about the time that things start getting chilly.
...

A good forum for all these types of questions is Whiteblaze.net. Just go there and lurk for a while and you'll find many answers, including for questions you forgot to ask. There's also a fair amount of inane chatter, but hey, this is the internet!.

 

[bcskier]

Trail Journals

Another good source of info is trailjournals.com. For the forum look on top of the page for the trail forum link.

 

[peak_bgr]

I would love to join you. Wish I could get the time off.

Anyone want to sponser me.

 

[Kevin]

I second the comment about going to Whiteblaze.net ... That community has almost every question you will ever need to be answered about the AT there. They have great topics and articles especially for hikers looking to hike the AT for the first time... You will find yourself spending waaaaay too much time there...

As for daily mileage, try not to focus too much on that... If you are willing and have the chance to take six months off from the world to go and hike the AT, do yourself a favor and don't regiment or live by a schedule. There maybe a time when you need to be at a specific post office for a mail drop, but there also maybe the time that you just want to take an afternoon nap on some bald down south on a sunny Spring day... Just go and hike your own hike, the only thing you need to focus on each day is to enjoy where you are and what you are doing.

Now if you were planning for a 2008 start date, then let me know, I'll be heading to Springer about that time.

Catch you on the Trail!
Kevin

 

[Lucky Laura]

I would heartily suggest you not worry about finding people to go with. I saw lifelong friends who split up and two men I met on my '95 thru hike met the first day and hiked the entire AT together. You will find such a spectrum of people that you will have no trouble finding others close to your pace and whose companionship you will enjoy. You may even prefer the freedom of soloing it- you'll never be "alone" on the AT. If you have 6 months, you'll have no trouble making it with 14 mile average days- especially with your Whites experience. End of March is good time to start.

 

[Snowflea]

I agree w/Lucky Laura!!!

 

[Undershaft]

I'll be hiking from Delaware Water Gap to Katahdin next summer. I wish I could afford to take a full 6 months off to do the entire trail. Definately check out Whiteblaze.net, lots of good info. See you on the trail!