Appalachian Trail -Thru Hike

[imapig]

Anybody here did it? I'm considering it either next year,but definitely March of 2013... I would love to hear some stories if you have..

 

[deec77]

I did it in college many moons ago. it really nice if you like camping and hiking. Had a ton of fun. Are you plannig on going yourself? i would suggest bringing a friend or two for at least some of the trail.

~Dee~

 

[Ras]

An attorney we use spent many years doing the complete hike through the Apps from one end to the other in segments.



http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20020804/NEWS/308049893&cid=sitesearch

 

[imapig]

I did it in college many moons ago. it really nice if you like camping and hiking. Had a ton of fun. Are you plannig on going yourself? i would suggest bringing a friend or two for at least some of the trail.

~Dee~

I love hiking and camping,and Ive hiked parts of the trail in mass,but thats small time hiking...Ive camped in the dead of winter and loved it and yes I nearly died because of it due to the lack of prep,but thos memories are awesome learning experiences...
My Oldest is thinking about coming with me,but I don't think she'll be able to handle it in all honesty.(no offense to her) I just know it takes a person who can handle some pain and discomfort...)What I might do is since I live right next to Greylock is take her on a smaller hike from the Greens to the Whites and see how she can handle it...

Do you have a trail name?

 

[dropKickMurphy]

....it really nice if you like camping and hiking....

I imagine it would kinda suck if you didn't...

It's on my bucket list. Maybe someday.

I do spend a few days in Baxter State Park every October. Been doing this with a group of friends for 30+ years. Hawg73 is an occasional member of our group.

We generally backpack through different areas of the park Sometimes our itinerary includes the summit of Katahdin. That time of year, we're often present when thru-hikers take the final steps of their journey. One time, I was talking to one of them who had absolutely no idea what he was going to do next. The planning and the actual hike had consumed his focus for over a year. He had quit his job and moved out of his apartment. During the hike, he didn't give a single thought to what would come next until that moment he reached the summit of Katahdin.

That fantasy of doing the AT, then restarting your life with basically a blank slate always stuck with me.

Pig, if the timing works out, maybe Hawg and I can meet you in Baxter and join you for the last few miles. We'll have a cooler full of cold beer and the best steak you've ever (see pages 74 and 75 of the Babalu thread)had waiting for you.

 

[imapig]

I imagine it would kinda suck if you didn't...

It's on my bucket list. Maybe someday.

I do spend a few days in Baxter State Park every October. Been doing this with a group of friends for 30+ years. Hawg73 is an occasional member of our group.

We generally backpack through different areas of the park Sometimes our itinerary includes the summit of Katahdin. That time of year, we're often present when thru-hikers take the final steps of their journey. One time, I was talking to one of them who had absolutely no idea what he was going to do next. The planning and the actual hike had consumed his focus for over a year. He had quit his job and moved out of his apartment. During the hike, he didn't give a single thought to what would come next until that moment he reached the summit of Katahdin.

That fantasy of doing the AT, then restarting your life with basically a blank slate always stuck with me.

Pig, if the timing works out, maybe Hawg and I can meet you in Baxter and join you for the last few miles. We'll have a cooler full of cold beer and the best steak you've ever (see pages 74 and 75 of the Babalu thread)had waiting for you.

That would be truly awesome! Thank you for the offer and when I decide to go I'll let you know. Ive heard and read about those steaks and everytime I think of them I drool like a grizzly..LOL

 

[BostonTim]

You might want to read Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods".

http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Woods-Rediscovering-Appalachian-Official/dp/0767902521

It's not all peaches and cream but very entertaining and informative.

PS. I did 95% of the Long Trail (VT) a long long time ago.

Cheers, Boston & Tim

 

[Hawg73]

You might want to read Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods".

http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Woods-Rediscovering-Appalachian-Official/dp/0767902521

It's not all peaches and cream but very entertaining and informative.

PS. I did 95% of the Long Trail (VT) a long long time ago.

Cheers, Boston & Tim

I read that book and was going to recommend it to Pig, because aside from the fact it is hilarious and a typical great Bryson read-- anyone that has done long days on the trail with a backpack can definitely relate to just how hard it is and how taxing on not only your body, but your brain. I enjoyed him talking about just how shockingly heavy a pack feels even when you've done it before. You can never really get used to it.

I think Bryson's experience is probably very typical and would be a fair primer to what would be in store.

I think the only way for Pig to go is to forget all about planning a thru hike until has done a much shorter one, say a week or two on one section of the trail and see how that goes before trying to plan a trip that is so unbelievably difficult that the dropout rate for thru-hikers is pretty close to everybody that tries it. Even one week can be challenging.

Get some experience first if you are even going to think about tackling the AT.

Oh yeah, and get some really, really good boots with very sturdy soles or you won't last more than a few days. No amount of walking in civilization can prepare somebody for a back country trail or jumbled rocks where your feet almost never touch a flat, level spot.

 

[Patriots-Lifer]

Did it with my brother and 4 others back in spring summer of 73. Took us from late April till late August. Started in Georgia because the weather was better that way. Trail is better marked now. We were able to distribute the supplies so no one was over loaded. Bring lots of water no less than two pair good hiking shoes and lots and lots of socks. You will need to change socks a few times per day to prevent foot problems. Also bring some gold bond medicated powder. Help prevent and or heal chafing and you can use it in your shoes. Dehydrated food is a good product for this trip.

 

[deec77]

I read that book and was going to recommend it to Pig, because aside from the fact it is hilarious and a typical great Bryson read-- anyone that has done long days on the trail with a backpack can definitely relate to just how hard it is and how taxing on not only your body, but your brain. I enjoyed him talking about just how shockingly heavy a pack feels even when you've done it before. You can never really get used to it.

I think Bryson's experience is probably very typical and would be a fair primer to what would be in store.

I think the only way for Pig to go is to forget all about planning a thru hike until has done a much shorter one, say a week or two on one section of the trail and see how that goes before trying to plan a trip that is so unbelievably difficult that the dropout rate for thru-hikers is pretty close to everybody that tries it. Even one week can be challenging.

Get some experience first if you are even going to think about tackling the AT.

Oh yeah, and get some really, really good boots with very sturdy soles or you won't last more than a few days. No amount of walking in civilization can prepare somebody for a back country trail or jumbled rocks where your feet almost never touch a flat, level spot.

This exactly. I use to rock climb strap skis to my back and haul them up Franconia back in the day and ski down. Think blizzard of 78. I started out doing sections of the trail for a week at a time. It's hard to find someone to devote the amount of time let alone someone that can. A lot of work but..........................so worth it in the end.

 

[imapig]

Oh Ive hiked and camped in the dead of winter for a couple of weeks and found it fun,but I have to admit 5 months is a whole new ball game...Tim thanks for the Book recomendation and I will definately read it! I'm ex Army and I believe that experience will certainly help. My favorite saying is "There is no such thing as the word CAN'T and it will never be in my dictionary!"



http://whiteblaze.net/
Here is a great website that I joined and has tons of great info in case anyone would like to learn more...One thing I learned is the hardest part of the hike will be New England. For example the Maine section is the equivalent of hiking Mt Everest. You have to prepare 10 days without seeing a store or a food-drop also...
My biggest fear believe it or not will be the southern most section...

I just better hope I don't miss a marker...

 

[bmooney54]

The AT is just a few miles from my house in PA. If you do it let me know and I can pick you up and take you for supplies, or just to clean up and have a nice meal at my house.

 

[imapig]

The AT is just a few miles from my house in PA. If you do it let me know and I can pick you up and take you for supplies, or just to clean up and have a nice meal at my house.

Thats awesome! TY!

 

[Hawg73]

The AT is just a few miles from my house in PA. If you do it let me know and I can pick you up and take you for supplies, or just to clean up and have a nice meal at my house.

Yeah, Pig, Mooney's got a pond and a pool.

Pond would be good for you, though.

 

[bmooney54]

Yeah, Pig, Mooney's got a pond and a pool.

Pond would be good for you, though.

The pond waters organic vegetables. :thwak: I certainly don't want any scuzzy hiker grunge in the pond. I'll hose him off with gas and have the wife make him a samich. The neighbors have the pool, so he'll be OK (it has a good filter.)

 

[BostonTim]

The pond waters organic vegetables. :thwak: I certainly don't want any scuzzy hiker grunge in the pond. I'll hose him off with gas and have the wife make him a samich. The neighbors have the pool, so he'll be OK (it has a good filter.)

We were just talkin' about piggy in the pool.


Cheers, BostonTim

 

[patswin]

I did the New England section in around 75 or 76. I never had the time to commit to the whole thing, and wish I had.
I went and climbed Katahdin again 5 or 6 years ago, really cool to meet thru-hikers there who are making their final push and seeing the satisfaction and happiness on their faces.
And relief......

 

[imapig]

Yeah, Pig, Mooney's got a pond and a pool.

Pond would be good for you, though.

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[Hawg73]

I did the New England section in around 75 or 76. I never had the time to commit to the whole thing, and wish I had.
I went and climbed Katahdin again 5 or 6 years ago, really cool to meet thru-hikers there who are making their final push and seeing the satisfaction and happiness on their faces.
And relief......

Relief. There it is.

Whether it is the mind-boggling accomplishment of a thru-hike or a couple of hard days struggling along with a pack through the mountains there is nothing quite like getting back to creature comforts after having a total lack of them.

A few years ago we did 4 days in Baxter and when we got back to base camp it started to pour like hell, so we made an executive decision to head for the nearest motel in Millinocket.

It was a pretty rustic place with bunk beds, but.....they had a huge HOT TUB and I wasted no time climbing in.

Every corpuscle of my body sang with relief. No four-star hotel ever made anybody any happier.

 

[imapig]

We’ll time to bring this thread out of the basement. About a month and a week after making this thread I ended up losing my home to hurricane Irene. Then I relocated to South Carolina and just got into a job that was never ending.

Boy have things changed, but I still want to do a through hike… to be honest with you I’ve been so busy working the last decade that I almost forgot about the Appalachian Trail altogether. Then suddenly one day this year I started watching a couple of videos and I started falling in love with the idea of doing a through hike.

I do have a plan and that is to be debt-free in 3 to 4 years. Right now I’m very happy with my job and my current financial situation. I am not happy with my life in general though. I feel like I’m missing something. I know what that is that is the freedom to get in tune with nature again.

I decided I want to retire by 62 and I’m going to be that 70-year-old man that still hiking and keeping active. Looking at my 85-year-old father and watch him deteriorate healthwise since the time he retired I realize his biggest mistake was to sit on his ass and watch TV and do nothing physical. In my opinion that was a huge mistake on his part. But what happens unfortunately with many people after they retire their bodies break down much faster due to inactivity.

I’m going to do the opposite… I want to attempt the triple crown. The Triple Crown is the Appalachian trail, Pacific coast trail and The continental divide trail.

In the meantime enjoy this video. I’ll post more later. This guy kind of inspired me to wanna hike again. I will start small and work my way up because it’s been a decade since I’ve hiked and I know what it takes to get into the physical condition to do a through hike. It is not an easy thing to do, but it is a beautiful challenge and I’m looking forward to the future.

View: https://youtu.be/UHdnXDxORoo