My Appalachian Trail adventure

[ally99]

Are there any avid hikers on this forum? I'm looking for experts' brains to pick a bit.
I've been pondering the idea of starting at the foot of the Appalachian Trail and seeing just how far I can go. I have spent the last year reading autobiographies of those who have traveled it and doing basic trail research. I'm pretty sure I'm not going back into teaching next year, and I have no idea what else I want to do with my life. It feels like I may be approaching the best time of my life to attempt to hike the trail...spend 6 months to a year hiking, stopping when needed, and hiking some more. Come home a different person with different perspectives and start over.
It's almost laughable the amount I have left to learn before such an endeavor. Over the next few months, I'm signing up for a Wilderness Emergency and First Aid class at REI as well as attending some presentations given by folks who have thru-hiked the whole 2,180 mile trail from Ga to Maine. I'm going to start researching and saving for gear. I hear packing is the most difficult task...keeping the pack between 20-35 pounds is quite a challenge.
Anyway, what is the longest duration anyone here has "lived in the woods", so to speak? What were your most important items? I'd love to hear some of your experiences!

[csmith12]

My neighbor does the entire trail every year and is a guide. Takes him 3.5 months (basically the entire season). He lives out of his pack 100% of the time. If you are in the woods for any length of time and need some communication, you will need a little solar charger for your phone.... hahahahah assuming you even have service. I do remember he said his pack was about 45lbs. I will pick his brain and get back to ya.

[salcuta88]

Please note: In the Appalachian Mountains, we have lots of bears. Just recently a group of hikers got dispersed because of a bear. Unfortunately, one got mauled and killed. I would suggest some kind of protection.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by salcuta88

Please note: In the Appalachian Mountains, we have lots of bears. Just recently a group of hikers got dispersed because of a bear. Unfortunately, one got mauled and killed. I would suggest some kind of protection.

There will be critters.... My neighbor takes a small 22 rifle for food mostly but works for protection as well.

[Finesse]

I did an 85-mile and 100-mile trails in Ireland by myself.

There are always discussions about personal safety, as a solo female hiker you will be told you should be scared. That's up to you to decide... You should definitely read 'Wild' by Cheryl Strayed and 'The Cactus Eaters' by Dan White. They are about the Pacific Crest Trail but the same principles apply.

The Appalachian Trail DOES have bears and dangerous snakes. It is really important to be able to identify what animals you should and should not be afraid of.

Get GOOD gear. Spend the extra money for the lightweight, durable stuff. Get a membership with REI - if anything happens to your gear and they can track your purchases, they will ship you a replacement for free to the nearest post office on the trail. Decide what your comfort level will be. Do you need to keep your gear with you in your tent or do you want to hang it from a tree, allowing you to carry a smaller one-person tent, or do you want a lightweight hammock that keeps you off the ground? Can you leave your razor and deodorant at home? How okay are you with looking and smelling like a hobo? Cause you will. How many hot meals are you expecting per day? Get a camping stove that runs on denatured alcohol, aka isopropyl alcohol. The propane canisters suck because they take up weird space in your pack and you cannot tell how much is left. I did the calculation once with my Trangia mini stove about how much it would cost me to boil one liter of water and how long it would take and how much fuel I would use, if you want me to go find those numbers I can dig thru my notebook.

Get Bridgedale socks.

Think about how you want to document the trip. Photos, journal, video? Nothing at all?

Packing IS a big challenge! The general rule is that you can go as far, as fast if you are carrying up to 20% of your body weight as you would if you were carrying nothing. I find it to be true.

Also, A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson.

Water purification. Chlorine dioxide. There is plenty of water on the AT but always assume it is contaminated with chemicals (there is fracking in some areas of the AT and god knows what else)

If you have any specific questions I could help with, PM me, I loooove chatting about distance hiking.

[alex.s]

i think a 22 would just make a bear angry unless you got it in the face.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by csmith12

My neighbor does the entire trail every year and is a guide. Takes him 3.5 months (basically the entire season). He lives out of his pack 100% of the time. If you are in the woods for any length of time and need some communication, you will need a little solar charger for your phone.... hahahahah assuming you even have service. I do remember he said his pack was about 45lbs. I will pick his brain and get back to ya.

Cool! If he's willing, I'd love to chat via email or facebook or something.

Originally Posted by salcuta88

Please note: In the Appalachian Mountains, we have lots of bears. Just recently a group of hikers got dispersed because of a bear. Unfortunately, one got mauled and killed. I would suggest some kind of protection.

Black bears are typically benign unless a cub or food is involved. I do plan to take a lightweight pistol or something for those "just in case" scenarios.

Originally Posted by Finesse

There are always discussions about personal safety, as a solo female hiker you will be told you should be scared. That's up to you to decide... You should definitely read 'Wild' by Cheryl Strayed and 'The Cactus Eaters' by Dan White. They are about the Pacific Crest Trail but the same principles apply.

The Appalachian Trail DOES have bears and dangerous snakes. It is really important to be able to identify what animals you should and should not be afraid of.

Get GOOD gear. Spend the extra money for the lightweight, durable stuff. Get a membership with REI - if anything happens to your gear and they can track your purchases, they will ship you a replacement for free to the nearest post office on the trail. Decide what your comfort level will be. Do you need to keep your gear with you in your tent or do you want to hang it from a tree, allowing you to carry a smaller one-person tent, or do you want a lightweight hammock that keeps you off the ground? Can you leave your razor and deodorant at home? How okay are you with looking and smelling like a hobo? Cause you will. How many hot meals are you expecting per day?


Packing IS a big challenge! The general rule is that you can go as far, as fast if you are carrying up to 20% of your body weight as you would if you were carrying nothing. I find it to be true.

Also, A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson.

Awesome, Katie! Thanks! I have read Wild (twice...one of my favorite books) and A Walk in the Woods. I'm currently reading Awol on the Appalachian Trail. I have the 2013 trail guide as well as Appalachian Trials (which discusses emotional and physical challenges of the trail) which are both in my queue to read. I've signed up for an REI wilderness safety class later in October and a hike in March with some folks who have thru-hiked the AT. That's great to know that REI will replace gear!
I'm going to set a goal of a 25-pound pack, using bounce boxes to keep my supplies a step ahead of me at each town's post office. One of my big fears is getting into town when I leave the trail. Based on my reading, most folks hitchhike. That would be unnerving for me if I'm solo, which is the most likely case.
Thanks for the thought-provoking questions.

[salcuta88]

Yes. Black bears seem shy. We have then in our neighborhood too. They just love going through trash bins and gardens.

[ally99]

I joined REI yesterday. I'm in the club!

[ally99]

Funny story, I've been planning to quit teaching after this year, but I suck at change and fear it more than most other things. Self-doubt always creeps in and makes me second guess what my heart tells me. Complacency and comfort are "easy" for me, even when they're not, if that makes sense. My plan to quit teaching and possibly hike for a few weeks or months on end was way too irrational for me to even consider for so long. Go that long without income? Take that time away from my future retirement (which, if I stayed where I am, would be at the early age of 52)? Yet here I am, on the cusp of such a major, life-altering decision, and we have a faculty meeting yesterday that our school is likely going to be closing in 1-5 years. Hmm, if that's not the Universe giving me a swift boot toward the door, I don't know what is.

[Finesse]

For me, when I hitchhiked, the most nerve-wracking part was when I was sticking my thumb out. When I actually got in the car, I felt totally calm and okay. I think it's just the idea that you don't know who will pick you up --- but you choose which car to get into.

I also carried a canister of MACE in my pocket.

QUIT YOUR JOB AND TRAVEL

It'll open doors you didn't know existed......

[Apex]

Bear spray is #1. A small caliber .22LR (rifle preferably) for small game for food. Emergency water purification system.

Personal preference is a walking stick. Not only used for walking, but to help keep critters at bay, and can also be used to help set up camp.

Oh. and a really great blade with a flint rod.

[csmith12]

Ally, all job/lifestyle changes can be scary. Imho, a trip like this takes years to prep for to complete without a single worry left behind. Because your home will still need to be there upon your return. You can take it like this, if you have prepped for 6 months or a year of unemployment, then you're half way ready. The other parts are easily forgotten. What are you gunna do with your pets? Who is watching over your property in your absence. Weather still happens, kids break windows and such... Have you thought about handling your mail? Have an investment account? Any changes to that in the time your away?

Taking a dog is ok, my neighbor does it all the time (he takes 3), but will put a speedbump in your timeline if the dog gets lost. Personally, I would never think about a trip like this without a good TRAINED dog but that is just me.

I hope you can do a trip like this. I bet it will change your life in ways you never thought for years to come.

[subxero]

Some people have already chimed in but just to reinforce it

Bear spray (best protection for bears, no exceptions)
Tid bit on bears. Brown bears and grizzlies are more likely to attack out of defense of personal space. Playing dead is recommended if you find yourself being attacked.

Black bears are skittish, tend to stay away from humans...BUT if a black bear acknowledges your presence and does not seem to care much then you are quite possibly on the menu Black bears typically attack humans as prey, if attacked by a black bear it is recommend to fight like your life depends on it... because it most likely does.

in short, get bear spray

Like you mentioned, pack only absolute necessities, books you think you will read, heavy tools that won't be overly useful need to stay at home among other things.

A firearm for food? Seems like you are asking for trouble by potentially breaking state firearms laws as well as hunting rules and regulations if you do not go the extra mile to get paper work. I would research this heavily before considering it. Lots of state forests do not allow any firearms at any time outside of designated hunting seasons. Some states do not allow open carry either.

Be cautious of the weather, especially further North

Other than that

It's about H2O and taking care of your feet/ankles/knees. Not gonna do much hiking with out those things

[csmith12]

Joe is kinda spot on with the firearm laws and such. But here is the deal from my chat with my neighbor last night (more later Ally).

"Who is gunna be out there 200 miles deep into the trail to help you? So what you break a law to save your skin or eat that night. The world is to damn consensus of itself to allow anything anymore. In the wild, it's kill or be killed and I want to be on the other side of that and I don't care what law or ordinance I break at the end of the day because it don't matter in the end if I am bear food. They gunna write my skeleton a ticket and fine? Please....."

Some additional reference found here.

[subxero]

A sling shot could be a better option to a firearm. A 22 isn't gonna do much for protection against a bear or mountain lion, maybe a coyote. But that's what the bear spray is for, no need for accuracy or pin point precision, just spray in general direction.

A sling shot would be lighter, easier to pack/carry. Ammo, just pick some up off the ground. (could pack a small bag of ball bearings as well) A lot of times along train tracks you can find little balls of iron that make great sling shot ammo as well and you will definitely pass your fair share of train tracks.

If you can hit it, you can easily take down most small game on the East coast with a sling shot, ask me how I know

[csmith12]

^^^^ hahahahah I now require slingshot target training when we meet up Joe!!! Bring it and show me how it's done.

[subxero]

^ it was more in my younger days but ill see if I can't dig one up and ill go for a walk down by the train tracks to see if I cant get any pig iron balls... awesome ammo

[ally99]

Originally Posted by Finesse

QUIT YOUR JOB AND TRAVEL

It'll open doors you didn't know existed......

That is my hope.

Originally Posted by Apex

Bear spray is #1. A small caliber .22LR (rifle preferably) for small game for food. Emergency water purification system.

I'm researching water purifiers currently. I've read about purifiers and iodine as a purifier. I'm interested in folks' opinions on both.
I'll take a gun but not for food. The AT is loaded with shelters, stores, towns, and ample water supply. It's a rare day not to run across 2-3 water sources, though purification is a must. Most thru-hikers carry 3-4 days worth of food at a time since towns and trail stores are widespread.
I will take a tent, but shelters are ubiquitous, so most nights I hope to find space in one.

Originally Posted by csmith12

Ally, all job/lifestyle changes can be scary. Imho, a trip like this takes years to prep for to complete without a single worry left behind. Because your home will still need to be there upon your return. You can take it like this, if you have prepped for 6 months or a year of unemployment, then you're half way ready. The other parts are easily forgotten. What are you gunna do with your pets? Who is watching over your property in your absence. Weather still happens, kids break windows and such... Have you thought about handling your mail? Have an investment account? Any changes to that in the time your away?

Taking a dog is ok, my neighbor does it all the time (he takes 3), but will put a speedbump in your timeline if the dog gets lost. Personally, I would never think about a trip like this without a good TRAINED dog but that is just me.

I hope you can do a trip like this. I bet it will change your life in ways you never thought for years to come.

Thanks for the thought-provoking questions, Chris. My pets have people to stay with, luckily. I currently have one roommate, and I will get paid through August. So if I leave in June and decide to keep going, I'll secure a 2nd roommate from afar to cover the rest of my house payment, but the fact that I get paid through summer gives me a little leeway if I end up coming home within a month or two. Luckily in a college town, it's easy to find another renter in August. from June to August with a roomie paying part of it, I'll have plenty of income to make the house payment.

I don't think I'd take my dog, though I'm not dead set against it either. I feel like I'd have to worry constantly about her a) getting hurt b) chasing a deer (or yikes! a bear!) into the woods. If I do take her, she will have to carry her own pack. I'm going to do some reading soon from others who have attempted long hikes with their dogs. She would be good company, for sure.

I have signed up for a Wilderness Emergency class at REI later this month.

I LOVE these questions everyone is firing at me! Thanks! Keep 'em coming!

[Whiskey]

Anything I've done I've not been too far from support, had a very specific set of kit that had to be with me, and was with a crew of 3-4 others all similarly equipped...

Originally Posted by Finesse

I did an 85-mile and 100-mile trails in Ireland by myself.

There are always discussions about personal safety, as a solo female hiker you will be told you should be scared. That's up to you to decide... You should definitely read 'Wild' by Cheryl Strayed and 'The Cactus Eaters' by Dan White. They are about the Pacific Crest Trail but the same principles apply.

The Appalachian Trail DOES have bears and dangerous snakes. It is really important to be able to identify what animals you should and should not be afraid of.

Get GOOD gear. Spend the extra money for the lightweight, durable stuff. Get a membership with REI - if anything happens to your gear and they can track your purchases, they will ship you a replacement for free to the nearest post office on the trail. Decide what your comfort level will be. Do you need to keep your gear with you in your tent or do you want to hang it from a tree, allowing you to carry a smaller one-person tent, or do you want a lightweight hammock that keeps you off the ground? Can you leave your razor and deodorant at home? How okay are you with looking and smelling like a hobo? Cause you will. How many hot meals are you expecting per day? Get a camping stove that runs on denatured alcohol, aka isopropyl alcohol. The propane canisters suck because they take up weird space in your pack and you cannot tell how much is left. I did the calculation once with my Trangia mini stove about how much it would cost me to boil one liter of water and how long it would take and how much fuel I would use, if you want me to go find those numbers I can dig thru my notebook.

Get Bridgedale socks.

Think about how you want to document the trip. Photos, journal, video? Nothing at all?

Packing IS a big challenge! The general rule is that you can go as far, as fast if you are carrying up to 20% of your body weight as you would if you were carrying nothing. I find it to be true.

Also, A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson.

Water purification. Chlorine dioxide. There is plenty of water on the AT but always assume it is contaminated with chemicals (there is fracking in some areas of the AT and god knows what else)

If you have any specific questions I could help with, PM me, I loooove chatting about distance hiking.

Depending on when you were in Ireland you've probably been warned about Larry Murphy, the prime suspect in the disappearances, they knew he was a serial killer, he was caught with a raped woman bound in the boot of his car, told the hunters who caught him that she was lucky & he was still given a short sentence and had 25% taken off... he was released a few years back, unfortunately though not through a trapdoor with a rope around his ****in neck

That'll keep you clear of the majority of creepy crawlies & off wet ground, wet = cold, carrying a roll-top drybag in your backpack and keeping a bit of dry gear to sleep in is a probably the best strategy. In the morning it's back into the wet gear for the day.

Whatever about chemicals you'll want to kill whatever pathogens are in it before you drink it, either by boiling or puritabs

Originally Posted by subxero

A sling shot could be a better option to a firearm. A 22 isn't gonna do much for protection against a bear or mountain lion, maybe a coyote. But that's what the bear spray is for, no need for accuracy or pin point precision, just spray in general direction.

A sling shot would be lighter, easier to pack/carry. Ammo, just pick some up off the ground. (could pack a small bag of ball bearings as well) A lot of times along train tracks you can find little balls of iron that make great sling shot ammo as well and you will definitely pass your fair share of train tracks.

If you can hit it, you can easily take down most small game on the East coast with a sling shot, ask me how I know

A loud pop may be enough to send them on their way, admittedly planting a round on target will likely just piss it off.
Long arms are usually a bit more legal, with the shotgun at the least regulated end. It's loud enough to scare most animals, and will do a fair bit of damage with a dose of buckshot if needs be, downside is it's size & weight and that it'll shred small game.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Whiskey

A loud pop may be enough to send them on their way

Goal is not to kill, but to escape to live another day.

[Apex]

I have a slingshot. I also have a bow. Honestly, I prefer those to a gun. They are so much fun to shoot.

[csmith12]

Bows are awesome!!!!! I wish more people shot them. Problem is they are very inconvenient when time is of the essence (reloading vs rechambering vs semi-auto). Maybe that can be trained more and become less of an issue. I only shot for sport and relaxation. I have never tried hunting with one, maybe I should.

[ally99]

I've finally started sharing my plan with others. I waited a long time to "make it real", but holy ****, I'm getting excited!
I'm REALLY overwhelmed by the massive amount of information out there. Everything I read points me to 3 other links or sources to read. But I'm basically immersed in it now.
I'm heading into Atlanta to go to REI this weekend. I'm going to purchase my hiking socks and boots (though some hikers recommend shoes over boots???), and start breaking them in.
Look at this fantastic tent! http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/solplex.shtml
This trip is going to take quite a large chunk of my savings, but I have a feeling the experience will be priceless.

Edit: Now accepting donations! I'll mail you homemade cookies (or cinnamon rolls, @csmith12 )!

[eddiekay]

Maybe 8 weeks back I met this scruffy guy coming out of the woods near Garrison NY...the App trail criss crosses the backroads i ride. He started in NC...took him 3 months to reach the Hudson Valley and would continue to Maine. I was impressed.
When you go...keep me in mind and I can definitely arrange a real meal or 2 and possibly a night's stay within a mile of the trail in Garrison area.

[zhuuka]

I mostly hike local trails...probably about 6-7 miles a week. I haven't been able to get out recently due to a persisting PCL injury and it is getting dark a lot quicker. I don't venture out alone. I am hoping to stick to hiking even if there is a foot of snow on the ground. One day I'd love to do even part of the Appalachian Trail. Someday..

[salcuta88]

Originally Posted by ally99

This trip is going to take quite a large chunk of my savings, but I have a feeling the experience will be priceless.

Edit: Now accepting donations! I'll mail you homemade cookies (or cinnamon rolls, @csmith12 )!

How long is your hike going to be?

[ally99]

Only time will tell.
I'm leaving the first week in June. That's about 2-3 months too late to plan for a thru-hike of the whole 2,180 miles of the AT. So I'm going to start out and see how far I can get before winter sets in. I'll either settle into a town temporarily, or (knowing me), I'll come home for a few months and set out again when the weather warms.

[dcj13]

Originally Posted by subxero

A lot of times along train tracks you can find little balls of iron ...

Ok, I give up! What's the origin of the iron balls?

[subxero]

Originally Posted by dcj13

Ok, I give up! What's the origin of the iron balls?

beats me, i don't know if it has something to do with the brakes? the wheels? the tracks? a combination of all of them or what

[ally99]

Hey all! I wanted to share my trail journal with you here for anyone interested. http://www.trailjournals.com/twistwrist/

My preparations have only just begun for my hike of the Appalachian Trail in June, 2015. Being such a complete noob to this kind of adventure, the fact that one day I'll look back and laugh at where I started makes it pertinent for me to start my journal well ahead of my trail adventure. So far there are two entries. I'll post updates here for anyone with time on their hands enough to give a s***.

Edit: BTW, there's a guestbook! If you visit my journal, please sign!

[NevadaWolf]

Bravo Ally! As in all things, plans start with a simple step. Planning a hike of this size is massive, but in the end, it's just one foot in front of the other.

My hiking goals only included the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail. But since it is overlapped by the PCT, I did some reading on the major trails across the country. Trying to recall the AT book I have that started as a simple diary. Some good nuggets in there about going at it new and coming out a different person.

Looking forward to reading your journey.

[allanoue]

This guy hiked from the southern most redwood to the northern most redwood. It was a National Geographic Special on PBS
He and his partner wore hiking sandals.

[Finesse]

Happy to see progress!

Dude, you won't read. Don't bring books. Your eyelids, like the rest of you, will be too tired to hold themselves up.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by Finesse

Happy to see progress!

Dude, you won't read. Don't bring books. Your eyelids, like the rest of you, will be too tired to hold themselves up.

To some extent, you're probably right. I'll be journaling during most of my down time that I'm not living it up in towns or sleeping. The only book I'm planning to take is The A.T. Guide.
Is it June yet?

[NevadaWolf]

Another option to books, to save the weight and hassle, is to just use an e-reader on your phone (presuming you have a smartphone). A solar charger strapped to the outside of the bag can keep it charged (whether if the phone is on or off) and then available for use after you set up camp.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

Another option to books, to save the weight and hassle, is to just use an e-reader on your phone (presuming you have a smartphone). A solar charger strapped to the outside of the bag can keep it charged (whether if the phone is on or off) and then available for use after you set up camp.

Solar chargers don't have a good rep on the AT...a lot of times, the trail is so shady that there's not enough sun.
I plan to download tons of ebooks from librivox.com...classic lit. I'm a big fan.
Is there a place these days to download free or cheap music without risking life imprisonment? I miss Napster...the good old days.

[dcj13]

It's gonna be the journey. Not connectivity.

[ally99]

@allanoue , whatever link you posted on my trailjournal guestbook is broken. But hey, thanks for visiting!

[csmith12]

Ally, I finally took some food over to share with my neighbor who is a guide on the trail. Here is what he said...

If you live near Atlanta, where do you start?
"Amicaloa Falls to Springer Mountain is a popular 3-7 day trip to get your feet wet. You can spend the night in the free shelters along the way, there is at least 6. Plan a whole day for Springer just to take all the beauty in. It's more of a party during the busy season. You may hike up on a camp where people leave behind so much stuff because they overpack. There is free stuff in the shelters that people leave behind as well. Again, overpacking.

How much should you pack?
"Pro's can narrow it down to about 35lbs but most people pack about 45lbs. Don't go much more than that. Take ONLY what you need and ONLY stuff you like. Wear pants with plenty of pockets that button or velcro to carry jerky or the likes. The dehydrated food packets from an outdoor world are light and taste ok. Until you get really into the wilderness, there are shelters and little towns along the way to resupply your water and snacks. A fanny pack is good too."

What if you need help?
"Down in the bottoms, you WILL lose cell phone service. Take something to build a fire, if you need help, build a BIG one. Keep in touch with family and friends in the towns and when you have service. You don't need a gun, a few flashbangs are good enough, less weight and easier to carry. You can get them at the trail stores or wherever. A very small gun is good to have through the backwoods mounts of TN/VA and other states, but the laws are enough to make you wanna puke and makes it not worth the trouble. Basically, if you don't check in somewhere within 3 days, you want someone to come find you or whatever is left of you."

What do people don't know?
"Don't sleep near a stream during the rains. A small trickle can turn into a 15f wide raging river in a flash. Don't leave trash, in some counties... the fines are killer. Protect your feet at all costs. In the mountains, the big cats will stalk you, but pay them no mind. Don't be afraid to get dirty and stay that way, a little dirt never killed anybody."

Lemme know if you want me to ask him any specific questions.