My Appalachian Trail adventure

[ally99]

Awesome advice! I have read a lot about black bear encounters on the trail, but not so much about wildcats stalking folks. Gulp.

The gun thing...being a solo female hiker, I'm leaning toward taking my revolver. It's lightweight enough, but I know I run crazy ass risks in towns. If I get caught with it in the wrong state, I'm screwed.

My plan is to take the Approach Trail at Amicolola Falls and spend my first night on top of Springer Mountain.

Is it June yet?

Thanks a ton, Chris!

[csmith12]

No thanks needed Ally.

Oh! I forgot this nugget.

You may encounter "good samaritans" along the way. If you say a short prayer with them, they will give you a ride to a stop point. Good stuff when weather is on you.

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by ally99

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

I can not remember but I think it was to the National Geographic story.

[Finesse]

@ally99, any updates? @Sirref told me about your crash at the track, it must make walking thru the mountains seem pretty serene! Glad you are relatively okay and wondering if you're still planning to hike the AT.

[ally99]

Oh yeah, definitely! This current predicament has set me back a few weeks, but by the first of the year, I hope to be almost back to normal...well, I've never been normal...almost back to Ally at least. I just hope I don't get too out of shape by then. I'm missing my physical activities. Thanks for asking!
I've got a couple of updates to my trail journal, but for now things are on hold.

[Finesse]

Glad to hear it hasn't deterred you good luck with the healing process! Watch lots of standup comedy!!

[cbinker]

bring water lots of water.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by cbinker

bring water lots of water.

Luckily there are tons of water sources on the AT in most areas. More important than lots of heavy water is a water purifier.

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by ally99

Luckily there are tons of water sources on the AT in most areas. More important than lots of heavy water is a water purifier.

On behalf of the drought stricken West....

[Finesse]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvVpQ0kvrfg


sorry don't know how to post videos, but this is GREAT

[ally99]

Hahaha! That was awesome!

Speaking of hiking, I just ordered my backpack!

http://www.rei.com/product/847263/de...sl-pack-womens

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by ally99

..........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...........

I have found this for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitchhiking

It would be great that you had your bike for each time you leave the trail.

You are an admirable free spirit !!!

[ally99]

I bought my pack! It arrived a few days ago. She's a Deuter and very nice. I tried on a bunch at REI and this was my favorite.

Pretty sure I'm only going to be able to hike 2 months right now. My rational side (which sometimes pisses me off) is starting to win. I'd be nervous to be without pay or health insurance as of Sept 1 if I was still on the trail. Sometimes I get a bit irritated with that rational side. But it's part of me. I guess. Even when I try to shake it.

[cbinker]

Originally Posted by Finesse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvVpQ0kvrfg


sorry don't know how to post videos, but this is GREAT

click the youtube button in the post section then use the red portion of the link.

[YOUTUBE ]NvVpQ0kvrfg[ /YOUTUBE] remove spaces and you get this:

Link to original page on YouTube.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by cbinker

click the youtube button in the post section then use the red portion of the link.

[YOUTUBE ]NvVpQ0kvrfg[ /YOUTUBE] remove spaces and you get this:

Link to original page on YouTube.

Hmm. That's the 2nd time someone's posted that video to a thread of mine. Y'all trying to tell me something?

It's funny every time.

[ally99]

I got more hiking stuff for Christmas!

All I lack now is my tent. Time to bite the bullet on that one soon.

[bdavison]

Originally Posted by 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!

I've hiked the entire Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail.

Here are the contents of my pack.


I'm using a NorthFace Terra 30L pack.
Inside is the following:
Headlamp,bearbag clothesline, leatherman, moleskin notebook and pencil, hothands handwarmers, first aid kit, zipties, bugspray,ductape,alcohol fuel canister, enamel cup, alcohol stove, magnesium fire starter, matches in tin, bandanna, nalgene bottle, food bag with 3-5 days of mountain house, 6x5 tarp ground cloth, tent in yellow bag, three microfiber shirts, froggtoggs rainsuit, 2 pairs of shorts, thermal pants and shirt, 2 pairs of socks, thermarest, compass, rainfly, and sleeping bag

On me, would be my big knife, columbia pants, microfiber shirt, goose down jacket, and solomon hiking shoes.

All together it comes in at 27.6lbs

For your first time on the AT, figure on 8 miles a day. NO MORE, I dont care how fit you think you are. If you start at springer mtn, you'll make it to the first shelter on hawk mtn your first day...and you'll be tired.

[ally99]

Agreed. My plan is 7-10 miles a day to start.

How long have you hiked in one go? I'm hoping to keep my pack below 30 pounds. Did the 27 pounds include your food and water?

Edit: What is the make and weight of your tent? I'm pretty set on this one: http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/solplex.shtml

[dcj13]

Originally Posted by ally99

What is the make and weight of your tent? I'm pretty set on this one: http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/solplex.shtml

Holy crap! Tents > $500 nowadays? Wowza! Guess I'm out of touch.

[ally99]

No, you're not. This is a high-end one. It's the only piece of gear I'm really splurging on. I received $120 towards it for Christmas. I'm saving every penny for the rest. I hope to order it the first of February.

[dcj13]

Out of curiosity, what makes it high end (compared to a regular tent)?

[ally99]

Did you click the link?

It's made of cuban fiber.

Weighs less than 2 pounds.

Has a bathtub floor to ensure comfortable dryness.

Easy 5 minute set-up


Just to name a few. My trekking poles function as the tent poles. It's a highly reviewed tent for long-distance hiking.

[dcj13]

I did click the link, looked at the pics, and jumped to the bottom line.

2 pounds? That's really light! (Although that works out to more than $265/lb!)

[bdavison]

My tent is an Wenzel Lone Tree. It was cheap, and it's my favorite because I can roll it up into that stuff sack, and the rainfly goes all the way to the ground, and it has enough room inside for me, my sleeping bag, my pack...and I can sit up without bumping my head. And for those nice nights....the top is nearly entirely mesh for gazing at the stars.

I normally only carry about 32 oz of water at a time....I use aqua tabs or boil. I prefer to have it IN me, not ON me. Drinking plenty at water holes instead of carrying all that extra weight.

I normally stick to 5-6 day hikes in the 50 mile range. Any longer than that requires a resupply stop.

[slowandlow]

I have hiked the entire At twice in 500 to 700 mile sections, so this is first hand experience, as always, YMMV.
1. Keeping weight as low as possible is of the utmost importance. A 35 pound pack is 15 pounds too heavy.
2. You don't need bear spray or a gun. See #1.
3. If you intend to start in June start in Maine. Hiking in June and July in the south is brutally hot and will make you want to quit before you get very far.
4. Wear the lightest shoes you can get away with. I recommend Merrill Moab ventilators. They dry fast and you need agiliity on the AT, not heavy leather boots.
5. If you can see where the water comes from the ground just drink it. If you can't see where it comes from then purify it.
6. Use two .5 liter coke bottles to carry water not heavy nalgene bottles, see #1.
7. Wear wool socks and carry 2 extra pair, change them often. Putting on clean socks will feel like putting on new feet.
8. If you don't use it every day you don't need to carry it, whatever it is, see #1.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by ally99

It's made of cuban fiber.

Yea... cuban fiber. lol

[ally99]

I just signed up for an Appalachian Trail weekend school in a month!

http://www.appalachiantrailschool.com/


The only thing I lack is my tent...and money to buy it.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Yea... cuban fiber. lol

Awesome!! No, real cuban fiber. Some folks I've said that to had no idea it even existed.


On a separate note, whoa! I need one of these, a bear-proof/bullet-proof bear sack. Look at these videos of bears trying to get in them.

http://www.ursack.com/field-tests/

[ally99]

Hey @Alex , can you change the title of this thread to "My Appalachian Trail adventure"? I think this is where I want to post about my adventure.

[Finesse]

good advice from @slowandlow but I would not use coke containers. drinking water out of plastic if the plastic has heated up is not a good idea. also, if you have a water bottle that is only 1/3 full, you are wasting valuable space because the bottle still takes up the same amount of room in your pack.

http://vapur.us/ lmao @ their wine flask... I had something like this when i was hiking. it was worth it. easy to pack. not easy to use if you need to pour accurately.

buy the BEST gear you can afford. if you skimp on pennies you will literally feel it in pounds later.

good call on the deuter backpack, that's what mine is too-- it should make your load EASIER to carry, not harder! what size is it in terms of liters?

[adouglas]

I've gotten old and have bad knees, but in my 20s I loved backpacking.

Three things:

1) Read A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson. Funny as hell account of an attempt to hike the Appalachian trail.



2) Check out The Complete Walker, by Colin Fletcher. It's pretty much a how-to guide for backpacking. An early edition of that book got me into the hobby. I know it's been updated several times... it may be out of date with regard to gear, but worth taking a look anyway (I STILL have my Svea stove and it works great nearly 40 years later.... Last time I used it was at last year's track days.).



3) Do NOT tell people you're out hiking the Appalachian Trail if you're really jetting off to South America for a secret canoodle with your lover. That never ends well.

[antiant]

Not sure if this was mentioned yet (apologies if so), but you should really look into getting a SPOT Gen3. It is a great investment.

[csmith12]

Hmmm, I was thinking on this a bit out of the blue. Make sure your tetanus is within 5ys.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by Finesse

good advice from @slowandlow but I would not use coke containers. drinking water out of plastic if the plastic has heated up is not a good idea. also, if you have a water bottle that is only 1/3 full, you are wasting valuable space because the bottle still takes up the same amount of room in your pack.

http://vapur.us/ lmao @ their wine flask... I had something like this when i was hiking. it was worth it. easy to pack. not easy to use if you need to pour accurately.

buy the BEST gear you can afford. if you skimp on pennies you will literally feel it in pounds later.

good call on the deuter backpack, that's what mine is too-- it should make your load EASIER to carry, not harder! what size is it in terms of liters?

The Deuter ACT Lite 60+10 SL Women's pack provides female backpackers with 4250 cubic inches of storage capacity and carrying comfort at a weight of just 3 lb 12 oz.

Originally Posted by antiant

Not sure if this was mentioned yet (apologies if so), but you should really look into getting a SPOT Gen3. It is a great investment.

My ex-husband has offered to get me one. Appreciate the irony and the free SPOT!

[ally99]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Hmmm, I was thinking on this a bit out of the blue. Make sure your tetanus is within 5ys.

Well that kinda sucks.

[ninjamunky85]

Originally Posted by ally99

I just signed up for an Appalachian Trail weekend school in a month!

http://www.appalachiantrailschool.com/


The only thing I lack is my tent...and money to buy it.

If you haven't gotten your tent yet... Have you considered a hammock? Here's mine



Weighs almost nothing, packs up super small, and once you get used to them sleeping in a tent kinda sux.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by ninjamunky85

If you haven't gotten your tent yet... Have you considered a hammock? Here's mine



Weighs almost nothing, packs up super small, and once you get used to them sleeping in a tent kinda sux.

For such a long distance, I went with a tent. I would love to try hammock camping some time though!
I bought a Lightheart Solo. It weighs only 29 ounces.
http://www.lightheartgear.com/index..../solo-standard

[subxero]

Originally Posted by adouglas

I've gotten old and have bad knees, but in my 20s I loved backpacking.

Three things:

1) Read A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson. Funny as hell account of an attempt to hike the Appalachian trail.

Brown bear on cover of book about hiking the Appalachian trail

Sorry I'm a stickler for animal type stuff, so easy to get correct but often overlooked.

I am the guy that emails companies about their commercials and how they are inaccurate and stupid. People in DC area should be familiar with Mervis Diamonds radio commercials. They boast about getting the Diamonds straight from the jungle diamond mines of Africa, and how they lived their there whole lives. That being said I found it odd that they used the sounds of a Kookaburra (bird native to Australia) in their commercials thousands of birds species native to Africa, and you picked one of the most recognizable bird sounds in the world which happens to not live in Africa, why?

end rant

[ally99]

Originally Posted by subxero

Brown bear on cover of book about hiking the Appalachian trail

Sorry I'm a stickler for animal type stuff, so easy to get correct but often overlooked.

I am the guy that emails companies about their commercials and how they are inaccurate and stupid. People in DC area should be familiar with Mervis Diamonds radio commercials. They boast about getting the Diamonds straight from the jungle diamond mines of Africa, and how they lived their there whole lives. That being said I found it odd that they used the sounds of a Kookaburra (bird native to Australia) in their commercials thousands of birds species native to Africa, and you picked one of the most recognizable bird sounds in the world which happens to not live in Africa, why?

end rant

So true!
I've read most of the popular AT books. Believe it or not, A Walk in the Woods was my least favorite. It was ok, just didn't keep me wanting to read more, so it took longer to get through it.

[bdavison]

I have a hammock, but I'd rather a tent.

The problem I have with hammocks is as follows.

It has ZERO insulating properties, so in cooler weather you'll need a pretty hefty insulating layer to stay warm. And because of airflow, it actually wicks warmth away from you = great in hot summer months, but sucks in fall/winter. However, in the summer you are going to need bug/rain protection....so

In the summer you have to add bug/rainfly, which makes it weigh and take up space as much as a good tent.
In the winter you have to add insulation, which makes it weigh and take up space as much as a good tent.

You also can't sleep on your side in one....at least not unless you don't mind your hipbone hitting your ribs. You can't set up in an open field or clearing because you need trees to anchor to.

I tried it, but I MUCH prefer a tent,sleeping bag, and thermarest. Then you get wind, rain, thermal, and bug protection.

Cuban fiber started off as sail material, they made sails for America's Cup sailboat racers with it. It's extremely durable for its weight, but it's also insanely expensive and really REALLY difficult to sew.