Appalachian Trail

“I'm going to be hiking the whole Appalachian Trail next year and was hoping to get some information from experienced Appalachian thru-hikers. Please leave a responce if interested in helping a fellow thru-hiker.”

“I'm not a thru-hiker.......yet, but give us some kind of idea about yourself so we'll know where to begin to help you.
How much BPing experience do you have?
Do you live near the trail?
Have you hiked on it much?”

“I've done week long trips consisting of the Adirondacks and the White Mountains. I've been hiking for over three years now. And no, I don't live near the trail. I live outside of Detroit”

“Try .”

“Try Thru-Hiker.com”

“about how much money should I have for hiking the entire trail.”

“depends on your style of living - ex how many zero days spent in motels? how cheap are you going on food? planning on living out of hiker boxes (ie left overs from other hiker's mail drops)? etc. personally I would expect to spend about 2-3000 dollars but it could be as much as 5000 or as low as 1000 depending on how bad I am hurting for money”

“Mebbe I kin help some, but first whut in tarnation izat name!? Detroit eh? I never heard of no Detriot folks ever completing the AT before ......

As for some fax for ya, I thru'd in '92, and it cost me roughly 2k, NOT including my gear. I stayed in enough hostels and motels and such to make for a wonderful lifelong trip, but I couldn't stay in every place I wanted to. If you're going next year, then you've a whole year to get ready, that's good. But in the numbers of detials, it's difficult to just say 'I wanna hike the AT', where somebody commences to tell'in ya.

For next year, how soon can ya start? I began on April 15, much too late for a thru-hike IMO. Can you begin March 15? Or even March 1, Springer Mtn won't be as crowded on the 1st as it will on the 15th.

You're plannin' early, so for a Detroiter, ya just might have a chance..... (just kiddin wifya)...”

“I wondered when you'z gonna chime in an hep out Ape.”

“$1.43 per mile...”

“LOL here I iz WD! I still need an explanation of that name tho.”

“NA
When are you gonna explain your name?
LOL”

“I can start at any time. I do plan on starting early. I decided to hike the AT because last year I hiked the White Mountains with some Thru-Hikers and I was so enchanted I decided to do it for myself”

“LOL - 10-4 WD! Well 'ho, if'n you are an experienced bp'er and ain't afraid of some white stuff, then you should begin about March 1. If you want to reduce your chances of possible heavy snow in the Smokies, then I'd suggest ya wait til the Ides of March. People will be a factor too. If snow ain't no big deal, and ya wanna reduce the crowd-control, begin a few days after March 1, as the 1st and 15th are kinda monthly roundoff days and are big start dates. Avoid a weekend start as well, to reduce crowds. And if'n ya want lotsa ppl around when you begin, go against what I just stated.

Part of the reason for an earlier start is to have a great, longer than average time-frame hike. The average hike according to the ATC is 6 mo's. Mine took 5 mo's and a week .... and I can tell ya I do it again, it will be a 7 month trip!! Heed my advice and enjoy every single day you can be out on your thru-hike.

As for water, I didn't filter, but I wouldn't recommend it. I had iodine tablets and used them maybe 10 times the whole way. Only twice did I drop down and suck water with no regard to topography, or ungulates and such. '92 was a Nino year, so water scarceness was not much of an issue, even in PA. Only once in PA did I hafta carry a 16 mile supply. But in dry years, you are greatly limited to availability, and will for certain wanna filter it! And last note, have seen (and smelled) Giardiasis, it ain't pretty (not from my own backside thank Gawd). Do ya some research on filters, iodine, clorox ... see what ya like best and get it. At present, I'm unable to help with today's brands. I use iodine, as the taste don't bother me, and as little as I can get out, there would be no harmful effects or chem buildups in my body .... if even that is a reasonable concern nowadays.

Boots, I went thru a pair of light/med weights and then 2 lightweights, the last of which were Hi-Tec KingsPeaks. These took me about 700 miles to the summit of Katahdin. Personally I'd suggest a medium/upper medium weight boot, leather, with a stitched sole. I'll certainly recommend a brand name here tho. Danner Mountain Lights. These are Gore-Tex (altho I don't really follow the leather/Gore-Tex theory). They're not heavy for all leather boots, they HAVE made an entire thru-hike with no problems, are wonderfully waterproofed with Danner's Boot Dressing, and can be found new for around $100. Danner is boot maker that's grossly underrated in the boot industry. They also have a very fast break-in peroid, Danner says 16 miles, I say mebbe not quite that quick, but very fast nontheless.

Tarpin's pretty cool, but on your weeklong rains.... it'd get real uncool fastlike. If you just wanna be a shelterman(woman), then deffinitely start with as little crowd as possible, as suggested above. When you begin your thru-hike, every day will be a shelter race for the horde of hikers carrying no shelter for themselves ..... that don't make for much of a fun start on a life-experience such as an AT thru-hike. It's amazing at what all a hiker misses when (s)he is haulin buttox to the next shelter just so they'll have a place to sleep that night.

Whew, I better go fix some supper.”

“Naked ape, too true on the danners! Mine are 7 years old and are in great shape. Built like a brcick outhouse, plus they are made from one solid piece of leather. They only downside (which isnt danners fault) is that my feet have changed shape a touch lately and they pinch my pinky toe on the right side. I reckon I will get em strectched before I replace em.”