Appalachian Trail

[rayne]

A friend of mine has finally completed hiking the Appalachian Trail. It took him about 2 years due to an injured ankle received while hiking. I like the fact that this one can be done in stages rather than all at once.

 

[Judy Ann]

If my trips are any indication of section hikes, it will take me most of this decade to complete Virginia!

 

[Hazel]

I'd like to hike the whole trail at some time in my life but I don't know who I'd want to hang out with for 6 mos straight.

 

[Grandpa]

Nearly 2200 miles? From trail conditions my friends have talked about that would be 200 days at 11 miles a day, every day for the whole trip. Sure, I can put in longer days but also need some rest days and restock days. I've also been told that a lot of that trail is tougher hiking than out here in the Rockies.

 

[ponderosa]

A cool accomplishment. I'd sure like to do parts of the AT. I definitely need to spend some trail time in deciduous forests at some point. I don't think the AT thru hike is my cup of tea though, a little too social and populated for my taste. The idea of staying in trail shelters gives me the heebie jeebies a bit.
My long trail ambitions are limited to the Idaho Centennial Trail, and perhaps the John Muir.

 

[Theosus]

A cool accomplishment. I'd sure like to do parts of the AT. I definitely need to spend some trail time in deciduous forests at some point. I don't think the AT thru hike is my cup of tea though, a little too social and populated for my taste. The idea of staying in trail shelters gives me the heebie jeebies a bit.
My long trail ambitions are limited to the Idaho Centennial Trail, and perhaps the John Muir.

The more I read about shelters and people, the more I think about stealth camping. My plan would be to go a mile or so past a shelter and mark the trail on the gps. Then walk into the woods a few hundred yards wherever the trees are thick and set up camp. Cook on my little stove before dark so the flame doesn't show at night.
I wouldn't mind stopping to rest at shelters during the day and saying hello, maybe even walking with people a ways. It would be interesting to hear other peoples stories. But I don't want to sleep with a bunch of snoring smoking or noisy strangers.

 

[IndianaHiker]

I'd like to hike the whole trail at some time in my life but I don't know who I'd want to hang out with for 6 mos straight.

Go solo that is the only way I can every imagine doing this. Having reading many accounts of through hiker seems that most do it this way. They do find people on the trail that they get along with and hike with them for some time but groups change up quite often it seems.

 

[pastywhite]

Go solo that is the only way I can every imagine doing this. Having reading many accounts of through hiker seems that most do it this way. They do find people on the trail that they get along with and hike with them for some time but groups change up quite often it seems.

That's the way it works. Even the folks who start with a group often end up with different folks before it is over. Only around 10% that start actually finish so the chances of everyone in your group making the entire trip are pretty slim.

My initial thoughts would be to tent camp a little away from the shelters but I think after a few weeks on the trail I would enjoy the company of the shelters.

 

[Marshmallow]

We live within easy access to the North Carolina and Virginia mountains, so walking parts of the trail is more appealing to me than trying to do the whole thing. Still, just walking a part of the way gives a sense of being out there like nothing else. The older I get, the more I wish I'd done.

 

[limaker]

I want to go one day but maybe for just a weekend trip. I am not sure I could keep up with anything longer than that due to work right now, maybe a week tops. Its always possible in a few years though, you never know.

 

[Lorax]

I've got a map with sections highlighted. It's an old map, but I have about 800 miles of it done.
I'd like to bang it out all at once though.

 

[briansnat]

A cool accomplishment. I'd sure like to do parts of the AT. I definitely need to spend some trail time in deciduous forests at some point. I don't think the AT thru hike is my cup of tea though, a little too social and populated for my taste. The idea of staying in trail shelters gives me the heebie jeebies a bit.
My long trail ambitions are limited to the Idaho Centennial Trail, and perhaps the John Muir.

I'm not a fan of shelters anywhere. They tend to be animal and litter magnets. Luckily on much of the AT you can camp pretty much anywhere, you aren't always limited to staying in, or near shelters.

While many sections of the AT are populated, you will also find long stretches where you will see few other hikers.

At one time in my life through hiking the AT was a goal of mine, but now the idea of 4-5 straight months of backpacking isn't all that appealing. Now that I'm older I've usually had enough after 4-5 days on the trail.

 

[Fox & Hounds]

I hike on the AT two or three times a year. I habitually avoid shelters on the AT. Last fall the weather drove us in to one to simply get a dry spot to eat our dinner. The people crowded in to it were all novice hikers and really unpleasant to us. One older woman told us three times that there was no more room in the shelter and they had all gotten there first.

There always seems to be a contingent that feels the need to get territorial in shelters.

Even if one were empty I would probably not stay in it. I am a hammock hanger and so pretty much have the luxury of camping wherever I want to stop.

 

[ChadTower]

Sending people out of a shelter into adverse weather is seriously bad karma no matter how crowded it is. What goes around comes back as a sprained ankle.

 

[wiccawitch]

AT Injury

A friend of mine has finally completed hiking the Appalachian Trail. It took him about 2 years due to an injured ankle received while hiking. I like the fact that this one can be done in stages rather than all at once.

Hello Rayne. I was hiking the AT NOBO bck in July-August when i slipped down mossy rocks. got torn miniscus in my right knee. Waiting for the healing to be complete so i can finish to maine then start SOBO. I made it from Delaware Water Gap- Gr8t. Barrington,Mass. I plan to finish the AT. I also want to Hike the Continental Divide & The (PCT)-Pacific Coast Trail. Great that your friend completed the AT. God Bless

 

[Marshmallow]

Wiccawitch, I am in awe of what you have managed to do. Driving the Pacific Coast is on my list of things to do, but I never considered hiking it. Good luck as you put some of those plans into effect.

 

[ejdixon]

So far, I've only been to the AT once with a few friends. It was just a relatively short hike. This thread's now got me thinking of heading back there this year and see just how long it will take to finish it, which I have a feeling will be a very long time.

 

[Davefromva]

Keep in mind that if you are going to Thru-Hike the A.T. NOBO, that only about 12% of the people that start this trip even make it past the first month. So that heavy traffic you see in March in Georgia will fade off greatly by time you hit Virginia. You will however see some more traffic from local hikers when you hit Shenandoah National Park because of day hikers but over all you should be ok as far as dealing with heavy trail traffic.

 

[BGreen]

As much fun as this sounds, I know it is something I will never do. I'm too spoiled by the modern world, but I can do small bits of it at a time. We enjoy hiking in the mountains of North Carolina lots of summers, so I understand the pull of Nature.

 

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


Hiking the AT has never been on my bucket list. I've gotten my excercise in many other areas...and...unfortunately...that, too, has come to a standstill (almost, anyway). Maybe if my PT can get me going again, I will be able to get in some shorter hikes. Presently do UTE camping only, for now.

For PLENTY of info on the AT...have you checked out White Blaze's site?