Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

I hiked the entire AT about five years ago. Georgia to Maine, around 2150 miles.

I highly recommend it. Most people I know who finished the whole thing say it was one of the best things they ever did. I know a lot of you guys are in your 20s; now is the perfect time to do it, before you have a wife and a job.

You don't have to be in great shape when you start. I wasn't in good shape at all. I had never been hiking before this (not since a couple Boy Scout trips anyway). I wasn't overweight, but I didn't exercise much. I smoked. You can take it easy at first, and you'll get in shape as you go along. It took me almost 6 months to finish. Obviously, by the time I finished I was in great shape.

The one thing I did have going for me was that I was prepared. I read a lot of books and magazines.

Cost: this varies a lot. I spent maybe $1,300-1,500 bucks on gear before I started. Boots $100, Tent $250-300, pack $400 or so, plus some misc. stuff. I borrowed as many things as I could. Gear is getting better--there's a lot of high-tech lightweight stuff out there now, but you'll pay for it. If you want to go high-end you can easily spend $3,000+ on gore-tex, super lightweight tents and packs, titanium pots, etc.

I spent a lot along the way. It was nice to get a hotel room when I got in town, so I could get cleaned up. I drank a lot of beer and fought a losing battle with cigarettes ([censored] those things are expensive in New York and New Jersey)--these things add up. I didn't really keep track, but I probably spent another three or four thousand along the way.

So go ahead and do it. What else are you going to do with the summer of 2008? Take a year off from college. Spend some of that poker dough. I promise you it'll be one of the coolest things you ever did.

Just a warning, I won't be able to recommend much in the way of specific products. For one thing, I only know about the tent and the backpack and the sleeping bag I used. I won't know anything about other tents, packs, etc. Plus, you really do have to go out and try out the gear. The pack that fit me might not feel good on you, etc. This is especially true about boots. I wore a pair of Vasque boots (one pair lasted the whole trip, which is pretty rare), but I can't really make a blanket recommendation of Vasque boots. You have to try on lots of pairs and find one that feels good.


Questions? Fire away

crash

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

I live in northeast Tennessee, so on a couple of local hiking trips, I've gotten a chance to meet a few people hiking the entire trail.

Seems like an awesome experience.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

I've always wondered why people go from south to north. Cold weather is more likely to make the last leg of the trip tougher doing it that way.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
I live in northeast Tennessee, so on a couple of local hiking trips, I've gotten a chance to meet a few people hiking the entire trail.

Seems like an awesome experience.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was. Where do you live? I used to live in Oak Ridge, and I have relatives in Kingsport. The trail goes right over "Rocky Top". Not sure if it was the mountain that inspired the song, but it was cool to be standing on Rocky Top. It made me think of UT-Alabama at Neyland.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

Do people leave care packages at spots along the way, or something like that?

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

did you run into a guy named mando?
how long was your beard?
how many hippies did you have sex with?

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
It made me think of UT-Alabama at Neyland.

[/ QUOTE ]

[censored] you Rocky Top go to hell Tennesee. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

How many miles a day did you hike? What problems did you encounter along the way?

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
I've always wondered why people go from south to north. Cold weather is more likely to make the last leg of the trip tougher doing it that way.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cold weather (most people start in March/April) and black fly season in Maine would make you want to quit.

OP, I've researched this but never done it (I've hiked maybe 100 miles of it in different places). Some questions:

Favorite part of the trail?
Most boring part?
What was the worst weather you encountered?
Did you meet other AT hikers and hike sections of the trail with them?
Most ground covered in a day?

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
I've always wondered why people go from south to north. Cold weather is more likely to make the last leg of the trip tougher doing it that way.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you go north to south, you can't start until May or June. For one thing, it's pretty cold in Maine in march and April, and I've been told that the deer flies in Maine are brutal in the early spring.

I was in Maine in August and September and the weather was awesome--60s during the days, 40s at night.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

http://content.answers.com/main/cont..._The_Woods.jpg

If the OP at all interested you then buy this book. It's awesome.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
Do people leave care packages at spots along the way, or something like that?

[/ QUOTE ]

The AT is never too far from a road. You rarely have to carry more than 5 days worth of food (some exceptions to this), then you can hitch a ride to a town and load up. Also you can mail yourself boxes of food to local post offices.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
did you run into a guy named mando?
how long was your beard?
how many hippies did you have sex with?

[/ QUOTE ]

Never met mando.
I shaved as often as I could. Once a week or so.
As many as I could.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

As a member of the wife+kids club around here, I'm seconding the recommendation to the younger unattached guys here to do something like this, whether it's hiking the AT or some other extended trip.

My sister and her husband have a cabin in the Smokies and we've gone up there with them several times. We usually drive up to Clingman's Dome which is the highest point in the Smoky Mountains. The trail goes through the park there, and if we're there at the right time of the year we usually run into some hikers. When we do, the evening's conversation usually turns to the backpacking trip I took through Europe the summer after I graduated from college. Of the 4 of us I'm the only one who did something like this and the others wish they had.

So, make some memories while you can.


For the questions:

Did you start with a group or go by yourself? If with a group, did everyone finish?
Did you run into many people who started in Maine or do most people start in Georgia?
Do you still keep in touch with anyone you met along the way?

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I live in northeast Tennessee, so on a couple of local hiking trips, I've gotten a chance to meet a few people hiking the entire trail.

Seems like an awesome experience.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was. Where do you live? I used to live in Oak Ridge, and I have relatives in Kingsport. The trail goes right over "Rocky Top". Not sure if it was the mountain that inspired the song, but it was cool to be standing on Rocky Top. It made me think of UT-Alabama at Neyland.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm in Johnson City, and my father lives in Kingsport. Not a huge fan of the culture around here, but you could hardly ask for a more beautiful place to live.

Did you ever meet people kind enough to feed you for free along the way? Those campsites must've been a great relief.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It made me think of UT-Alabama at Neyland.

[/ QUOTE ]

[censored] you Rocky Top go to hell Tennesee. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

How many miles a day did you hike? What problems did you encounter along the way?

[/ QUOTE ]

I started out doing around 10 or 12 miles a day, or even less (not in good shape). Toward the end I could do 18 or 20 a day.

My biggest problem early was my knees, I got tendonitis under my kneecaps. very painful, I just had to pop Advil and keep walking.

Other than that, it can get mentally tough--three weeks of rain can wear you down, for example.

Go Big Orange

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
http://content.answers.com/main/cont..._The_Woods.jpg

If the OP at all interested you then buy this book. It's awesome.

[/ QUOTE ]

Your first sentence struck me as funny for some reason. Yeah that book is awesome.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
As a member of the wife+kids club around here, I'm seconding the recommendation to the younger unattached guys here to do something like this, whether it's hiking the AT or some other extended trip.

My sister and her husband have a cabin in the Smokies and we've gone up there with them several times. We usually drive up to Clingman's Dome which is the highest point in the Smoky Mountains. The trail goes through the park there, and if we're there at the right time of the year we usually run into some hikers. When we do, the evening's conversation usually turns to the backpacking trip I took through Europe the summer after I graduated from college. Of the 4 of us I'm the only one who did something like this and the others wish they had.

So, make some memories while you can.


For the questions:

Did you start with a group or go by yourself? If with a group, did everyone finish?
Did you run into many people who started in Maine or do most people start in Georgia?
Do you still keep in touch with anyone you met along the way?

[/ QUOTE ]

I started by myself. If you go south to north, and start around March or April, there will be a lot of people around (at least until people start to drop out). I started alone, and since I'm kind of an [censored], I didn't make good friends until a month or so into it. Then I found some other [censored] and everything was cool. For the second half of the hike, I hiked with three other guys (although sometimes I would take off by myself for a few days).

Out of my early group of 10 friends, three finished. You hear completion rates of 10-20%, I think it depends on the weather.

Most people--I would guess 80% (?) start in Georgia. When I got to the new England states, I met a lot of people whio had started in Maine. It may be my fault--I readily admit I can be a prick--but the southbounders seemed to have attitude.

I still keep in touch with the three guys I finished with, it's like going to boot camp with someone.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I live in northeast Tennessee, so on a couple of local hiking trips, I've gotten a chance to meet a few people hiking the entire trail.

Seems like an awesome experience.

[/ QUOTE ]




It was. Where do you live? I used to live in Oak Ridge, and I have relatives in Kingsport. The trail goes right over "Rocky Top". Not sure if it was the mountain that inspired the song, but it was cool to be standing on Rocky Top. It made me think of UT-Alabama at Neyland.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm in Johnson City, and my father lives in Kingsport. Not a huge fan of the culture around here, but you could hardly ask for a more beautiful place to live.

Did you ever meet people kind enough to feed you for free along the way? Those campsites must've been a great relief.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh yeah, lots of day campers love to hear stories and give you food. It's called "yogi-ing", as in trying to get in someone's pic-a-nic basket, although in this case they give willingly. You burst out of the woods looking like you're on the Bataan death march, the day campers take pity on you and shower you with food.

Best people to bum cigs from: bikers (motorcyclists). they're good people.

ya the tri-cities can be a little... let's just say red-necky.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I've always wondered why people go from south to north. Cold weather is more likely to make the last leg of the trip tougher doing it that way.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cold weather (most people start in March/April) and black fly season in Maine would make you want to quit.

OP, I've researched this but never done it (I've hiked maybe 100 miles of it in different places). Some questions:

Favorite part of the trail?
Most boring part?
What was the worst weather you encountered?
Did you meet other AT hikers and hike sections of the trail with them?
Most ground covered in a day?

[/ QUOTE ]

Favorite part: White Mountains in New Hapmshire, and Maine. I'd never been up there and the scenery was outstanding.

Most boring part was probably northern Virginia. The state is 500 miles long, and toward the end you just want to get the [censored] out of the state. Plus it's just up and down, up and down.

Since so many hikers start at the same time, there was no problem meeting other people and hiking with them if you wanted to.

Worst weather: 10 degrees in the mountains of Georgia, 8 inches of snow in Georgia, 3 weeks of rain in Virginia.

Most miles in a day: 26.5, to get into a town in Virginia to take a couple days off.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

crash,

Any bear encounters?

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
did you run into a guy named mando?
how long was your beard?
how many hippies did you have sex with?

[/ QUOTE ]

oh wow, you know mando?

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
crash,

Any bear encounters?

[/ QUOTE ]

1. In Shenandoah National Park, near Skyline Drive. I had just had a few beers (few=more than a few) at a restaurant, and was hiking a couple more miles to camp. I came within 50 feet or so of a mother bear and two cubs. I wasn't between the mother and her cubs, thank god, I understand that is a bad place to be. The mother made a barking noise and the two cubs climbed up two separate trees. I got the hell out of there.

2. Also in Virginia, I got up early and was hiking alone when I cam upon a sleeping bear. The bear heard me coming and was up and running away from me before I had time to [censored] myself. There was a little-cubby-hole of pressed down weeds where it had been sleeping. Whenever you see a bear, you exaggerate the size of said bear to impress the chicks, but you have to believe me when I say this bear was easily the size of a small motor home. I don't know the closest distance, maybe 30 feet?

3. Saw one walking on the trail in Pennsylvania, 100 feet away. It looked at me and ran away.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

Usual daily routine? How many days/week did you hike? Did you ever seriously consider stopping? And if so, why?

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
Usual daily routine? How many days/week did you hike? Did you ever seriously consider stopping? And if so, why?

[/ QUOTE ]

Once I got in shape, I was an early riser. Up at 6, eat breakfast, hike for 5 hours (with a couple smoke breaks), eat lunch, lounge around for an hour, hike four more hours, pitch tent and eat dinner. In tent to go to sleep by 9.

During the day, if there was a cool place with a view, you could always stop there for a few hours to chill.

of course, once a week or so would be a town day, where you get cleaned up and wash clothes and eateateat.

Only time I seriously considered quitting was two weeks in when my knees huirt so badly I thought I would have to quit. I took a day off, took it easy for a couple days (even hiked backwards down a few hills to try to take the strain off my knees). Halfway through a bunch of my friends quit, that was depressing.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
I spent a lot along the way.

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand this depends on a lot of things, but think you could give an estimate or a range for how much you actually spent.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I spent a lot along the way.

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand this depends on a lot of things, but think you could give an estimate or a range for how much you actually spent.

[/ QUOTE ]

it was a while ago and I didn't keep good records, but best guess:

1500 before trip (equipment, food, books)
2000-3000 during trip (hotels, restaurant food, cigs, booze, misc.)
500 after trip (getting back home)

I would have at least 5000. You can cut that a lot by not staying in motels when you're in town, not hitting the town bars, etc., but you have to live it up a little or you'll go crazy.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

how tall are you and what was your weight? can you estimate the weight of your pack? how much weight did you lose? would you consider doing it again, possible north to south? would you consider the rocky mt or pacific coast trails? do you still hike? did you have trouble getting acclimated back into society? did you want to?

edit: what was you mode of transportion to GA and from ME? i would be concered about arriving without my stuff. now what?

edit #2: do you list this on your resume?

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

I through-hiked in 2001. Missed the OP by a year, looks like. I spent more than the OP did on the trail (5-6000 total), but I stayed in motels alot and usually ate in a restaurant every other day. I was an expert hitchiker.

I don't know if I would recommend thru-hiking as much as the OP. As it turns out 2150 miles is a really, really long way to walk. If this sort of thing sounds interesting to you, take a month or so and walk north with the thru hikers for a while. They start in March in Georgia, and end in October in Maine. You know what, just start in New Hampshire in June. The Whites and Maine >>>> the rest of the trail south of the Whites.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
how tall are you and what was your weight? can you estimate the weight of your pack? how much weigh did you lose? would you consider doing it again, possible north to south? would you consider the rocky mt or pacific coast trails? do you still hike? did you have trouble getting acclimated back into society? did you want to?

[/ QUOTE ]



5 feet 11 inches. Didn't weigh myself pre-post, but pre was probably 170 lbs and post was probably 150 lbs.

Pack weight started at 35 (with no food or water), by the end it was probably 25 (no food or water). If I did it again I would probably try to get it down below 20 lbs. (no food or water).

I probably would not do the AT again. I would do the PCT (Pacific crest trail) again but probably won't (too many commitments now). PCT looks awesome though. Ditto CDT (continental divide trail) although the CDT sounds like a real bitch.

I haven't gone on an overnight hike since. Now when someone asks me if I'ver ever been hiking, I say "Yeah, once"

It was very tough going back to the "real" world. Everything looked ugly and overwhelming whn I went back home, like Vegas. I was terrified to drive for a while b/c the cars were so fast. The strange feelings gradually go away.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
I through-hiked in 2001. Missed the OP by a year, looks like. I spent more than the OP did on the trail (5-6000 total), but I stayed in motels alot and usually ate in a restaurant every other day. I was an expert hitchiker.

I don't know if I would recommend thru-hiking as much as the OP. As it turns out 2150 miles is a really, really long way to walk. If this sort of thing sounds interesting to you, take a month or so and walk north with the thru hikers for a while. They start in March in Georgia, and end in October in Maine. You know what, just start in New Hampshire in June. The Whites and Maine >>>> the rest of the trail south of the Whites.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually I did hike in 2001 (guess I should have said 6 instead of about 5). You're right that NH and Maine were the best parts, if you want cool scenery then that's a good plan. I liked the idea of hiking the whole thing, even if some of it was boring.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

Are there campsites along the way? Do you just walk until you are tired and then pitch your tent? Do you need to have some kind of camp site permit or can you just pitch your tent wherever you want?

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

when you decide you want to eat at a restraunt and sleep in a motel, how far off the trail do you usually have to walk?

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
when you decide you want to eat at a restraunt and sleep in a motel, how far off the trail do you usually have to walk?

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't walk, you hitchike.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
Are there campsites along the way? Do you just walk until you are tired and then pitch your tent? Do you need to have some kind of camp site permit or can you just pitch your tent wherever you want?

[/ QUOTE ]

They have many "shelters" along the way, most are small three-walled log-cabin type thingies. Three walls, wood floor, roof. There are (a guess) 200-300 of these things along the way. You can sleep in those if you want.

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/parkto...ingshelter.jpg

I just pitched a tent wherever I wanted, I hated sleeping in shelters. People snore and kick you and smell like [censored] and keep you up all night (not that I smelled like roses). I'm a sleeping nit.

Most parts of the trail you can pitch your tent (uh-huh, I said "pitch your tent") wherever you want. Some exceptions (national parks, for example).

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
when you decide you want to eat at a restraunt and sleep in a motel, how far off the trail do you usually have to walk?

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't walk, you hitchike.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, some trails go right through town, but if they don't, just hitch. I wouldn't hitch if I were a woman alone, but o/w it's no big deal. People who live near the trail are used to hikers hitching.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
how tall are you and what was your weight? can you estimate the weight of your pack? how much weight did you lose? would you consider doing it again, possible north to south? would you consider the rocky mt or pacific coast trails? do you still hike? did you have trouble getting acclimated back into society? did you want to?

edit: what was you mode of transportion to GA and from ME? i would be concered about arriving without my stuff. now what?

edit #2: do you list this on your resume?

[/ QUOTE ]

I had relatives in Atlanta. From there my mom drove me. For the way back I got a ride to NYC then rented a car to DC.

Hell yeah I put it on my resume. Every single interviewer asked about it.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
how tall are you and what was your weight? can you estimate the weight of your pack? how much weight did you lose? would you consider doing it again, possible north to south? would you consider the rocky mt or pacific coast trails? do you still hike? did you have trouble getting acclimated back into society? did you want to?

edit: what was you mode of transportion to GA and from ME? i would be concered about arriving without my stuff. now what?

edit #2: do you list this on your resume?

[/ QUOTE ]

I had relatives in Atlanta. From there my mom drove me. For the way back I got a ride to NYC then rented a car to DC.

Hell yeah I put it on my resume. Every single interviewer asked about it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think to interviewers it shows you finish what you start, that you've got gumption, moxie, that you're tough as nails, that you're a closer.

http://www.assoagenti.it/assets/imag...db_glenros.jpg

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

Did you ever run into any problems with bees? I really hate bees and I would probably end up walking over a huge hornets nest in the middle of the forest.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

What does it take to hike the Appalachian Trail? It takes brass balls to hike the Appalachian Trail.

Re: Ask crash about hiking the Appalachian Trail
 

When you start, I assume you need winter clothes. How do you get rid of it when it gets warm? Also, how do you get them back when you get up to Maine and it's starting to get colder again? Or do you just carry it with you the entire time. Doesn't hitchhiking and going to motels and restauarants kind of defeat the purpose of hiking the whole trail? Or is it standard among hikers? What about cleaning your clothes? How much clothes did you pack for the trip? Did you set a goal for the amount of miles you hike per week? Let's say your goal is to hike 100 miles a week. Did you try to hike 20 miles a day for 5 days so that you had 2 free days to relax at the end of the week?