New to thru-Hiking, a few questions

[Twilight415]

Hi guys, I've become interested in Thru-Hiking recently but i know very little about it and have some questions.

1.Do people usually Thru-Hike the AT with another companion or alone?
2.How often do you see other people on the AT when hiking? Do you usually hike or talk with them for a while or just give them a friendly nod?
3. What are the CDT and PCT?
4. When thru-hiking do people usually start in Georgia or Maine?
5. Do people usually bring any technology with them like a watch or phone?

I know some of these questions may seem stupid but I'm brand new to this and know very little :(

[zoidfu]

1. Both. You can find plenty of people to hike with if you want to.
2. A lot. Depends on the person
3. Continental Divide trail and Pacific crest trail
4. Usually unless you're doing sections in a different order
5. Yes.

[Pokey2006]

Hi guys, I've become interested in Thru-Hiking recently but i know very little about it and have some questions.

1.Do people usually Thru-Hike the AT with another companion or alone?
2.How often do you see other people on the AT when hiking? Do you usually hike or talk with them for a while or just give them a friendly nod?
3. What are the CDT and PCT?
4. When thru-hiking do people usually start in Georgia or Maine?
5. Do people usually bring any technology with them like a watch or phone?

I know some of these questions may seem stupid but I'm brand new to this and know very little :(

Welcome to Whiteblaze! There's no such thing as a stupid question.

1. Most people either hike alone, or hike with a spouse. Sometimes people do start with a hiking partner or buddy. However, even those who start alone often find themselves hiking with a group of friends.

2. If you are hiking in season, you'll see someone just about every day on the AT. You do go for long stretches alone, sometimes for hours at a time, and sometimes you'll camp alone. You'll see fewer and fewer people as you go, since a lot of people around you will start dropping out as the trail goes on.

3. Continental Divide Trail and Pacific Crest Trail.

4. The majority of people start in Georgia. But starting in Maine does seem to be getting more popular.

5. Technology on the trail is a personal choice. Lots of people carry cell phones; others are dead-set against them. Same with watches. Many hikers carry mp3 players.

As you think of more questions you have about thru-hiking, get familar with the "search" option here on Whiteblaze. You'll find the answers to any question you could possibly dream up, plus a few more.

[zoidfu]

Yeah, I totally misread #4

[buff_jeff]

1) Many people go out solo and end up in a group somewhere along the line. You'll make plenty of friends out there if you want to.

2) You'll most likely see someone every hour, but it varies by season. By any trail standard, the AT is "crowded." The longest I've ever gone without seeing someone was two days during the winter in NJ, and that is something of an anomaly. During thru-hiker season you'll see people all the time. If you went and hiked the Whites or Maine in the middle of winter you probably wouldn't see much of anyone.

3) http://www.fivemillionsteps.com/trailmap.php

4) GA-ME seems more common.

5) It seems like most people bring cell phones now. GPS seems totally superfluous to me, but whatever floats your boat. No technology is necessary, but it isn't wrong to bring anything.

[Blissful]

Welcome to White Blaze.

I hiked with my son. But most go alone and meet great firends along the way.
Our techno gear was a cell phone and MP3 player for the AT. You don't need GPS for it.

Go to the articles section too for some good advice.

[modiyooch]

1. I started out alone.
2. depends on when and where you start. I started in VA in October. I only saw people on the weekends.
4. see #2.
5. no. I don't want to know the time and I'm obsessed with the amount of weight that I carry. But, I do now carry a cell phone for emergency.

[Marta]

Besides Whiteblaze, one place to get a different view of what thru-hiking is like is trailjournals.com. The better journals will give you a rounded narrative of the experience, and will answer questions you don't even know you have yet.

[Twilight415]

Wow thanks guys you are all a big help! :)