I went West and had a blast

[Worldwide]

Well all been quite some time since I last posted. After hiking GSMNP I went West initially to see alot of N.P.'s and then hit up the PCT. I got sidetracked and decided to hike the Arizona Trail.

The AZT puts the wild in Wilderness. There are three 150+ mile between resupply points along a sub 800 miler. Well that is how I decided to tackle it. A few 40 mile between water source carries. Four feet of snow for 1/4 of the trail. It is remote as well as picturesque.

Mostly unblazed several days you won't see one. Alot of cross country travel. Can you say cactuswhack yeah 5 miles of less than shoulder width cactus and cat claw made for a sad looking shirt. For over 12 miles you can't take 3 steps without having to climb over a waist high log. Where there is trail it is overvegetated. The big climbs range from 5k-7k. Twenty eight miles of exposed ridgeline into 50 mph winds at 8k. No shelters so too windy to set up a tent so you are forced top do atleast 28 that particular day. Temperature variance from 86 in the day to 10 at night. So cold at times your water bottles freeze while you walk. It took all I had to complete. Sheer solitude I saw 2 hikers for half a day each. Not alot of in town hospitality like the AT provides average town stay is around $65. It is a serious challenge, and it isn't for everyone, and I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone. Because of the risks involved. Takes alot of navigational ability. Short hiking season. It was the toughest trail I have yet to do. Yet it was the most fulfilling.

I was told once a man from the East can't handle the West. Well not only did I handle it I broke the recored too. :sun


Any questions PM me or email me or call

Matt " Worldwide" Signore
AT'07
GSMNP'08
AZT'09

[Mags]

I was told once a man from the East can't handle the West. Well not only did I handle it I broke the recored too. :sun




Nice report.

I'd argue that Westerners can't handle the East. People born in the (north)East are rude, abrupt and blunt. Westerners are too chill. ;)
(Born in RI..moved to Colorado)

Finally..what record are you speaking of?

[Worldwide]

Mags the record I have always held was being the rudest man in Philly yo, but the record I broke was the AZT's. El Monstro's Arizona Trail record of 31days and some odd hours has fallen, and I completed it in 28 days 22 hours.

[Rasputen]

Hey Worldwide,

Didn't seem so rude to me when my brother and I ran into you on the Lakeshore Trial back in October just east of Hazel Creek.;)

Congrats on the Smokies and the AZT.

[Lone Wolf]

Mags the record I have always held was being the rudest man in Philly yo, but the record I broke was the AZT's. El Monstro's Arizona Trail record of 31days and some odd hours has fallen, and I completed it in 28 days 22 hours.

how could you enjoy it by going so fast? speed hikers don't belong on walking trails

[john gault]

I ain't sayin' nothin':D

[Worldwide]

Damn you Lone Wolf the Devils Advocate extraordinaire!

The challenge of the trail was the excitement and the enjoyment. From desert to sub alpine in a few short weeks was awesome. The scenery kicked arse, and just because I walk long days doesn't make me a speed hiker. There was an awesome night with a full moon where I could hike all night in the desert without headlamp. You can capture the one moment a month or let it slip by. Basically I am not a fast mph guy I put in long days start at O dark thirty hike into a beautiful sunrise and end late in the evening.

I never had the opportunity to do snow melt creek crossings in 20 degrees at night at 7000 feet until this trip it was a can I or can't I do this moment. When camp consists of me by myself there is no comfort or comradery at camp so I hike long days. When I had 64 miles to town and had 3 almond joys and 2 tsps peanut butter I had no choice but to bang it out or be real real hungry for a second day. Enough explaining I will be misunderstood or misconstrued no matter what I type

Peace Out

Worldwide

[Worldwide]

Thanks John G. When is the K4 trip starting?

Rasputen I am more sarcastic than rude now that I have moved from the city of brotherly go F yourself

[garlic08]

Congratulations on your hike, and thanks for helping spread the word about this unbelievable trail.

I had to laugh about your East vs. West quote, because as a Western hiker on the AT last year, most Eastern hikers told me I would have to slow down in the East and that the AT hills would kill me. The opposite happened--I made my best pace ever on the AT. It is fun busting stereotypes, isn't it?

[Turbo]

Congrats Worldwide on finishing the GSMNP and AZT. Don't know if you remember meeting a couple of sobo thru-hikers at Standing Bear hostel just north of GSMNP, but me (Turbo) and Duckie met you there in early October of '08. We reached springer Oct. 16. Anyway, glad to here your finished the smokies.

[Worldwide]

Oh yeah I remember you two. I was chillin at Standing Bear Hostel and you two were passing through. Glad all went well. Any plans for a future hike or heading to trail days this year?

[Turbo]

Worldwide,

Well as for my future hiking plans, I have free time from April 20 until mid-June this year, so I've been debating hiking the Long Trail and/or taking on the Great Smoky Mtn NP trails. Prior to hiking the AT, I had hiked about 300 miles of the trails in GSMNP, so I've been debating heading over there to see if I could get the rest, then if I still had enough time, I would head up to Vermont to do the LT. But after reading your first post here, I've also been tossing around the AZT in my mind. Not sure if I could adequately prepare for that hike in the short amount of time I have before I need to start something though. I don't even know if late April - late May/early June is a good time to hike the AZT. Maybe you can enlighten me. So basically I'm going to be doing something soon, but I'm still debating as to what. I would like to thu-hike the PCT next year, but I'm not sure I'll be able to afford that much time off, so we'll see. Anyway, glad you remember Duckie and I, it was fun to meet you there at Standing Bear.

[fiddlehead]

I too love AZ hiking. Looks like you had a great hike.
Congrats.

I know what you mean about those winds out there. That's tough.
Over 60 mph, you have to crawl. I found instead of trying to set up the tent in anything over 50, just sleep out and crawl down in the bag. (if you hiked hard enough that day, you can sleep thru just about anything)

They just had some rain out there last week from what my AZ friends tell me. That brings out the flowers.