My neice dreaming of thru hiking the AT.. what advice to give

[Berserker]

she oughta shoot for a CDT thru walk. much less crowded. real navigating. the AT these days is so cliche'.

Yeah, but isn't like 1/4 of it road walking...pfffftt...she'd probably quit early out of boredom.

[Zipper]

I know several women who were successful and happy thru hikers who had not spent much time at all camping or backpacking. I would let her ask the questions and answer what she wants to know, and not worry about what she decides - that is her choice ultimately, as you know. For some, just accomplishing the dream of gathering all of the equipment and beginning the hike is enough. Or they switch to being sectioners and come back over time. Or they go ahead and surprise everyone and hike the whole thing. She's lucky to have a supportive knowlegable uncle.

[Mags]

I know several women who were successful and happy thru hikers who had not spent much time at all camping or backpacking.

But when 75% of people who attempt a thru-hike fail, is that good advice? "Just go for it".

[Zipper]

I think it's interesting how much we like to be in other people's business - determining what they should or should not do. That was my main point.

My philosophy isn't just go for it, and personally, I was extremely well-prepared and did a ton of training, some shake down hikes in many sorts of weather with my new gear, and I had a lot of outdoor camping and backpacking experience.

What I noticed when I got out there though, was that the mark of "success" of a thru hiker had little to do with that. There are plenty of opportunities to learn as you go. I know one successful thru hiker who started without a guide book. I wouldn't recommend that, and I certainly didn't do that, but I saw it. A really nice guy. Great photographer. By the time I met him he had his own book, but it was interesting to hear his story. He made friends on the first day and for the first weeks, just did what they were doing. You can have everything worked out to the day on a spreadsheet and be home before you get to Neels Gap. Or you can have a small amount of preparation, find you love it out there, it soothes your soul, and you have the desire and ability to keep going. And everything in between. I've been surprised and delighted by all of the myriad ways there are to approach a thru hike and have it be a memorable wonderful experience that changes your life.

I was just reading over my journal recently - it's interesting, I knew the odds - I had no delusions, I had no idea if I had it in me to hike all 2178 miles. I didn't even say I was a thru hiker for a long long time. I don't think I really knew for sure I was going to go for the whole thing until I had completed about 75% of the trail. Because I was a flip flopper, that was somewhere in Southern Virginia.

My first week I hiked 46 miles. If I had kept up that pace I never would have made it. I intentionally took it slow at first. I was never a very fast hiker or a big mile hiker. I hiked only 18 days over 20 miles. My point is that there's no way to know. I'm all for a shake down hike, physical training (lots) and learning about backpacking. I encourage it. It certainly ups the odds. But whether this person does it or not? That is up to her.

[rafe]

Very true, Zipper. I would never discourage research, practice or any other preparation, but I know for a fact that such prep doesn't correlate well with "success" (ie., finishing a conventional thru-hike.) It'll get you through the initial shake-out but after that it's mostly a head game.

[Datto]

Overweight, chunky. She has, at least for now, a fairly OK very sedentary though busy life style and lives in a very suburban environment

Ha, this describes almost all of the thru-hikers I met on my AT thru-hike. I don't think it deterred them from their goal of reaching Katahdin. But yes. they wouldn't have endured quite the pain if they had shown up in tip-top shape. Most had to work at a job right up until they left town to start their thru-hike so getting in shape was a hit or miss activity. Each got completely surprised at the steepness of the AT in the beginning but they adapted as necessary or left the Trail. Honestly, even people who showed up to start their AT thru-hike in Georgia were taken aback at how much exercion was required on a daily basis.

Since your neice lives in Massachusetts she should regularly hike up and down the AT in Massachusetts to get a feel what an upcoming thru-hike of the AT is about. Have her do this once every month for the next year, then have her do it every three of four weeks for the six months prior to starting her thru-hike.

By the way, I would vew being an ordained Episcopal priest as a positive for an upcoming AT thru-hike. The population of AT thru-hikers starting an AT thru-hike is a microcosm of society and I didnt' see many clergy on the Trail during my AT thru-hike.

Also, and this is a pretty big element, there is plenty of time to finish an AT thru-hike. Many AT thru-hikers get discouraged in the beginning because they're not making what they consider to be acceptable progress. What actually happens is when a northbound AT thru-hiker (starting in Georia) hits Virginia the miles per day go way up and much progress is made on a daily basis. The AT

[rafe]

We met a Trappist monk on the LT earlier this month. No pack, no water bottle, no poles. Just out for a stroll, but he was a good 2-3 miles in from the trailhead and a good way up the hill.

[Mags]

IBut whether this person does it or not? That is up to her.

It is up to her. But, again, when 75% of people fail..What is the logical reason to not be prepared?

Only in long distance hiking will someone seriously give advice of essentially that all boils down to "Just go for it".

[DavidNH]

Datto.. she lives in Eastern Mass, in Boston Metro area.. a full two hour drive from the AT at the very least.l

[gregpphoto]

I like to tell people, Remember, hiking and camping are just synonyms for walking and sleeping. Thats all youre really doing. Granny Gatewood had almost nothing in the way of fancy high tech gear. Neither did Muir or anyone back in "the day" so of course it can be done. Some practice beforehand couldnt hurt, but I met someone who had never ever backpacked a single night and did the entire AT solo, just from reading books and watching youtube vids. The info is all out there, and its not rocket appliances, so tell her to lace up and go!

[shrapnel]

Baby steps. Go on 5-6 miles day hikes on easy-intermediate trails. Cook on the hike, practice setting up a tent, loading, unloading a pack, getting water.

Do an over nighter, experience sleeping outdoors, washing up, hanging a bear bag. She could do these thing over the next few years, gradually increasing distance.

Weight, weight, weight. #1 killer for long hikes. Teach her what she needs and does not need. She will find this out when she goes on a 3-4 day hike.

If she does this over the next two years and sticks with it, she will be fine. Tell her to look for a hiking partner.

[shrapnel]

well I had the sit down with my neice (and she treated me to lunch at Friendly's :-). She's still determined to attempt a thru hike. She's shooting for 2017 and taking six months out of her life to do the trip. She is in better shape now and is at least getting some exercise with regularity --not an athlete but at last visiting gym and doing some jogging. She says she'll maybe get in a couple weekend backpacks in the next couple years.. but that is max.

she is a little concerned (and I would be too) about the potential publicity of the walk in the woods movie and the extra crowds that may bring. But she is at least in part going for the social aspect of the trip. I personally think it really helps to be a woman.. men outnumber them so much they ar almost guaranteed to find friends.. but I digress. She may well find someone.. who knows. she'll have to buy all the gear (I mean she has NO backpacking gear at ALL). She'll have to save up the cash for the trip. At least she is doing some proper planning. I asked her why she wants to do this. Answer: the big challenge, the social aspect. I don't get the impression that she really wants or is even ready for the extreme solitude she will face at times. Not much point in discouraging her.. she is set on doing this and has been reading books about the AT since she was 10.. if not earlier. So there we have it.

Whoa! I did not see this comment before I added my input - my bad. A "couple" of weekends? Which, in reality means maybe 1 day hike. You also stated that she is "visiting" the gym. I have seen many people "visit" a gym - talk with someone 80% of the time and then do 5 mph on a stationary bike for 20 minutes. "Some" jogging? I run and long term hiking and running are totally different monsters. I get the sense from your posts that you feel in the back of your head that she is not going to make it and its more of a dream than reality. You can read all the books you want, graduate from college, etc. ( I have done both), it will not help you one iota when you are out there. I really hope she makes it, but she really needs a little hiking experience to avoid the culture shock of being out there.