1 month hike

[tdhenry]

I am planning on doing a 1 month hike starting in Georgia. I was just wondering if I am hiking at an average pace how far should I get. I am not looking for an exact answer, just an approximation. I am currently living in South Carolina so I am not sure how I will be getting down there either. I have heard that there are people who will pick you up from the Atlanta airport and shuttle you to the trail? Any help you guys could give me would be much appreciated. I have been looking forward to doing this for a long time.

[Lone Wolf]

somewhere between erwin and damascus

[jburgasser]

If you average 11 miles a day and start at the base of the Approach Trail (Amicalola State Park) and hike 30 days then you would get 330 miles which would take you just past where the trail crosses I-26, about 32 miles north of Asheville, N.C. Asheville looks to be 300 miles from Myrtle Beach or a 5 hour drive.

I would drive to Asheville and arrange a shuttle from there to Amicalola (about 3-1/2 hours), leaving your car in Ashville. I'm sure whoever you arrange a shuttle with can also lead you to a place that is cool with leaving your car for the month. When you come out on I-26 have a pre-arrainged shuttle drive you back to Asheville and your car.

Good luck! JB

[Blissful]

Your age? Damascus, VA

Do a search here on the shuttle option, I saw several offering to transport.

[Papa D]

If you average 11 miles a day and start at the base of the Approach Trail (Amicalola State Park) and hike 30 days then you would get 330 miles which would take you just past where the trail crosses I-26, about 32 miles north of Asheville, N.C. Asheville looks to be 300 miles from Myrtle Beach or a 5 hour drive.

I would drive to Asheville and arrange a shuttle from there to Amicalola (about 3-1/2 hours), leaving your car in Ashville. I'm sure whoever you arrange a shuttle with can also lead you to a place that is cool with leaving your car for the month. When you come out on I-26 have a pre-arrainged shuttle drive you back to Asheville and your car.

Good luck! JB

OP is 19 years old - assuming he / she is in reasonable shape, he / she can start in the 8-11 m.p.d. pace but really after a few days of that (and I'm making a bunch of assumptions here) it seems like he / she could hold down at least a 15 mile per day pace. I'm also guessing a couple of zero / nero days but 26 hiking days at an average of 15 m.p.d (and they will probably throw in at least a couple of 20s just to say they did 'em - that should put him / her at least to Elk Park, NC - where Mountain Harbor Hostel is - that's 391 miles. I think that a real newbie with too much weight on his / her back and someone who just wanted to take it easy should set his / her sights on Hot Springs, NC - a "get up and go" type hiker could easily boogie on to Damascus by tossing in a few more 20 mile days. I wouldn't recommend Sam's Gap (Hgy 26) as a starting or stopping place for a big hike to anyone - what a terribly boring spot on the trail right there under that highway bridge - such a nicer affair to stop at a little hostel (like Hemlock Hollow near Allen Gap or Mt, Harbor in Elk Park) or a nice trail town - Hot Springs, NC, Erwin, TN, Damascus, Va .....

[tdhenry]

I am a guy. I would probably consider myself more of a "get up and go" hiker. I will probably end up just heading to damascus. I am also in good shape. Now I just need to figure out how to get to the beginning of the trail in Georgia.

[Cookerhiker]

Sounds to me like you can make it to Damascus as long as you don't take more than 1-2 zeros.

[xcess]

For 120 buicks you can fly to atlanta,one way.

[importman77]

For 120 buicks you can fly to atlanta,one way.

Would that be late model buicks? Seems kinda high.....

[JAK]

It's the new air miles for clunkers program.

[Hooch]

You can park your car in Damascus, then catch a shuttle to Bristol and take a bus to Atlanta. Once you're in Atlanta, you can get a shuttle from the MARTA station to the Hiker Hostel, stay there the night and then they'll shuttle you to Amicalola or the FS42 parking lot, depending on where you want to start. Have a great hike!

[JAK]

What is a reasonable start date for not having to worry about being slowed down my snow or mud?