how much time to prepare / moving up a timeline

[Teresa&Lisa2016]

Hello, Hikers

I have been dreaming of hiking the Appalachian Trail and at first I thought I would not start until 2016, since I am happy and comfortable in my life and job. However, I recently realized I am ready NOW, and I will always be happy and comfortable... I may only get more comfortable, and this scares me. I don't want to wait until 2016! SO, I am now pondering starting hiking Northbound in March of 2015 instead of 2016. What is your advice on moving a timeline like this? Is 7 months enough time to plan and prepare for the trail? Please give your advice. Also, if I want to start preparing for 2015, what are the biggest tasks to tackle first? Thank you for your advice!

PS I should note that I do have most of the essential gear as I have already done some short distance backpacking, and while I KNOW I am not in long-distance hiking shape I am starting off in a decent place in terms of health and fitness. I also recently inherited money from a relative passed on, and so I have the funds a well. THANKS for all your help!

[Slo-go'en]

With a guide book and plenty of cash, you could leave tomorrow. Although of course, tomorrow probably isn't the best time of year to do so The beauty of the AT (unlike most other trails) is you really don't have to plan in much detail. It's mostly a matter of how much food do I need to buy in this town to make it to the next?

Few people are in long distance hiking shape when they start. You get into long-distance shape by being a thru hiker. It typically takes 2 to 4 weeks to become a lean, mean hiking machine. You start out slow and ease into it. One day you'll wake up and realize you can hike for hours without stopping and you feel really good.

But since you have half a year to prepare, fine tune your gear (remembering that March is cold and wet) and get as much exercise as you can. Winters in Missouri can be rough, but get out and do as much walking or snowshoeing or cross country skiing as you can - or join a gym if you can't. The better shape your in when you start, the easier and quicker it is to ease into it.

[bigcranky]

Plenty of time. To oversimplify, all you really need is your gear, 4 or 5 days of food, and a ride to Springer Mountain, GA. Everything after that can be done on the trail (and is usually better done on the trail, like resupply and planning.)

Of course you need to get your life in order for a 5 or 6 month break. For some folks this means dealing with a house, a mortgage, other bills, a housesitter, storage, etc. For others it's much easier, just give 30 days notice and walk away. Most are somewhere in the middle.

Good luck and happy trails!

[Doogievlg]

I can't give much solid advice since I haven't don't the thru hike but I am in the same time frame as you. Only real planning I'm doing is saving money. About a month prior to leaving I will sell my car and make sure my bank account is full enough to cover the bills while I am Away.

Maybe it's one of those things where it's easy to over think. Or maybe I am just under thinking.

[Just Bill]

One Month is enough time to prepare for the trail especially with the following in your favor-
You have backpacked before.
You are in acceptable health.
You are young.

Trail legs can take 6 weeks to get built up- no biggie though.
Leave later- most people blow several weeks fighting Spring in the south. A May start is an easier hike, and five months isn't that hard a schedule to keep when you don't get stuck making 5-10 miles and taking frequent zeros at the start.

Purchase-
AWOL guide, full set of trail maps- start reviewing.

Choose-
Mail drops, buy as you go. Mail drops considerably add to the planning, take skill, and are difficult. You can save money doing them- but they have fallen out of favor.
Short of dietary restrictions or preferences, if time was tight I would shop as I go. Although learning to mail drop is an excellent lifetime skill that will serve you well on the rest of the worlds trails.
If not mail dropping- a bounce box (or very helpful friend) is good for maps and/or common items like batteries, and other consumables that come in consumer (not backpacker) sized packages.

Verify-
You and your gear can do a four night/ five day trip.
Your clothing and sleeping gear will match the conditions you plan to go in.

You can plan to death and replace gear- or just leave your cash in the bank, hit the trail with what you have and replace items as needed. Make a gear list, post it, and take care of any horrible offenders. But don't blow money on gear you may end up replacing once you get a few hundred miles under you and know better what you need.


Long distance hiking is a relative term, especially these days on the AT.
The AT, especially for NOBO's, is a very forgiving place really if you have the basics worked out.
Very few folks clear a 15 mile day their first month, 10-15 MPD is typical. Likely you can already do this.
What very few people can do is commit 5-6 months of time to walk every day, and deal with the mental component of doing so.
There's more to it than the commonly said "it's just a bunch of week long trips" but there is truth to that statement, especially from a planning or physical standpoint.

If you are ready to go on a five day trip, hike 10-15 MPD with no zeros- you are ready for the AT physically.
Every year you hear of a homeless guy, or Grandma Gatewood who hits the trail and succeeds- gear or physical fitness is not the determining factor.
Spend the rest of your time preparing mentally and financially.

Mentally-
Many people obtusely prepare mentally by (over) working on physical things like their gear or food- if you face the mental stuff directly- you can save lots of time by getting to the heart of the issue.
Why am I going?
What do I hope/dream/wish will happen?
How will I deal with it when hopes, dreams, and wishes are slapped down by the unpleasant realities of walking in the woods everyday?
Is it more important to finish the trail than it is to enjoy my time out?
What is my definition of a successful hike?

Financially-
Save all you can and then some- just in case. We all like to think this won't be our only chance at a hike- the reality is- it probably is.
Will you/Can you use credit if needed- and if so- do you have the ability to recover from this debt when you return.
Running out of money, or worse, the burden of returning to debt (and the fear of it) ruin many a hike.
If you are on a budget- stick to it- you won't get tougher or spend less. More likely you'll get weaker, more social, and spend more as you go.
If your gear is shakey- plan on replacements.

[lemon b]

The trail legs come by hiking daily. Then one must learn to tolerate what mother nature throws. That is kinda a mix spiritual, mental, & physical toughness in that order. Take your time buying equipment otherwise one can end up with lots of double and triples. Most important piece of equipment is the boots and socks.

[RED-DOG]

The trail legs come by hiking daily. Then one must learn to tolerate what mother nature throws. That is kinda a mix spiritual, mental, & physical toughness in that order. Take your time buying equipment otherwise one can end up with lots of double and triples. Most important piece of equipment is the boots and socks.

I agree with this, give yourself a good month or maybe too to plan, then the AT will teach you the rest.

[Teresa&Lisa2016]

I am SO glad I joined this forum. Thank you so much everyone

[Lone Wolf]

Hello, Hikers

Is 7 months enough time to plan and prepare for the trail[/B

heck yeah it is. it was just under 9 months from the time i said i was gonna hike til the day i started walkin'. the only "planning" you need to do is figure out a start date and how to get to the trail. no mail drops or itinerary needed

[rickb]

heck yeah it is. it was just under 9 months from the time i said i was gonna hike til the day i started walkin'. the only "planning" you need to do is figure out a start date and how to get to the trail. no mail drops or itinerary needed

It was just two or three weeks of planning for me, but I had the advantage of years in the Scouts (Tayhouse Troop 19).

I sincerely believe that people can plan too much, and have too much information when planning a special trip or adventure like the AT.

There was a recent article in the Washington Post that spoke of how nice surprises can be a key to happiness. That article resonated with me, especially with regard to the kinds of things one chances upon when hiking or traveling outside of one's normal comfort zone.

To my way of thinking its worth a read -- even if everything the author touches upon is rather obvious. Link here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/t...-a-sure-thing/.

[Just Bill]

It was just two or three weeks of planning for me, but I had the advantage of years in the Scouts (Tayhouse Troop 19).

I sincerely believe that people can plan too much, and have too much information when planning a special trip or adventure like the AT.

Couldn't agree more. In climbing they call walking up and doing a route your first time, with no info (beta) an "On-sight"
More and more often, other than the basics of start, stop, getting there and a map- I like this idea for backpacking trips. I think we all are a little spoiled by AWOL and the AT.
I think we can all use a little more On-sight style trips. A long trip like the AT is perfect for this type of trip.
Show up and one end and head north- don't need to know anymore than that- don't even need a map really.

Hard to do for a quick weekend, but the longer the trip or more open your calender- it's fun just to figure it out.

You mention the ultimate caveat Rick- not the best plan until you've got a few years experience under your hip-belt.

[Mountain Mike]

Every year people have spent years planning & thousand of dollars on "The Best Gear". Undoubtably countless hours on the internet. Then they quit several days or week into the trail. Get out & hike! See how you like it. Do it in all weather conditions that yoy may hit. Borrow or rent gear & see what works for you. There is no cookie cutter answer to who will make it or how much money it will take. It all depends on what level of comfort or discofort you can deal with. How long between a motel or hostel? How much food do you want to carry.

For many experienced hikers they can be on the trail in a few days. For a novice it can and has been done in your time frame. Just get some real life experience on the trail! It sounds romantic sitting in front of a computor screen. The reality is changing into cold wet hiking clothes for the umpteenth time. With the highs you also have the lows.

[BuckeyeBill]

Somethings I have learned here. Get either Awol's Guide or the thru hikers companion and study it. Both now give elevations so pick one. Get and read Appalachian Trials by Zach Davis a great guide to the mental part of the trail. You may also want to read the two books by the Barefoot Sisters Lucy and Susan Letcher "Southbound" and Walking Home" The reason I recommend these two books are because of your hiking with your partner and need to realize that even sisters don't get along with each other when you are with them 24/7. You may have different hiking speeds or different expectations from hiking the trail. What would you do if one of you got hurt to the point of having to return home to get better or stay off the trail for 2-4 weeks? These things happened to the two sisters.

If you decide to split the gear, who ever is not carrying the stove should have food that can be eaten cold in the event you get separated from each other. Prepare for anything like this as you never know when it may happen. Sorry I am an Eagle Scout and was taught to prepare for anything.

I certainly wish you both the best for your hike and will be llookinf forward to reading your trail journal.

[garlic08]

You meet all types on the trail, from planners with 40 mail drops and every day lined out on a spreadsheet, to those who just wing it and see what happens. I saw happy and miserable hikers in both camps--it didn't seem to matter much.

In my opinion, an AT attempt for most is a major expense in money, time away from family and career, a lot of travel, etc. It just makes some sense to get as ready for it as you can. It's not unreasonable to devote some time to planning and conditioning. This could be the trip of a lifetime, and it's probably not the best time to lose weight, figure out your clothing and shoes, or learn how to pitch a tent in the rain or snow.

[jjozgrunt]

G'day Teresa and Lisa

I'm doing what I would never do for an Australian walk of 2 weeks or more, no planning, except how to get to the Hiker Hostel, from Australia with some food and a gas bottle, by the 12th Mar 2015 for a NOBO start on the 13th. Even if I lived or had friends there I would probably do the same as it seems to me there is so many places to resupply and take a break within cooeee of the trail that there is no need to plan. I actually am enjoying the not having to plan for it and can't wait to see what happens, who I meet and the new vistas I see.

To me it add's a sense of adventure to the whole experience and is a great break to having to plan to the nth degree for a bushwalk like I'm doing in Nov/Dec in the Alpine region of Australia for a month where if I see more than a hand full of people it will be a very crowded trail. I won't bore you with the details but it will take me almost as long to prepare and place out and bring in caches as it will take to do the bushwalk.

Hope to see you on the trail in 2015. JJ

[Teresa&Lisa2016]

Hey, everyone!

I think we have decided to move our timeline up to 2015!! I have one question, that may seem kind of silly. I made the decision to miss the weddings of 2 high school friends to be able to move my timeline. To me, hiking the trail and pursuing my dreams is my first priority. How did you through hikers navigate missing important events? Does this make me selfish? Any advice or affirmation on this decision is greatly appreciated

[Feral Bill]

Hey, everyone!

I think we have decided to move our timeline up to 2015!! I have one question, that may seem kind of silly. I made the decision to miss the weddings of 2 high school friends to be able to move my timeline. To me, hiking the trail and pursuing my dreams is my first priority. How did you through hikers navigate missing important events? Does this make me selfish? Any advice or affirmation on this decision is greatly appreciated

An invitation is not an order to appear. Send a thoughtful gift and hand written note.

[Coffee]

You could take a break from the trail and attend the wedding. I've actually read a few trail journals where people have talked about doing just that.

[Dogwood]

Attended my bros wedding in southern NJ when in Vermont thru-hiking the AT at the time.

[lonehiker]

Print a copy of Mr. Tarlin's resupply article, purchase a guidebook, and buy 3 days worth of food. Ready, set, go. Oh, and change your WB nickname.....