Very early planning--one week trip? Marraige proposal spot? When and where?

[SCMarch1]

This is my first (but hopefully not last) post to these forums, and I've got a pretty broad question that I hope will focus my very early planning for an AT trip.

I'm not financially in a good place to plan a trip now... life has me waiting to start a job in August, move to a new place, etc., but I am hoping to hit the AT next summer ('10). This gives me plenty of time to prepare, plan, equip, etc., and I'd like to make this one count. Hopefully it will be the first segment hike of many.

The questions:

My girlfriend and I want to hike a week's worth of trail, if possible. This seems reasonable to do for beginners to the AT. We are not hiking beginners, but by no means experts. We walk 5 miles daily for fun, and have done 10 mile days with loaded packs on easy terrain. I've got lots of outdoor experience camping in no-resource areas. If we spend the next year training up, how far can we expect to get in a week on the trail (mile-wise), and where would you spend that allotted distance and time?

The neurotic in me wants to start at the "beginning" (from one perspective) in GA and walk north for a week, but I want our first segment/week to be a great one... maybe even somewhere worthy of a marriage proposal (Summer '10 is in my plans for that).
I have seen recommendations for Shenandoah NP. Does the AT through the park offer a week's worth of hiking? Any specifics on this stretch?

We live in southern SC, soon to be south GA, so a hike somewhere in the southern to midpoint of the trail would be more reasonable than a long trip up to Maine to hike for just a week.

Please also offer seasonal recommendations for any possible week-long routes. We are both educators, so June-August is our best time to hike, and it could be any given week in that time.

Thanks, everyone!

[Pokey2006]

If you hiked north from Springer, you could get to Franklin, N.C. in a little over a week. There would be opportunities for motel/hostel stay, and a shuttle, at the end of the hike in Franklin. Sunset from the summit of Standing Indian, near the end of the hike, would be an excellent place to pop the question.

[bigcranky]

Summer hiking in Georgia can be kinda hot, buggy, and uncomfortable. (Done it.) Shenandoah offers a good week-long hike for new AT hikers, with well-graded trail, good views, and the opportunity for food and lodging along the way.

You could make a reservation for a lodge room at Big Meadows or Skyland (halfway through the hike), get showered, take her down to the restaurant for a nice dinner, and pop the question. (You could also do it in a crowded shelter in front of all the other hikers. Your choice. But being clean is nice when you get ready to drop to one knee.)

Good luck.

[SCMarch1]

I'm sort of used to hot, buggy, and muggy down here in Beaufort, but I guess it will be an entirely more troublesome experience while hiking rough terrain.

Being dirty or tired won't matter. The whole idea here is to avoid the dinner-time proposal, or the beach proposal that I might try otherwise. She's very outdoorsy, and very much in her best moods while in nature.

Don't like the idea of having to do it in front of a shelter full of fellow hikers, necessarily, though.

Any other tips?

[Feral Bill]

I proposed to my wife streamside in Glacier NP, where I was working at the time. We are coming up on 25 years of merriage, so it seems to have worked. I did pretty myself up for the big question, though. Anywhere nice you ask will be wonderful . All the best to you both.

[Tennessee Viking]

Go for the Nantalhalas in the Franklin & Wesser area. You will hit a lot of memorable open areas.

Another good one is hike south to Hot Springs. You can finish with a dinner date at the Paddler and relax at the spa.

You can also do something like Roan to Damascus, and finish off at a B&B.

If you want solitude, then go for the BMT. I am not sure of the speed and distance for it. But something like Ocoee or Blue Ridge to Fontana.

[flemdawg1]

If you don't have a job, and already own the gear, just go now. Gas and food aren't that expensive.

[McKeever]

Just hike Tenn or VA highlands and you will know when the time/place is right! Timing, timing, timing...

[Gray Blazer]

Go for the Nantalhalas in the Franklin & Wesser area. You will hit a lot of memorable open areas.

Sunset or sunrise on Wesser Bald.

[rpenczek]

Go North of Damascus and hike South (to Damascus). Just south of the Old Orchard Shelter (I think - a local like Lone Wolf will know for sure) you come out of the woods and through a style (fence) and into an open bald. The trail goes off to your left along the woods, but about 100 yards in front of you as you exit the woods is a big rock outcropping. On top of that outcropping is a really nice campsite (no water), but flat, soft and secluded (almost like a crater in the rock outcrop).

If you are a fan of Lord of the Rings, you will remeber Frodo camping on such a rock outcropping when they get attacked (at least that is what it remined me of when I was there last summer).

This area will provide great hiking, great views and wild ponys.

[rpenczek]

The photo is on top the out cropping.

[Doctari]

Open area with killer views: Max patch
Between the NE end of the Smokies (Standing Bear Hostel) & Hot Springs (Elmers Sunnybank Inn).

Woods with OMG trees: Unaka Mt.
Between Erwin (Uncle Johnnies) & Hampton (Kincora hostel)

Nice thing is, they are only 101.5 miles apart

Or: 14 days at 7.25 MPD

[ColdFire]

Somewhere near a cliff so if she says no, you can just toss her off

No seriously, I would propose to her at the top of springer at sunset and tell her that the beginning of the trail signifies the beginning of your new lives together and that hopefully you will have many happy trails ahead of you as a couple. or something sappy along them lines Then cook her a ramen dinner with maybe a nice bottle of wine.

gl and let us know how it goes!

[UnkaJesse]

She might guess what you're up to. I took my wife on a hiking trip to Yosemite before we were engaged. She was sure I was going to do it then and I suppose that's the only reason she wanted to go. It was way too hard, but that's just because I'm an overly ambitious dufus. I didn't do it then and never intended to. She was not happy. Keep it easy on her if you don't want to hear about it for the rest of your life. There are some great spots close to the beginning here in Georgia, but both of you will be spent by the time you get there. The top of Tray Mountain comes to mind. Blood's way too crowded unless you want to show off like that. I think the ponies sounds like the best idea so far.

And, yeah, if I didn't have a job, I'd be on the trail now. Get gone!!

[Sleeps_With_Skunks]

Bearpaw and I split our honeymoon into two week long hikes on the AT through the Smokies last summer. Clingmans dome to Fontana Dam was the first section. Then we did Clingmans dome to Davenport Gap. We went shelter to shelter. Your girlfried would love the Clingmans Dome to Davenport Gap section.....Charlies Bunion would be a nice spot to propose...and you can always take a blue blaze up the boulevard trail to the top of Mt. LeConte to propose. Both spots are pretty private in areas.

Here's the link to Bearpaws trip reports for those sections:

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=37610 GSMNP Southern AT May 2008

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=39059 GSMNP Northern AT July 2008

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=203994 This is his bearpaws journal from our first trip...newfoundgap to icewater springs shelter (with a side hike to charlie;s bunion) then up to Mt. Leconte shelter by way of the boulevard trail and back to the vehicles by way of the ALUM cave trail July 25, 2007.

[Yahtzee]

Carver's Gap to Kincorra.

[joec]

Lovers Leap just outside of Hot Springs sounds like a fitting place to pop the question.

[Nicksaari]

i second the post on SNP. could stay in some legit lodging, get some good food, nice bottle of Va wine, and go out to brushytop or millers head or that overlook behind the big meadows lodge ( dont remember what its called) and pop the question there.

holy crap- do a three night seciton in grayson highlands, see the ponies, which gets girls hot and bothered, fourth night rent a well equipped cabin around the grayson highlands area, and with that fresh thought of mtn ponies, pop the question.

i dont know where my plethora of knowledge and ideas come from, its like i cant control it.

[Nicksaari]

but this is all really romantic. i admire and respect any couples love for the outdoors. i have yet to meet a girl who would backpack. blessed be your travels together in life, bro! keep us updated, and for god's sake- dont let her read this thread and spill the beans!

[eightknots]

You don't have a job right? Then let your Lady ASK YOU for the marriage agreement. Then you can say well you know this undertaking will on you, OK.. Don't just take the responsibility because your a Man.. Trust me on this. Real Women are still out there somewhere.
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