View Full Version : If you had limited maildrops for resupply what towns would you send them to
DonMecca
01-14-2014, 23:39
i'm heading out april 5th ish nobo 2014 and herd a few towns aren't good for re-supply what towns if any should i send my box's to ?
It all depends on how far you want to go off trail, and how much more you don't mind spending vs can I send it cheaper and closer.
Fontana Dam
Bear Mountain
Glencliff
Caratunk
Come to mind.
The AT Mailing Label page in my sig may help.
I would send them to towns that I plan on taking a zero in. In that way you will not alter your hiking speed attempting to get to town in time or on the right day for the Post Office to be open and you have time to consume and deal with some of the contents of the mail drop before setting off. Look at the map, the smaller the town the worse the resupply. 500 people bad....., 5,000 people good. Hot Springs NC is not a great resupply town although they do have a tiny store and a good outfitter. I think the Post Office is closed on Sat at noon, Weds at Noon in addition to Sun.
Adkins, VA comes to mind as a place where I had wished I'd sent a package instead of shopping out of two gas station convenience stores. The Barn Restaurant there accepts packages, great place to eat too.
If i was doing maildrops ( I buy 100% of my food as i go along ). these are the towns i would diffinatly have drops in.
1 Neels Gap.
2 Hiwasee GA or ( Blueberry patch Hostel, I think they open around the middle of march ).
3 Aquone Hostel they will bring your maildrop to Burnningtown Gap or ( Franklin N.C, Ron haven has started a new Hostel you could possibly send it to one of his places he has a hotel in franklin too, Some Hotels will except drops ).
4 Fontana Damn, N.C ( Fontana lodge excepts mail drops with no stay and have enough to make it to Standing Bear I would not go into Gatlinburg ).
5 Standing Bear Hostel ( just enough to get to Hot Springs, and Hot springs is a great place to buy food, they got a Family dollar and the Hillybilly market and also they have a great outfitter, i have never had problems getting resupplied in Hot springs and maildrops are not nessasary in Erwin TN either ).
6 Kincora Hostel. ( maildrops are not nesassary in Damascus they have a family dollar and a regular grocery store ).
It's very easy to get resupplied from Damascus north all the way to NH. except i would have a drop in Harpers Ferry Possibly at the Youth Hostel Center and i would also have a maildrop at the Church of the Mountains Hostel in D.W.G
7 Possibly, Hanover NH.
8 Glencliff.
9 Caratunk.
10 Monson.
It's diffenatly harder to get resupplied in the North and way more expensive so keep that in mind, I named 12 places that if i did maildrops those would be where i would send them to, GOOD LUCK and HAPPY TRAILS. RED-DOG
Julesmcph
02-14-2014, 19:36
Why wouldn't you go into gatlinburg?
Hill Ape
02-14-2014, 19:52
gatlinburg is the worst kind of tacky tourist trap. far as drops, consider sending them to hostels. can save on hassle
bobtomaskovic
02-14-2014, 22:50
Gatlinburg is just embarrassing to folks who live in the surrounding area. It's tacky and loud but kind of a hoot to Yankees. Easy in and out, cheap rooms and plenty of food. My only mail drops would be NOC and Caratunk.
If you have a good support person at home. Buy what you might want to have sent. Than along the way play it by ear. Call them, give them a list of what to need and the time it needs to be there. Nothing beats experienced and trusted help from home on maildrops.
I can't imagine needing a maildrop before Damascus.... You could just about hike this stretch brain dead.
Mile 30ish - Neel Gap
Mile 60ish - Hiawassee
Mile 90ish - Franklin
Mile 125ish - NOC
Mile 160ish - Fontana Village or Robbinsville
Mile 240ish - Standing Bear Farm
Mile 275ish - Hot Springs
Between Hot Springs and Erwin is Hemlock Hollow Hostel with full resupply or Laurel Trading Post 2.5 miles east of Devil Fork Gap for resupply.
Mile 340ish - Erwin
Mile 385ish - Mountain Harbor (shuttle to Dollar General and/or Grocery store 3 miles to town of Roan Mt.
At this point you should be making enough miles to carry enough to get to Damascus or you can get a shuttle to Hampton at Dennis Cove Rd from Bob P at Kincora or hike to Hwy 321 and hitch into Hampton - it's an easy hitch.
Blissful
02-15-2014, 21:19
My list (http://blissfulhiking.blogspot.com/2013/02/possible-maildrop-list-for-appalachian.html) for possible mail drops.
To add... I had never been to Fontana Village before November and really liked it. Definitely where I will stop before entering GSMNP from now on.
Hotel, restaurant, post office, laundry and store all in a central location. I got there a day before the general store started limited Winter hours (weekends only) and resupply was plentiful, if a bit pricey.
As for distance - it's about 2 miles or so from the dam. I got a ride from Fontana Dam to Fontana Village in a TVA truck but the next morning I would have had to wait until 9:00 AM for a shuttle back to the dam. I left Fontana Village walking and 1.5 hours later I was back on the AT and as I recall except for the little climb out of Fontana Village it's mostly downhill back to the dam.
So even if you have to walk to/from Fontana Village from Fontana Dam it's an excellent stop IMO.
lonehiker
02-16-2014, 10:27
I think the reason most put Fontana Dam as a maildrop is a perpetuation of Mr. Tarlin's re-supply article. It is a great resource and I used it, and would use again, to plan my trip but is has a few biases in it. I sent a box to Fontana (1 of 2 total) and was a bit disappointed when I discovered that the store was more than adequate. It didn't appear to be any more expensive than the typical small store along the trail.
What about the new Hostel in GA "Sir-Packs-A-Lot's" place is he accepting mail drops if so that would be a good spot for a mail drop.
I think the reason most put Fontana Dam as a maildrop is a perpetuation of Mr. Tarlin's re-supply article. It is a great resource and I used it, and would use again, to plan my trip but is has a few biases in it. I sent a box to Fontana (1 of 2 total) and was a bit disappointed when I discovered that the store was more than adequate. It didn't appear to be any more expensive than the typical small store along the trail.
Yes i have always been able to get adequate resupply at the Pit-Stop, they keep a great selection of hiker food and keep it well stocked.
Slo-go'en
02-17-2014, 10:57
Why wouldn't you go into gatlinburg?
The grocery store is way outside of town. You can take a trolly there, but it was like a 3 hour round trip when I did it. All in all, Gatlinburg can be a really expensive stop so it pays to avoid it if possible.
I wouldn't bother to send a package to Standing Bear. Curtis has more then enough selection for the 2-3 days it takes to get to Hot Springs and the Dollar store there will fix you up for the next leg.
Buying a few days worth of food at a place like Mountain crossings or Standing Bear is a little more expensive then at a full size grocery store, but about in line with a convenience store. Factor in the cost of postage and probably sending more then you need, your not saving by sending a package and it might actually cost you more.