PDA

View Full Version : Hi, I'm new



mcnuggets
10-24-2005, 00:06
I've been lurking on these forums for the past few weeks and I've finally decided to introduce myself. My name is Tom and I'm obsessed with completing a thru hike. I'm in college now so I need to wait until I get my BA until I can start. In the meantime I'm hoping to do some section hiking during my vaction time.

I feel like I'm coming into this whole area blind though. I have no experience overnighting. I don't even know how to pitch a tent. I'm no stranger to day hiking though. Every summer as far as I can remember I'd get out of the city and go to my parent's house in the Mt. Washington valley. Me and my Dad over the course of a few summers hiked all the Whites. It was great, I loved it. Never went camping though so I imagine its going to take some trial and error before I can get that down.

My reasons for wanting to complete a journey like this is simple. I feel like my life has been getting progressively more and more boring as the years go by. I want to break the cycle and do something incredible. I want to feel completely independent from society. I want to know that if it all came crashing down I can pick up my pack and leave it behind.

Anyway I want to get most of my gear in order before April of next year when I have 10 free days. I'm planning (tentatively) to take a train up from NYC to the AT stop and head north to Chesire, MA. I'm probably being overly optimistic. I at least want to get part way through MA. As far as gear goes I'm liking the Gregory Forester. I went to EMS the other day and tried it on. It fit great. As far as a tent goes I'm looking at a Kelty Crestone. Nice, light and cheap.

Anyway anyone have any advice/tips for me?

Almost There
10-24-2005, 00:28
Depending on money I would recommend MSR's Hubba tent, around $200 and for a pack, Gregory makes a good one, I have a Palisade, but they are heavy. I would recommend a Mystery Ranch Deep Trance (Company is owned by Dana who founded Dana Designs) or an Osprey Aether pack, either a 60 or 75. All of these packs are close to 4lbs in weight with great support and plenty of room. I recommend these because they are great for thru hikes as I am guessing being a college student money is an issue for you. Kelty makes great products, my summer sleeping bag is a light year 45 down, but I've known people who have had problems with their tents holding up. Good luck with everything.

Auntie Mame
10-24-2005, 08:34
Anyway anyone have any advice/tips for me?
Borrow or buy used gear or cobble something together and do brief one-nighters anywhere you can. Experiment with weather conditions. Find the Outing Club and do overnights with them. The Whites are wonderful areas in which to have had experience, so you are ahead of the game in that regard. Camping is kind of simple, lots of repetiton and responsibility: find good site, get water, set up shelter, prepare for weather, tend to the meal, clean up, get some sleep. In the morning, reverse and repeat, pretty much. Have a blast!

Skeemer
10-24-2005, 09:05
Go over to www.trailjournals.com and pick out several thru-hikers your age that have completed the trail, read their journals end to end and you'll find out everything you need to know.

Almost There
10-24-2005, 09:11
Skeemer, great advice.

McNuggets, you can even check out the gear sections in each journal. I'm told there's a great journal this year by a guy your age from GB by the name Dandylion.

Past journals that have been good...Mountain Dew(2003 or04, just search trail name), Tinkerbell(04). There are tons, I just remember them talking about their gear too.

Good Luck

Marta
10-24-2005, 09:25
Before you buy any gear, you might want to check out the various gear lists of ultralight hikers. From time to time the ultralight groups issue challenges to come up with complete gear outfits very cheaply. To start down this road, you could read Ray Jardine's book. BackpackingLight.com has some inexpensive pamphlets, as well as loads of information on their website.

My personal recommendation is to separate the hiking and camping portions of the experience at first. Many colleges have places where you can check out (as in "check out" like a library book) camping gear for the weekend. You could then go to a state park or other place where you can spend the night. If there has been some huge flaw in your planning, you can beat a hasty retreat to the car or to town, analyze your mistake, and try again next weekend. If your college has an outing club, definitely sign up for their excursions and use their equipment, and observe what the other kids do.

Good luck!

Almost There
10-24-2005, 09:54
I would be careful about the whole ultralight thing until you've been out for some overnights. Figure out what is right for you. IMHO the ultralight gear out there is simply more expensive and falls apart faster. My base weight for pack, sleep bag, and tent is down to a little over 9lbs. None of it is considered ultralight gear, although I will say it isn't the cheapest of gear. I carry a Mystery Ranch Deep Trance, a Marmot Helium, and the MSR Hubba. If I'm gonna spend 300 bucks on a sleeping bag, it better last. You can always move ultralight later on, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone just starting to get going.

Doctari
10-24-2005, 12:09
OR: Do a search here at white blaze, under, Gear list, or gear, or list or gear review. Compare with the posters stated needs/wants & your precieved needs/wants. Also, as stated above: rent / borrow / beg gear that is at least near what you think you need and go for a few practice hikes. I like to go local for my practice hikes, and many times test things like: shelter(s), stoves, etc. in my back yard. The reason for staying local is I if I need to "bail" I know the area, and am close to home so if something simply dosn't work I have a safety valve.

And indeed, read a few journals. Remember the "Rule" of HIKE YOUR OWN HIKE and take what is said about: gear, places to stay, people / services, etc on the trail with the proverbial grain of salt. Who I like/dislike, what does or dosn't work for me, may not work at all or work very very well for you.

What ever way you choose, it will be a education :jump perhaps even as extensive as your university one :p

Doctari.

Big Dawg
10-24-2005, 12:45
:welcome aboard!! :sun

neo
10-24-2005, 13:22
welcome to white blaze:cool: neo

LIhikers
10-24-2005, 17:02
Let me make a suggestion. Once you have your basic gear, start getting some experience with overnighters. Harriman State Park is just north of NY City and has some real nice trails (as well as the AT) and some shelters too.

Go to the web page for the NewYork/New Jersey Trail Conference at http://www.nynjtc.org/ You'll be able to order the maps for the Harriman-Bear Mountain trails and do a search of the site for information on Public Transportation to the park. You can get their either by bus or train.

You can learn a lot on short trips. Things like what kind of foods give you the energy you need and go down easy, how to operate whatever kind of stove you have, how you best like to sleep, how to set-up that new tent or hammock, and on and on and on. Then you're ready for a longer trip.

And most important, welcome to whiteblaze! :welcome

LIhikers
10-24-2005, 17:08
You mentioned EMS. They rent gear. Maybe you could start you're learning experience by renting gear before you buy, that will let you get started sooner.

VAMTNHIKER
10-25-2005, 07:44
Welcome to Whiteblaze! Happy trails!

Rain Man
10-25-2005, 11:11
I think grizzled, hardened, experienced backpackers forget the wonder (and apprehension) some feel as they plan for their very first backpacking outing. I had butterflies, and my wife and I only were going for one weekend (one night) nearby with two NOLS graduates. Thus, nothing to be concerned about, really, but still I was.

Anyway, like learning to swim or ride a bike-- it can be scary to the first-timer anticipating doing it, but pretty darn easy and FUN after that!

Welcome aboard!!! Jump in, the water's fine! LOL

Rain:sunMan

P.S. NOLS is the National Outdoor Leadership School, well-known for training outing leaders.

.

Sly
10-25-2005, 11:43
IMHO the ultralight gear out there is simply more expensive and falls apart faster.


There are plenty of light(er)weight alternatives that will last a thru-hike (or two) to the Mystery Ranch Deep Trance and MSR Hubba and they cost less.

Ender
10-25-2005, 12:34
Mcnuggets,

I also live in NYC, and there are some good and easy options for hiking around here. If you don't have a car, the metro north train goes straight to the Appalachian Trail on weekends. The stop is right on the trail. It's a good way to go and test out new gear. Hike out 10 miles in either direction, camp, and then hike back the next day.

Also, if you have a car, there are fantastic hiking options up in the Cold Spring area. Cross over to the west side of the Hudson, and there's some good, and challenging hikes... Storm King comes to mind. Great views up and down the Hudson, steep hiking, good stuff. Don't know about camping regulations in that area though... never done it so I never checked it out.

And welcome to the board!

Ender

PennyBen
03-13-2009, 15:39
Hi,

I'm new to this as well. I am graduating from college this May, and I will be starting a thru-hike upon my graduation. It is in memory of my father who passed away, and we started a fundraiser around it. My hike along the AT is the final event of the year, and I can't start the AT until mid-May. I will begin in Georgia on May 13 (a year after my father passed).

Will this give me enough time to hike the AT NoBo and end in Katahdin before Baxter closes in Oct.? I will also be resupplying along the way, and not doing mail drops for expense purposes...

Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

tenbeer
03-13-2009, 15:50
Hi,

I'm new to this as well. I am graduating from college this May, and I will be starting a thru-hike upon my graduation. It is in memory of my father who passed away, and we started a fundraiser around it. My hike along the AT is the final event of the year, and I can't start the AT until mid-May. I will begin in Georgia on May 13 (a year after my father passed).

Will this give me enough time to hike the AT NoBo and end in Katahdin before Baxter closes in Oct.? I will also be resupplying along the way, and not doing mail drops for expense purposes...

Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
yes it is possible. do the math . 2175/5= 435 miles a month/30=14.5 miles per day. The park normally closes the middle of October.

Lone Wolf
03-13-2009, 15:51
yes it is possible. do the math . 2175/5= 435 miles a month/30=14.5 miles per day. The park normally closes the middle of October.

the park doesn't close mid-october. just no overnight camping in the park

hopefulhiker
03-13-2009, 16:01
I would try to buy used gear from the forums off of White Blaze and other places like Ebay.. Also I hiked some with Dandylion in 05.. he was only 18 at the time..

PennyBen
03-13-2009, 16:09
yes it is possible. do the math . 2175/5= 435 miles a month/30=14.5 miles per day. The park normally closes the middle of October.

So that's without stopping in the towns much, and not accounting for any "0 miles" days, right?

McKeever
03-13-2009, 16:18
Before you buy any gear, you might want to check out the various gear lists of ultralight hikers. From time to time the ultralight groups issue challenges to come up with complete gear outfits very cheaply. To start down this road, you could read Ray Jardine's book. BackpackingLight.com has some inexpensive pamphlets, as well as loads of information on their website.

My personal recommendation is to separate the hiking and camping portions of the experience at first. Many colleges have places where you can check out (as in "check out" like a library book) camping gear for the weekend. You could then go to a state park or other place where you can spend the night. If there has been some huge flaw in your planning, you can beat a hasty retreat to the car or to town, analyze your mistake, and try again next weekend. If your college has an outing club, definitely sign up for their excursions and use their equipment, and observe what the other kids do.

Good luck!

Yes, learn before you buy! The other posts about going out with an experienced group is something you should pursue. Your motovation will carry you far, don't loose sight of it while learning from all the different opinions.

tenbeer
03-13-2009, 16:20
So that's without stopping in the towns much, and not accounting for any "0 miles" days, right?
yes that is correct.

McKeever
03-13-2009, 16:22
I would be careful about the whole ultralight thing until you've been out for some overnights. Figure out what is right for you. IMHO the ultralight gear out there is simply more expensive and falls apart faster. My base weight for pack, sleep bag, and tent is down to a little over 9lbs. None of it is considered ultralight gear, although I will say it isn't the cheapest of gear. I carry a Mystery Ranch Deep Trance, a Marmot Helium, and the MSR Hubba. If I'm gonna spend 300 bucks on a sleeping bag, it better last. You can always move ultralight later on, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone just starting to get going.

Ultralight gear does not fall apart faster. The three items above can weight 4lbs total, not 9lbs. That's the basics of lw hiking.

Pedaling Fool
03-13-2009, 16:23
yes it is possible. do the math . 2175/5= 435 miles a month/30=14.5 miles per day. The park normally closes the middle of October.
That math doesn't work on the trail.

Lilred
03-13-2009, 16:33
You'll start out doing less than 14.5 mpd, but you'll pick that pace up to around 20mpd by around Virginia. Starting in the middle of May, you should be at Harper's Ferry or north of that by the end of July. This is a better judge than the 14.5 mpd. remember, that's an average.

tenbeer
03-13-2009, 16:35
That math doesn't work on the trail.

I agree, I am only trying to show that it is possible. For most unlikely. Get out hike as far as you can and enjoy the whole way. I did most of my hiking in May and July, and although it was hot I had a great time.

tenbeer
03-13-2009, 16:40
You'll start out doing less than 14.5 mpd, but you'll pick that pace up to around 20mpd by around Virginia. Starting in the middle of May, you should be at Harper's Ferry or north of that by the end of July. This is a better judge than the 14.5 mpd. remember, that's an average.
Agreed also, I was in Harpers Ferry on July 4th, most thru hiker's here at this time, made it around the beginning of October (those that made it). Although terrible snow storms dealyed there summit till the first week in October

PennyBen
03-13-2009, 16:46
the park doesn't close mid-october. just no overnight camping in the park

So the park doesn't close in October? The ATC webpage says it closes around mid Oct...

It said to do a flip-flop hike if Im not at Harper's Ferry by mid-July, and bounce up to Maine and come back down.

Do you think this is accurate?

Blissful
03-13-2009, 16:59
Might want to flip if it gets late and you won't arrive by early Oct as snow can happen early on K. If you're comfortable with possiblity of snow though, you might be able to go longer. However way you do it, have a good time.

Frick Frack
03-13-2009, 17:57
If time is a problem hike SOBO and you have no deadlines/closures to worry about.

Many Walks
03-14-2009, 00:45
mcnuggets, welcome! You've come to the right spot as these folks are a wealth of knowledge and expertise in long distance hiking. Lot's of great ideas here. My thoughts are along the lines of Marta, Doctari, and others who recommend borrowing or renting gear to try out and stay close to home to test it to get more of a feel for what works for you. As stated earlier, read the journals and lots of forums with gear lists and reviews. On top of that the best I can offer is to know that hiking for free can be one of the most expensive passions a person can have. It's easy to buy gear and then see something that will work better for you. After a while you'll have enough gear to restock a REI store. Last thing is to think more of hiking and what you have to carry and don't get caught up in all the "what ifs" you might think you want for camping...they just tend to add extra weight. You're in a fun time with the anticipation of the trail ahead of you. Best wishes on your journey!

mindi
03-14-2009, 09:51
Hi, Mcnuggets!

I was in the same boat as you in '07..I really had no idea what I was doing. The people here are the most valuable resource that I could find anywhere. I asked tons of stupid questions and had a minor freakout every week or so! I posted my gearlist several times and had it torn apart until I got it down to a decent weight and dumped unnecessary items.

I second checking out trailjournals to get an idea of what kind of gear others are using. Once you've settled on an idea of what gear you want to get, check out the internet for clearance sales. I managed to get completely geared up for around $500 by buying last year's models on clearance, or stuff in weird colors, etc. and checking out the gear forums on here. You'd be surprised how many people have old gear in good shape that they are willing to offload for cheap.

Doing some section hikes is a good idea. I had only done dayhikes before I set out and the first couple of weeks were pretty painful ;).

4eyedbuzzard
03-14-2009, 10:11
You'll start out doing less than 14.5 mpd, but you'll pick that pace up to around 20mpd by around Virginia. Starting in the middle of May, you should be at Harper's Ferry or north of that by the end of July. This is a better judge than the 14.5 mpd. remember, that's an average.

And unless you're superman/woman you'll likely slow down again substantially through the Whites and western ME. 14 mpd is a pretty reasonable average though.

Tin Man
03-14-2009, 10:26
For a May start, keep the flip option open, you'll figure it out by Harper's.

-OR- consider waiting until July and SOBO.

TJ aka Teej
03-14-2009, 12:19
So the park doesn't close in October? The ATC webpage says it closes around mid Oct...
The Park closes to overnight camping on Oct 15th every year. No matter what day of the week, it's Oct 15th. The Park is open year round, and while Katahdin can often be day hiked after the 15th, the mountain trails sometimes close as early as the first week of October.

Captain
03-14-2009, 13:53
Go over to www.trailjournals.com (http://www.trailjournals.com) and pick out several thru-hikers your age that have completed the trail, read their journals end to end and you'll find out everything you need to know.
thats just fun to do anyway and its good to get perspective what some people would call a drizzle others will call a torrential downpour.. and you will have your own definition of rain, but either way you will be wet and soggy thats a universal constant

yaduck9
03-14-2009, 15:06
[quote=mcnuggets;133954]I've been lurking on these forums for the past few weeks and I've finally decided to introduce myself. My name is Tom and I'm obsessed with completing a thru hike. I'm in college now so I need to wait until I get my BA until I can start. In the meantime I'm hoping to do some section hiking during my vaction time.

I feel like I'm coming into this whole area blind though. I have no experience overnighting. I don't even know how to pitch a tent. I'm no stranger to day hiking though. Every summer as far as I can remember I'd get out of the city and go to my parent's house in the Mt. Washington valley. Me and my Dad over the course of a few summers hiked all the Whites. It was great, I loved it. Never went camping though so I imagine its going to take some trial and error before I can get that down.

My reasons for wanting to complete a journey like this is simple. I feel like my life has been getting progressively more and more boring as the years go by. I want to break the cycle and do something incredible. I want to feel completely independent from society. I want to know that if it all came crashing down I can pick up my pack and leave it behind.

Anyway I want to get most of my gear in order before April of next year when I have 10 free days. I'm planning (tentatively) to take a train up from NYC to the AT stop and head north to Chesire, MA. I'm probably being overly optimistic. I at least want to get part way through MA. As far as gear goes I'm liking the Gregory Forester. I went to EMS the other day and tried it on. It fit great. As far as a tent goes I'm looking at a Kelty Crestone. Nice, light and cheap.

Anyway anyone have any advice/tips for me?[/quote

Ear plugs, for getting to sleep at night.

superman
03-14-2009, 16:52
One of the guys that I hiked with quite a bit when we got up to NH confessed that he'd never hiked or camped before. He had to stay in the shelter on Springer because he had no idea how to put his brand new tent up. He had just retired, read an article about the AT and decided to hike it. He went to an outfitter and bought all his stuff and then went to Springer.
He is a very intelligent man but it took him a while to accept that "it's just walking." He's since hiked the PCT and CDT.
Welcome.

Many Walks
03-14-2009, 22:21
"Ear plugs, for getting to sleep at night."

Even better, avoid shelters.

PennyBen
03-15-2009, 01:20
The Park closes to overnight camping on Oct 15th every year. No matter what day of the week, it's Oct 15th. The Park is open year round, and while Katahdin can often be day hiked after the 15th, the mountain trails sometimes close as early as the first week of October.


So if some of the mountain trails are closed, but Baxter still remains open after the 15th...I wouldn't be able to make it up Katahdin anyhow, right? If the trails leading up to it might be closed?

I guess I'll just bank on getting to Baxter on Oct 1! You're right, I'll know by Harper's what to do...

Thanks!

Highpointbound
03-15-2009, 10:49
I think Mcnuggets and PennyBen are two different people. Mcnuggets started this post in 2005.

Good info all the same.