Section Hiking Shuttles

[Badger Hiker]

Hello Everyone! I am a new member of White Blaze and live in Wisconsin. This summer I will start section hiking the AT. I am going to start with a 2 week hike. I am an engineer by profession so very systematic in my thinking (a fault of mine). Due to this I would like to start my section hike at either the North end of the trail or the South end and sequentially do sections toward the other terminus. Right now I am leaning toward starting in the South and heading North. I would wait until the main group of through hikers has left to do my hike this summer.

1.) Is there a forum or thread for section hikers? I can't seem to find anything specifically.

2.) I know that there are for hire shuttle services. Where can one find info on these?

3.) Recommendations?

Thank you,

Dave

[illabelle]

Badger Dave,
Welcome to WhiteBlaze! We're kinda crazy, but we know everything, so that makes up for it. :rolleyes:
My husband and I are section hikers, doing weekend and occasional weeklong sections. Ain't nothing wrong with starting at one end and working your way to the other, but I'd encourage you to consider "systematically" organizing your plans so that you hike each area at its optimal time of year, with the best weather, the least congestion, the fewest bugs, the best scenery, etc. I mean, if you're gonna section hike, you might as well enjoy one of its primary benefits, right?

Below are three resources many of us use a lot. The first is the Appalachian Trail Conservancy site and has loads of basic information about the trail, and about hiking in general. Read all of it. On the section hiker page, you'll find a link to shuttles, organized from south to north. Just find somebody in the area you plan to hike, give 'em a call or shoot 'em an email, and inquire about price/availability/where to meet, etc. I used the site just a couple days ago to set up a shuttle for our April hike in Pennsylvania. It's best to make initial inquiry a few weeks ahead of your trip, then follow up a week before, and again en route.

Second link is the Appalachian Trail Distance Calculator. This site allows you to quickly determine distance from point A to point B, and also allows you to keep up with your progress online.

The last link is to an essential book, the AT Guide. This book is less than $20, can be ordered in northbound (NOBO) or southbound (SOBO) versions, in either bound or loose-leaf format. It has tons of detailed well-formatted information. I consult it when planning a section, and carry copies of the relevant pages while hiking a section. A great resource!

www.appalachiantrail.org
www.atdist.com
www.theatguide.com

[peakbagger]

I agree with the prior poster, pick the sections to line up with the best weather conditions. I used to end up with a vacation that I needed to burn up in mid to late april. I did a couple of sections in new England and ran into the inevitable rainy season, it made wet cold and rainy conditions. Once I got New England done I had a couple of spring hikes south of SNP and the weather and conditions were much nicer, with a bit of care we avoided the bubble.

With respect to shuttles, there are many folks who do shuttles that intentionally don't get on lists. If the shuttles are in USFS areas, the shuttlers may need to get outfitter guide permits and special insurance. In general if they advertise, they really should have commercial insurance and possibly a state license. Therefore many shuttlers do it informally with the expectation that the person getting the shuttle will tip generously (feel free to check other threads but $1 a mile that the shuttler drives is not unreasonable). Frequently hostels and outfitters along the trail may have list of locals that will shuttle or do a post on Whiteblaze and ask around, you may get PMs.

The other issue to keep in mind is that informal shuttlers aren't always on vacation and their schedule may not line up with yours. I live in the whites and on rare occasions will give folks a ride as a favor but not many are interested as its usually at 5 in the morning on weekdays so I can get home and go to work. On weekends I am out hiking so no shuttles.

In much of the AT many of the shuttles are a lot longer distance than the miles you will hike. Add in that the shuttler has to drive double the distance plus whatever they live away from the trail. In Maine it could be three of 4 times more. This can add up to well over $200 unless you can split costs.

If you absolutely want a firm pickup and drop off go with commercial shuttlers, if you have a bit of flexibility then its worth asking around.

Of course the other standard recommendation to any shuttle is always get the shuttle on the first day of the trip and hike back to your car.

[Cookerhiker]

Agree with Peakbagger on choosing the time of year. Unless you're locked in to the summer (e.g. teachers), the best times to hike most of the AT is spring and fall, not summer. Since you seem set on hiking the trail "in order," then plan your Georgia-NC section hike in either May (thru-hike "bubble" is largely gone) or October.

Also, you may need flexibility to meet your shuttlers' needs. For example, even if you insist on hiking south-to-north, there may be sections where it's more convenient for the shuttler for you to hike north-to-south. More importantly, trailhead parking may dictate that you hike N-S.

Best of luck to you!:sun

[earlyriser26]

I have used at least 20 shuttle providers from the AT shuttle list provided by the ATC. Never have had any problems with any of them. If you want a recommendation for someone from GA to PA I can tell you which ones I have used. If you problems finding someone on the list, just ask on White Blaze and somebody will help you. Good luck. P.S. section hiking is great because you avoid some bad weather. I was going to do a hike in PA next week until I saw it was going to be below zero all week.

[Praha4]

Get the ATC shuttle list, and pickup the 2015 edition of the "AT Guide", by AWOL.

from another retired engineer, I can definitely relate to what you said about being systematic and analytical in planning hikes. I usually prepare an Excel spreadsheet before every section hike laying out my planned daily mileage and campsites, and resupply points. Have fun!

[Turtle-2013]

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/at-shuttle-list.pdf?sfvrsn=0

Not the only source but a good one, and referred to by several of the previous posters.

Since i live in Virginia I have started "in the middle" and worked both directions.

WE (section hikers) really SHOULD have our own forum since our issues are often very different than that of thru-hikers.

[Badger Hiker]

Wow, Thank you to everyone for your very helpful advice! I ordered the AT Guides (both) but the maps were out of stock so I will have to wait on those. I also joined the ATC and the ALDHA. I am goi8ng to take many of your advice and hike the sections in the best weather months for that section. Is there anything that would guide a hiker to know when the best months are to hike specific sections of the trail?

Thank You Again to All!

Dave

[Lyle]

I generally enjoy hiking in late spring or early fall. Usually great weather no matter where you are. An exception would be to hike the Roan/Hump mountain areas of TN in June, when the floral displays are spectacular. Other than that, spring in Vermont is not advisable.

[illabelle]

... Is there anything that would guide a hiker to know when the best months are to hike specific sections of the trail?
A lot depends on your personal preferences and tolerance of heat/cold/wet. The ATC website has some general suggestions if you read through their state by state descriptions. Also read their alternative itineraries for thru-hikers, and you'll see their rationale for suggesting when to be in certain areas. Also, after you've done a section or two, you'll develop your own opinions. There's a lot of flexibility within a pretty wide range of possibilities, as you can see from a description of our general 10-year plan:



We usually include a short SOBO spring section each year somewhere in the south (well away from Springer) where we can encounter several NOBO thru-hikers. Last year we met a couple people in NC, and then ran across the same people in VA on another section several weeks later. The year before we talked with a group of NOBOs at a shelter, one of whom had a popular trail journal that we followed to the finish (this was very helpful in increasing my husband's enthusiasm for the trail).
We did the Smokies in two parts (starting in the middle and going downhill), in May and October. Didn't want to be crowded in shelters with the thru-hiker "bubble", and didn't want to be there during the extremes of summer or winter. Both trips were very pleasant.
Because Pennsylvania has a reputation for being dry, we're doing it in the spring.
Because Vermont has big mud problems, we're doing it and Massachusetts in the fall. Big plus is the fall colors!
Because New Hampshire and Maine have extreme winters and terrible bugs, we'll hit them in the late summer.
To avoid the bubble, we hike Georgia in the fall.
Virginia is a big state, about a quarter of the total trail, and includes the high country of the Mt Rogers area, the Shenandoahs, some special places like McAfee's Knob, and a lot of stuff that is "inbetween." We skip around, doing a weekend here or there, mostly spring and fall, sometimes late in the fall with some crisp temperatures. Same is true for North Carolina and Tennessee (where we live).
Because we don't enjoy hiking in heat and humidity, we do very little hiking in the south during the summer. An exception will be Roan Mountain (mentioned in a post above) where the Rhododendron Festival occurs mid-June of each year. That will be worth a little sweat!


Just get out there. Enjoy the variety and freedom the trail offers.

[Cookerhiker]

The only thing I'll add to Lyle and Illabelle's posts is that I enjoy hiking Central and Northern Virginia in early spring (April, early May) before the trees leaf out when you'll catch views from both sides of the ridges and enjoy the early wildflowers like bloodroot.

[peakbagger]

One thing I missed in Southern VA are the rhododendrum blooms. I was always early to avoid the bubble but do want to get back down someday to see the blooms. Even though we missed the rhodo's we did get some great wildflowers before the canopy leafed out.

I agree that a lot of PA tends to be dry as the trail is on the ridgeline. The water sources are just drainage from low points in the ridge. Even in the late spring, there wasn't a lot of flow.

[wornoutboots]

Welcome to WB!! I've sectioned from Springer to Harpers Ferry & have used lots of different shuttlers. Once you decide on your direction, post back again here & you'll have many shuttle options that have been used by many ppl here. Enjoy your hike!!

[Deer Hunter]

Hello Everyone! I am a new member of White Blaze and live in Wisconsin. This summer I will start section hiking the AT. I am going to start with a 2 week hike. I am an engineer by profession so very systematic in my thinking (a fault of mine). Due to this I would like to start my section hike at either the North end of the trail or the South end and sequentially do sections toward the other terminus. Right now I am leaning toward starting in the South and heading North. I would wait until the main group of through hikers has left to do my hike this summer.

1.) Is there a forum or thread for section hikers? I can't seem to find anything specifically.

2.) I know that there are for hire shuttle services. Where can one find info on these?

3.) Recommendations?

Thank you,

Dave


Welcome, Dave! Pm me if you would like my number. I may be able to help you out with a shuttle when you hit Glasgow, Va. or the AT crossing on Rt. 60 near Buena Vista, Va.

[HogFan]

WE (section hikers) really SHOULD have our own forum since our issues are often very different than that of thru-hikers.

Agreed, I've always wondered why there's no Section Hiking sub forum here.

[msumax1985]

Hey Badger, I have a similar mindset as you. I do three-week sections and am also section hiking to Maine. (going back in April again this year) Here are a couple suggestions:

1) Embrace the bubble. I found that meeting fellow hikers is big part of the experience. Hiking the AT is fun, but it's more fun with several other fellow hikers around you. I didn't expect this, but I find it a big part of why I go back every year. When you start at Springer in April, everyone else will also be a newbie. And by doing research at places like White Blaze, you will know more than most of the through hikers around you. If flexible on your timing, I recommend timing your sections to coincide with the northbound hiker bubble.
2) Stay at the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega the night before you start and have them shuttle you to the trail. If driving, you can park there and get shuttled back when you're done.
3) many of the services you'll read about here are only offered during "hiking season", or when the bubble is expected to be in that area. Services the rest of the year are much more limited. (talking about shuttles, resupply, special reduced hiker rates on motel/hostels)
4) Once you've done your first section you will have a much better understanding and can then adjust your long term goals based on your preferences.

[dreamweaver21]

I am doing the same thing and in a similar trade. I started at Springer last year and did two weeks to get to the middle of the smokies. I hope to do 2-3 weeks this year to get to the VA line. I flew into ATL and stayed at hiker hostel the night before starting the trail and they dropped us off the next morning. I would absolutely do this again if I wanted to start at Springer.

[slbirdnerd]

Welcome! I am a relatively new section hiker and I, too, have it in my head to hike "in order" so to speak. I started at Springer summer before last and will pick up at Winding Stair Gap this year. June is the easiest month for me and has gone well. I believe shuttles are plentiful. For GA, look into the Hiker Hostel and Joyce/Sally. I used J&S for most of Springer to Deep Gap, love them! Also there is a shuttle list her eon WB and on the ATC website.

Definitely get a copy of The AT Guide. It's only like $9 if you get the pdf version, print the pages you need (I print them reduced and keep them in a baggie in my pocket). I wish he had a subscription service for section hikers, but then, it's a small price to pay for what the book has to offer.

Have a great hike!

[redseal]

Hey another engineer! Welcome to the group!

[chiefduffy]

Don't know if you are on FaceBook, but there is a Appalacian Trail Section Hikers page there, and a few other AT pages as well.