Currently planning for 2016, starting around March 15....

[ohdaisy]

Any other ladies stating around the same time?
I do have some prior hiking experience but have never completed a thru-hike or extensive backpacking trip.
Any tips on training prior to taking off?
Any gear recommendations? I would like to hammock camp. I have an ENO DoubleNest that I use as my bed, literally in my room. :)
Still need to purchase most of my main gear.
Fairly petite 24 year old here, if that makes a difference.
This is my first post and forum so if I'm doing something wrong just let me know. LOL.

Thanks in advance!!

[heckyesnugent]

I'm planning to leave sometime in March 2016 too! I am a beginner so I don't have a lot of advice but it would be cool to meet up!

[firegirl130065]

I will be leaving end of April for nobo hike. I want to try to do it in 4 1/2 months. I am newer to hiking but I like to think I am in decent shape. I am 34.

[tliebs]

I'll be leaving from GA around then too. I'll be 25, relatively new to hiking. Lots of planning and training to do!

[Moira]

I'll be leaving around the same time! I'm 25, some experience backpacking on the AT. I definitely recommend mentally preparing as much as physically!

[ohdaisy]

Yay! Glad we can all talk beforehand. I have also hiked some on the AT when I lived in Gatlinburg, TN. No backpacking on it though. Anyone in my area of northwest FL? Where are most of you getting your gear? Unfortunately, I don't have an REI in my area. :( Bummer.

[Hikingmaddie]

Yay! Glad we can all talk beforehand. I have also hiked some on the AT when I lived in Gatlinburg, TN. No backpacking on it though. Anyone in my area of northwest FL? Where are most of you getting your gear? Unfortunately, I don't have an REI in my area. :( Bummer.
ill be starting May 2016, however i am in North florida (jax area). slowly accumulating my gear through used backpacking sites and online REI deals! just scored a new exos 58 over half off through a facebook gear trade hiking group!

[shelb]

Good luck to all of you!
One poster asked about training. My advice, although I am a lowly section hiker, is to put the miles in - but to really try to add elevation changes. These changes can be in the form of actually hiking up/down mountains, or if you do not have that access - hit the step-master or actual steps somewhere. I will do laps on the sand dune steps or just go up and down the steps at the university library (4 levels - but the equivalent of 10 flights of stairs) nearby.

My first time on the trail, I thought I was really conditioned due to my running.... however, I quickly learned my legs were not used to more than 5K a day - and the big thing - they were not used to the elevation climbs!

Make your experience easier - get those legs in shape for climbing and distance!

[Oxs]

I'll be starting in March 2016 as well! I am and will be 22 with little hiking experience. Also, I'm in the Netherlands so not a lot of places to train in hiking anyway, especially nothing with any elevation at all! At the moment my training consists of running and walking the stairs up to the 16th floor (where I live)..

[BenOnAdventures]

I'm not a lady hiker but I think you did great on your first post! ..21 year old male here, if my opinion counts lol

[kizzybean]

I'm an older section hiker. The best conditioning I had for my Section AT hikes was doing Crossfit. The weight training really helped me out. I live summers in Maine and would day hike around but still found that did not condition me for the backpacking as effectively as working out daily at my local Crossfit gym did. Doing the varied workouts both strength and aerobic training made a huge difference for me. If I am ever able to attempt a thru hike I will definitely do Crossfit for as many months before I leave as I can. As mentioned by others walking or hiking with your gear helps condition as well. Good luck and enjoy your hike.

[shelb]

Welcome!!!

I see you are from Florida! I am from another flatlander state - Michigan!

I would suggest you work on those muscles in your legs that support climbing! Either find a building to climb up and down the stairs (I am doing that in the local college) or maybe another natural area (I am doing this at the dunes area).

Make sure to cut the weight down in your pack. You should be able to have it at least 30 pounds or less!

Enjoy!!!

[Cfullerton]

I'm from FL & VA and hoping to thru hike NOBO beginning late Mar, early April. I'm 58 with new knees. I'm doing a weekend backpacking trip this weekend beginning at Clingmans Dome. I have most of my equipment and hope to accomplish several trips before next spring. Would love to get together with others to compare notes, tips, concerns,etc.

[greatdaner]

Was going to fly into Atlanta the 15th or 16th of March and start the 17th! I'll be 23 when I start and have hiked my whole life throughout New Hampshire including a lot along the AT. I don't know what insight I can provide but I think it is an effective method to use a group to bump ideas back and forth!

[RumpusParable]

A help: if you don't have long or distances on a regular basis, hiking or not hiking, start doing so to find your "hot spots". Not just on your feet but anywhere else. Build up calluses and/or learn where you need to tape and/or lubricate (a body athletic lube that's silicon based - I love the 2Toms roll-on)

I suggest never getting a silicon powder because if it gets on the floor someone will die even if you try cleaning it up lol.

I know from doing 15-22 mile trail hikes training for an event that for long distances I need to tape 4 of my toes, lube all between, around, and under my toes; under my breast; up my bum cracking; the inside of my left upper arm. Maybe TMI but a good example to give. Even with building calluses and good shoes I had to tape and lube before each walk.

If you don't do that before, bring the lube and 3/8th inch medical tape for when you find spots on the trail.

In cases when you find yourself without such and still have to keep going, take some form of squishy consistently gel or lotion and absolutely smother your feet, especially toes, in it and then put on well-lit ting socks. There should be enough that at first it feels mushy to take a few steps until you just get used to it. Sunscreen lotions are a good option usually. Be sure to clean off your feet well at night so your feet get a chance to get cleaning and dry and do it again in the morning.

[RumpusParable]

Meh, all kinds of weird autocorrect in there, but you can see what words I meant I hope lol.

[Babwe Geek]

Zimbabwean / Australian confirmed flights and landing in Atlanta 8th of March at 6pm odd, will buy last supplies on 9th of March and intend staying at Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega before starting out on NOBO thru hike on around 10th of March ..... any advice appreciated and if anyone wants to start out with me or will allow me to join and start with their group I would be over the proverbial moon ..... would love to leave footprints with some like-minded happy people.

[Z Hiker]

If nothing else, I carry my pack up and down flights of stairs to get in shape for a hike. It is remarkably effective for me.

[Crumbcakes]

I'm 35, a moderately-experienced hiker and am planning to hike NOBO mid March to early April. Perhaps we can begin together. I live in the Interior of BC, Canada.

[Phoenix23]

Just thought I would say Hi, I'm coming from England, starting approach trail 17th March, as for gear I've pretty much got a whole new set, done a fair bit of backpacking over the years, always just made do, never looked into gear so intensely, ultimately I'm trying out gear and changing if needed, hopefully I'll have a much lighter bag than I'm used to! See you on the trail! :)

[Lauriep]

Lots of great advice and mutual support here! WhiteBlaze.net provides such a wonderful service by enabling people to share ideas, plans, concerns, advice, and more.

I would encourage everyone to register their thru-hike.

Also, ideally avoid a March 15 Georgia start date if you can because it's such a popular date (some years it's the single most popular date). There could be close to 100 thru-hikers starting out from Springer that day, with almost as many students again out on "spring break"

(I put "spring break" in quotes, because mid-March is usually not spring-like in the north Georgia mountains. It can be, but more often it's still wintery, occasionally with snow, ice, or slush. At the same time, on bright sunny days, you can get sunburned because there's no leaf cover on the trees, so bring sunscreen, especially for your nose and ears, and a wide-brimmed hat!)

To understand why 100 or more hikers starting the same day is a concern--if you haven't been on the A.T. before--the footpath is narrow, wide enough for only one person at a time in most areas. You usually have to step aside to allow a hiker going the other way (or around you) to pass. (Choose a rock to step on, if you can, to "leave no trace" when you step off-trail). Campsites typically have a shelter designed to hold 6-12 or so people. The popular shelters can be surrounded by a sea of tents in these crowded periods. Every year, as the number of hikers in the popular times increases, the amount of denuded area around a shelter grows. So, if the numbers don't seem like a lot, this may help you understand why we're trying to encourage people to spread out.

You can view charts, updated once or twice a week, to see which dates thru-hikers have already signed up for at www.appalachiantrail.org/home/explore-the-trail/thru-hiking/voluntary-thru-hiker-registration/2016-thru-hiker-registration-charts (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/explore-the-trail/thru-hiking/voluntary-thru-hiker-registration/2016-thru-hiker-registration-charts). Keep in mind that the numbers now only reflect a small percentage of the hikers that will actually show up.

Registering has some benefits for you:


a free Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) membership (that means a subscription to a great magazine, A.T. Journeys, and discounts on ATC merchandise and at some businesses along the Trail)
a keepsake 2016 A.T. hangtag for your pack
the option to receive alerts


Registering also benefits other hikers (thru-hikers and section-hikers alike), who can have a better idea of how many people have signed up each day, and help trail managers understand patterns and prepare for them.

For anyone on this thread who's already registered, we just got the hangtags in a few days ago and will start sending them out as soon. Membership packets will be sent out soon, too.

When you're ready, you can register at www.appalachiantrail.org/thruhikeregistration (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/thruhikeregistration).

Whether you register or not, try to learn as much as you can about best Leave No Trace practices that you can. Some things are intuitive, like not leaving your trash behind, but many are not. Things like how and where to dig a cathole and considerations when building a fire (or not) are skills that have to be learned. Check out the videos and info at www.appalachiantrail.org/lnt (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/lnt)!

Looking forward to seeing you all in Harpers Ferry!

Laurie P.
Appalachian Trail Conservancy

[mirandaminer]

Hey! I'll be 24 by the time I leave on March 16th (hold off a day and we could meet up!), and I'm a pretty inexperienced hiker. I'm not so much looking for someone to hike side by side with every day as I would just like to camp near someone and share the day with... Also, a support system would be nice when things get rough! I have made plans to stay in Gaineville the night before and get picked up by an AT shuttle at the hotel, if you would like to share a shuttle ride/cost.

[lexasaur]

I'll be hitting the trail 3/14! I'm also a fairly inexperienced hiker, but have been doing a buttload of prep so, hopefully it pays off! Will see you guys out there :)

[namaste7]

I'm also from NW Florida and will be starting early March. I competed a little over 900 miles last fall and am trying to finish up my thru hike before July. Maybe I'll see you all out there. I would agree with the training on stair master, carrying weight also helps. Taking your hike slow to begin with also will allow your legs to adjust to the hills and weight. It takes time for your body to adjust no matter how you train. Just keep with it and you'll be fine:)

[MinaSauk]

Looking to start March 18 from the approach trail. Have hiked locally but nothing like the AT. Have been hitting some local county parks that have lots of hills and natural paths (rocky, rooty).

[pATchouli]

Great advice, shelb. I'm also a lowly section hiker. The more active I am ahead of time, the less pain I am in by about Day 3.
Try to keep your pack weight as low as possible. Have a FANTASTIC hike!

[Smoky Spoon]

We are close in age and leaving at a similar time. Would love to meet you on the trail sometime if you are interested?



I'm from FL & VA and hoping to thru hike NOBO beginning late Mar, early April. I'm 58 with new knees. I'm doing a weekend backpacking trip this weekend beginning at Clingmans Dome. I have most of my equipment and hope to accomplish several trips before next spring. Would love to get together with others to compare notes, tips, concerns,etc.