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Hello, I have decided to do a thru-hike starting around 15 August of this year going southbound. I have been pouring over all of these forums and other resources to try to find as many answers to the questions I have but want to be sure I have the most current information so I apologize in advance if these questions have been re-visited many times.
1. Will I need to start with cold weather gear or at what point will it become more necessary?
2. I read a few threads saying to check your bag in at the starting point and get a day pack. I am confused by this, am I literally going to be doing a loop and returning where I start then take another trail from there to continue on?
3. Is there a site or resource I can use that will let me plot and plan my journey and show what is available in each town and such?
(I don't plan on sending food or anything, is there a resource that shows you far the towns are? How do you plan how much food to bring from each stop?)
4. What is the most recommended way to make it to the starting point? I will be flying in from Germany, where should I fly into? I have seen recommendations to take a bus from Portland and have also seen some say fly into Bangor. Suggestions?
Again, thank you in advance for your time!
Another Kevin
06-01-2015, 09:41
1. I never go without at least a fleece. In the Whites or Mahoosucs I'd bring a puffy, tuque and gloves on any trip. The evenings will be starting to get chilly even at low elevations in New England by the time you're clear of the Whites.
2. Most A-T hikers do Katahdin as an out-and-back, but there are other trails going up that you can use as your approach if you like. If you do that, you'll obviously need to have your pack with you.
3. Any of the guiidebooks have mileage tables and locations of services. (If you don't know how much food to bring, I'd not tackle the Hundred-Mile Wilderness right out of the gate! Get in a few weekends, at least, before you go!)
4. There Ain't No Graceful Way, but once again, any of the guidebooks will list shuttle services and where they'll pick up. I seem to recall that the Baxter State Park web site has suggestions for getting there as well.
chiefduffy
06-01-2015, 09:45
1. You will need cold weather gear shortly after your start, I would just carry it. Opions will vary on this.
2. The ranger station at Katahdin Stream Campground will give you a daypack to use on your climb up Katahdin. You will pick your pack up on the way back down, and camp at Katahdin Stream Campground your first night on the trail. Yes, this means you will backtrack the 5 miles up Katahdin. (It can take 8-10 hours or more to ascend and descend Katahdin.)
3. Get AWOL's Guide for SouthBounders. It has everything you need to know.
4. Fly into Bangor, take the Cyr bus to Medway, Me, the AT Lodge in Millinocket can shuttle you from there. I recommend you spend at least one night in the Lodge, then they will shuttle you to Baxter SP.
1. You will need cold weather gear shortly after your start, I would just carry it. Opions will vary on this.
2. The ranger station at Katahdin Stream Campground will give you a daypack to use on your climb up Katahdin. You will pick your pack up on the way back down, and camp at Katahdin Stream Campground your first night on the trail. Yes, this means you will backtrack the 5 miles up Katahdin. (It can take 8-10 hours or more to ascend and descend Katahdin.)
3. Get AWOL's Guide for SouthBounders. It has everything you need to know.
4. Fly into Bangor, take the Cyr bus to Medway, Me, the AT Lodge in Millinocket can shuttle you from there. I recommend you spend at least one night in the Lodge, then they will shuttle you to Baxter SP.
Thank you for the advice thus far, I just bought the guide and am having issues making sense of everything. If I wanted to could I skip the backtrack part? I don't know if i am missing something here but it seems like I would be hiking in circles..please fill me in.
Slo-go'en
06-01-2015, 15:07
The AT "starts" at the top of a mountain - Baxter peak, the highest point on Kathadin. There are several ways to get to the top of the mountain, but the most common one is up the AT route and then back down. Other wise you end up on the wrong side of the mountain and you would have to find a way back around and it is a very long way around. To climb up the north side (which is very close to being a near vertical rock climb) and down the other along the AT is not real practical.
It starts to get very chilly the middle of August and it is only going to get colder. It takes about a month to hike through Maine and get into White Mountains of NH. There is usually a cold snap late in September which brings some snow to the higher elevations. It doesn't last long but can be serious trouble if you happen to be at the wrong place when it comes.
Late fall (late September and early October) can be very wet and cold. A week of light rain with temps in the 40's (F) are not uncommon. This is miserable weather to hike in, but you must be prepared for it. The AT through Maine and NH is very rugged and difficult with long, steep climbs, slippery rocks and stubbly roots. With the days getting significantly shorter as fall approaches and combine that with on and off bad weather, progress can be painfully slow.
illabelle
06-01-2015, 15:08
Webby,
First off, welcome to Whiteblaze, we're always happy to have new members.
From what you've written so far, it appears you're missing some key information. The good news is that you have some time to learn.
The AT extends from Springer Mtn in north Georgia to Katahdin in central Maine, a distance of 2189.2 miles. Walking that distance in a thru-hike is an EPIC undertaking! No one, having walked from Springer to the foot of Katahdin, would stop there. They ABSOLUTELY would climb that last hill. You're planning to do the trail southbound, but why wouldn't you do the whole thing? Yes, it's an extra five miles. The only way to do the whole trail without climbing Katahdin would be to get up there by helicopter, which they probably don't allow.
Please go to www.appalachiantrail.org and read EVERYTHING. Zoom in on the interactive map and see how incredibly steep the trail is in Maine and New Hampshire. I'm glad to hear that you have the guidebook - that's a critical first step - but you're not ready for the first step on the trail until you educate yourself a bit more.
BirdBrain
06-01-2015, 15:22
If you don't want to do a loop, start at Roaring Brook and go over the top from the south or east. Many ways over. Easiest is the Saddle Trail. There are two ways up to Pamela and across the Knife Edge. You could also go over Hamlin on your way to Baxter Peak. I understand your desire to not repeat a part. I didn't. I did the last option that I mentioned.
bigcranky
06-01-2015, 20:28
Ignore all the advice to take an alternate route to the top of Katahdin. The common route is to take the AT up from the campground, then backtrack. Plan to do this -- the hike to the top of Katahdin is difficult enough without complicating it.
Make reservations for a campsite right now, one for the night before and one for the night after your climb. Also make a reservation for a shuttle from the AT Lodge in Millinocket to the campground in Baxter State Park. These reservations are sometimes hard to come by, so start now.
Look at this thread for all the information you need to start. (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/111289-2015-Baxter-State-Park-and-Katahdin-info-for-southbounders)
You will need some warm clothing at the beginning (Aug 15 is a late-ish start for a southbounder), and you'll need more warm clothing pretty quickly after starting.
Don't underestimate the remoteness and ruggedness of the trail in Maine, and the need to get through New England before the end of October.
For resupply planning, one of the AT thru-hiker guidebooks is critical, and you'll carry it with you. Note that you will basically need to have everything with you for the first hundred miles when you get to Baxter State Park. The day after you climb Katahdin you will walk out of the park and into the Hundred Mile Wilderness. Your first resupply is at the other end of the HMW.
BirdBrain
06-01-2015, 20:49
Ignore all the advice to take an alternate route to the top of Katahdin. The common route is to take the AT up from the campground, then backtrack. Plan to do this -- the hike to the top of Katahdin is difficult enough without complicating it.
For what it is worth, I agree with your advice. My post was not meant as advice. It was a responce to the repeated apparent preference to not backtrack. I agree it is not advisable to start your hiking experience with the added distances. Katahdin is hard enough via the Hunt both ways. I did it the hard way because I was not new to such hiking.
Webby.. listen to Bigcranky.. his advice is right on! I will also second his saying that you should not underestimate the remoteness of the trail. Your first 100 miles or so leaving Baxter State Park are the most remote sections of the entire trail. You'll really be on your own. You say you will be flying in from Germany.. The remoteness in the back country of Maine is on a scale completely foreign to most Europeans. You won't even walk through or even near a town for your first 100 miles southbound. It will be less remote as you head further south... but still more remote than anything central Europe has. And yes, much of the terrain in Maine is very rugged. We Yankees don't seem to believe in graded or gradual trails. It's up and at em!
Thank you guys! I am doing more and more research and appreciate all of your suggestions.
DavidNH, I am American. I am in the military and stationed in Germany so I am familiar with the U.S. with that being said I am very inexperienced in camping or hiking for leisure. I have only done it one time for leisure and it is completely different than hiking/camping for work.
Does anyone ever carry MRE's? (Meals ready to eat - military rations)? I know some people do not like them because of the weight but you can trim them down fairly easily (remove hot sauce etc) and they provide a fair amount of calories. Are there any major cons in using these? I have a decent amount of field items (fleeces etc) so I am currently researching which are better than the civilian counter parts etc. Who would have ever thought a walk in the woods would require so much planning ;)
chiefduffy
06-02-2015, 06:02
Very few carry MRE's. They are too heavy and too bulky for backpacking. The Mountain House or Backpackers Pantry meals are a good alternative if you wish to carry commercially prepared dried foods. There are many alternatives out there, but after some time on the trail, you will most prob be carrying macaroni and cheese, ramen, and Norr sides, foil pack tuna and pepperoni or jerky. I bought a dehydrator and home cook meals for the trail and dehydrate them.
bigcranky
06-02-2015, 07:24
MREs are okay, but they are heavy for the calories. They are convenient, though. Most hikers take things like Knorr pasta sides, pop-tarts, granola, tuna packets, tortillas, cheese, that sort of thing.
Given your background, I'm no longer worried about your pace, conditioning, etc. (Your initial post showed you being from Louisiana, and I had some concerns, Louisiana not being known for rugged mountainous country....:) ) I'm also not worried about the amount of weight you will need to carry, since the heaviest civilian pack won't come close to a military ruck.
Also, yeah, I remember "hiking for work." It's very different. Took me a couple of trips to get used to not having my weapon, and just be able to chill out in the woods.
So, a few random suggestions:
Do make your campsite and shuttle reservations. Plan to get to Millinocket a day or two ahead, stay at the AT Lodge, do any last minute gear and food tweaks. Then get the ride to the campground, spend the night, hike Katahdin the next day, spend the second night in the campground, then start south on the AT the next morning.
How are your knees? You might consider a pair of alumnium trekking poles; they help tremendously.
Some military clothing is pretty good, as these days some of it is just brown versions of high quality civilian clothing. I would hike in shorts and a base layer top, and bring pants (lightweight nylon, not BDU), another base layer, a grid fleece pullover, a puffy jacket of some sort (lots of down jackets in the sub-16oz range), and definitely bring a rain shell and rain pants. Fleece hat, gloves of some sort, wool socks, hiking shoes or boots, something to wear on your feet in camp.
I'm happy to PM you my general packing list if you like.
BirdBrain
06-02-2015, 08:35
At the risk of being hit again, I question the need for "warm" clothing in Maine if starting at mid August. Mid August is about as warm as it ever gets in Maine. Having lived and walked in our woods all my life, I do not see the need being any greater than if one headed out at the beginning of July. I did NH in September last year wearing my Maine summer clothes. One night at Beaver Brook was pushing the limits of my 45° bag. I had one similar night in July at Avery. I wore everything to bed. It is a personal choice and tolerance level to cold. It is possible to sleep at low elevation all across Maine. Just my opinion. I think you could survive until Stratton or possibly Grafton Notch without "warm" clothing.
bigcranky
06-02-2015, 09:04
No, I agree on the clothing (and I wasn't hitting you before :) ). A fleece and a hat should suffice early on. I think folks were thinking that he'd need the warm stuff within a month, and we weren't sure about having it shipped versus just carrying it all from the start.
MREs are okay, but they are heavy for the calories. They are convenient, though. Most hikers take things like Knorr pasta sides, pop-tarts, granola, tuna packets, tortillas, cheese, that sort of thing.
Given your background, I'm no longer worried about your pace, conditioning, etc. (Your initial post showed you being from Louisiana, and I had some concerns, Louisiana not being known for rugged mountainous country....:) ) I'm also not worried about the amount of weight you will need to carry, since the heaviest civilian pack won't come close to a military ruck.
Also, yeah, I remember "hiking for work." It's very different. Took me a couple of trips to get used to not having my weapon, and just be able to chill out in the woods.
So, a few random suggestions:
Do make your campsite and shuttle reservations. Plan to get to Millinocket a day or two ahead, stay at the AT Lodge, do any last minute gear and food tweaks. Then get the ride to the campground, spend the night, hike Katahdin the next day, spend the second night in the campground, then start south on the AT the next morning.
How are your knees? You might consider a pair of alumnium trekking poles; they help tremendously.
Some military clothing is pretty good, as these days some of it is just brown versions of high quality civilian clothing. I would hike in shorts and a base layer top, and bring pants (lightweight nylon, not BDU), another base layer, a grid fleece pullover, a puffy jacket of some sort (lots of down jackets in the sub-16oz range), and definitely bring a rain shell and rain pants. Fleece hat, gloves of some sort, wool socks, hiking shoes or boots, something to wear on your feet in camp.
I'm happy to PM you my general packing list if you like.
Yes please send me your gear list. At what point do you think I would need the cold weather gear most?
Webby, you will meet quite a few ex-military on the trail, and my impression is that most of them do pretty well thanks to their training. Yes the AT can be a little bit like going to war. Best of luck.
Yes please send me your gear list. At what point do you think I would need the cold weather gear most?
Hey Webby,
I may be out of line for butting in with this, but In reading this thread I think you might be getting the right (mostly) answers to the wrong questions.
If I were you, I would start with finding a way to understand the differences between a traditional northbound thru hike, a southbound hike with a more traditional start date, a flip-flop hike and finally a southbound hike starting in mid August.
Since you have already decided on the last option, I would recommend getting out a map and projecting when you think you would realistically reach Georgia (if that is your goal). Then mark your projected date for getting 1/4 of the way, 1/2 way and 3/4 complete.
Then, with the help of Trail Journals and Whiteblaze and the other resources out there (there are many) try and project what the trail will be like at each stage. Not only in terms of weather, but daylight and the number of fellow AT hikers you are likely to see, and especially the number of fellow southbounders you will likely see.
In other words, understand the Trail first-- do that, and the gear part will follow. Don't let tail wag the dog.
Just my $.02 -- feel free to ignore!
BirdBrain
06-02-2015, 11:30
No, I agree on the clothing (and I wasn't hitting you before :) ). A fleece and a hat should suffice early on. I think folks were thinking that he'd need the warm stuff within a month, and we weren't sure about having it shipped versus just carrying it all from the start.
Just teasing myself. You were correct to advise against a longer route. I should have mentioned the difficulty of the walk and the hitch to the other side.
He asked how soon he would need warm clothing. That inferred in my mind that he had the ability to get other clothing at some point. The 100 mile wilderness can require a heavy starting weight. Having lighter clothing for at least that section would be an advantage. Quiet frankly, food resupply can be difficult in much of Maine. It might be worth getting the extra clothing when resupply becomes easier.
bigcranky
06-02-2015, 12:13
All good points. I'm not a New Englander, my only experience hiking up there was in the summer (when it was beautiful, btw). So I will defer to those of you who live and hike there on weather and clothing recommendations.
I will say that by the time Webby gets into my part of the country, he'll need winter gear. It does get cold here in the south up in the mountains.
I do like rickb's idea to work on a broad schedule first, to get a feeling for the trail, then work on the specifics.
BirdBrain
06-02-2015, 14:00
The first 2 convenient resupply points are in Monson and then Stratton. Those can be 10 day and 8 day walks. Resupply points start to become more frequent from there. Many require a long hitch.
bemental
06-02-2015, 19:17
Good information here, love the contributions.
Hey Webby,
.. start with ....projecting when you think you would realistically reach Georgia (if that is your goal). Then mark your projected date for getting 1/4 of the way, 1/2 way and 3/4 complete.
,,,,,, Don't let tail wag the dog.
Just my $.02 -- feel free to ignore!
This is basically what a section hiker does - plan for the conditions of the trail when you will be in that area! RickB - great advise! Hopefully Webby can make drops or pick up gear instead of having to take it all from beginning to end....
Thank you all. I have been putting all the logistics together, making reservations etc. Things are starting to look like a reality..now just to figure out weather and what gear i need and i will be in business.
Do you guys think I will actually need snow shoes along the way?