View Full Version : how many zero days (and where) should I plan for?
Hello,
I am wondering, and want to throw this out for all to ponder, how many zero milage days should I plan for on my upcoming north bound AT thru hike?
This will be my first real long distance hike (I have done the 270 mile long trail but the AT is a whole lot longer than that--I did the AT in 18 days + another 8 days for the last 70 miles.. it's one rough trail!). While I am trying to keep pack weight down I expect to be carrying around 40 pounds (I prefer a tent to a tarp even if it is 3 pounds more). I am in good shape but far from athletic. My Gregory Forester pack is only supposed to hold 40 pounds so I have to limit weight right off. And I know from experience that a 55 pound pack means I would not make it. Period! I learned the hard way!!!
I will be starting my hike March 21, 2006 from Amicolola Falls State park. So I will have almost 6 and a half months to get the hike done if needed (BSP may be open till October 15th but the Columbus day weekend might as well be the end.. snow comes to the hights often around then.
My hope is to be atop MT Katahdin during the last week of September and hike in the 10-15 or as low as 10 miles per day range on average (ie 10-15 where terrain is harder and at start and 15-20 where terrain is easier in mid atlantic area. In any case I want to be in BSP afterlabor day weekend so the place wont be run over with tourists!
Additionally, where would you reccommend I take my zero days?
Does it make sense to spend a zero day at a shelter rather than a town? where are the really good spots? Unless there is a gorgeous lake near the shelter I hesitate to do this.
At this point I am thinking of a zero day in Damascus, VA and Andover and Monson Maine. I am also planning at least once a week to do short day into town stay over and short day out of town type of deal.
For the purposes of this point, finances are not a concern. I have the resources that I don't have to go overly sparten on the trip (currenlty planning on around 5000 for trip if necessary).
so tell me please..where should a thru hiker linger and spend is time and where should he blast on by??!!
thanks in advance to all,
DavidNH
Blue Jay
11-20-2005, 11:59
IMO it would be best not to over plan in any area, but zero days are unplanable. Zero days are needed for various reasons and their need will show up quite clearly. Resting your body and mind are primary, and highly individual as you gain strength. Therefore they cannot be planned. Equipment failures, if they happen, will not happen on schedules.
All that being said, if you HAVE to plan (some people are obsessed into planning), plan on one per week. Zero days are an art form. I'm still learning how to maximize as much eating and sleeping hours into a day where I do not walk at all.
My planned ones were in major trail towns, Hot Springs, Damascus, Front Royal, Waynesboro, Harpers Ferry, Monson, etc. All ones I would not have wanted to miss. I almost screwed up and hiked through Duncannon which turned out to be one of my favorites.
Unplanned zeros were usually to stay with the group or the second day of a "double zero" when the weather was so bad you felt good about having an excuse to take another day to eat and rest up.
I started March 14th, took something like 25 zeros and finished the third week of August. You're youjnger than me, but one of the reasons I credit for my hike going so well was my zeros in town. I said many times in my journal, I felt better hiking up hill out of town than I did downhill into town.
I just posted a sensible response following Blue Jay doing the same...What a screw up...please forgive me.:datz
justusryans
11-20-2005, 12:12
I just posted a sensible response following Blue Jay doing the same...What a screw up...please forgive me.:datz
alright now, lay off the booze, you all are starting to make sense.:D
We took 28 zero days. Started March 11 finished Aug 23. And did not take the first until Damascus, where we took 3. I would avoid zeros on the trail unless the weather dictates or sick/inj. Do not plan the zeros. You will know when and where to take the extra time.
SGT Rock
11-20-2005, 12:17
Take this from someone that hasn't thru-hiked yet, but has hiked some.
I don't plan to take zeros, I let them happen as I go. The best zeros I have taken were unscheduled stops in places like the Falls of Dismal (AT in Virginia), Winding Staircase (Eagle Rock Loop - Arkansas), or Slickrock Creek (BMT in NC) where the weather, the campsite, and the mood was right for a day off in a great place along the trail. Town zeros have their purpose IMO, but I have always enjoyed screw off time on the trail much more. For towns I prefer low mileage days in or out.
So I often make contingency plans for zeros before I start a section hike in case I find a place like that on the trail. For my thru-hike, I intend to just plan for about 100 miles a week. That way I can take a zero whenever I want during the week and still make 15 miles a day for 6 days without fear of getting off schedule. At that rate it would still only take 21.5 weeks (5.5 months) and give me 21 zeros for my hike if I want them.
jackiebolen
11-20-2005, 14:13
It all depends on how hard you are on your body. Some people do 25 or 30 miles days for 2 or 3 days then take a day off. I did 10-20 mile days and only took 8 zero days in 4 months of hiking.
I actually prefer to do "nero's." This means, I would plan it out so that I would only have 1-10 miles to get into a town. So then I could spend most of that day, and a part of the next in town without having to pay for 2 nights at a hostel or whatever.
I would say, don't plan zero days, just take a day off when you get to a nice town you like, your body hurts or some of your friends are stopping. It just seems easier.
Everyones got good advice. If i were to hike again, there are very few places that would be mandatory zeros. Most are individual for each hike, i.e. when you are especially tired, its rained for a week, your boots blew out, family visiting etc. Basically i wouldnīt plan where to have zero days. Wait and listen to your body. BUT you do need them, and donīt neglect your body and mental state, which needs a rest too. I went too far a few times without zeros (390 miles, and 540 miles) and i regretted it later a bit.
I took zeros in fontana damn, hot springs, erwin (weather), damascus (weather), waynesboro, 2 in NYC from rt 17A, Manchester Center and then 9 days off trail for a total of 17 i think.
Picking a zero day location depends. Some people like towns where there is nothing to do (like fontana) so you can actually relax. Some like them in towns where its spread out and it takes all day to walk and do chores (Franklin so I hear, Waynsboro, Gorham).
Personally places I think are great for zeros for different reasons include: Hot Springs, Miss Janets in Erwin, Kincorra, Damascus, Waynesboro, Duncannon, DWG, Dalton, Manchester, Gorham, Andover, Stratton, Caratunk. I wouldnīt zero in everyone, but each has their own reason for a zero.
Bottom line is dont stress or overplan. A few towns will be too expensive for most hikers to zero involving 2 motel nights, but that depends on your finances. This was way too long a post.
RITBlake
11-20-2005, 16:02
you learn to be very flexible on your thru hike. I wouldn't go overboard w/ 'planning' zero days out ahead of time. Like A-Train said, dont stress about it.
If you're in a town and you've got a cool place to stay, or you've found a cool bar, or a cool work for stay or whatever....then stay! Somedays you just arn't going to feel like hiking and nothing cures that better then a zero day. I think Mike and I ended up taking something like 20+ zero days and we had no problem in completing our thru hike in 5 months.
If you want to save money, then get in to town, buy some food and make your way back to the trail and set up camp somewhere. Just make sure you pack out all the goodies you packed in.
What towns? We had memorable zero days at Miss Janets (5 days of zero's and slack packs) Damascus (Great couple nights w/ Sherrif at the Baja Cafe) Front Royal, Duncannon, Hanover, Monson Just a few of the many awesome towns to explore and relax in along the AT
On my last section hike (Springer to Manchester), I took no true zero days, but a fair number of half days and neroes. I would not plan on zero days, but would seriously think about stopping for a nero (at least) in the following towns.
1) Hot Springs. Elmers is a great place to stay and the pub in town is a lot of fun. Plus, this is the first real (whatever that means) trail town you hit as you go north. I took a zero here in 02.
2) Erwin. I took a nero here in 02 and stayed at Uncle Johnny's. I liked my time there, but be aware others have not. If I hike through again, I'd plan on taking a day off and stay at Miss Janet's place.
3) Damascus. If you are there after (or before) the herd (er, main pack) has gone through, the Place is pretty nice to stay at, cheap, and there are lots of ammenities in town, including Dots. By the way, in 02 Dots had a live version of Guns 'n Roses' Rocket Queen on the juke box, and I'd spent time there just for that.
4) Duncannon. Maybe the coolest trail town on the AT that I've run across (I haven't gone north of Manchester). The Doyle is a fantastic experience. Good food, live music (when I was there), cheap and good beer, and interesting people.
Note that there is a rather large gap between 3 and 4. There are places to stay in between, but I just didn't like them or didn't go to them. That is my own personal bias, however.
Like others have posted, I'd budget about 1 day off a week. But exactly where and when to take days off is another discussion. Perhaps there are some must sees that are too good to pass up. Do you want to go to Trail Days or not? What about going into DC for a day from Harpers Ferry, or into NYC? How about visiting friends near the trail? Or maybe you just need a day to dry out, or wait out a stretch of bad weather. All good and valid reasons for a good zero.
Sleepy the Arab
11-20-2005, 18:08
I'd plan on at least 65 to 70 zero days.
What?
I would not plan or try to schedule "0" days too far in advance but use them to your advantage as you hike. Most of the "trail towns" are O.K. for a "0". They all contain most of the stuff a long distance hiker is in need of. Take a "0" when the weather is bad, when you are in real need for some creature comforts or need extra time in town for some reason or another. It will be to your advantage to take more frequent "0" earlier in your hike to rest your body. After you have gotten into trail shape they won't be needed so often.
During my thru I planned to "0" once a week. After I had hiked for a few weeks I found that it was not necessary. After that I only took them when it was required. Mostly when my wife came to meet me or when I went home for a day or two.
Don't over plan your hike. Go with the flow..Everything will just fall in place.
Happy trails....Grampie-N->2001:sun
Plan to take a zero at the Kincora and earn one of these...
< where's my attachment? >
Go here instead.
Special Patch for Thru Hikers (http://www.tehcc.org/News1999to2000/news200004.htm#feature4)
Footslogger
11-21-2005, 12:01
Plan like hell before your hike and then just let it happen once you're out there. My experience was (and still is) that very little happens the way I planned it ahead of time when it comes to my hiking. You just can't anticipate the types of things that will come up while you're out there.
While a total lack of prior planning may be the cause of undesirable outcomes ...I firmly believe that trying to plan or script your hike in advance may take away from the pleasure of just going with the flow.
'Slogger
I had zeros in Hiawassee, Fontana, Hot Springs, Erwin, Damascus, and Waynesboro on my hike this year. I did Hiawassee to stay with a friend, I probably would make it a nero instead. The others were all worthwhile. Hot Springs, Damascus, and Waynesboro all have hiker festivals of some sort that are worth the day.
I had zeros in Hiawassee, Fontana, Hot Springs, Erwin, Damascus, and Waynesboro on my hike this year. I did Hiawassee to stay with a friend, I probably would make it a nero instead. The others were all worthwhile. Hot Springs, Damascus, and Waynesboro all have hiker festivals of some sort that are worth the day.
Speaking of hiker festivals (I'm only familar with Trail Days), are most of these scheduled around the average arrival time for most NOBOs? I've wondered for a while if one wanted to make it for Trail Days during their thru when is a decent time to leave Springer? That's really the only scheduled thing I would want to plan for on my thru.
Damascus is about 460 miles up the trail. Probably takes most people 5 to 6 weeks to get there. Of course, it all depends on how severe the weather is in the Southern Appalachain Mountains, how many days off you take, and what shape you are in to start with.
Gray Blazer
11-22-2005, 10:34
When in Erwin, make sure you go rafting on the Nolichucky. USA rafts has a pretty guide named Sarah and she stays at Uncle Johnny's.
All these people are talking about taking zero days, but I just want to throw my 2 cents in and say that you should be weary of zero days.
It was zero days that got me off the trail at Erwin. Too many hot meals in Miss Janets backyard. Too many good stories from hikers that had worked there way up to me. Too many cold beers.
Zeros are fun, but some places are a VORTEX that won't let you go.
Speaking of hiker festivals (I'm only familar with Trail Days), are most of these scheduled around the average arrival time for most NOBOs? I've wondered for a while if one wanted to make it for Trail Days during their thru when is a decent time to leave Springer? That's really the only scheduled thing I would want to plan for on my thru.
Last year, I left in mid April and arrived in Hot Springs where I got a ride to Erwin and then a ride to Damascus for Trail Days. So, you can be real flexible on where you are and still get to Trail Days.
If I hike this year, I plan on walking into Damascus for TD. It can be hastle to get your ride OUT of trail days when you are anxious to get back on the trail. Or, if you need to get out of Duncannon because some girls father is after you.
if you're hurt, take a bunch of 0 days. if it's raining take 0's till it stops. if you wanted to go to town and have beers, then you would be my 0 hero. when you're hung over, you may need a 0 for that too. It ain't about the miles, it's all about the smiles.
Speaking of hiker festivals (I'm only familar with Trail Days), are most of these scheduled around the average arrival time for most NOBOs? I've wondered for a while if one wanted to make it for Trail Days during their thru when is a decent time to leave Springer? That's really the only scheduled thing I would want to plan for on my thru.
The hiker fest in Hot Springs is near the end of April (last year the weekend of the 21st), Trail Days is mid May, Waynesboro is the first weekend of June. All are planned around the NOBO schedule and have shuttles to help you get there. I'd say you need to leave by the end of March to make them. I left March 13th and was ahead of all but the one in Waynesboro.
The hiker fest in Hot Springs is near the end of April (last year the weekend of the 21st), Trail Days is mid May, Waynesboro is the first weekend of June. All are planned around the NOBO schedule and have shuttles to help you get there. I'd say you need to leave by the end of March to make them. I left March 13th and was ahead of all but the one in Waynesboro.
Great info, thanks. Just what I was hoping to hear as I would like to leave late March.