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f8259o8
08-16-2015, 21:43
I am planning on doing a thru in 2017. I hammock camp, what advice would you give? I am planning on starting in VA heading north. ( I live in Va) Then back to va and head south.

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g00gle
08-16-2015, 23:50
* Learn what a thru-hike entails
* Figure out what gear you need and (more importantly) what you don't need
* Read lots of the advice given in the articles (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/forumdisplay.php/364-Articles) section of the website
* Ask far more specific questions...

And those things don't have to be in that order, but that short list should help get ya started. I'm no expert, and I'm certainly not trying to be a smartass with my response, but you just asked a really open-ended question.

If you want specific answers from some of the more experienced, more knowledgeable folks around here, you should figure out some specific areas you'd like to begin with and then ask more specific questions. There's lots of great info already posted all over this site, and there's a bunch of people here that will tell you the real deal, but none of them know exactly how much you know, your level of experience, etc. Give 'em something to work with.

Oh yeah, and welcome to White Blaze! :)

Cobble
08-16-2015, 23:53
Hike. Have a blast. Keep hiking.
No seriously, that is really exciting..good for you! :banana

Just read up on gear you're thinking about buying...watch youtube reviews...ask questions in the gear forums. Make it a goal to buy gear only once 'cuz you did your homework. Nothing is worse than an expensive piece of gear not working out forcing you to buy another.

the whole hiking part...see paragraph one again. -------^

Cobble
08-17-2015, 00:00
Oh...and start your gear list by watching gear lists on youtube, reading trail journals (often have a gear list), and looking up past threads on here of others gear lists. If nobody is carrying it either take a hint or ask about it.

(Unless its a choice stuffed animal in which I will save you the time and tell you... Anything pink, rainbow, or has a really cool hat. Not necessarily all the above, though kudos if you do. I promise not only will you be the only one out there with one...but you will officially be awesome..my hero)

SteelCut
08-17-2015, 04:59
New hikers contemplating a thru hike tend to over focus on gear, IMO. Instead I would focus on conditioning and gaining experience with the gear that you do have and be able to hike your intended mileage day after day after day after day after day .... Over-use injuries will knock you off the trail and can keep you off the trail. That's what happened to me on my flip-flop thru hike attempt this year. Do lots of 3, 4, 5 day "shakedown" hikes beforehand. The gear issues will sort themselves out pretty quickly and on these multi-day trips you will find out what you need and don't need.

CarlZ993
08-17-2015, 21:46
You've got a while before 2017.
1. Use that time to get your finances squared away. You'd hate to be 2/3's thru & run out of money.
2. Concentrate on getting (or keeping) yourself in shape. For backpacking, carrying a backpack is the best exercise. In reality, it is hard to stay in shape by just backpacking. Incorporate other aerobic & muscle-strengthening activities.
3. Get the lightest gear for the conditions your anticipate encountering. One of your earliest purchases should be a digital scale. Weigh your stuff & create spreadsheets of your gear (or use geargrams.com).
4. Go on as many backpack trips as you can. Try different gear and/or techniques on each hike. See what works for you.
5. Make a pledge to yourself that you won't quit unless something is in a cast (or a family emergency that requires you the leave the trail).
6. When in doubt, keep the mileage down at the start. Don't try to hike too fast. Keep a pace that you can maintain all day long.
7. Enjoy yourself & the people around you. The people you meet on the trail make the hike.

I wish you luck in the early planning stages of your hike.

f8259o8
08-18-2015, 16:35
Thank for the info.. sounds like. I have been going about it the right way...

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dink
08-18-2015, 20:59
When are you starting...I will be heading out of harpers ferry early may 2017 heading north, also a hammock camper...I put in 63 miles this summer. Get in some trial runs on the AT in rain, wind, dry, cold, hot...experience helps take the anxiety out of the equation!! Have a happy hike and hang high and dry!

f8259o8
08-23-2015, 08:18
When are you starting...I will be heading out of harpers ferry early may 2017 heading north, also a hammock camper...I put in 63 miles this summer. Get in some trial runs on the AT in rain, wind, dry, cold, hot...experience helps take the anxiety out of the equation!! Have a happy hike and hang high and dry!
I am think either going to start in early march or 1 April (CPO birthday). I am plan on Damascus since that is the "start" of Va.

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f8259o8
08-23-2015, 08:23
Plus if all goes well I can miss a lot of the bug for up north in the late summer , the back will be a heavier pack head north for the cooler temps. My current winter base is 24 +/- my summer is 17 and if I get all the items on my dream sheet I will be down to 18/20 for winter 12/14 for summer.


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f8259o8
08-23-2015, 08:28
Plus if all goes well I can miss a lot of the bug for up north in the late summer , the back will be a heavier pack head north for the cooler temps. My current winter base is 24 +/- my summer is 17 and if I get all the items on my dream sheet I will be down to 18/20 for winter 12/14 for summer.


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I am think either going to start in early march or 1 April (CPO birthday). I am plan on Damascus since that is the "start" of Va.

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I have been try to do alot of hiking in cap weather, for my shake downs and for the duck factor. Last month I did a 32 mile trip over 4 days... the first two days,where rain and fog.. then 80% humidity @ 85° then rain on the hike out iw was still fun.

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