Thru hike slack Pack?

[fullcount]

Any one have a resource on commercial campgrounds, parking lots where my wife can park a camper along the AT for a thru hike? She cannot do the trail, but has offered to slack pack me the entire trip, picking me up every night at a trail head. We are looking at either a central campground where she will pick me up for three or four nights while not moving the camper...or hopscotching the RV to parking areas large enough to accomodate the camper. Anyone ever done this?

[George]

warren doyle does this commercially regularly

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

There are around 400 road crossings over the entire length of the AT. In the process of looking at a similar hike, I've scouted every crossing between the northern end of GSMNP and Roanoke, VA. A few takeaways are:



Many of the crossings are gravel county roads on which you will not want to drive an RV.
The closest CGs are generally NF CGs and most of them are primitive.
Even some of the primitive NF CGs can be an hour's drive from a trailhead.
The commercial CGs can be very expensive and distant from the trailheads.


In general, I'd be looking at an RV and a second vehicle, be it a tow vehicle or a toad. Such would provide for leaving the RV set up for a few days at a time and would not subject it to the pounding it would take on many of the roads intersecting the AT.

AO

[fullcount]

Thanks for the replies George and Allleghanian. Would not want to do the route that Warren does as he sometimes will camp where he is not supposed to and my wife could not go down that path with a good conscience.

Looked at the same issue with the primitive campgrounds and the rough roads. We have a 32 foot motor home that needs a little space to turn. So yes, thinking the commercial campgrounds and a tow vehicle might be in order. Just do not know if it is feasible and cost effective. Sounds like more homework.

[Thorfinn]

I just completed the AT without camping even once. It can be done. The last thread I started on White Blaze is called 'Dayhiking AT'. There are several helpful responses there if you can find it. Pete Wentzel's post might be especially useful to you as he camped at many trail heads. I always went to a motel or hostel so cannot help you with campgrounds. If you have any specific questions please e-mail me privately.

Best of luck

[Water Rat]

In 2013 there was a hiker who went by the name of "Chipmunk." She became the youngest solo thru-hiker (on record) and her parents met her in their RV. I am not sure if they have more current information, but this article might point you in the right direction. I am pretty sure her parents would be happy to lend you a hand with research.

http://www.womensadventuremagazine.com/hikingbackpacking/teen-attempting-to-be-youngest-solo-at-thru-hiker-is-on-track/

[Hikes in Rain]

Haven't read it (yet), but you might find this helpful. http://www.amazon.com/Exploring-The-Appalachian-Trail-Sort/dp/1441425799

[bigcranky]

You should easily be able to set up the camper in a forest service or park service campground and get a ride to and from each day for 2-3 days or maybe more -- depends how long she wants to drive. The reality is that it takes us all day to walk what can be driven in maybe twenty minutes at highway speeds, so even accounting for back roads and the twists and turns going from one trail crossing to the other, she won't be driving all that long much of the time. (Yeah, sometimes it'll be tough -- the Smokies, for example, when you really won't be able to get off the trail every night.)

Also, what a wonderful gift to you. :)

[tdoczi]

You should easily be able to set up the camper in a forest service or park service campground and get a ride to and from each day for 2-3 days or maybe more -- depends how long she wants to drive. The reality is that it takes us all day to walk what can be driven in maybe twenty minutes at highway speeds, so even accounting for back roads and the twists and turns going from one trail crossing to the other, she won't be driving all that long much of the time. (Yeah, sometimes it'll be tough -- the Smokies, for example, when you really won't be able to get off the trail every night.)

Also, what a wonderful gift to you. :)

back when i used to go to great lengths to try and slack pack i discovered it is very often way more driving than it seems at first. its why i pretty much abandoned that approach.

[squeezebox]

It will be nice to carry less. And to have your wife most nights. But you will miss the experience of all the different folks most nights hanging out.
Sometimes weird is fun.

[T-Rx]

My wife and I met a couple this summer during our section hike that was hiking the AT for the 2nd time and trying to slack pack the entire trail. Their trail names were Rocketman and Princess. Their journal is available at Trailjournals.com I think? The journal may be helpful. If you figure out how to do it let me know and I will join you!

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

My wife and I met a couple this summer during our section hike that was hiking the AT for the 2nd time and trying to slack pack the entire trail. Their trail names were Rocketman and Princess. Their journal is available at Trailjournals.com I think? The journal may be helpful. If you figure out how to do it let me know and I will join you!

Rocketman and Princess completed a slack-through with nothing but hostels, B&Bs, and motels. Hired shuttles for every trip to and from a trailhead. They're putting a "how-to" book together. Chipmonk's Mom drove a Dodge pickup with a truck camper while Chipmonk did all of her hiking with a full pack, tent, food, a full 30-35 lbs. PJ Wetzel did a double through sleeping in his van at trailheads and nearby. Out and back every day and never spent a single night on the trail.

If your rig is a 32' Class C or A, and if it's in good shape, you really don't want to subject it to the likes of Hughes Gap, Browns Gap, Lemon Gap, and a host of similar rough access trailheads. Take a toad, and best that it's one you're not too proud of.

AO

[fullcount]

My wife and I met a couple this summer during our section hike that was hiking the AT for the 2nd time and trying to slack pack the entire trail. Their trail names were Rocketman and Princess. Their journal is available at Trailjournals.com I think? The journal may be helpful. If you figure out how to do it let me know and I will join you!.Thanks T Rex, but we are still a couple of ears away.

The book on Amazon looks like what we need, but by the time we do get going, it may be out of date. Hard to justify $30 on information that will be out of date. Thanks everyone, but maybe I am early on my request.

h

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

.Thanks T Rex, but we are still a couple of ears away.

The book on Amazon looks like what we need, but by the time we do get going, it may be out of date. Hard to justify $30 on information that will be out of date. Thanks everyone, but maybe I am early on my request.

h

fullcount- It's unlikely that most of the core geographical challenges related to running an RV in the Blue Ridge and the Smokies will change over the next few years. As additional input, map study and a handful of long-ago weekend trips leads me to believe the Springer-GSMNP section is much like the GSMNP-Roanoke, VA section I scouted to thoroughly in 2013--typified by rough, slow access and long-ish daily travel times from commercial CGs. But, similar map study and more recent recollections from actually having lived in Madison County and Crozet, VA for a while tells me RV and other access is very good from Roanoke to Front Royal, largely due to the Parkway and Skyline Drive. Furthermore, since the topographic prominence and the very width of the Blue Ridge decreases sharply north of SNP, and given that the AT leaves the Blue Ridge altogether north of Harper's Ferry, vehicular access is rather good from SNP all the way into VT. The Whites in NH will be a challenge as will the 100 Mile Wilderness in ME. But, even the 100 mile is laced with logging roads and sprinkled with campgrounds, each of which we are allowed to use once we pay the fees for daily use and overnight camping, and so long as we understand that we're using privately owned lands within which logging activity is the principal purpose.

I'd consider a DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer for GA, NC, TN, VA, and PA to be indispensible planning tools. Likewise the ME DeLorme is most likely a requirement.

AO

[squeezebox]

.Thanks T Rex, but we are still a couple of ears away.

The book on Amazon looks like what we need, but by the time we do get going, it may be out of date. Hard to justify $30 on information that will be out of date. Thanks everyone, but maybe I am early on my request.

h

$30 to help with good planning sounds like money well spent. IMHO

[squeezebox]

Some section hiking that way might be in order. With the RV it's a lot of logistics to work out. Sounds best to get some practice. Again IMHO