Log Book for Section Hike?

[SkeeterPee]

Is there an official log you should record your section hikes in? My wife asked me if was tacking them and I have not yet, but think perhaps I should just to make sure I don't forget dates, starts/stop points etc.

I searched with google and did not find anything on whiteblaze.net. Is there some official format or unofficial format?

Thanks.

[mtntopper]

Try atdist.com. that is what a lot of folks use.

[MuddyWaters]

official? No.
In what way or for what purpose?

[Trailweaver]

I keep my own trip diary in my computer. I take a small notebook with me on trips, make notes, and then record the trip when I get home. I also have a photo album with notes on the pages (where photo was made, when, etc.) The album also contains a clump of bear hair and other small "memories" of trips. Just back it up somewhere so you don't lose it sometime with a computer crash.

[Traveler]

There is no "official" recording site for this, unless you want to make your marks in Shelter registers. Most folks who are inclined to record such things make their own book or computer spreadsheet to document and/or generate statistics on their hikes on the AT or other places. Like Trailweaver, I use a computer spreadsheet and record a number of things, date, day, temperature, weather, trail conditions, footgear that day, total elevation gain, highest altitude, mileage, time start/stop, average walking speed, and comments of the trail or occurrences.

Trailweaver is right, you should back up this stuff so its not lost if you change computers or have a failure. I use the cloud to back up my stuff, but you can just as easily use a CD or external hard drive to back up the files (and other less important stuff like banking records etc).

[bigcranky]

I got the AT Data Book for the year I started doing sections, and mark them off in there with a highlighter, making a note of the date hiked and who I was with.

[rafe]

No, there's nothing official. Shelters often have registers which you can read, write in or ignore, at your pleasure. Your own note-taking and picture-taking are also at your pleasure. I just used cheap paper notepads for my diaries, and kept them in a Ziploc whenever they were not in use. All of that is old school stuff.

[wornoutboots]

Trail journals has a section hiker section

[Don H]

I copy the pages from the AT Guide and carry those while sectioning. I make notes on those pages including dates, distances hiked, places I camped etc. At the end of the hike those pages go into a file.
Also I use an AT map which hangs on the wall of my office. I use push pins to mark each section I've hiked. I'm half way through completing the trail by sections.

[Hikes in Rain]

This! Except I use trimmed post-it notes instead of pins, and I haven't yet done half the trail (but I'm working on it!). It's fun going back and reading my notes when it's been too darned long since I've hiked.

[JumpMaster Blaster]

When I go out I take a little notepad to make my notes. I also have a spreadsheet with all the 2014 AT mileage between significant waypoints (roads, shelters, water, camping, towns, etc). I highlight the sections I have finished & make note of the mileage. I also keep track of ALL my hiking/backpacking miles on the AT or on other trails. I do this to track my fitness, caloric expenditure, and speed statistics. Because I'm rehabilitating from injury, I like to know how I'm progressing. That helps me plan out future hikes. No sense in just "winging it", trying to overextend my range and getting myself in a pickle.