View Full Version : Advice on my first trail hike
Flyboy718
12-02-2018, 11:59
I am a school teacher, so I have the summers off and that affords me the opportunity to take advantage of the AT. I wish I could do a through hike but I still need to spend some time with the family this summer. That being said I would be able to devote a month to hiking the trail. My questions are what would you do if you had a month on the AT? What section would you do?
FreeGoldRush
12-02-2018, 12:08
Starting at the start and heading North sounds like fun. If you are of the opinion the start is in Maine, then that might work as well. (Being from the south I'm a bit biased.)
The potential problem with picking the most notable parts of the trail is that it may be hard to later hike the "boring" parts.
MuddyWaters
12-02-2018, 12:19
The month matters
Very hot in south and mid-atlantic in july/aug. Go north those months if have option. Of course, thats where the thru hiker bubble will be too.......
Summer.....honestly.......the sierra or CO blows AT away. Take your mo and do CT. Its closer to you anyway.
Go WEST!
CDT. Cumbres Pass just north of the NM-CO line. North or South from the pass. Take your pick.
I guess school starts in August. Mid-July to Mid-August is decent weather and manageable stream crossings.
Don’t be fooled by the Colorado Trail. The CDT traverses Colorado. The CT is just a couple of CDT access trails.
JUST KIDDING Y’all.
Have fun!
Wayne
Seriously. Go west!
johnacraft
12-02-2018, 13:55
what would you do if you had a month on the AT? What section would you do?
I hike for the views, so for me a good month on the AT would be to start at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (MP 137) and hike the balds along the NC/TN border and the Smokies. 12-14 miles per day for a month is ~350-400 miles, which would put you through the Grayson Highlands in Virginia before you ran out of time.
Greenlight
12-02-2018, 14:55
Ed Garvey hiked the AT back in the 70's and wrote a book about it. You can find a copy on abebooks perhaps, but he broke the trail down to 16 section hikes. I append the 25 mile section south of GSMNP to the Smoky Mountains section, and all of Maryland to the Chester Gap section. I would approach it that way, and plan out sections over multiple years, depending on which sections you want to focus on, and how much time you want to devote. Here are the sections:
Springer Mountain to Bly Gap (~80 miles)
Bly Gap to Nantahala River (~55 miles)
Nantahala River to Big Pigeon River (~100 miles) This includes all of GSMNP and isn't for beginners.
Big Pigeon River to Damascus, Virginia (~190 miles ) Damascus, VA is home of Trail Days in May, if that is a consideration).
Damascus to James River (~150 miles)
James River To Rockfish Gap (~80 miles)
Shenandoah National Park (~105 miles)
Chester Gap to the northern Maryland border (~90 miles)
Pennsylvania (~215 miles)
New Jersey and New York (~155 miles)
Connecticut and Massachusetts (~140 miles)
Vermont (~135 miles)
New Hampshire (~154 miles)
Maine (~275 miles) I'd break this one in half.
Have fun out there!
lonehiker
12-02-2018, 16:30
I would simply start at the beginning and hike until your time ran out. Next year start where you ended and hike until your time runs out. So, in 4-6 years you would have completed the AT. Then I would start on...
Flyboy718
12-02-2018, 21:56
Gosh I didn't think about the CDT. We usually go to Colorado every summer and camp so I am thinking that is perfect.
Flyboy718
12-02-2018, 22:37
I am liking the CT
MuddyWaters
12-02-2018, 23:33
I am liking the CT
Its *Ok*
44189
300+ miles, you can look up the exact number, of the CDT is also the CT.
Two for one as it were.
Wayne
Gambit McCrae
12-03-2018, 09:29
If you want to complete the AT, while taking 1 month trips. Start in Maine and do a month sobo every summer. After year 3 you will be down in the south and by that time you will be hooked on completing it, the terrain will be more mellow, and you will find yourself going out on weekend trips/ that 4th 1 month trip in order to complete it.
If you do not have a desire for an AT completion, Go west and enjoy your time lol
bighammer
12-03-2018, 11:31
I did a month solo a couple years ago. I had never been backpacking, and wasn't totally sure I'd like it, so I started with the best. First, I headed to Daleville/Troutville and headed south for a short section that included Tinker Cliffs, McAfee Knob, Dragons Tooth, and Audie Murphy Memorial. I met some people working on the trail, and dropped my pack and helped out for a few. One of them was from Daleville and offered a ride back to my car. I went into Roanoke and found an outfitter, and after a little shopping and changing things, I drove north to Waynesboro where I set out on foot north into Shenandoah NP.
I had hoped to hike to Harper's Ferry, but after a 99* day in the "roller coasters" and just about collapsing as I reached the Bear's Den, (a day's hike away) I declared I was done. Turned out, a pair of hikers had their car there and wanted to hike to Harper's Ferry the next day. I gladly delivered their car to the AT Visitor's Center. I got to explore my historic destination for the day, then just by chance, met another couple driving down to Waynesboro. They took me to my car!
This was about mid-May to mid-June, and other than the heat at times, and one intensely stormy night, (got a room, Skyland?) it was a perfect month. I think I caught some great highlights of the trail and met some great people.
Wishing you the very best on your adventure. Enjoy!
Girls do it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-RbqhmPbEfM
Wayne
stephanD
12-03-2018, 16:53
If this's your first time on the east coast, here's my advice: Fly to NYC and spend at least a week to ten days visiting the city. Take the bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd street to Bear Mountain State Park and hike south bound to Delaware Water Gap (DWG) PA (about 110 miles) and take the bus back from DWG to NYC. You will do the entire state of NJ and some NY gems such as the Lemon Squeezer and the Agony Grind. Words of caution: The entire east coast is the ticks capital of the world. do your recherche and protect yourself accordingly. Prevention is the key in avoiding Lyme disease and other ticks born diseases.
If this's your first time on the east coast, here's my advice: Fly to NYC and spend at least a week to ten days visiting the city. Take the bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd street to Bear Mountain State Park and hike south bound to Delaware Water Gap (DWG) PA (about 110 miles) and take the bus back from DWG to NYC. You will do the entire state of NJ and some NY gems such as the Lemon Squeezer and the Agony Grind. Words of caution: The entire east coast is the ticks capital of the world. do your recherche and protect yourself accordingly. Prevention is the key in avoiding Lyme disease and other ticks born diseases.
+1 Good logistically uncomplicated 7-10 scenically engaging days on the AT near home.
I am a teacher too, and since it takes me at least 10 hours to get to any point on the Trail, I only do sections in the summer.
I started out with a 55 mile section my 1st year (Maryland), moved to 100 - 200 mile sections for a few years (SNP in July - hot; Pennsylvania north to VT during a few summers in June; Georgia to Clingman's Dome in June.
Personally? I wish I had started south and moved progressively to the other end. I enjoy meeting thru-hikers and other LASH people, so NOBO is my choice. I also prefer hiking immediately after school gets out, which is mid-June in Michigan. That way the trail is not as hot as it might be.
Enjoy and maybe see you on the Trail!
~Einstein