PDA

View Full Version : How crowded (miserable) are holiday weekends?



mclaught
12-03-2018, 12:20
I'm thinking of doing a real quick 1st time overnight trip in April and the best time for me to go would be Easter Weekend. We'd be flying into ATL by 8am, shuttling up to Hogpen Gap on a Friday around noon and spending the night somewhere around Poplar Stamp. Then we'd hike to Unicoi the next day and shuttle back to the airport for a late flight home. Also, we are considering a longer section hike from Springer to Hogpen and we'd be either by starting on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend or finishing at Hogpen on that Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.

I understand it's going to be more crowded on those weekends, but is it a complete circus? If we are looking for some solitude, would it be better to stay away from the holiday weekends completely, or is it crowded but manageable? Are some parts of the trail worse than others? I would guess that starting at Springer on Memorial Day Saturday is a bad idea.

I appreciate any insight you can offer.

soumodeler
12-03-2018, 12:35
Georgia can be a zoo anytime from early March to late April with all the thru hikers and the numerous other section and weekend hikers. After mid April it starts calming down some, but can still be crowded, especially on weekends.

Memorial day weekend will be crowded on almost any section, but the harder to reach sections would be less crowded. I would avoid places like Blood Mountain/Neel Gap on major weekends. Parking will be an issue.

It is doable, but if you don't like lots of other people, I would suggest another time or another location.

Gambit McCrae
12-03-2018, 12:45
Georgia in April is going to equal a whole bunch of thru hikers. Throw in a holiday weekend and now you have a bunch of thrus plus the weekend/ holiday crowd. I wouldn't call it a circus, and if you allow yourself to tent at sites away from shelters you will really cut down on the crowd factor at and around camp at night and to me, trail crowd during the day isn't an issue.

FWIW - My bigger concern is going to be your enjoyment level of trying to fly for a weekend trip. I cringe when only having a week to hike and consider airport as mode of transportation. I would consider myself the king of mad dash AT hiking, from the 9 hour drive to pen mar park to complete Maryland in a weekend...to the flight up to Hartford to hike 50 miles of Mass...or the 12 weekend(ish) trips it took to complete VA of 5+ hour drives. And the list goes on. I would say hike more local until you can pull off a weeklong hike of the AT. Betime you get settled on the trail(If you do have enough time) it will be time to load back up and fly home.

If vacation time allows I personally would throw 4 days of vaca at this trip and have 2 weekends + mon thru Friday to hike, and if you start at springer then that could put you around Winding Stair Gap.

HYOH

fastfoxengineering
12-03-2018, 12:48
The trail is going to busy in GA in April. Your walking right into the heart of nobo thru/section hiker season. Lots of people are to be expected.

However, I started nobo on 4/4. I was curious about the crowds myself, being from NH where you can find quiet on some of the lesser peaks.

They werent nearly as bad as i was expecting. I did stay at a few campsites with lots of people, but it never felt overwhelming. There was space for everyone. People dont bother me though and I was expecting it.

I imagine mid to late march was WAY worse this year. Probably the circus everyone speaks of.

All in all, the trail is busy with a lot of great people. Solitude? Nowhere on the AT can you find solitude imo. But you can find quiet.

If your looking for peace and quiet Id look somewhere else. Especially at that time frame.

Flying to atlanta, doing a quick 2 nighter, and then shuttling back to the airport doesnt sound like peace and quiet altogether.

Sounds hectic.

I wouldn't mind going back to Springer in early April and doing a few hundred miles nobo just to hike with some people starting their journey. In this sense, you could be the sole reason they finish at Katahdin. Your an inspiration to them as a former thru.

Looking back on it. The day i hit the GA/NC border. The trail was a circus. Absolute god damn zoo. I guess it all depends on when the groups collide.

There's probably going to be organized trail magic at each of the gaps. And they can be pretty busy.

Rather than specific time and destinations...

What more specifically do you want out of this trip?






Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk

mclaught
12-03-2018, 13:05
Rather than specific time and destinations...

What more specifically do you want out of this trip?



Good question. I am wanting to do the entire trail over a period of 10 years or so, and Georgia will be my first attempt. I've done a few warm up hikes in the local area here, but it's all flatland. The one-day crash course trip in April would be my "intro to AT hiking" to give me a better idea of what to expect when I go back for the longer 5 day trip. So basically I'm hoping to get some experience on the trail with my equipment and get some practice walking up and down the hills in anticipation for my first real section hike later in the year. Throw in another 4 day hike in October and I'll have Georgia knocked out. At least that's the plan. Thanks so far to everyone who has responded, I think I should probably look at different weekends or come during the weekdays. Thanks again.

chknfngrs
12-03-2018, 14:12
I think if you set your expectations low you will not be surprised. If it’s hiking you want, don’t let other hikers stink it up too badly for ya

MuddyWaters
12-03-2018, 15:06
Its only a circus where people congregate.

I personally wouldnt buy an airline ticket to walk 14 miles on an overnight.

I suggest 3 day 2 night.... minimum for any trip. You will learn much more than on overnight.

But, afterall, its just hills, rocks, and roots. 1-2 views per day. If you can hike flat ground, you can hike AT, just slower.

fastfoxengineering
12-03-2018, 15:28
Good question. I am wanting to do the entire trail over a period of 10 years or so, and Georgia will be my first attempt. I've done a few warm up hikes in the local area here, but it's all flatland. The one-day crash course trip in April would be my "intro to AT hiking" to give me a better idea of what to expect when I go back for the longer 5 day trip. So basically I'm hoping to get some experience on the trail with my equipment and get some practice walking up and down the hills in anticipation for my first real section hike later in the year. Throw in another 4 day hike in October and I'll have Georgia knocked out. At least that's the plan. Thanks so far to everyone who has responded, I think I should probably look at different weekends or come during the weekdays. Thanks again.The one day crash course. We all started somewhere and Ill expand on that. Its great that you want to get some exposure to the AT and get some experience with your gear.

With that said. You dont need to be on the AT to get the experience with your gear needed to do some backpacking on the AT.

Hell, lots of new LD hikers start the AT going for a thru and have never been backpacking.

You can learn 75% of what you need to know as a beginner with your gear at home. The other 25% has to be learned through experience on the trail in adverse conditions. For instance. You could spend a weekend with only your gear around the house.

Make some meals using your cookset. Hell take advantage of it with real food.

I know GA was tough for a lot of flatlanders. Its all perspective. Im from the Whites. I thought GA had some real nice trail with some hills thrown in the mix. Its just what im used to.

Maybe ask for a pack shakedown and be open to advice from more experienced hikers.

My piece of advice and touches upon your preparation for other hikes.

You see the thing with backpacking is...

Every day, every trip, every mile is a new experience and can be vastly different than the last. You'll discover or learn something new every step of the way. Theres no way to be prepared for everything. Its why we go backpacking. Theres Point A and Point B. What happens in between is where the adventure lies.

The northern section of the trail is VASTLY different than the southern portion. Both challenging. And my point is...

If an experienced White Mountains hiker asked me if they would fair well down south, id say its nothing youve never seen before.

Quite the opposite for a floridian getting their legs in GA.

Not trying to disuade, but 50 miles on one part of the trail is not indicative of the rest of the trail. Something to keep in mind.

Starting with GA is a great way to start sectioning the AT.

If you were heading to the Presedential Range id have a harder time telling you its okay to wing it.

The AT offers alot of forgiveness to the hiker down south. LOTS of hikers starting out bumble their way up trail and learn as they go.

My buddy made a sinical but true comment one day. He said before his thru hike, he was worried why so many people quit so fast. He was really anxious about how hard it would be. He said two days into the trail he realized most people quit because theyve never even been camping before. And... it is true.

Also, if your looking for sound advice, GA in April from a bunch of new, know it all, wannabe thru hikers is the worst place for it. They know everything and are the worlds greatest hikers in their own eyes.

Ive gone way of course. Sorry

What is it you feel you need to work on? Just getting out in the hills or more gear knowledge/experience?

If your big first goal is for a Springer to NC hike. There is NO need to go all the way to the AT to prep for it.

Training in florida is fine. Hell its almost prime hiking season there. Do a bunch of multiday trips in FL and then go for your GA section hike. Then go home, take what learned, keep hiking in FL, adapt your gear, study the weather, map, and region, and go out for the next section.







Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk

Dogwood
12-03-2018, 15:40
Atlanta's Hartfield AP is about 1 hr 40 mins, a roughly 80 mile trip, without traffic, without Holiday traffic, to the start of the Approach Tr at Amicalola Falls SP. This is not currently an official part of the AT although this might be a decent weekend trip going NOBO or preferably SOBO. You will NOT be alone! Getting to the nearest drop off place to Mt Springer by vehicle can take longer. To each their own but Gambit McCrae has made good pts.


All this can be accomplished NOT on the AT.
"I've done a few warm up hikes in the local area here, but it's all flatland. The one-day crash course trip in April would be my "intro to AT hiking" to give me a better idea of what to expect when I go back for the longer 5 day trip. So basically I'm hoping to get some experience on the trail with my equipment and get some practice walking up and down the hills in anticipation for my first real section hike later in the year. "



I went to USF and lived in Temple Terrace(Tampa), Ft Myers, and Punta Gorda. I used to backpack train there by walking bridges with pedestrian walkways, running steps on campus or the local HS Stadium, jumping on a mini trampoline, walking in the Gulf with small waves wearing an old loaded backpack, and hiking softer sand beaches wearing a backpack. I'd leave the car behind and bicycle around. You don't need 4000-6000 Appalachian Mountain single track to train for AT short section hikes. Heck, simply wading half a day to fish the mud flats interspersed with shell beds and grass beds for sea trout and redfish mimicked snow post holing. I mention this also because if you do go from a physically and mentally weaker backpacking condition right from Tampa to more strenuous AT segments it can be problematic. I would do over-nighters testing and familiarizing myself with my kit in my own backyard and in local SPs.



If bent on the AT consider: 1) not thinking NOBO linearly. You can complete the AT over 10 yrs by cherry picking. It's a better approach! Do some segments SOBO and some NOBO. Pick the segments to not coincide with the highest use times for those segments. 2) if a 2019 Easter holiday weekend on the AT is a must consider getting far enough ahead of the thru-hiker bubble and hiking SOBO AND on easier introductory AT segements. Don't just jump into the fire.


There is access to the AT via rail, AP's, car rentals, and local shuttlers that is less distance than Hartsfied AP in GA to the GA AT proper in other AT states very suitiable for late April conditions and your anticipated agenda. You don't need to myopically focus on GA. Basically you'll spend 1/2 - 3/4 day overall just getting between the GA AT and Hartsfield AP.

mclaught
12-03-2018, 15:52
I guess what I think I need to work on most is finding out what a reasonable distance per day is for me. I enjoy camping, that's going to be the fun part of the trip for me. It's hiking in the hills with a pack that is the new unknown. I'm not the most in shape person you know, though I'm not on a CPAP or BP medication like some of my friends who will be going with me. So I guess the crash course was more of a way to see if this is even something we can do before we take 5 days off work or whatever later in the year. Maybe a 2 night trip would be a better start and we just go without an itinerary and stop when we're tired. It's difficult to make a plan and say, "We'll hike 8 miles on day 1, 11 miles on day 2, stop at such and such for day 3" when we've got no perspective to know if those distances are realistic. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond and giving me something to think about.

illabelle
12-03-2018, 15:53
My husband and I are also on the ten-year plan for completion. Eight years done, and we're at 87.5%. Amazing how it all starts to add up.

I agree that flying for a weekend trip is a bit much, more than I would do anyway. If I'm flying, I'm going to be there a week, maybe a little longer. Too bad you're in Florida - kinda a long drive from the whole trail. I guess you could move a few states north... :)

If your objective with the April trip is to learn, just go and learn. Doesn't matter if the trail is crowded or empty, you're there to learn.

The longer trip at Memorial Day should be pleasant. The crowds will have disappeared. I remember that we did a section in Georgia in the spring a few weeks after the thru-hiker crowd. I expected to see the trail torn up and eroded, trash everywhere. I was pleased to see that the trail was clean, and Mother Nature had quickly healed after the herd went through.

illabelle
12-03-2018, 16:04
I guess what I think I need to work on most is finding out what a reasonable distance per day is for me. I enjoy camping, that's going to be the fun part of the trip for me. It's hiking in the hills with a pack that is the new unknown. I'm not the most in shape person you know, though I'm not on a CPAP or BP medication like some of my friends who will be going with me. So I guess the crash course was more of a way to see if this is even something we can do before we take 5 days off work or whatever later in the year. Maybe a 2 night trip would be a better start and we just go without an itinerary and stop when we're tired. It's difficult to make a plan and say, "We'll hike 8 miles on day 1, 11 miles on day 2, stop at such and such for day 3" when we've got no perspective to know if those distances are realistic. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond and giving me something to think about.
Ok, this changes the perspective a bit. I don't know you, I don't know your friends, just echoing what I've read over and over from others on this site... There's an excellent chance that your group, unless they're unusual and very determined and have some experience, won't have the commitment to complete the trail. Do they like to hike? Have they ever hiked 10 miles in a day? Definitely reduce your mileage goals and be sure to identify all your bail-out points.

fastfoxengineering
12-03-2018, 16:20
I guess what I think I need to work on most is finding out what a reasonable distance per day is for me. I enjoy camping, that's going to be the fun part of the trip for me. It's hiking in the hills with a pack that is the new unknown. I'm not the most in shape person you know, though I'm not on a CPAP or BP medication like some of my friends who will be going with me. So I guess the crash course was more of a way to see if this is even something we can do before we take 5 days off work or whatever later in the year. Maybe a 2 night trip would be a better start and we just go without an itinerary and stop when we're tired. It's difficult to make a plan and say, "We'll hike 8 miles on day 1, 11 miles on day 2, stop at such and such for day 3" when we've got no perspective to know if those distances are realistic. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond and giving me something to think about.There is enough experience on this board with both Florida Hiking and AT hiking that if you could set a baseline in florida of what your capable of, lots of people could give you a baseline of what your capable of doing on the AT.

This whole talk is making the AT sound impossible. It isn't hard, its challenging. Its all a mindset.

Plus....

Its good your making an interinary. But. You could head to the AT for three days armed with a cell phone and guthooks. Start hiking. See what happens on day one. Plan for day two. After day two. Plan a pickup at a road crossing for day three that's reasonable.

Even for new hikers. 6-10 miles in a day should be reasonable.

Go for an 8 mile walk? If you can do it Florida you shoukd be able to cover that distance with a pack and full day of walking.



Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk

Dogwood
12-03-2018, 16:39
"It's hiking in the hills with a pack that is the new unknown. I'm not the most in shape person you know, though I'm not on a CPAP or BP medication like some of my friends who will be going with me. So I guess the crash course was more of a way to see if this is even something we can do before we take 5 days off work or whatever later in the year."


All the more reasons to start where you're at with what you already have. Start by walking in Tampa with your pack on...to the grocery store, to work, for afternoon/morning jaunts, on the beach, in the water,... I used to backpack at Hillsborough SP doing a 7 mile out and back 14 M RT along the river over-nighter in the beginning, on off use days hike trails and walk MB track at Alafia River SP(some vertical!), bebop around downtown Tampa around Tampa University(steps), and Ybor City, around the rolling hills of the Gamble Mansion site, head over to Indian Rocks Beach staying at a friend's beach home overnight backpacking on the soft sand beach and in the small waves. Excellent lower impact backpacking/hiking training can begin in the water and on soft sand beaches! One does not need AT single track to get into mental and physical condition for AT section or AT thru hikes.


I strongly disagree that actual on trail single track backpacking in the "mountains" has to be the "best" way to train for backpacking the AT.

Dogwood
12-03-2018, 16:48
Want some backpacking training? Shoulder a 15-20lb pack and grab some roller blades and roll your way to better cardio and physical fitness on the Witlacoochee rails to trails bike State Trail. Do the 46 miles in 2-3 days possibly staying at CG's and hotels. That's backpacking training.

ldsailor
12-03-2018, 17:32
I'm thinking of doing a real quick 1st time overnight trip in April and the best time for me to go would be Easter Weekend.
I appreciate any insight you can offer.

Hi Neighbor,

I'm from the Tampa Bay area, too, so I can empathize with you when it comes to hiking locally. The highest altitude you can get here is when you go up a few floors in a building.

Almost four years ago, I was like you - getting ready to begin section hiking the Appalachian Trail. My hiking partner suggested we go to Torreya State Park in the panhandle to test equipment. He called the state park the "Florida Appalachian Trail." So, we drove there in a little over five hours. We stayed at a campground outside the park, but the park does have campgrounds. The next day we hiked all day. Now you aren't going to get any 3,000 foot elevation gains, but you do go up and down. I was sore for a week after since this was my first exposure to hiking.

If you just want to test gear and get a feel for "it" without costing an arm and a leg, you might want to take a ride up to the state park and have at it. I found that the experience helped me prepare for the 532 miles on the Appalachian Trail I did later that year.

Slo-go'en
12-03-2018, 18:13
I hiked Georgia the end of April in 2016. I was amazed at the number of people on the trail. All the campsites were full to overflowing. I wouldn't consider Easter exactly a holiday weekend, not like Memorial day which really brings out the crowds, but any weekend is going to be really busy.

mclaught
12-03-2018, 19:41
Again, I appreciate y'all's input and help. It sounds like the one day trip is kind of better spent here doing local hikes, and I will stay away from weekend and holiday trips to the AT as much as it can be worked out with our schedules. I guess my tentative plan will be to break GA up into two trips, the first being Springer to Neel's (4 days) in late May and then come back for the rest and try to get it done in 5 days maybe in early October. If that's too much for us, we'll just have to come back a third time, the trail isn't going anywhere. We've got a couple local overnight trips planned and will probably do Juniper Springs to Hopkins Prairie next. There's some good hills in the Clermont area, we may look into hiking up and down a couple of those to see how it goes. Thanks again, I do appreciate the advice.

Dogwood
12-03-2018, 23:58
Torrey State Park is an even better suggestion to get some up and down than Gambel Mansion, which I included because I would hike several times from the mansion down to the Manatee River and back up. 16 miles of trails along bluffs and such is great for a weekend to start getting in shape and familiarizing yourself with longer AT treks @ TSP.

scrabbler
12-04-2018, 22:21
People have a hard enough time with their own preps and plans. Doing this with others that have limitations is even more of a challenge. Personally, I'd be doing a lot of local overnights with these folks, getting increasingly more challenging, and making sure everyone has their fitness and gear (weights) dialed in for the expectations of the upcoming AT trip. Preps are 90% of the battle.