How do you actually begin the hike? [Archive]

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GreyGoose

07-26-2006, 00:19

I can't really think of too much else in the way of questions to ask. You people have been so incredibly helpful (for which I am greatful) and I am also continuing to do a lot of reading both on this forum and elsewhere.

What I would like to know at this point is this: Ok, I live in the Ocala area of Florida so I'm assuming I would have to first take a bus (and money/CC of course) to a city close to Springer mountain Georgia where I would spend severel days in a motel while I planned and shopped for supplies. Then one morning, I would get up as early as possible, walk through town until I arrived at the entrance to the AT and then rush to make it to the nearest shelter before nightfall so I could pitch my tent. So do I have this right?.

Also, is there a "toll" you have to pay or some kind of guard booth/check point at the entrance where you have to pick up a pass or ticket (or sign in) or do you just start walking?.

Well, I had another question but forgot it so I'll post more later. Thank's again for helping out a clueless newbie!.

- Regards, GG

GreyGoose

07-26-2006, 00:37

Oh, my other question was...I notice that a lot of people advise you to "hang your food" at night to prevent bears from getting at it but my food will be in my pack so what do I do with my pack at night?. Also, what do I do about washing out my mess kit/dishes so I don't attract any bears or other critters?.

- Sorry, they just keep coming... :)

dloome

07-26-2006, 00:37

Assuming you're hiking the approach trail:
Grehound can get you as far as Gainesville, GA, about 35 miles from Amicalola Falls State Park (start of approach trail) The Gainesville Greyhound station has a payphone. Use it to call a cab to bring you to the state park, or arrange for the local hiker hostel to give you a shuttle. I would bring food with you in your pack from home to get you to your first resupply on the trail instead of fooling around with resupply in Gainesville or some other place where you dohn't know what will be available.

You can begin your hike of the approach trail any time day or night. The trail starts right behind the park visitors center. Look for the huge, obvious arch. If the park is open when you get there you can go into the visitors center and see some neat exhibits about the area and sign into a hiker register. There is a drinking fountain and a payphone outside of the visitors center on the right side as well as a pack scale in front.

If you get into Gainesville late and would get to the park after dark, or with not enough time to hike the approach trail, there are lodging options in Gainesville or you can stay at the hiker hostel if you're getting picked up by them. I was picked up by the hostel shuttle in the afternoon from the bus station in Gainesville, hiked the approach in about 3 hours in time to catch the sunset from Springer, camped at Springer Mt. shelter just down the trail, then hiked North from the plaque early the next morning, worked out great.

GreyGoose

07-26-2006, 00:46

Thank's a bunch!. That was very detailed and informative...

I guess I should probably just get all of the supplies I need (pack, tent, cookware, food, etc) before I leave FL and then take the Greyhound bus to Gainseville then. Is this right?.

Also, where is the local hiker hostel located (what town in GA) and what do they charge for shuttle service (and also lodgings) and finally (whew!) what is the name of the hostel and do they have a website/phone number, etc?. As you can see, I'm beginning to get kind of serious about this..well at least I'm trying to cover everything here. I know I still have TONS to learn.

- Many thank's, GG

dloome

07-26-2006, 00:51

HANGING FOOD AWAY FROM BEARS: Most of the shelters in bear areas in the South have food cables nearby to store your food. Use them to hang your food and cooking gear with food odors. Don't cook or eat inside your tent or tarp and try to cook and eat at least a little ways away from where you are sleeping for the night. Mice are always an issue, so in shelters that don't have bear problems, use the mice ropes that are in pretty much very shelter.

If you are not staying in a shelter or the shelter doesn't have cables, hang your food (preferably downwind) a couple hundred feet away. Hang it with rope from a branch 10 feet off the ground and 6 feet away from the tree trunk, then tie off the end of the rope to something.

To clean your pot: Eat ALL the food out of it. Then put in a bit of treated water. Scrape away with your spoon to get residual food off the sides. Drink this water. Add in a bit more water and scrub your pot with a little scrubby pad or some sand, swirl it around and toss this water in the woods away and from your campsite. Hang up your pot and utensils with your food. When you brush your teeth, spit in a small cathole away from where you sleep or (my preference) just swallow your tooth paste. Delicious.

GreyGoose

07-26-2006, 00:56

Can the pack stay inside my tent (since it will contain food)?.

dloome

07-26-2006, 00:57

Get the Thru Hikers Companion and data book from the ATC, or Dan Wingfoots "The Thru Hiker's Handbook" in the most recent edition you can. They both have detailed info about getting to the termini with phone numbers, addresses, etc. And most everything else you need to know to thru hike.

I think Wingfoot is a (MUCH) better guide but that's just my opinion. Check them both out if you can.
http://www.trailplace.com/portal/display.php?page=handbook_2005

dloome

07-26-2006, 00:59

Your pack can stay in your tent. Your food is stored in a separate bag inside your pack. You hang up the food bag, so at night you won't have food in your pack.

GreyGoose

07-26-2006, 01:01

Skidsteer

07-26-2006, 06:27

Also, where is the local hiker hostel located (what town in GA) and what do they charge for shuttle service (and also lodgings) and finally (whew!) what is the name of the hostel and do they have a website/phone number, etc?. As you can see, I'm beginning to get kind of serious about this..well at least I'm trying to cover everything here. I know I still have TONS to learn.

- Many thank's, GG

http://www.hikerhostel.com/ The Hiker Hostel is in Suches, GA.

Phreak

07-26-2006, 07:08

Test all of your gear before heading to the start of your hike. When I worked at REI, we had a lot of thru hikers come into the store the day before the start of their hike to buy all of their gear. I wouldn't recommend this approach.

Then one morning, I would get up as early as possible, walk through town until I arrived at the entrance to the AT and then rush to make it to the nearest shelter before nightfall so I could pitch my tent.
No need to rush to your nightly campsite nor the need to get up as early as possible. Enjoy each day as you hike and if you get to camp after dark, so be it. Setting up a tent at night is just as easy as setting up in the daytime.

Skidsteer

07-26-2006, 07:59

...and then rush to make it to the nearest shelter before nightfall so I could pitch my tent.

If you're going to set up your tent there is no need to rush anywhere. Just find a relatively flat spot close to the trail and make camp. A water source nearby is a bonus, but you can get by without one if you top off your water containers at a convenient spring or creek toward the end of the day-when you start thinking about stopping.

bigcranky

07-26-2006, 08:18

I guess I should probably just get all of the supplies I need (pack, tent, cookware, food, etc) before I leave FL and then take the Greyhound bus to Gainseville then. Is this right?.

Aaack. Yes. These things aren't available in Gainesville. Ideally you should buy your gear far enough in advance that you will have hiked with it once or twice before starting your thru-hike. Nothing worse than trying to set up a new tent for the first time in a driving rain storm.

If you really want to just go there and buy your gear the day before you start, you should go up the trail a little ways to Neel Gap, at the Walasi'i Center. This is a great backpacking outfitter right on the trail, and they have everything you need, and it's all the right stuff for the A.T. Better yet, take a long weekend before your hike, and drive up there anyway to buy some or all of your gear. The employees will be a great help in choosing the right gear, and then you can test it by climbing Blood Mountain. (That mountain is named for the rivers of thru-hiker blood that wash down it each spring as the hikers stumble up the trail carrying way too much weight on their backs.:D )

You could make arrangements for the good folks at Hiker Hostel to come get you in Gainesville when you start your hike. You'll get picked up, get a night in a nice hostel, and get dropped off at the trailhead at Springer.

http://www.hikerhostel.com/

Hope this helps.

Michele

07-26-2006, 08:34

How I've Approached This Adventure:

1. Run a quick budget to see if you can afford this thing. These are all average figures and can vary greatly, but these #'s are from my personal experience...will step off from Springer next March 15! :D

$2500.00-$3500.00 for all gear (I owned ZERO gear)
$3000.00 for $ to use while hiking for 6 months (this # can vary A LOT,
depending on your personal needs--hotels vs. hostels)
$????? to cover 6-7 months of your on-going financial responsibilities at
home (I want an extra month covered so I can come home and have
time to adjust to this world again)
$????? for travel to Georgia and home from Maine (again depends on
your mode of transportation)

2. Make a list of your fears (rational or not) and start dealing w/them now so you won't be so freaked out when you get out there that you just quit

3. Once you know you can pull off the hike financially, start gear research

4. Make a list of everything you think you'll need and research each piece through awesome forums like this...DON'T BUY ANYTHING IMMEDIATELY, because chances are you'll end up changing your mind after a few months of research...just keep a notebook or computer file w/all your notes--go to your local outfitters and put your hands on the gear..become comfortable w/everything

5 Also research non-gear topics such as physical/psychological demands of the trail and maybe read some books written by thru-hikers--this will pose your biggest challenge on your trail--you can buy a new pack, but you can't buy a new attitude

6. Although not necessary by some accounts, physical preparation is helpful, but you don't have to turn into a crazy extreme-athlete. Just do more than you normally do now, and the best prep is to get out and hike

7. After you are comfortable w/your gear selection, start purchasing. Buy your pack LAST....you'll want to grab all your stuff, go to an outfitters and try on several packs (this is where I'm at right now)...but do have a list of packs you might be interested in and if your outfitter doesn't have it, have them order it, you shouldn't be obligated to buy it

8. Now...you've got all your stuff....get out and start doing some hiking w/it and going some overnight...simulate what you'll do on the AT and try to put your mind in that space as well...don't allow yourself to just hop in the car and go home if it starts raining/storming

9. Decide on how you'll resupply/get food (maildrops/bounce box/shopping in towns)

10. Read, read, read...on this great site and read people's journals on www.trailjournals.com (http://www.trailjournals.com)

-----Don't Forget To Enjoy This Process & Be Excited Too-------

Now..with all of that said, there are people who get up Monday morning, having never put a pack on, go to an outfitters, leave Tuesday morning and complete a thru-hike. I enjoy the planning/anticipation (this gets me out of bed in the morning), so find what works for you between the two extremes. I'm sure others on WB will have great tips to add to this scenario. Good luck!!!

--Michele

GreyGoose

07-26-2006, 09:43

Just woke up and am sitting here with a cup of coffee reading. I have been walking 3 pretty brisk laps around the neighborhood each morning lately (up from my usual single lap) and doing 25 push-ups. I smoke and drink on occassion which is probably a big no-no when physical fitness is an issue.

If I did go, it would most likely be in March of some year. For example, if I left next March, this would give me time to read, plan and prepare and also allow me to be around the maximum amount of people. While I lamented my inability to make friends because of my problems earlier, people DO afford protection and companionship so being around other people is pretty is pretty important to me.

A little about me (I don't mind sharing and I think it's important for people to get to know each other since I may someday seek out a trail-mate here when the right time comes). I tend to pack kind of heavy, walk at a fast pace and this may sound silly but ever since a kid, I have been afraid of the dark (I'm sure I can deal with the latter...lol). I'm a democrat in 90% of my beliefs, straight, I can be overly sensitive at times, etc. I would not want to be a "mile slave" on any hike but would prefer to just take some time to enjoy nature and relax a little bit but I'm not one of these types who has to stop and smell every wildflower (or take a picture) every few steps. Other than that, I'm kind of a short guy, 43 years old, easy going, etc.

One issue for me (and this may sound a bit paranoid but I base this on the years when I actually did do a lot of backpacking) I'd be concerned about leaving my food (or food bag) on a hook away from my tent (and out of my immediate sight) because obviously, your food is your lifeline when your out there 100 miles from nowhere in the middle of the wilderness and you simply can't afford to take any chances. Any issues with gear/food theft along the trail?. I know many years ago, I can remember a few times when I had some close calls.

Well, it looks like I have a lot of reading to do. Many thank's...

- Regards, GG

Frolicking Dinosaurs

07-26-2006, 10:15

GG - you will never be 100 miles from a road on the AT. Theft along the trail is a rare thing. Most food theft happens when the wildlife manages to get hold of your food. Defeating bears, raccoons, squirrels and micro-bears (aka as mice) attempts to get your food will result in far less food loss than attempting to keep it in sight.

Given your fear of darkness, you might be more comfortable in or near a shelter with others close by. Most will have a bear cable system. The other hikers will show you how to hang your food if asked. Be sure you bring a suitable rope for this.

As others have noted, buy your gear before you start and test it with a few overnight trips. Pack your backpack and take it with you on the bus trip. The only thing you might want to buy in Gainesville is some more food and possibly stove fuel. Personally, I don't attempt to carry stove fuel on public transportation these days due to the many anti-terrorism rules they now have.

bigcranky

07-26-2006, 13:15

GG,

People won't steal your food. Bears might, and raccoons, and the mice will work hard to get inside, but your fellow hikers won't swipe it, no matter how hungry they get.

If you do lose all your food, your fellow hikers will most likely feed you until you (and they) get to the next road crossing, which will be much shorter than 100 miles. (This depends on how you treat your fellow hikers, of course, but as a rule the hiking community takes care of its own.) Then you can take everyone out for an all-you-can-eat buffet as a thank-you.

You could carry an Ursack as a food bag. This is a bag made of aramid fibers, which animals can't chew through. We have a couple of them, and they've been a useful defense against mice and raccoons, though we've never had a bear try to get in. (We watched a raccoon trying to get inside the bag on top of a bear pole in Shenandoah last June. Poor bugger. No free lunch.)

Oh, and on your personal habits: drinking isn't a big deal, but my personal experience is that smoking just kills my ability to hike uphill.

ASUGrad

07-26-2006, 14:20

If you are 43 and smoking, you may want to consider switching to cigars or dipping to get the nicotine fix. The uphills at Mt Rogers, MacAfee's Knob and Roan Mtn will kill you.

Make sure your laps include hills. I walk at lunch every day and I make sure I do some hills to exercise the right muscles.

GreyGoose

07-26-2006, 14:25

Thank's bigcranky (and the numerous others here) who have provided useful information, links, advice, etc. I'm definately getting psyched for this but still have quite a bit to learn before I start getting really serious (I would'nt be able to do anything until at least March of 07 anyway).

That's comforting to know that hikers look out for each other and of course, I would definately do the same if someone ran low (or out) of food, needed first aid or had some other issues that needed taken care of. To anyone hiking with me or anyone I happened to pass along the trail, I might seem a bit unfriendly or standoffish but that's only because I tend to be extremely shy but that does'nt mean I'm trying to be unfreindly. Most of the time someone has to engage me in conversation before I "open up" but beyond this point, they've usually got a friend for life.

That ursack (rucksack?) bag sounds interesting. From everything I read it sound like mice can be a big problem on the trail. I'll have to look into this. I'm also not sure how I would deal with the money end of this but I suppose I could just bring my wallet/CC along and maybe a small amount of cash. I would probably be operating on about $500.00 each month from an income I have coming to me each month (that's where the CC comes in handy) and then let my roommate/friend draw money from my business so he can have some way of continuing to pay the rent here, eat, pay the bills, etc. It will definately take some logistical planning and some time to sort all of this out.

The last thing I wanted to say is that in my late teens all the way into my early 20's, I did become pretty proficient as far as backpacking, knowing what supplies were needed, etc. Based on my prior (limited) experience, I was thinking about putting a gear /supply list together (with commentary and perhaps pictures) and posting it. It is the same list I will probably be using myself and if it helps someone else in some small way, then all the better. I'd also welcome advice/input on my list.

Well, gotta run..GG

general

07-26-2006, 18:01

i smoke and drink, but i can still lay down miles like a mad man. after a couple hundred miles it wouldn't matter if you were carrying a bowling ball. your body adjusts to your hike fairly quickly. hike hard, play hard, and when you get into town after a week or so in the woods, you'll get drunk as a skunk off of about half the alcohol it normally takes.

GreyGoose

07-26-2006, 18:16

mweinstone

07-26-2006, 18:16

matthewski in a suprise move stunned the hiking world again today in london when he announced he was all in behind grey goose. matthewski the hapless nothingair from the united states is well known for his other wild play on minnisota smith backing him almost from his start.

grey goose at this hour is going off at a fantastik one in fifteen chance of summiting.this reporter will keep you posted.

other hiking gamblers are circling overhead at the smell of carrion.

lone wolf could not be reached for comment as he is currently at his gazebo in malibu.

GreyGoose

07-26-2006, 18:19