nearly last minute advice for 07 NOBO’s

[mountain squid]

Have recently seen the increase in the “Analyze my gear”/“what do you think of this” threads, so as your start date rapidly approaches, a few suggestions:

I know you’ve done it about a thousand times, but analyze your gear once more. If you are unsure of the usefulness of any item, ask on WB. If you know you are not likely to use something, don’t bring it. If you do bring it, tell your folks/significant other/etc. to expect a package from you the week following your start date. It will contain the items that you have exchanged for something else and/or haven’t used at all ...

- Do you really want to carry a water filter?
- If you have a canister stove, how many extra canisters do you need?
- If you have a white gas stove, how much extra fuel do you need? (IE. Do you need to carry 2 fuel bottles?)
- Have you considered an alcohol stove? (If you haven’t, you will...)
- Do you really need a 2-person tent? (How much space do you really need? The only thing you do is sleep in your tent...)
- Is a 40F bag warm enough (probably not)?
- How much soap will you need? (Last year on top of Springer, I saw a guy with a large bottle of dishwashing liquid. I asked him if he had heard of Dr Bronners. He said he had and promptly produced a large bottle of that, also. I took the dishwashing liquid down and later added it to the hiker box at Neels Gap - it’s probably still there?!?!)
- Did you cut your toothbrush in half, yet? (:-? , if that is your “best” weight saving idea, you will learn alot your 1st week out?!?!)
- Light source. All you need is ONE headlamp. Don’t go crazy with extra batteries, either. (I carry a Princeton TEC LED light and that is it...)
- Sil/nylon stuff sacks work for all your stuffing needs, including food.
- Although it is certainly convenient, do you need the “lid” on your backpack? You can shave several ounces by leaving it home. You will also have to re-consider the items that you would have kept in the lid and possibly shave a few more ounces...
- Sleeping bag liner. I’m not sure how much warmer it will make you, but it will definitely keep your bag cleaner.
- It will be cold, bring some long pants. No jeans, please.
- Don't forget some ear plugs for those "noisy" shelter mates (or avoid sleeping inside the shelters).

$$$$$It might be too late to make major gear changes, but be aware that when you make it to Neels Gap, you might anyway. Ensure that what you have will work. Again, ask questions. You might get a hundred different opinions, but you will at least have something to think about...$$$$$

If you (or your folks/significant other) are concerned about not having someone to hike with, DON’T worry. Springer Mt is very busy in Mar/Apr. Unfortunately, this also means that camping space at/near shelters will be at a premium. Consider starting on a weekDAY. There will likely be fewer people starting on Tue/Wed/Thu. And, if you do start on a “less-busy” day, you will catch up to people or they will catch up to you.

$$$$$Take “neroes“, instead of “zeroes“. And watch those “slackpacking” opportunities. If you spend several days in town and slack every day, you will spend alot of money...A nero would be stopping short before getting into town and then arriving early the next morning. You’ll have plenty of time for chores, relaxation, etc and only spend one night on lodging expenses (provided you leave the next day...) When you make it to NH, you don‘t want to think about the money you could have saved along the way...$$$$$

Don’t start off too fast. Take it slow. The “20’s” will come, but no need to push yourself in the first week. Most hikers probably don’t complete a “20” until almost VA.

Follow this link for what I witnessed last year and some additional thoughts:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=14493

Otherwise, Don’t Worry. Just some almost, last minute thoughts to consider. Everything will work out in the end. Have Fun. Hike your own hike. Blah, Blah, Blah.

Good Luck to all and see you on the trail,
mt squid

Oh yeah...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
Any other thoughts/suggestions?

[K0OPG]

thanks.

some very good questions to ask myself before I head out this spring.

[Jaybird]

Good advice Mtn Squid!


"Jigsaw" & i will be section-hikin' again this year...Jennings Creek thru SNP.
hope to meet some of ya'll WhiteBlaze.netters out on the trail..."IN-PERSON".

[esmithz]

I started a thru this year april 10 from amacalola. Sunny weather the 1st week. sunburn hands but a wide brim had saved my face. What did I get rid of at Neels gap? (pack bonnet, xtra containers, xtra shirt, cell phone and charger, a couple of other non essentials). During my hike I used 1 quart baggies to hold most of my food. I had a bounce box for baggies, batteries, sun loation an other stuff. To conserve weight I would dump packets of oatmeal into a large baggie and trow out the box and packets. I tell you this not because of the technique of bagging oatmeal but this is the attitude you need to have to cut out every ounce you don't need to carry. It applies not just to oatmeal but to everything. Also about your feet. This is my opinion and others might disagree. If your pack starts to go above a certain weight lightweight shoes/boots might be a problem. So if you are using trailrunners never let your pack go above a certain weight else you'll be begging for foot problems. Also. Don't try to load down an ultralight pack with too much gear else you'll be leaving trail quickly due to sheer misery as well as back and shoulder problems. Use an ultralight single person tent or tarp_with_netting. If you do decide to go heavy(35+lb in the pack) make sure you have heavier pack with substantial waist and shoulder straps as well as substantial boots. If you do decide to go light (less than 35 lbs in your pack) make sure you never let that pack get over 35 lbs. I wish I was going out there again with the rest of the crew. One last piece of advice. Find a couple of people you can hike with and stay together. After 4 weeks your going to need each other more than you know. There will come a time when you will want to quit. When and where that will be who knows. Laminate a 3x5 card with instructions to yourself on what to do when you want to quit. Put it in your pack and pull it out in the event of emergency. It could be something to make you laugh , a phone number of someone who makes you laugh, or just some positive self talk. In any event it needs to be something you can use to readjust your attitude. Good luck.

[Peaks]

Good post. I might add that if you haven't done much backpacking before, just start what you thing you want, and then plan on spending some time and money at Mountain Crossing/Neals Gap 30 miles up the trail. Winton and his staff are experts at checking gear and sending back equipment that isn't needed.

[mountain squid]

Although, I believe Mountain Crossings provides an outstanding service, I'd prefer that future hikers could learn from those of us who have already been there, done that. As I suggested in another thread, it would be most beneficial for future hikers to visit Mountain Crossings and speak with the staff PRIOR to starting their hike. Ideally at a time when alot of prospective thru-hikers are coming through. Then they can observe what happens first hand and be better prepared themselves. Unfortunately, for most 07ers (08 people and beyond listen up) that opportunity probably does not exist anymore:( ...

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[Lone Wolf]

Good post. I might add that if you haven't done much backpacking before, just start what you thing you want, and then plan on spending some time and money at Mountain Crossing/Neals Gap 30 miles up the trail. Winton and his staff are experts at checking gear and sending back equipment that isn't needed.

SOBOs must be smarter and tougher. They don't see or need an outfitter for 300 miles or more.

[A-Train]

Not to toot my own horn, but in the articles section you'll find a little something I wrote addressing these topics to some degree. Maybe it can help someone! Good luck!

[Pedaling Fool]

Watch out for them damn ticks!!!

[soulrebel]

All Gear is overrated, Don't forget the libations, and have a good time.
Don't take anything seriously-you're on vacation and you should act that way. And remember, purists are people that need to party more, so help them out!
the trail is just a dirt path that goes through the woods. You will come across many other dirt paths, don't just walk by, check some of them out-- even if it's for only for a few hundred yards.

You wouldn't believe the number of hikers that pass Annapolis rocks and other beautiful blue-blazes. Think about it--when's the next time you'll pass through that area again, quite possibly-NEVER!

OH ya F die-hard scheduling and yes this includes mail drops!

happy new year-if you find me in a ditch-I'm just recovering from having a good time!

[mountain squid]

Good point about the ticks. You won't have to worry about them for awhile, but lyme disease can mess you up. For those who don't already know, the ticks are very small and will look like a speck of dirt. As you get up North during the summer, remember to check yourself daily. If you see the red "bulls-eye", start looking for the antibiotic...

Other symptoms here:
http://www.webmd.com/hw/arthritis/aa10056.asp

Most importantly is "the lack of energy". When it will also be hot and humid the last thing you want is a lack of energy...

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[mountain squid]

A few more thoughts...

Can’t speak for anyone else, but long distance HIKING on the AT was not similar to any other backpacking trip I’ve taken (most of which were short weekenders). When hiking for only a few days, CAMPING is an integral part of the trip. Since you will spend alot of time in CAMP, gear choices will reflect that. When only out for a few days, you justify carrying more to make CAMPING more enjoyable.

Long distance hiking is just that - HIKING. Of course, you will camp, but the focus is on HIKING. I think many people who start off with frying pans, camp stools, water buckets, saws and other niceties for CAMP will quickly realize that after hiking from 15 - 25 miles that there isn’t much day left for CAMPING.

Of course, there will be socializing in camp. The social aspect is one of the best parts of the AT. But, “hiker midnight” occurs quickly once the sun goes down. I posted elsewhere that unless someone builds a fire, once it is dark, you go to sleep. Again, there isn’t much to do in the dark (unless you plan on night hiking)...

Don’t make the assumption that experiences on previous backpacking trips will be similar on a long distance trek. Some things might be similar, but many things will be different and new. The mindset is different. The goals are different. The experience is different. The distance traveled per day is different. It’s just different...

Once again, see you on the trail,
mt squid

Any other thoughts/suggestions?

[mountain squid]

Sanitation. You will get dirty, filthy and pretty much disgusting. Not too much you can do about others, but keep some hand sanitizer readily available and use it frequently. Pay attention to that "community" bag of gorp/trail mix. If everyone is dipping their hand into it, well, I hope you get the picture...lots of germs...

If you do share your trail mix, POUR it into everyone's hands, including your own.

Hopefully, this year we won't see a thread about how everyone is getting sick...

Once again, Good Luck everyone and See you on the trail,
mt squid

[murphyw]

Mountain Squid,

Some awesome suggestions. Here's a crack at adding some more advice.

Bring sun glasses; just cheap ones. Saved me from headaches (from lots of hours every day in the sun) and from poking my eye out on low branches. After a while you'll no longer need them, but they made the adjustment from life as a programmer to life as a hiker easier. Hat with a brim was great too; for sun & rain & as a sweat band.

Symptoms of Giardia include lots of burping and farting and not passing any privies without stopping. If you feel weak, like eating isn't powering you back up... Time to see a doctor. Treating all water might not keep you from getting it. You don't need to bring the whole roll of TP, but it isn't great to run out.

The easiest place to save weight is in bringing less clothes or less food (I always, always carried too much. Only twice did I make it to town with nothing to eat left.) One guideline on clothes is if you can't wear it all at the same time it's too much. Do bring a warm hat for sleeping in, balaclava if your comfortable in one. Lightest warmest thing there is. Make sure you can sleep comfortably. Sleep is when your body rebuilds; if you're shivering all night you will feel terrible the next day.

It's said elsewhere, but is worth repeating. Take pictures of other people. Lots of pictures of other people. Ask 3rd parties to get pics of you with other people. After your trip, those will be the pictures you want to look at. You will, I am certain, end up with a zillion pics of views of mountains anyway.

Even if it is cold, drink lots of water. Our bodies are basically water pumps. Till you adjust to hiking all day long this is the best way to help your body reshape itself.

If something hurts that's okay. Take some vit-I. If it keeps hurting day after day watch out. Feet feeling like they've been pounded with a baseball bat for 2 weeks came right before a stress fracture for me... Going slow while you adjust or taking a day or two off in town to bring down the inflammation is lots better than ending your trip early. Half way through a thru, you'll be amazingly stronger and the first month is a terrible time to focus on schedules.

Have fun. If you stop doing that, you'll be headed home.

Then again, if you figure out some other life-plan that sounds like more fun than hiking; go for it. Nothing's sadder than meeting a NOBO in Maine who has hated hiking and feels it has been a waste and is still going to spend 3 more weeks hiking. Sure we all have down days, but seriously -- it's not for everyone. I wish I wasn't so tempted to go again this year. Better a section hike where you learned what you wanted about yourself than a full thru where you forgot to plan past Katahdin. Don't focus on the end of the trail, either focus on today or focus on life after the trail. In life, there's way more of "today" and "after trail" than there is of "final summit".

Write when you can; even if it's just a star next to the shelter name you slept at in your copy of Wingfoot. Sure, you'll remember tons about your trip, but it's nice to have something to refer back to. Write in registers too, it's wonderful to read when you're bored and even better when a friend leaves you a note.

Elevation profiles lie. Wingfoot is just wrong in spots. 700' climbs in .3 of a mile? No way. Bridges that washed out in 2004 still listed, yep. The trail goes where ever it goes. If you like, you can complain about that. It isn't going to move the trail much. It will entertain me if I overhear it though.

If you get a chance, go to Trail Days. Also try to go to Hard Core. If you see a maintainer, thank them. Unless their section is in Maine, then they deserve some razzing. (I swear they put some of those blazes on with a paint ball gun; as the trail goes straight up rock faces at times. The signs that suggest I stay on the slippery-bucking-bog-bridges in the middle of swamps were just to taunt me. I know it.)

March & April, Georgia is a zoo of people. Things spread out, lots of people drop out. If there are too many others don't give up on your thru experience within the first few weeks. All you have to do is not camp at the shelters and you can feel like you have the trail almost all to yourself (or your group of friends). Carry water .2 past some water source till you find a camp site and you're on your own.


Hope to see you out there.

--Pi

[MileMonster]

I've given this advice before to those starting out -

Concentrate on small goals, maybe 3-5 days apart. Get to Neels Gap. Get to Dicks Creek Gap. Get to NC. Get to the NOC. Get to the Smokies. Get past the Smokies. Get to Hot Springs. Get to Erwin. Get to Roan and then Kincora. Get to Damascus and, viola, you're in VA!

Second piece of advice - Enjoy everything along the way while getting to each goal. It's all so much fun.

I'm jealous of everyone that is getting to start!

- MM.

[Ronin]

Good point about the ticks...lyme disease can mess you up. For those who don't already know, the ticks are very small and will look like a speck of dirt. As you get up North during the summer, remember to check yourself daily. If you see the red "bulls-eye", start looking for the antibiotic...

mt squid

Hey guys. Just a few thoughts to add here...Many people never get the famous "red bullseye" after a tick bite. The best thing to do is very carefully check yourself over every day, as Mt. Squid said. Also remember that ticks crawl UP and look for HEAT. This means check your privates especially well!! I've found bitten-in ticks in places that were a little too close to home for me! :eek: This doesn't mean that ticks haven't been found between toes, etc.


Don't focus on the end of the trail, either focus on today or focus on life after the trail. In life, there's way more of "today" and "after trail" than there is of "final summit".
--Pi

IMHO, I would delete the part about thinking about life after the Trail while you're on it. I think that takes away from the experience. Focus on today is right! :) Unless, your specific reason for hiking is to have time to contemplate what you'll do next.


I've given this advice before to those starting out -

Concentrate on small goals, maybe 3-5 days apart. Get to Neels Gap. Get to Dicks Creek Gap. Get to NC. Get to the NOC. Get to the Smokies. Get past the Smokies. Get to Hot Springs. Get to Erwin. Get to Roan and then Kincora. Get to Damascus and, viola, you're in VA!

- MM.

MM - Perfectly said, I think. If all you can do is think about Katahdin from the day you set out, I think you're doomed.

Cheers!

[Jack Tarlin]

What a great post by Squid.

For those interested in the subject, I wrote a short piece in the Articles section a few years ago; it'c called "What I'd Do Differently" or something like that. I just re-read it, and I think it's still pretty sound. And I'm going to re-read it again before I head to Georgia!

[Ronin]

Hey Jack. I read your article and thought it was great! It's so beneficial to have those types of insights from someone who's been there. Thanx!

[mountain squid]

tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock...Alot of people getting anxious now...

On Pi's note about taking pix, make sure your camera is easily available WITH your pack on. If you have to take your pack off to get your camera, you won't take as many pictures...Also takes notes about the pictures (a brief note on a map/Companion/Wingfoot will help you to remember when/where/who). If you are like me those little notes will be very handy. I still haven't finished labeling my pictures (not even close):eek: and I already wish I had taken better notes...

See you on the trail,
mt squid


Any other thoughts/suggestions?

[Krewzer]

This has been said over and over, but I'll mention it again. Consider it more of a reminder and less last minute advice. This is mostly for the guys, because they tend to lose a lot more weight, but girls might also want to look out for this too.

If you've reached New York (but maybe sooner), and you find the days are getting harder and harder, but the mountains are not getting any bigger. And, you can't figure why you're struggling to get to the next shelter. The answer is probably that you've lost a ton of weight, you have no reserves for the body to call on and you need to start eating more... much more.

So, watch your weight up there. If you're losing too much too fast, it will affect you're ability to hike and to enjoy the rest of your hike. And, possibly cause you to end your hike because you think it's just more than you can do. Eat more Cherry Garcia and Chunky Monkey. It wouldn't hurt to slow down a bit either, but HYOH.

On the plus side, you're going to be 20 mile a day hiking machines, you will have your pack totally streamlined, you'll be burning those 4-6000calories a day you've been hearing about, your beer gut will be gone...and you will be hungry all the time. Eat! Enjoy! Never, never, never skip a deli or pizza joint.

[mountain squid]

If you've reached New York (but maybe sooner), and you find the days are getting harder and harder, but the mountains are not getting any bigger. And, you can't figure why you're struggling to get to the next shelter. The answer is probably that you've lost a ton of weight, you have no reserves for the body to call on and you need to start eating more... much more.

That is what happened to me but it was sooner. It was in NJ. By then I had lost about 30#. And, since I'm not a big guy to begin with, that was a lot of weight to lose (normal for me is about 170#). I wouldn't say I was actually 'struggling', but I do remember standing at the bottom of a few small 'hills', looking up and thinking that I didn't have the energy anymore. And, of course, thinking about the 'mountains' to come (Killington, The Whites, etc)...

Anyway, good advice Krewzer. When you get into town, EAT, EAT, EAT...

See you on the trail,
mt squid

Any more thoughts/suggestions?

[mountain squid]

Just reviving this thread for 08ers (and beyond) with a few extra thoughts (at no charge, of course):

There are so many electronic devices http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/ad/mobile.gifhttp://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/music005.gifout there now. Instead of carrying 4 different chargers, consider bouncing them ahead.

Camp shoes or not? – If after a long, hard day of school/work/whatever you do during the day when not hiking to bide your time and stave off boredom or make some money or whatever it is that you do, and once home you keep your shoes on until you go to bed, then maybe you don’t need camp shoes. However, if the first thing you do at home is kick off your shoes and let your feet air out and relax, you will probably appreciate some comfortable camp shoes. Get the Crocs/Waldies/cheap equivalent before hitting the trail and save the extra expense it will likely cost you at an outfitter…

Reading material – at the beginning, if you really think you need a book, only bring one (all three books of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is a bit much)…I would suggest waiting until you are used to walking all day, every day before lugging around a book…

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/signs003.gif everyone and most importantly http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/signs027.gif!!!

See you on the trail and don’t forget the sunscreenhttp://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/happy032.gif,
mt squid

PS. Don’t even think about getting rid of your sleeping bag on the Approach Trail. Although, the weather might be nice and you might want to lighten your load, don’t do it. It will get cold…

PPS. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/think004.gifAbsolutely, under no circumstances, think to yourself that a hand cart/dolley is a good idea…



Any other thoughts/suggestions?

[Brushfire]

PPS. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/think004.gifAbsolutely, under no circumstances, think to yourself that a hand cart/dolley is a good idea…



Hilarious. Somehow I dont think you would mention it if you hadnt seen it...