View Full Version : Some General Questions
theoutsider
02-01-2007, 01:17
Well I am 25 and an ex marine. I am used to hiking with extremely heavy packs and gear in 110+ weather and cold weather equally, and I am a distance runner. I just decided recently to go on the trail, so I have not done a ton of research yet, but I will this week.
1. Can I hunt/fish at all on the trail to grab my own grub?
2. What do people generally need money for (aside from initial gear) ?
2a. is it free to camp?
2b. does it cost money to be on the trail? (ie park fees?)
3. What is the best date to start?
4. Do people usually go from North to South or vice-versa?
5. Will I encounter a lot of people on the train?
I know that some of these are kind of basic, but any help would be appreciated, then I can get my plans in order and start reading up in more detail.
welcome theoutsider to WhiteBlaze !
1. Feel free to hunt or fish anywhere along the trail but you need to know that the trail goes thru alot of WMA (Wildlife Management Areas) where licenses are required so ther eis a risk of getting caught regardless of how slight it may be. I dont think you could depend on it for your grub tho, but would be nice pastime in your spare time.
2. Money is needed for resupplying and piggin out in towns, not to mention motel/hotels and alot of camping areas and hostels are not entirely free esp for showers, laundry service etc.
2a. camping is free anywhere along the trail except for some campgrounds and hostels etc.
3. It doesnt cost any fees to hike the trail.
4. As for the best start date that is a personal preference. It would depend on how much you like or dislike cold and crowds. The earlier the less crowded but the more colder and adverse conditions you will encounter. The later the start the more crowds you see but much better weather. Your choice.
5. yes, most definitely.
hammock engineer
02-01-2007, 03:11
I really did not know much about the AT or long distance hiking until about a year and a half ago, so don't worry about it. You'll figure things out. If it helps the best thing I read on WB is thru hiking is only a bunch of 3 or 4 day hikes back to back.
Well I am 25 and an ex marine. I am used to hiking with extremely heavy packs and gear in 110+ weather and cold weather equally, and I am a distance runner. I just decided recently to go on the trail, so I have not done a ton of research yet, but I will this week.
1. Can I hunt/fish at all on the trail to grab my own grub?
No need to. There are plenty of towns to resupply. You will also not be in one area long enough to to this. It is also illegal and there will be some people around.
2. What do people generally need money for (aside from initial gear) ?
2a. is it free to camp?
There are a couple places with fees. Off hand the AMC huts in the white mountains come to mind. I plan to do either work for stays there, or just stealth camp somewhere
2b. does it cost money to be on the trail? (ie park fees?)
nope. Free to hike all you want. There are a couple of parks that you need a permit to camp. I'm not sure of the rules or the national parks. They are free permits though.
3. What is the best date to start?
Check out the thread here somewhere titled something like 2007 thru hike start dates. I am planning on a mid March start (no real good reason why I picked this date). People start anywhere from Jan to late April-ish
4. Do people usually go from North to South or vice-versa?
Most people go North. Some go South. The mountain in Maine at the north end is usually close until around June 1st. You can start anytime after that. Most people leave by late July to make it past the whites before the weather gets nasty.
5. Will I encounter a lot of people on the train?
Depending on when you start there could be a lot of people around. Check out www.trailjournals.com (http://www.trailjournals.com) . A lot of people have online journals from their hikes. It is a really good resouce for planning.
I know that some of these are kind of basic, but any help would be appreciated, then I can get my plans in order and start reading up in more detail.
Good luck with your hike.
Oops, I missed 2b, got my numbers all screwed up, anyway you get the picture ;)
RAT
One book you might find interesting (depending on how much time you are planning to spend on research before starting to hike) is "The Last American Man." Eustace Conway hiked the AT foraging for food along the way.
Several of the SOBOs I hiked with did some fishing in Maine. You can also score some blueberries and blackberries in the north during the summer.
The hike can be very cheap (see Weathercarrot's article in the articles section) or quite pricey, if you do a lot of slackpacking, stay in motels, and eat as many restaurant meals as possible. Your choice.
If you want to meet lots of other hikers and make new friends, start at Springer in March. If you want to spend lots of time alone, start at Katahdin in the late summer or even early fall.
Best wishes!
Marta/Five-Leaf
Most people go north. If you're interested in fishing, I suggest that you hike southbound. You can probably start sometime in June. You'll have fewer people and you can fish on your second day (Penobscot River) and most every day for the first 25 (or so) days. We're talking BIG brook trout and landlocked salmon! A Maine fishing license will be required. You will have to contend with bugs, but I imagine that won't pose much of a problem for a Marine. They're just pesky.
:welcome home! Have a great hike!
PS: If you're really interested in fishing, California's John Muir Trail at 221+ miles is a gem! I carried my flyrod on the trail this past summer. If I had more time on my hands, I woud have hiked it over 25-30 days. I could have caught fish (mostly small trout) all day long in many places.
Golden Trout---delicious!!
Shutterbug
02-01-2007, 09:57
[quote=theoutsider;314111]
1. Can I hunt/fish at all on the trail to grab my own grub?
Others have responded to your other questions, but I will respond to your question about fishing. Although there are some great fishing spots along the trail, I have found that hiking and fishing are not really consistent. I have carried fishing gear on a couple of trips and have caught some nice fish, but I have never been able to correlate the catching of fish with my need for food. For some reason, when I am really hungry, the fish don't bite. When I have plenty of other food, I catch a bunch. I usully catch and release because there is no practical way to keep fish for eating in the future. In my opinion, one might catch some fish to provide some variety, but it would be a mistake to depend on fish for your basic food supply.
As for hunting, if one were in a survival mode, there are plenty of small animals that can be trapped and eaten. Personally, I have never acquired a taste for chipmonks and mice. Killing deer, moose and bear along the trail really isn't practical or legal.
bigcranky
02-01-2007, 10:07
Well I am 25 and an ex marine. I am used to hiking with extremely heavy packs and gear in 110+ weather and cold weather equally, and I am a distance runner. I just decided recently to go on the trail, so I have not done a ton of research yet, but I will this week.
Hey, Outsider,
Welcome to Whiteblaze. You may be very pleased to discover that you no longer need to carry 110 pounds on your back. Though you might, on occasion, feel a little naked in the woods without your weapon in your hands. This feeling passes after a while (at least it did for me).
Most thru-hikers start around March in Georgia, heading north to Maine. There's not much opportunity for hunting or fishing at that point, though I suppose you could subsist on shelter mice. (That's a joke. I think.) If you start then, you'll find the shelters quite crowded, but the trail itself not so much. It's possible to have almost any level of social interaction that you choose, simply by choosing where you want to camp each night.
There are no fees to hike the trail, though you can spend some money on lodging on the trail in Shenandoah and the White Mountains. You'll want money for gear -- maybe $1000 or so if you are careful -- and money for food and occasional lodging in towns. Read Weathercarrot's guide to inexpensive thru-hiking for some ideas on keeping the cost down. Also read the Dirtbagging article for ideas on gearing up cheaply. Not counting initial gear purchases, you could spend anywhere from $1200 to $5000 on the hike.
If you want some insight into what it's like to thru-hike, you could read Jan Liteshoe's journal (along with many others on TrailJournals):
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=1076
There are some good gear lists on this site, which will get you started on what you might want to take with you. Just remember that your gear doesn't get you to Maine -- you have to carry your gear to Maine. So take it easy, even though you are young and in good shape.
Happy trails.
A very close friend hiked the AT from New Jersey to Katahdin several years ago and not knowing any better brought a 22 rim fire rifle that broke down in his pack. His plan was to shoot and eat game along the trail. He did shoot and eat one squirrel in New Jersey but got less than a ounce of meat. He then learned he could be fined for hunting without a licence in every State and arrested and perhaps jailed for carrying a conceled weapon in every State except Vermont that did not have a conceled weapons law at that time. He went to a post office and asked about sending his rifle home but was told it was illegal to mail firearms to a private home. He then kept his six pound rifle hidden in his pack and carried it all the way to Katahdin as extra weight. Fishing is an option if you have the licence and are willing to carry a rod but don't plan to catch enough fish to eat and remember there is ne refrigriation in the wilderness so any fish caught will have to be eaten within hours unless you go to the trouble of smoking them. Hike the trail, then go hunting and fishing after you finish, don't mix the two things.
theoutsider
02-01-2007, 11:00
Well, that advice is awesome! Now I just need a travelling buddy! After reading these posts and reading more about all of the options of when to go from where direction etc.. I have decided to probably start mid way go south then head to mexico :P I am looking for an extremely extended trip! I will definitely post in the forum for travel buddies, but if anyone is looking to start midway then end up in northern south america next year, let me know! I am hoping to travel to Mancora, Peru as my ultimate destination (a small little tourist town without crowding with the best surfing in South America. Thanks again everyone!!!
eric_plano
02-01-2007, 11:09
You should check this guy out. Started in Central America and went north. Very interesting stuff!
http://goliath.mail2web.com/
RiverWarriorPJ
02-01-2007, 11:09
Well I am 25 and an ex marine.
1. Can I hunt/fish at all on the trail to grab my own grub?
If you hunted & fished on the trail, ur 6 mo hike could easily turn into a 10 monther....
I know that some of these are kind of basic, but any help would be appreciated, then I can get my plans in order and start reading up in more detail.
A Marine "READING"..??..Come on...:banana ..lol..
mountain squid
02-01-2007, 11:31
:welcome and THANK-YOU for your service!!!
Well, I am not sure what your intent is now, but I already had this typed before your latest reply, so here it is anyway...
You didn't specify when you might hike or if you plan on a long distance hike, so hopefully you have some time to research further. Regardless, try to go as light as possible. Just because you can carry a heavy load, it doesn't mean you should. Don't equate what you did in the Corps to what to expect on the trail. It will be different (for one, you won't have a Gunny barking at you...) YOU can actually decide on YOUR gear and there are many lightweight alternatives to what has been provided to you.
If you are planning a hike for next year, I suggest (if it is possible) head down to the outfitter at Neels Gap in GA when this years hikers are coming through. The best time would probably be mid Mar - early Apr. You'll get alot of good advice from the staff and the hikers.
In '04 as I was going through the Smokies, there were also a group of Marines from Camp Lejeune (I think). They were all gung-ho and motivated, of course, but also, heavy laden for their trek through the mountains. Many of them were carrying their ka-bars (one guy nearly sliced his thumb off, which was promptly stitched up by the Doc with dental floss...) If I remember, only the Major and one PFC were able to keep schedule. I'm sure there were more, but alot of them were struggling.
I saw a guy start off last year and although he didn't say he was a Marine, his selected trailname led me to believe he was. He said he was carrying 100 pounds and it looked like it...
Anyway, there is a wealth of information here, and, again, just because you can carry heavy loads, it doesn't mean you should. It should be an enjoyable hike, not a forced march...
See you on the trail,
mt squid
theoutsider
02-01-2007, 23:38
all that i meant by the heavy load was that i was capable, hey i am going ultralight all the way. i hope that i dont slice my thumb off with my kabar :P
thanks again everyone, see you on the trail!
Jan LiteShoe
02-01-2007, 23:54
?
5. Will I encounter a lot of people on the train?
Yes, and you must be sure to moon them.
It's a tradition:
http://www.dicktakesahike.com/090399.htm
Thanks for the nod Big Cranky-Ken, I love you - mwah! mwah! - but this guy is a strapping 25-year-old Marine; he's not going to relate to my hike.
:)
A good AT journal to while away the winter nights might be Then Came the Hail:
www.skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html
Have fun on your adventure, soldier, you've earned a wander.
If you haven't already, check out the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's site. They have a good basic overview of hiking the AT:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.715465/k.9731/Hike_The_Trail.htm
bigcranky
02-02-2007, 07:39
Hey, Jan, Marines can be sensitive, literate people, too. Okay, how about George Staffanos' journal from many years ago:
http://www.skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html
I like that one, too.
--Ken
Jan LiteShoe
02-02-2007, 10:05
Hey, Jan, Marines can be sensitive, literate people, too. Okay, how about George Staffanos' journal from many years ago:
http://www.skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html
I like that one, too.
--Ken
Ha!
On this, we agree.
:)
(PS Check my link...:banana)
Model-T also embodies the sensitive Marine. Not only can he read, but he can WRITE too!
Lone Wolf
02-02-2007, 10:43
I'm a sensitive Marine too.
Jim Adams
02-02-2007, 10:57
In 1990 Indiana Dan hit the trail fresh out of the Marines and had extensive training in survival. His plan was to carry only grits and suppliment his meals with meat and fish via hunting, fishing and trapping. His story on the AT ended when he decided to leave the trail and go hang gliding at the NC sea shore. He could not take the time to "survive" and still have time to hike. He was young, intelligent, strong and very skilled. We all carried stoves and he carried a wok and a flint...most times he could be cooking before any of us even had our stoves ready but he was STARVING!
geek
Lone Wolf
02-02-2007, 11:00
In 1990 Indiana Dan hit the trail fresh out of the Marines and had extensive training in survival. His plan was to carry only grits and suppliment his meals with meat and fish via hunting, fishing and trapping. His story on the AT ended when he decided to leave the trail and go hang gliding at the NC sea shore. He could not take the time to "survive" and still have time to hike. He was young, intelligent, strong and very skilled. We all carried stoves and he carried a wok and a flint...most times he could be cooking before any of us even had our stoves ready but he was STARVING!
geek
i hiked a lot with him. his "wok" was a actually a big stainless steel mixing bowl
Jim Adams
02-02-2007, 11:04
LW,
I hiked about 200 miles with him also. He was a great guy but he always made he laugh when he would wash out his socks in that bowl then rinse it and cook supper!
geek
I distinctly remember several days of hiking with L. Wolf, Indiana Dan, and Freebird. Between Laurel Falls and Damscus, basically. We made a shambles of the AT in that time... Indiana Dan was one of the early hammockers, as well. Nice kid.
theoutsider
02-03-2007, 10:33
how do i get in contact with indiana dan?