View Full Version : which guide book? how long? how old?
I was hoping to get a bit of information from the vast knowledge base here at WB.
First off, I am hoping to hike the AT in the next few years (I would start next year if it were possible, but it isn't.) and wanted to get a guidebook/handbook. Which would you recommend? I am sure this has been discussed here before but I am unable to find a thread on it.
I live in Australia so I would need to get the guide posted to me.
This is going to be a crazy question but here it goes: I have read that it takes "most" people 6 months to walk NOBO. Does is usually take the same amount of time to walk say GA to half way and then go up to Maine and start back down towards the middle? See...I told you it was a silly question. I know the length of the trail is not going to change but does the terrain/lay out make a difference?
The problem is the fact that while I am an American citizen my husband is an aussie. He can only get a visa for 3 months. We were thinking that maybe he could cross the border into Canada and then the 3 months will start again. (Still have to contact immigration on that!) We would rather not have to go back up to Canada twice (if that is even possible) and we would rather not have to finish the trail one day and have to fly out the next just because of immigration laws.
I am sure I will be back with many more questions!
Thanks!
Photofanatic
04-27-2007, 06:18
I am not an authority on anything but many people come from other countries to hike this trail. I am sure their are extensions that your husband can apply for to allow you the amount of time to complete the trail and do some visiting too.
Thanks for the reply. I did a bit more reading on the immigration site and found a bit of information. I may just head to the consulate in Sydney and ask them there.
Any tips on the guide book?
RockStar
04-27-2007, 06:40
Depending on what shape you are in physically right now. I would say try to do a "Flip-Flop" which in your case would be to start in Georgia hike to Harpers Ferry then go to Canada reup the visa and hike from Maine back to Harpers ferry. Flip Flopping is pretty common for ppl that have to start late or get injured etc. Does that help?
I hear after 30 days your body can pretty much handle most anything so by the time you reach H.F. you should be able to take on the big K in maine! :) However, thats just me talking...I've never done it so Ill let everyone else chime in! Good luck!
How long it takes people to hike the AT correlates pretty closely with age. Younger hikers average less than six months; middle-aged hikers are close to six months; 60+ edge up around 7-8 months. A big variable is how many zero days you take. Relatively low mileage hikers who take few zeroes often keep up with, or pass, much faster "jack rabbit" hikers.
I respectfully disagree with the "after 30 days your body can handle just about anything" statement. Yes, you will be in better shape than you were when you started, but 30 days of hiking will not turn a couch potato into an olympian. If you're a 23-year-old Ultimate Frisbee player, you'll be turbocharged by then. If you're in your fifties and 100 pounds overweight, you'll probably just be starting to feel a little bit less than miserable.
One suggestion: Go to trailjournals.com and find some journals by people similar to yourselves in age and whatnot. I'm sure there are a few by people who have had to grapple with immigration issues.
About the visas...the rules have been changing so I don't know what they are anymore. Definitely contact the US embassy or consulate in Australia. Whatever they tell you now will probably be different from the rules in place a year or two later, when you're ready to do it.
Good luck!
Marta/Five-Leaf
Frolicking Dinosaurs
04-27-2007, 07:15
If you're in your fifties and 100 pounds overweight, you'll probably just be starting to feel a little bit less than miserable.::: dino blicks back tears with lower lip quivering :::
Which is my point, Dino. Don't we all just wish 30 days of hiking could roll back the hand of time! I know that when you're able to do 30 days of walking, you will feel like an olympian! And you'll have worked as hard as one.
What Marta said. Also: I hearilty recommend the book by Roland Mueser, the title of which is "Long Distance Hiking," subtitle "Lessons from the Appalachian Trail."
What this book in particular: because it answers just about any question a thru-hiker needs to know, with actual statistcs based on the AT class of 1989. Now, gear has changed some, and the facilities along the trail have changed some, but IMO the book is an extremely accurate reflection of AT the thru-hiking experience.
Mueser devotes a chapter to hiking rates (speeds) and breaks it down by the AT region and by age group, among other things. For what it's worth, the author was in his early sixties during his own (successful) AT thru-hike in 1989.
TJ aka Teej
04-27-2007, 07:32
First off, I am hoping to hike the AT in the next few years (I would start next year if it were possible, but it isn't.) and wanted to get a guidebook/handbook. Which would you recommend?
:welcome to WhiteBlaze, eeyore!
For Thru-hikers there's two guides, one by Wingfoot at trailplace.com and one put out by the ATC that's written by ALDHA members (like me). You can view or download for free the 2007 ALDHA Thru-Hikers' Companion at
http://www.aldha.org/comp_pdf.htm The hiking guides have info on everything from rates at hostels to shuttles to water sources to Park rules to tips and such. There's also the ATC's Databook, which is a basic and detailed guide to the trail itself. And last but not least, there's WhiteBlaze.net, where you'll find a bazillion folks willing to help you with your questions! :D
have fun planning!
What Marta said. Also: I hearilty recommend the book by Roland Mueser, the title of which is "Long Distance Hiking," subtitle "Lessons from the Appalachian Trail."
What this book in particular: because it answers just about any question a thru-hiker needs to know, with actual statistcs based on the AT class of 1989. Now, gear has changed some, and the facilities along the trail have changed some, but IMO the book is an extremely accurate reflection of AT the thru-hiking experience.
Mueser devotes a chapter to hiking rates (speeds) and breaks it down by the AT region and by age group, among other things. For what it's worth, the author was in his early sixties during his own (successful) AT thru-hike in 1989.
that was one of the first books I ever read. I still pull it out from time to time to read it.
SGT Rock
04-27-2007, 09:25
Use the companion. It has everything you need. You can even check it out on-line and use it for planning from Australia and then order your copy using the most recent data before you get ready to start so you have the paper version to carry. That is awfulnice of them to set it up like that.
As for the visa thing, There has to be a way since there are forigners hiking the trail every year. I know this guy is not exctly an Aussie, but he is close - http://www.danceswithmarmots.com/. He sometimes posts on my site, so you could probably ask him what it took for him to get a 6 month visa to hike on.
Gray Blazer
04-27-2007, 09:39
::: dino blicks back tears with lower lip quivering :::
MS D, according to the height/weight charts, I'm 100lbs overweight. According to my weight, I'm supposed to be eight and a half feet tall. After I met you in Franklin, I hiked 37 miles in five days or something like that, and I lost 7 lbs and I felt great. Unfortunately, I have gained some of that back, but my point is.....uuummm....oh yeah, if you're over fifty (which you could very well be because I heard you are a great grandmother) and 100 lbs overweight (which I seriously doubt you are) you're gonna feel GRRrrreat!! after 30 days of hiking. But I think you already knew that. I just didn't want you drowning anybody with those great big Dino tears.;)
For pre planning I would use The Appalachian Trail Data Book. Then get the latest Through Hikers Handbook the year befor you hike. I use the AT maps and guide books also but copy the pages I want. The last section hike I did I took the AT Guidebook for that state with me, a lot of intresting reading. I would read up on what I was expecting to pass the next day. The Map and Guide book set are expensive and heavy but you can put them in mail drops and just carry one with you and mail it home when you leave the state the book you have covers. Some might suggest you get a new husband at trail days and send the old one home; I wouldn't. I've been with my wife 25 years now, she hasn't traded me in yet.
DawnTreader
04-27-2007, 12:37
JP:
Just a shout out from down m-59 in White Lake Township.. I'm glad to find a whiteblazer fifteen minutes away!! I have family in Howell and visit often..
RockStar
04-27-2007, 15:01
I respectfully disagree with the "after 30 days your body can handle just about anything" statement. Yes, you will be in better shape than you were when you started, but 30 days of hiking will not turn a couch potato into an olympian. If you're a 23-year-old Ultimate Frisbee player, you'll be turbocharged by then. If you're in your fifties and 100 pounds overweight, you'll probably just be starting to feel a little bit less than miserable.
Marta/Five-Leaf
First let me apologize for suggesting one is fit enough to participate in an olympic sport. What I meant was...After 30 days your body can handle just about anything...is that better? Or was that too precise because I was going for generalization with the "just about"? I didn't feel it necessary to give a lecture on fat and skinny hikers abilities being that I am on one end of that spectrum and can't speak for the other. And as a fatty I don't appreciate when other people assume what I can and cannot do. Or especially how I FEEL. :-?
As I recall I started with "DEPENDING ON WHAT SHAPE YOU ARE IN PHYSICALLY" which should translate to "If you are a big fat arse fantasizing about Thru-Hiking the A.T., because in Australia Fat arses have nothing better to dream about, know that physical conditioning MATTERS." I didn't say after 30 days go climb Katahdin. If they made it to H.F. in 30 days and still felt like hiking...I would think they could handle PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING. :-?
I was ASSUMING that someone from Australia that dreamed of hiking the A.T. with their Husband was a bit more in shape than most FAT arse Americans. The ones that care more about where the next town is more than a visa,such as myself. Unless someone has been running Appalachian trail ads in Australia between fast food commercials and caused increased interest? Maybe I should just start assuming and not making generalizations like everyone else here. Spare the feelings spoil the poster will be my new motto.:-?
Thank you all so much for all your help. I tried to order Roland Mueser's book from amazon but it is out of stock till the end of June. I will do a bit more searching and see if I can find it elsewhere.
Thank you for all the links and info. I really appreciate it.
I am very excited to thru-hike, or flip-flop, which ever works for us. Now I just have to wait for goose (my daughter) to grow up a bit so she can come with us! We will just have to start with some of the shorter multi day hikes here is Oz.
cheers,
eeyore
I hear after 30 days your body can pretty much handle most anything so by the time you reach H.F. you should be able to take on the big K in maine! :) However, thats just me talking...I've never done it so Ill let everyone else chime in! Good luck!
I have made no assertions about your hiking, or the hiking ability of the original poster, whose age and physical condition are also completely unknown to me. I am simply disagreeing with the commonly-stated opinion that one reaches cruising velocity after 30 days of hiking.
BTW, I have done it, and that was my personal experience. I am not saying it is the experience of others, especially those who start off young and fit. I am bothered by the advice I have heard some hikers give to others that there's no use trying to prepare yourself physically for hiking. I don't think it's true.
The only way this is germane to the subject of the thread is that you can correlate your physical condition before starting the hike with how long you can expect the hike to take.
Marta/Five-Leaf
I should have checked titles before I posted. I have the companion. For a through I would split it into halfs or quarters and mail the parts with your mail drops or bounce box.
I have heard some hikers give to others that there's no use trying to prepare yourself physically for hiking. I don't think it's true.
I agree. Prep doesn't guarantee "success" but it can't hurt. What's impossible (or much harder) to prepare for (IMO) is the mental/emotional/psychological game.
Thanks again everyone. I have gotten a lot of good advice that I will definately put to good use. I will use as many online sources as I can for data at this point and buy the guide books as the year of our thru gets closer.
cheers,
eeyore