View Full Version : Maryland - AT
I am planning to day hike the entire Maryland portion of the AT, wanted to see if anyone has hiked the 40 miles through Maryland and any advice they could give,
Lone Wolf
12-12-2007, 16:35
have fun. it's pretty easy
Yeah, what L Wolf said, it's an easy section.
doggiebag
12-12-2007, 16:54
It is a very nice state to hike. The highest point is at 1,950 with a max elevation change of under 700 feet. The Maryland challenge is being able to do the entire state in one day. Not my type of hiking. It's a different animal in winter conditions. There may have been a recent relocation of the trail because our point man said that the landmarks and roads were not coinciding with his trail guide. In snow - I was comfy at doing 10 miles a day in MD.
sasquatch2014
12-12-2007, 16:56
Depends on when you go. I just came off Md with a few other fellow WB'ers and with the snow and cold it was not a cakewalk as many lead you to believe. The when has as much to do with the hike as the where. Most of the Pics of this trip were posted in the last few days so you can see them on the gallery.
dessertrat
12-12-2007, 17:29
It is a very nice state to hike. The highest point is at 1,950 with a max elevation change of under 700 feet. The Maryland challenge is being able to do the entire state in one day. Not my type of hiking. It's a different animal in winter conditions. There may have been a recent relocation of the trail because our point man said that the landmarks and roads were not coinciding with his trail guide. In snow - I was comfy at doing 10 miles a day in MD.
I think one day is probably do-able for some people in the summertime, perhaps one long, long day in June at a very fast pace, but I don't think I would enjoy it. YMMV.
Two or three days would be more like it, even at dayhiker weights. Carry small bills and coins for the vending machines in Greenbrier state park (if you choose to detour there), at the George Washington Monument park, and Gathland state park. The views are nice. The hiking is pretty easy, there is a bit of a climb going up to the towers, but not too steep.
My thought would be to do the hike in May or June to get the most daylight hours, is 3.5 mph an achievable pace? That would put the hike at about 12hours to complete.
Lone Wolf
12-12-2007, 17:46
My thought would be to do the hike in May or June to get the most daylight hours, is 3.5 mph an achievable pace? That would put the hike at about 12hours to complete.
3.5 is very doable. consider a little trail running. you could do it in 10 hours or less
doggiebag
12-12-2007, 17:46
My thought would be to do the hike in May or June to get the most daylight hours, is 3.5 mph an achievable pace? That would put the hike at about 12hours to complete.
3.5 miles an hour for 12 hours? Personally unless someone's got a gun to my head ... I won't consider it. That's a hell of a pace. I had a friend that did MD in one day with full road support (no pack) and he was felling goofy at the last 5 miles. Goofy - with regards to he was not thinking right at that point. You're talking a marathon and a half in 12 hours.
Lone Wolf
12-12-2007, 17:48
3.5 miles an hour for 12 hours? Personally unless someone's got a gun to my head ... I won't consider it. That's a hell of a pace. I had a friend that did MD in one day with full road support (no pack) and he was felling goofy at the last 5 miles. Goofy - with regards to he was not thinking right at that point. You're talking a marathon and a half in 12 hours.
if he's a runner and in shape it's no big deal
doggiebag
12-12-2007, 17:51
Very true LW. My frame of reference is from my easy going 42 year old body which likes to stop and take pictures and make coffee.
wrongway_08
12-12-2007, 17:55
That pace is doable, the rocks will slow you down a bit but as long as your in shape (really good shape) its doable. we did above PennMar to Conwell shelter (I think thats the name, always seem to screw that shelter up :) ) with a 4 MPH pace - that was earlier this summer. It will be a fast pace and you wont be able to stop and goof off.
Only reason we did it so fast is because we did a out and back. Took two nights in and then sprinted back in one day. This was with loaded packs.
In winter, it takes a bit longer as a group of us figured out last week.
I would do it over night, a little more fun - some good out looks to see.
The toughest part of the AT in MD are the first ten miles heading south from Pen-Mar. Three or four 500'-700' PUDs in quick succession over rocky terrain. After that, it's easy sledding. Kudos to the folks at the FreeState Hiker Hostel. It's a really great place.
LastHonestFool
12-15-2007, 02:07
It is a very nice state to hike. The highest point is at 1,950 with a max elevation change of under 700 feet. The Maryland challenge is being able to do the entire state in one day. Not my type of hiking. It's a different animal in winter conditions. There may have been a recent relocation of the trail because our point man said that the landmarks and roads were not coinciding with his trail guide. In snow - I was comfy at doing 10 miles a day in MD.
yarr. that was me
aka "what blaze?" for that weekend, hahah
if you do it in the Winter....good luck....I was keeping a decent pace on our last trip, and there's no way to do it in one day in the winter, not enough day light and trudging through 8-18 inches of snow all day is rough
I could see it happening in the summer, get going early and keep up a 4-5 mph pace and it'll happen....hell I might try it when it warms up
those PUDs at the beginning by PenMar were the worst, the trail disappeared a few times and I steered us through a deer trail until Sasquatch figured out we weren't on the blazes anymore and got us back on trail, haha
if your trying to do it though....wait for the summer, take a day pack...and ask me to come :)
ATSeamstress
12-15-2007, 03:13
Don't miss Weverton Cliffs and Black Rock Cliffs. Also High Point. Have a celebratory dinner at Old South Mountain Inn. I went in there after a shower at Dahlgren so I was reasonably clean but still had hiker garb on. They treated me good as gold and the Sunday brunch was outstanding.
South Mtn. Inn and Dahlgren campground are a treat. That's the kind of thing you don't see much of on the New England stretch of the AT. IIRC, there was about a week's worth of hiking, from there down to Bears Den hostel, where I had town food almost every single day.
Programbo
12-16-2007, 12:09
I am planning to day hike the entire Maryland portion of the AT, wanted to see if anyone has hiked the 40 miles through Maryland and any advice they could give,
The MCM use to do this as a yearly hike so it is easily do-able if you are in good shape..I think the distance is closer to 42 miles now..Early spring would be my choice as it`s not that humid mid-Atlantic heat yet..Late fall-winter is bad as there are a load of freshly fallen leaves on the trail and it is very rocky in parts under them so not the ideal place for rapid hiking..I was just up on the section above I-70 a few weeks ago and the side trail to Pine Knob Shelter was basically unfollowable at points as you couldn`t tell when you were on the trail or not because of the thick leaf coverage
If you want to do this section to do it then why not go 3.5mph but if you want to enjoy it take at least 2 full days of hiking. There are a lot of cool views and some nice history if ya have the time to stop and read the history placks.
dessertrat
12-17-2007, 11:09
Although I earlier weighed in saying it wouldn't be enjoyable in one day, the more I think about it, the more I think it would be a good "long day" hike, though you would certainly need to keep moving to do it from dawn to dusk. I would do it from Penn Mar to Harpers Ferry, I think, ending at the Hilltop or Comfort Inn, rather than planning on camping out.
Many moons ago, it seems like another life time, a bunch of us from the Terrapin Trail Club at the U of MD made an attempt as a dayhike. 3 of us finished and 3 made it about half way. At that time the AT was a mile or two shorter in MD, 37.? miles as I recall. This time of year I'd imagine you'd end up hiking in the dark at least part of the way unless you ran some of it.
Here's a link to a story about that fateful day over 30 years ago:
http://rickholt.net/hiking_the_appalachian_trail_in_maryland.htm
dessertrat
12-17-2007, 16:38
Many moons ago, it seems like another life time, a bunch of us from the Terrapin Trail Club at the U of MD made an attempt as a dayhike. 3 of us finished and 3 made it about half way. At that time the AT was a mile or two shorter in MD, 37.? miles as I recall. This time of year I'd imagine you'd end up hiking in the dark at least part of the way unless you ran some of it.
Here's a link to a story about that fateful day over 30 years ago:
http://rickholt.net/hiking_the_appalachian_trail_in_maryland.htm
This time of year? I'm sure I wouldn't finish it in a day this time of year. I am thinking May or June when the days are long and the trail is clear. Heat doesn't bother me. I might take along just a sleeping bag liner in case it went really badly and I had to spend a night at a shelter.
Many moons ago, it seems like another life time, a bunch of us from the Terrapin Trail Club at the U of MD made an attempt as a dayhike. 3 of us finished and 3 made it about half way. At that time the AT was a mile or two shorter in MD, 37.? miles as I recall. This time of year I'd imagine you'd end up hiking in the dark at least part of the way unless you ran some of it.
Here's a link to a story about that fateful day over 30 years ago:
http://rickholt.net/hiking_the_appalachian_trail_in_maryland.htm
Hey RFD!
The TTC actually just did that this past fall! A few people I know went to do it... none of them had trained especially for it, but they're obviously in hiking/outdoors shape. I think 6 went and 4 made it. Look them about 23 hours! They did the 4-state thing.
Just to ring in on my opinion, I'd say it's an interesting feat to try, but like someone said, keep in mind the North 10mi is the hardest. If you haven't done Maryland and WV in a comfortable pace though yet... I'd say that's much better to do, first. It is far and away the most culture-dense section of the trail.
- Sudoku
Thank you all for the input. Looks like I will wait until the days are longer and warme to hike the whole trail. The Pen Mar to Harpers Ferry route sounds best, that way the hardest part is knocked out early. Additionally, the accomodations at harpers ferry look better.
Lone Wolf
12-18-2007, 14:04
same for doing the AT for the record. SOBO is the way
dessertrat
12-18-2007, 14:12
same for doing the AT for the record. SOBO is the way
Well of course it is! Springer Mountain is 3,280 feet. Katahdin is 5267.
SOBO is downhill!
sasquatch2014
12-18-2007, 14:17
You never hear anyone say I am going down north do you?