PDA

View Full Version : All guidebooks milage the same



Kirby
01-04-2008, 20:27
I am curious to know if all the AT gudebooks(companion, Appalachian pages, handbook) all have the same milage? Meaning a road is the same distance from spot X in all the guidebooks.

For those of you curious, I am still deciding what book to carry,
Kirby

Appalachian Tater
01-04-2008, 20:32
Kirby, it is my understanding that more than one of the guidebooks uses the same source for the trail data: the ATC, which publishes the ALDHA book. The primary differences are in format and additonal content as well as the amount of data. Some of the books contain all of the data including every power line and fire road crossing and big rock in a stream while others only have major points of interest. Since you are starting with others, consider carrying different books and see which ones prove more useful. I was very happy with the ALDHA companion, especially with the town maps. My only major complaint was that not all water sources are listed. I found hiking with someone using the data book annoying because they were constantly trying to figure out exactly where they were everytime there was a bend in the trail. The trail itself is really hard to lose 99.5% of the time, there are blazes all over the place. Especially if you have maps, you may not need the data book, just a guide book.

Also remember you have already decided to hike the whole trail, regardless of where it goes and how steep it is and how many streams there are and where the shelters and road crossings are. You are going to start in Georgia and follow the blazes to Maine. The trail doesn't know you're on it and doesn't care what you think about it. It's not trying to aggravate or placate you. It just exists, and your task is to walk it.

rafe
01-04-2008, 20:35
I just spotted a small difference between two guides in a recent post.. someone had asked about distance between Davenport Gap and Harpers Ferry. The diff between the two guides was 10 miles out of 775 or so. No biggie. It might even be a slight mis-reckoning between the exact mileposts (ie., where in Harpers Ferry...)

Jack Tarlin
01-04-2008, 20:35
Correct. All the major guidebooks use, borrow, or essentially steal data first collected by volunteers at the ATC and then incorporate it into their own works.

Pedaling Fool
01-04-2008, 20:37
The basic information is the same, because they (Handbook & Companion) use the information from the Data Book, but what's different is all the extra information added, the Data Book is a bare-bones information source.
I'm not sure about Whiteblaze Pages, but probably the same?

Pedaling Fool
01-04-2008, 20:39
I just spotted a small difference between two guides in a recent post.. someone had asked about distance between Davenport Gap and Harpers Ferry. The diff between the two guides was 10 miles out of 775 or so. No biggie. It might even be a slight mis-reckoning between the exact mileposts (ie., where in Harpers Ferry...)
That's interesting. I wonder if it's a typo?

Lone Wolf
01-04-2008, 20:42
I am curious to know if all the AT gudebooks(companion, Appalachian pages, handbook) all have the same milage? Meaning a road is the same distance from spot X in all the guidebooks.

For those of you curious, I am still deciding what book to carry,
Kirby

buy the companion.

CoyoteWhips
01-04-2008, 20:46
... The trail doesn't know you're on it and doesn't care what you think about it. It's not trying to aggravate or placate you. It just exists, and your task is to walk it.

Talk like that is just going to annoy the trail, make it twice as hard.

Pedaling Fool
01-04-2008, 20:52
...
For those of you curious, I am still deciding what book to carry,
Kirby
It doesn't matter which book you take, they're all good and they all have mistakes, but regardless it's not the book that makes or breaks your hike.

You're going to be kicking yourself if you ever look back (after your thru-hike) at some of your pre-hike questions. All your plans will go away after a week on the trail.

Kirby
01-04-2008, 20:59
buy the companion.

Wolf:
I am not that fond of the Companion, it's physical design gets under my skin, but there are cons to all the guidebooks this year. Appalachian Pages is in its first year, so it may take 2-3 years to get everything down, and there could be errors that may hurt me in some way, although I should carry it to pass along feedback. And the Thru Hikers Handbook has had a changing of the guard, and the first year under a new author might be a bit rough, However, Bob MCCaw has been working his a$$ off the get the book ready and up to date.

What ever guidebook I choose, I need to purchase 2-3 of, I need one for myself, I need one for my Dad, and I am going to leave one with a third party(such as school), so that if I can't get in touch with my dad, and I have not contacted him in a couple weeks, my school can pass along information to him, and they can attempt contact more frequently than myself, but I have not decided if I will do this yet.

It's not that I want every rad crossing to be in every book, it's that I was wondering if the milage between, say, Springer Mountain and Blood Mountain Shelter are the same, or the distance between Hot Springs and Damascus.

Hop this makes sense,
Kirby

Lone Wolf
01-04-2008, 21:10
Wolf:
I am not that fond of the Companion, it's physical design gets under my skin, but there are cons to all the guidebooks this year. Appalachian Pages is in its first year, so it may take 2-3 years to get everything down, and there could be errors that may hurt me in some way, although I should carry it to pass along feedback. And the Thru Hikers Handbook has had a changing of the guard, and the first year under a new author might be a bit rough, However, Bob MCCaw has been working his a$$ off the get the book ready and up to date.

What ever guidebook I choose, I need to purchase 2-3 of, I need one for myself, I need one for my Dad, and I am going to leave one with a third party(such as school), so that if I can't get in touch with my dad, and I have not contacted him in a couple weeks, my school can pass along information to him, and they can attempt contact more frequently than myself, but I have not decided if I will do this yet.

It's not that I want every rad crossing to be in every book, it's that I was wondering if the milage between, say, Springer Mountain and Blood Mountain Shelter are the same, or the distance between Hot Springs and Damascus.

Hop this makes sense,
Kirby

that's cool. your choice. they're all basically the same. good info in all

Blissful
01-04-2008, 21:26
buy the companion.

Agree. Personal preference.

We used both as we lost our companion at Port Clinton. In the handbook we found the "woods road" descriptions confusing (it could anywhere from an open space in the woods to a paved road) and elevations off. But we did like the town descriptions.

Kirby
01-05-2008, 14:36
Does anyone know where I can purchase the 2008 Thru Hiker's Companion? The ALDHA website is accepting orders for the 2007, but not 2008.

I am going with the Companion because several different people I am coordinating my hike with will be using the Companion.

Thanks,
Kirby

rafe
01-05-2008, 14:38
Does anyone know where I can purchase the 2008 Thru Hiker's Companion? The ALDHA website is accepting orders for the 2007, but not 2008.

I am going with the Companion because several different people I am coordinating my hike with will be using the Companion.

Thanks,
Kirby

The 2008 edition may not be out yet. I got my hardcopy version at the local EMS. (It's from 2006.)

Pedaling Fool
01-05-2008, 14:39
I'll be out there with a 2006 HB, just follow me, you'll be fine.:D

Kirby
01-05-2008, 14:41
The reason I asked is because you can pre-oder the Appalachian Pages and Thru Hiker's Handbook online, but I could not find a site where I could pre-order the 2008 Companion.

Would I be fine with a 2007 edition?

Kirby

Spirit Walker
01-05-2008, 15:20
There is probably a bit of a time delay on the mileage changes. i.e. a reroute in Maine is reported to ATC. That information goes into the next edition of the data book. Then the following year it would make it into the handbooks. Since the trail doesn't usually change much any more, the difference generally isn't very important. It can just get frustrating. I remember being in Maine, looking for a campsite that was at least a mile and a half farther than listed in the data book.

The hiker guides make life a bit easier, but they aren't necessary. When you get to town, you'll figure out quickly enough where to find a store, post office, laundromat, etc. All you have to do is ask some locals. Before there was a Philosopher's Guide, that's what hikers did. It's what we've done on trails that had no handbook. It really isn't that difficult, and it can be fun to go to town without knowing exactly what to expect. It becomes part of the adventure.

rafe
01-05-2008, 15:37
Well, there are interesting possibilities when you've got a good guide book and a cell phone. Le'ts just say, for a section hiker on a tight schedule, it proved quite useful on several few occasions this summer. It's one way I manage to take no zeroes in nearly 40 days of hiking.

Pedaling Fool
01-05-2008, 15:40
...The hiker guides make life a bit easier, but they aren't necessary. When you get to town, you'll figure out quickly enough where to find a store, post office, laundromat, etc. All you have to do is ask some locals. Before there was a Philosopher's Guide, that's what hikers did. It's what we've done on trails that had no handbook. It really isn't that difficult, and it can be fun to go to town without knowing exactly what to expect. It becomes part of the adventure.
Very true. I got an ATC Data Book from, I guess, the early/mid '80s (one page ripped out, I think had the date on). The information in this book is incredibly scant, examples:
- Towns are listed {if within 5 miles (Franklin is not listed)} However, the direction or distance is not listed.
- Water sources are not listed (major fords are listed)
Listed Abbreviations:
S - Shelters
L - Other lodging
G - Groceries (within 5 miles)
R - Road Crossings
M - Meals/Restaruants
P.O. - Post Office (within 5 miles)
It's bare-bone, no safety notes or "in case of emergencies" section. But people still managed to complete the trail despite the lack of fore-knowledge.

Kirby
01-05-2008, 15:46
So I should be fine with a 2007 Companion?

Kirby

Pedaling Fool
01-05-2008, 15:47
So I should be fine with a 2007 Companion?

Kirby
Or the HB, or Appalachian Pages...

Appalachian Tater
01-05-2008, 18:17
So I should be fine with a 2007 Companion?

Kirby

Kirby, you can download the 2008 Companion in PDF format and print it or put it on an electronic device.

I even had somebady take digital photos of a section of my guidebook when they lost theirs. With the zoom feature, it was more legible than the original.

Kirby
01-06-2008, 13:41
Does anyone know when the 2008 Companion will be in stores, such as EMS?

Kirby

rafe
01-06-2008, 13:47
Does anyone know when the 2008 Companion will be in stores, such as EMS?

Kirby

Ask around at the ALDHA site. In any case, as others have noted, the latest PDF is always there for the taking.

Skyline
01-06-2008, 13:49
Does anyone know when the 2008 Companion will be in stores, such as EMS?

Kirby


I get mine each year from the AT Store at Appalachian Trail Conservancy. In the past, they would let you back-order that and the Data Book. Hopefully this year too.

1-888-ATSTORE.

Your thread has reminded me I have not ordered the '08 DataBook or Companion yet. Will tomorrow when they open.

lonehiker
01-06-2008, 13:50
Read yesterday at the ATC ultimate store that the companion was expected to be in stock 11 Jan. I have mine on order and would expect it to be shipped to me soon after it is in stock.