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How many miles per day can 4 male beginners in good shape hike? I read on this site it takes about 8 days for the Georgia portion, but that was an average. Anybody do it in more or less time as a beginner? Thanks.
jettjames
01-16-2008, 13:14
10-15 is a good start. 20 mile days will come but for most they take a little time to build up to. I think most will find the hills are harder/longer/steeper than they expected.
If you are going to try to do the whole trail, don't blow your load in the first week, take your time, ease into hiking shape.
pt
Almost There
01-16-2008, 13:19
I did it in about 6.5 days the first year I started hiking the trail. Depends on how much hiking you have done. Most people do three days to Neel's Gap, 2 days to Unicoi Gap, 2 Days to GA/NC Border. There seems to be a zero/nero in there somewhere as well. I would just go with it, 8 days ain't bad without zeros for someone just starting out. Good Shape don't mean much if you haven't lugged a pack up and over mountains, that being said, you may fly down the trail who knows, just take the time to enjoy it.
Lone Wolf
01-16-2008, 13:20
How many miles per day can 4 male beginners in good shape hike? I read on this site it takes about 8 days for the Georgia portion, but that was an average. Anybody do it in more or less time as a beginner? Thanks.
being in "good shape" ain't the same as being in trail shape. i've seen fit runners crying like little girls after a couple of days from all the aches and pains. yeah so figure 8-10 per day. maybe more, maybe less. guess it'll depend on the slowest/weakest of the group
Footslogger
01-16-2008, 13:21
I made it in 9 days and I was in decent shape - but also in my 50's at the time. My goal at the outset was to average 10 miles per day. I did one 26 miler in Georgia (just after Hiawasse) but paid dearly for it the next 2 days.
One question I would ask you is how heavy are your packs and what month/season are you talking about hiking it ??
For the average hiker, Georgia is definitely doable in a 7 day hiking week from my experience as long as you keep your pack weight down and you maintain a steady/decent pace.
'Slogger
mountain squid
01-16-2008, 13:27
How many miles per day can 4 male beginners in good shape hike?Personally, I have no idea. Too many unknown variables. But, I would suggest for planning purposes (regardless of fitness level) to figure on 8-10 mpd avg for the first week (with each successive week your avg slightly increasing). If you find you can hike more per day, then do so. If you have planned less but hike more your overall plans might not be as affected.
At any rate http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/signs087.gifto WB.
See you on the trail,
mt squid
gearfreak
01-16-2008, 13:33
I agree with Slogger and LW, about 10 per day. This allows for fairly lengthy lunch breaks and arrival at camp with plenty of daylight remaining. You may start hitting your stride on day 4 allowing for a bit more, but I would plan on 6.5 days to Hiawassee. :cool:
We hike alot locally so we are all in Trail shape, or will be when we leave in May. Pack weight will be 30-35 pounds. Thanks for the replies.
Lone Wolf
01-16-2008, 13:36
There's trails in Florida? :)
the_iceman
01-16-2008, 13:48
Averages are tough becasue they are made up of extremes. I hit the NC line on the 8th day but I took a nearo (3.2 miles) at Neel's Gap because it was 10 degrees and snowing. (this was this past April - Easter weekend).
I had a 7.6 and an 8 something in the first 2 days because of shelter spacing but after that it was 11 to 15 miles a day. First zero was Hot Springs. I was out of shape, 54, and recovering from foot surgery.
I live in Florida right near the Florida Trail but grew up and lived in New England most of my life. Florida hiking will not prepare you for the climbs you will experience when you hit the NC line. They are in-your-face and almost vertical. :sun
There's trails in Florida? :)They call em trails, but trail shape in Florida does not equal trail shape in Georgia!
Ten's a good round number, IMO.
I backpacked for the first time last spring. I'm in my 60's. I live in Florida.
I was walking 4 miles a day and biking 25 to 50 miles a week. I,too, thought 10 miles might be doable with effort.
It turns out the mountain hiking is much more aerobic than you might think. 7 or 8 miles a day busted my chops just fine, thank you very much.
For a test. Saddle up with your pack at full weight. Go to your local high school football stadium. (Mine is 50 feet of climbing for one ascent). Climb that sucker 10 or 20 times. Then see how you feel tomorrow. If there are no evil after effects, you are ready to do 15 miles a day.
Hope this helps
Tom
walking down stairs with a pack on is a good way to ruin your knees
I have a treadmill that I exercise on at home. I wear my pack on it a couple of times a week and it really helps keep the calf muscles in trail shape.
FWIW: I'm 55, five-foot-five, about 30 lbs overweight. I "practice" for hiking with bike rides, maybe 60 miles per week for a month or two prior to week-long section hikes. I can do 15 miles/day out of the gate with this routine -- but that's in summertime, with at least 12 hours of daylight to work with.
Pedaling Fool
01-16-2008, 14:57
We hike alot locally so we are all in Trail shape, or will be when we leave in May. Pack weight will be 30-35 pounds. Thanks for the replies.
This thread/post reminds me of an age-old argument between cyclists: Who's in better shape: a mountain cyclist or a road cyclist? The answer is neither. Their bodies adapt to the type of cycling they practice. Lance Armstrong (7 time winner of the Tour De France) would not be able to win a race against the top mountainbike cyclist and vice versa.
Your hiking in Florida is much different than the Georgia mountains; not saying you can’t do the state under 8 days, for all we know you may be a "natural" at hiking in the mountains. However, the results you see on 10 miles of flat trail will not transfer to 10 miles in Georgia. And like someone already said, there are so many other variables, besides the terrain.
I fall into the new hiker category.... My daily mileage has ranged from 13 miles (Devil's Fork Gap - Big Bald area) to 19.6 miles (Little Laurel Shelter - Hot Springs) in 7.5 hours of hiking per day. I'm 46, in good physical condition and have a high aerobic capacity from being a distance runner for several years.
Not to hijack the thread but since someone mentioned running I'd like to add that hiking the AT and running marathons have a lot in common in terms of the mental preparation and attitude required to keep going when everything in you want to stop and go home.
Thanks
Finish or Die Trying Thomas
p.s. Back to the subject of the tread, I think hiking as a group will slow you down a bit too. I hike much faster alone.
Edited to add: Never mind.... ;)
Thoughtful Owl
01-16-2008, 15:09
There's trails in Florida? :)
Flat Ones! You know ...those flat landers
NorthCountryWoods
01-16-2008, 15:10
FWIW: I'm 55, five-foot-five, about 30 lbs overweight. I "practice" for hiking with bike rides, maybe 60 miles per week for a month or two prior to week-long section hikes. I can do 15 miles/day out of the gate with this routine -- but that's in summertime, with at least 12 hours of daylight to work with.
:eek:Just talking about riding that much is making my a$$ hurt. But the bike is probably the best and most interesting way to get your endurance up.
Another way- Do squats, step ups and short hikes with an weighted pack. Gets your shoulders and hips used to the pack and gets the rest of your body used to the raised center of gravity you'll have on a long trip.
In the immortal words of Herb Brooks ~ "The legs feed the wolf."
Tennessee Viking
01-16-2008, 16:10
It really depends on your endurance, start time, and terrain. Ridgelines and flat grades will be real easy. Climbing over mountain tops will take time. Beginners, like me, will take their time, and will take a number of breaks.
You can start training yourself by wearing your packs with some extra weight for day hikes. You can also train by carrying your pack, add some 20-30 lbs of bricks, and walk around your neighborhood.
Blissful
01-16-2008, 16:29
being in "good shape" ain't the same as being in trail shape. i've seen fit runners crying like little girls after a couple of days from all the aches and pains. yeah so figure 8-10 per day. maybe more, maybe less. guess it'll depend on the slowest/weakest of the group
That's for sure. Last year this guy, supposedly in shape from cycling, etc, was practically running up the Approach trail. Got off a week later with a bad knee.
Take it easy. It ain't a race.
whitefoot_hp
01-16-2008, 16:31
being in "good shape" ain't the same as being in trail shape. i've seen fit runners crying like little girls after a couple of days from all the aches and pains. yeah so figure 8-10 per day. maybe more, maybe less. guess it'll depend on the slowest/weakest of the group
Wolf is right. the only way to 'be in shape' for the trail is to backpack on it for at least a week or two.
Thanks for all the replies, they're a great help. That's why this site is my new homepage.
BTW I would never compare Florida trails with Georgia trail, just wanted y'all to know that I do hike with a weighted pack (30-35lbs).
Thanks again.
jettjames
01-16-2008, 17:00
one hiker i met last year, whose name is escaping me right now, started off with 20-25 mile days! she said she spent 3 months doing 3 hours a day on a stair master wearing her pack. I of course did like one practice hike before I headed out. my early averages were sub 10 miles a day for the first 2 weeks. she was flying. a blond young women from nj..........
that training style sounds to me like it might benefit someone, but not sure about the amounts, i might do it 2-3 times a week.
pt
stacy324
01-16-2008, 17:23
Take is slow starting out and it’s a much more enjoyable hike. Being a section hiker I have a lot of experience with this. Every time I go it’s starting out. I’ve found I do better counting the hours instead of the miles. I try to do 8 hours or less of actual hiking in a day. When I push it to 10 or more I’m no longer having fun. If I do 15 miles in that 8 hours – that’s OK. If I only do 8 or 9 miles in that 8 hours – that’s OK too.
I did my first backpacking hike last spring. Dicks Creek Gap to Springer Mtn in 6 days. I just finished my second hike, Smokey Mtn Natl Park, Davenport Gap to Fontana Dam in 6 days. Both hikes had hard days (10 miles/day) and easy days (16 miles/day). I'm 57 and in pretty good shape. I'd plan for about 10 miles per day and take the extra if it comes.
The trail in GA is nice. What are you going to do when you get to NC, turn around and come back to Dick's Creek or keep going? If you only have a week don't kill yourself. Enjoy your trip. If you want to nap by a creek or sit on a rock and watch the birds and clouds, do it. Stay flexible and have fun. Don't get caught up in the miles.
I plan on starting with 8-15 miles a day, mainly hovering around 10-12 miles to start. No way am I having my hike end at Neels due to an injury.
Kirby
Lone Wolf
01-16-2008, 21:14
I plan on starting with 8-15 miles a day, mainly hovering around 10-12 miles to start. No way am I having my hike end at Neels due to an injury.
Kirby
dude. you'll not notice any climbs til you get to NH. :D georgia ain't jack for a 16 year old