How much BP experience did you have before beginning your section hike of the AT?

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

How much BP'ing experience did you have before beginning your section hike of the AT? Multiple choices are allowed.

[Doctari]

I had hiked two 12 mile overnighters or 6 MPD before my first section (Springer to Dick's creek). Before going on that 1st AT hike, I got a pack double the size of my first pack, then proceded to fill it with STUFF. Now that I have a few more miles under harness, I'm back to my original pack, AND have plenty of room leftover.
I suppose the answer for my next section hike is 800+ miles, and on that hike I'll easily pass the 1000 miles hiked mark.

[Bearpaw]

I thru-hiked first and have since gone back to do my favorite sections. There's a LOT of good stuff to be said for sectioning.:)

[dixicritter]

I actually haven't even decided if I want to section hike or not, but my hiking experience to date is day hiking, car camping, and backpacking less than 50 miles. I might consider doing some section hiking, but I'm gonna wait for it to warm up a little first. ;)

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

::: Evil Dino peeks out from under down quilts makes plan to kidnap Dixi and take her section hiking on the AT - when it warms up :::

[dixicritter]

::: Evil Dino peeks out from under down quilts makes plan to kidnap Dixi and take her section hiking on the AT - when it warms up :::

LOL... gotta catch me first. ;)

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

::: Evil Dino seen tripping Dixi :::

[Kerosene]

I did a lot of camping in Boy Scouts, along with a hiking merit badge that required a 20-miler, but my first real backpacking trip was with two other 15-year old scouts during our high school spring break in April 1973. My parents dropped us off at Delaware Water Gap and we hiked to Unionville wearing cotton and carrying altogether too much weight. We still had a great time, although I think I'm the only one of the three to continue beyond the 260 miles we accrued on three spring breaks before we graduated. I went on to add another 300 miles in the 70's before taking time off for career and family.

Sectioning is great for a number of reasons, but it takes a lot of dedication, time and money to finish the entire trail in 100-mile chunks!

[Pedaling Fool]

I, relatively speaking, probably had more backpacking time than many. I Thru-hiked Maine at age of 16 and did Rockfish Gap - Harper's Ferry in 1999 and a couple other weekenders, here and there. But I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. I did not considered myself as a "veteran" when I started in 2006, primarily because my hiking time was so spaced out. However, I do know I drew on that prior experience during my '06 thru. That's why my advice to any one wanting to do a long distance hike, is to do as many short hikes prior to the "big one" as possible; nothing else will get you ready.

[taildragger]

No experience with BP

I've only worked with Shell and Conoco

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

No experience with BP.....I've only worked with Shell and Conoco::: Dino whacks taildragger with her tail :D :::

[Yahtzee]

Minus ruck marches and field exercises, my first night on the trail of my first section hike (PA-Canada via LT) was my first night in the woods.

[Lilred]

The first time I put a backpack on and spent a night alone in the woods(not including car camping) was when I did the section from Neel's Gap to Deep Gap N.C. in Nov. I was hooked. By the end of this summer, I should be at Harper's Ferry.

[bigmac_in]

A big, fat, Zero. Didn't own a pack, or anything else I needed for that matter. Decided to hike a section 3 years ago and started studying up. Luckily I found Whiteblaze, and now I expect to hike at least one section every year for the rest of my life. I don't care if it is 5 miles, or 100 miles.

[Lazarus]

Absolutely none! Not many people in the New Orleans area do much hiking, other than boy scouts. In fact, if any knows of someone else around N'Awlins who hikes, let me know. I'd like to get in touch.

Laz

[shoe]

I didn't have any experience.
Unless you count my big trip of 1.5 miles in and 1.5 out 10 years ago. And I thought that was a long way..lol

[Mags]

Absolutely none! Not many people in the New Orleans area do much hiking, other than boy scouts. In fact, if any knows of someone else around N'Awlins who hikes, let me know. I'd like to get in touch.

Laz

http://www.hikelouisiana.org/

They are based out of Baton Rouge. Not sure if they have affiliate membership in New Orleans or not. Still worth a look-see.

[Cookerhiker]

My first backpack was a 33 mile section hike of the AT in 1977; Vermont from Rt. 11 & 30 south to Rt. 9.

[Tinker]

I started out as a "peak bagger" in the '70s and '80s. One long weekend, I decided to string together a number of peaks joined by a number of trails along the Kankamagus Highway. I was hooked on longer distance hiking from then on. After I did the 4,000 footers in NH, I turned to Vt. and Me. Still have 2 in Me. (including Katahdin - scheduled for this fall), but my focus is on the hike, rather than the peak.

[Heater]

500-100.

Other = Many overnight / Multiday.

Should have included "Section".

[LIhikers]

My wife and I started out as day hikers on Long Island. When we wanted to find someplace new to hike we wound up in NY's Harriman State Park. We kept increasing the lenght and difficulty of the hikes we could do there until it was no problem to hike from early morning until after dark. Finally we decided to try multi day hike. We had always been car campers and used gear we had on hand to do a 3 day hike from Tiorati Circle to a road crossing on the east side of the Hudson River. I'd have to look at a map to find the name of the road. The trip was a great succes for me and my wife but a friend who started with us bailed out at the foot of Bear Mountain. Since then we've been out, on the AT, for a week or two every year. So far we've covered from Harper's Ferry to Vermont route 11/30, Manchester Center. Our plan is to continue hiking the northern half of the trail in sections and then do the southern half as one journey when we retire.

[Terry7]

2 months after I heard of the AT, I was hiking. I stayed out for 5 months and only came off because of the cold weather. I am just waiting for it to warm up again. Wish I had heard of the AT sooner.

[rsmall]

Humped a lot of hills with a "backpack" in Vietnam in 1969-70. Got on the AT for the first time in 1975 and did 150 miles on a few 3-4 day hikes. Never hiked again until I did my thru in 2005.

[ShoelessWanderer]

My very first backpacking trip was hiking the AT into Damascus...so, I guess I started sectioning pretty dang early.

[modiyooch]

none. I was from the beach. immediate blisters the first mt i climbed. Front Royal to Roanoke. 200 miles, 3 weeks, 1980, infected feet, awesome experience

moved to wester nc afterwards so I could section hike the southern AT

still hiking/backpacking/slackpacking/running etc

[Trailweaver]

I had one weekend with an experienced thru hiker, and after that I started section hiking alone. I'm NOBO, doing it slow, but getting there. . . loving it all the way. I'm going out next weekend, as a matter of fact, and taking someone with me this time who's never been backpacking, so we'll see how that goes. ; - )