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Travis49
06-07-2008, 21:59
Hey everyone, I just had a couple questions that the site didn't answer as much as I'd like. (or I haven't found it yet)
A friend and I are planning a month long hike along part the Pennsylvania part of the trail in August, right before we leave for college. We've been camping, but hiking has been limited to mostly day hikes or overnights at a campground with basic necessities. Anyway, my questions are these:
1. How much should we plan to hike per day. We can easily handle a 20 mile hike during the course of a day, but I think its pushing it to try to do that daily over the course of a month. We want to get dropped off a good distance and walk towards home rather than away from home so we need to decide how fare away to go. (We decided on something around 10-15 per day average)
2. Is rain gear entirely necessary? It's not the rainy season so we figured 2 days of rain MAX and that we'd be able to dry clothes by fire. Also, I won't be bringing anything cotton as recommended in a few places on the main site.
3. Should we bring a water filter and is it ok to filter any moving water we find to drink, or should we stick to just boiling it to save the extra weight?
4. Should I be spending the 150 bucks on a backpack that I see online? I don't need top of the line but I want it to be usable on a long hike.
I'm sorry about the length and I might have more, but I'm trying to get all the information I can. Thanks to anyone that can offer some insight =)
Hey everyone, I just had a couple questions that the site didn't answer as much as I'd like. (or I haven't found it yet)
A friend and I are planning a month long hike along part the Pennsylvania part of the trail in August, right before we leave for college. We've been camping, but hiking has been limited to mostly day hikes or overnights at a campground with basic necessities. Anyway, my questions are these:
1. How much should we plan to hike per day. We can easily handle a 20 mile hike during the course of a day, but I think its pushing it to try to do that daily over the course of a month. We want to get dropped off a good distance and walk towards home rather than away from home so we need to decide how fare away to go. (We decided on something around 10-15 per day average)
2. Is rain gear entirely necessary? It's not the rainy season so we figured 2 days of rain MAX and that we'd be able to dry clothes by fire. Also, I won't be bringing anything cotton as recommended in a few places on the main site.
3. Should we bring a water filter and is it ok to filter any moving water we find to drink, or should we stick to just boiling it to save the extra weight?
4. Should I be spending the 150 bucks on a backpack that I see online? I don't need top of the line but I want it to be usable on a long hike.
I'm sorry about the length and I might have more, but I'm trying to get all the information I can. Thanks to anyone that can offer some insight =)
1. Daily mileage: see how it goes. No need to decide in advance. 15-20 miles per day is the norm for thru-hikers who've been on the trail for a few weeks or more. PA is relatively easy trail but kinda rocky. Most thrus fly through PA. (Thru-hikers will almost all be north of PA in August -- the nobos have come and gone, and the sobos not yet arrived.)
2. Rain gear: Some do, some don't. Again, whatever works. The key is to never allow yourself to get hypothermic. Sustained cold rain plus wind -- and you'll be wanting "real" rain gear. That doesn't happen often in the dead of summer -- but it could in the other seasons.
3. Water filter: most do, tho the debate's never been settled as to whether they do much. The alternative is either chemical treatment or doing nothing -- and there are plenty of folks in all three camps.
4. $150 isn't out of line for a good or even great backpack.
Pokey2006
06-07-2008, 22:48
1. I agree, try to leave it open. Don't pre-set your mileage if you can avoid it, just because you don't know how you'll do with extra weight on your backs. But 10-15 sounds about right, if you have no trouble with 20-mile dayhikes.
2. Bring a rain coat and a pack cover or liner, even in the dry season. If it does rain, you'll be glad you did.
3. Boiling water is a pain. If you're looking to save weight, just get some iodine pills or Aquamira, or take turns carrying the filter. Some will say don't treat at all, that's your call, but I don't personally recommend it.
4. Go ahead and spend the money. If you end up hating backpacking, you can always sell it on here or another website. I wouldn't pay much more than $150, though. Also, shop around for deals on used gear.
Good luck with your hike!
Don't boil water to treat it. The extra fuel will be heavier than any other method of water treatment. Also boiling is very time consuming.
modiyooch
06-07-2008, 23:16
2. $1 emergency poncho from the dollar store
Don't boil water to treat it. The extra fuel will be heavier than any other method of water treatment. Also boiling is very time consuming.
Conversely, no need to filter or treat water that you're going to boil (eg. for soup, noodles, coffee, tea, etc.)
Be sure be safe filter all water!!!
bigcranky
06-08-2008, 09:01
Miles per day: you'll hike fewer miles when you are carrying a full pack, plus the heat will sap some energy. You might want to plan on 10-12 per day to start.
Rain gear: in full summer, I bring a pack cover (and line my pack with a plastic bag.) That keeps my gear dry when it rains. Other than that I just get wet. Not sure how well this will work in PA, though.
Water: boiling water is a total PITA, and takes tons of fuel. Not to mention that the water tastes bad, and you can't drink it until it cools down. Bring a filter or Aqua Mira.
Pack: is there any way you can get to an outfitter and try on some packs? Just to get some idea of what's out there before you buy something sight-unseen over the internet. $150 for a pack isn't bad, really, depending on the pack. REI has a nice 60-liter lightweight pack (http://www.rei.com/product/747520), and they have a bomb-proof return policy if you hate it.
1. Why not start from home then get picked up when the hike ends? That way you go fast or slow depending on how it's going, and there's no worry about arriving home on time.
The REI-Outlet has some great prices on close-out year models and for members (easy to join) you get another 20% off one item right now. I'd say you can get a great pack for $150 using this opportunity.
Having never backpacked before, shoot for 8-10 miles a day at first. Your body will let you know when (if) it's ready for more!
Treat water, by all means. If you're not sure how much future hiking you'll be doing, go cheap with Aqua Mira. If you want to have great tasting water and are committing to backpacking long-term, consider a Steripen. They're great!
Leave cotton home. Wear synthetic T-shirts and carry a fleece jacket, that will keep you warm when totally soaked. The idea is: getting wet is not bad as long as you can stay warm, and have a dry set of clothes to change into when you get out of the rain at the end of the day's hike.
CrumbSnatcher
06-08-2008, 12:21
30 days 229 miles in penn. 7.6 MPD
theinfamousj
06-08-2008, 13:16
I assume in your filter vs boiling question, that you are planning to cook over wood. Otherwise, the extra fuel required will outweigh a chemical treatment rather quickly. And if you are willing to wait the amount of time necessary for boiling water to cool down to drinkable level, then you are already patient enough to use chlorine dioxide to treat your water and a bandanna that you already brought along for some other use to remove the floating nasty.
pyroman53
06-08-2008, 13:39
Where are you thinking of hiking? PA gets darn dry in August. Suggest you do some research just before leaving to find out status of water sources. There are plenty of folks here who can keep you updated.
Depending on where you live in PA, you can be pretty close to home (within an hour +/-) between Delaware Water Gap and Harrisburg. For instance, if you live in the Lehigh Valley, you can get to just about anywhere on that Blue Mtn stretch of trail in about an hour. That's a pretty big target and gives you a pretty wide margin for error in your goal of getting close to home.
Get a good pack (and ask here for opinions when you think you've found one. Key is to avoid the bomb-proof packs that weigh 6-7 pounds. Then, gather all your gear and take it to the store and see if it'll fit into the pack you like. Then, walk around the store with it loaded for 45 minutes...that'll give you a pretty good idea if it fits. Make sure you find someone who knows what they're talking about at the store, especially about how to fit and adjust a pack. Don't rush the process. If they try to sell you a 7 pounder, ask someone else for advice (IMHO).
Travis49
06-08-2008, 23:17
Thanks for advice everyone. I think we're going to buy some of the iodine or chorine tablets and see if we can deal with the taste, but we might end up just getting as small a filter as possible that will still filter enough for the trip.
Also, I didn't even think about water drying up because of the dry season but I'll definitely check into that. And the idea for the bag liner as well. Those are the types of tips I'm looking for. Little things I wouldn't think about since I've never experienced the trails for long periods of time before.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll have more questions. You guys are a great help =)
We want to get dropped off a good distance and walk towards home rather than away from home so we need to decide how fare away to go. (We decided on something around 10-15 per day average)Where in PA do you live? North, south, east.
You could probably do all of PA in 30 days. That would be about 7.7 miles a day average with no zero days. (230 miles divided by 30 days) If you start in southern PA at the PA/MD border and hike north to PA/NJ border. That way you could knock off the entire state. Get picked up at Delaware water Gap. You could wait at the hostel in Delaware water gap while you are waiting for your ride.
Panzer
PA is a fun state to hike :D. just be wary of rattlesnakes north of duncannon
i pity the fool who was out hiking this weekend. 98-101 for 3 straight days and seemingly 100% humidity :o
Blissful
06-09-2008, 12:03
Aqua Mira works good for water. Those iodine tabs are nasty.
Ditto - watch the rattlers sunbathing on the rocks. And the deer ticks which are no bigger than a period at the end of a sentence.