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steph
03-16-2004, 14:52
Where did your mileage begin to increase in general, and by how much? HOw many miles did you do in the beginning?

Grimace
03-16-2004, 15:08
Where did your mileage begin to increase in general, and by how much? HOw many miles did you do in the beginning?

We did 12 miles per day from Katahdin to Monson. Leaving Monson we prob averaged closer 16-17. We stayed constant with that until right after the Whites where we were able to cruise for 18-22 through to GA.

2 weeks at 12/day
4 weeks at 16-17

Blue Jay
03-16-2004, 15:09
Where did your mileage begin to increase in general, and by how much? HOw many miles did you do in the beginning?

If you are smart, you'll keep your mileage below 10 for at least the first week to let your feet harden and to let your tendons stretch. If you are out of shape or never carried a pack make it two weeks. Very, very few people do this and therefore you get the almost universal hiker shuffle. People who are in constant pain and downing pain killers. The pain killers mask the pain, so they decide to do a 20 and then they are off the trail and wondering why. For the first month keep your mileage under 15, then you can become a mile slave.

A-Train
03-16-2004, 19:19
I kept it low for the first couple weeks. Can't tell you how much better that made the trip. Not only relaxing but I can actually remember the south well unlike a lot of other folks. 11miles a day average when I got to Damascus ( 5 weeks). Once I hit Virginia I averaged about 17-18 miles a day to get to Katahdin. THat was a bit under 5 months hike. I would definately recommend enjoing some slow mile days in the beginning and especially the end in Maine.

Peaks
03-16-2004, 21:14
Reading between the lines of Roland Mueser's survey, as published in his book "Long Distance Hiking:"

People seem to start off doing about 70 miles per week in Georgia. They increase to about 85 miles per week through North Carolina and Tennessee. It increases to about 105 miles per week for Virginia through Connecticut, and then tapers off a little for the rest of the hike.

Datto
03-17-2004, 05:02
I put together some statistics and recommendations about miles I made during my northbound AT thru-hike, as well as a link to a line chart of my planned mileage vs actual mileage and actual mileage for three other northbounders from different years.

The information is included in the articles section of whiteblaze.net (click the articles button at the top of the page) -- the article is "Datto's AT Thru-hiking Tips".

Datto

Jaybird
03-17-2004, 06:10
Where did your mileage begin to increase in general, and by how much? HOw many miles did you do in the beginning?



i've been out...for 14 days for one section hike (havent thru-hiked yet) & it's true...lower mileage for the first days (5-7 days) then crank it up another notch....we (my 2003 partner: "Jigsaw" & I) did a couple 17 mile days...but, mostly 12 miles per day was our average.
(& is the average of most thru-hikers..taking 6 months to hike)


good luck on your hike! :D

jersey joe
03-17-2004, 10:40
Steph,
On my 02' Thru, I wound up averaging 20 miles/day but I didn't have a day over 20 miles until my 17th day out. Some reasons for lower milage in the beginning are:
1) I started my thru in March when the days are shorter leaving less hours of daylight to hike in.
2) My pack was heavier in the beginning because I didn't send home a lot of the crap I didn't need yet, plus I still had my cold weather gear.
3)The ends of the trail (GA/ME) aren't as "flat" as the middle states. In general the miles come easier from Virginia to Mass.

If your interested, here's the milage I did...
http://geocities.com/joegamehike/milesframe.html

Peaks
03-17-2004, 11:54
Steph,
On my 02' Thru, I wound up averaging 20 miles/day but I didn't have a day over 20 miles until my 17th day out. Some reasons for lower milage in the beginning are:
1) I started my thru in March when the days are shorter leaving less hours of daylight to hike in.
2) My pack was heavier in the beginning because I didn't send home a lot of the crap I didn't need yet, plus I still had my cold weather gear.
3)The ends of the trail (GA/ME) aren't as "flat" as the middle states. In general the miles come easier from Virginia to Mass.

If your interested, here's the milage I did...
http://geocities.com/joegamehike/milesframe.html

You completed the trail in 16 weeks. Most people take 24 to 26 weeks. You never took a day off. Most people take about 21 days off.

Nothing wrong with what you did, it's just faster than probably 98% of the people who thru-hike.

jersey joe
03-17-2004, 12:11
This is true, but regardless of how quickly I finished my hike, my reasons for less milage in the beginning are applicable to everyone.

Blue Jay
03-17-2004, 12:50
You completed the trail in 16 weeks. Most people take 24 to 26 weeks. You never took a day off. Most people take about 21 days off.

Nothing wrong with what you did, it's just faster than probably 98% of the people who thru-hike.

These figures are from an ancient history book that has no relevance to a hiker today.

TedB
03-17-2004, 13:16
I had some knee troubles before starting, so I started off doing 4 miles a day (40 miles in 10 days). What a way to enjoy Georgia! My first day over 10 miles was the day I reached North Carolina. In the Smokies, I did my first and second 20 mile days. If felt really good to stretch those legs after a slow start. Before hitting Damascus, I did my longest day on the trail of 26 miles, with 20 miles days common in that stretch. After that initial push, I started to slow down a little. It wasn't too long after I started slowing down, that I was able to wean myself from ibuprofen. I still had the hiker shuffle, but considering the shape I was in before I started, I'm very happy with how I did. Overall, I took 6 1/2 months, so averages out to about 11 miles per day.

Next time I plan to be much more focused on my health, and not worry about the miles. If I finish the trail, great. If I don't finish, well that's great too, because I'll have the perfect excuse to spend another year on the trail.

smokymtnsteve
03-17-2004, 13:17
well at trailplace wingfoot says.... :-?

Peaks
03-17-2004, 17:28
These figures are from an ancient history book that has no relevance to a hiker today.

Do you know of a more recent survey? Or would you like to help fund a new survey so we can get current figures?

stranger
03-18-2004, 06:18
Mileage varies so much from person to person that it's best to get out there and figure out what works for you. No matter what you do it will be debated by someone else. If you do big days, slow pokes will say you aren't seeing anything. If you do short days, the speed freaks will get on your case. The best advice is start slow and build up slowly. For some people 12 miles would be considered a very short day, and others would consider that a full day of hiking. It depends on you, no one else.

Blue Jay
03-18-2004, 08:44
Do you know of a more recent survey? Or would you like to help fund a new survey so we can get current figures?

As an engineer you are well aware that figures that are clearly wrong are far worse than no figures at all. Pulling figures out of a hat would be more likely to be the correct information. The most important part of wisdom is to be aware of what you do not know. This forum and others like it are clearly the only up to date source of information, not some old book written by a dead guy. Earl wrote a good book too, but no one expects it to be a guide book for today.

hungryhowie
03-24-2004, 20:14
Where did your mileage begin to increase in general, and by how much? HOw many miles did you do in the beginning?


I averaged about 11mpd for the first 350 miles between Springer and Erwin, TN, including 8 zero days (3 due to illness).

~14mpd for the 650 miles between Erwin, TN, and Harpers Ferry, WVA, including 6 zero days.

~14mpd for the 770 miles between Harpers Ferry, WVA, and Glencliff, NH, including 10 zero days.

~12mpd for the 400 miles between Glencliff, NH, and Katahdin including 4 zero days.

Here's a breakdown of my mpd. numbers within [] denote a high repeat frequency (this means that I hiked this mpd at least once every five days). At the end of the list are two mile points that encompass the days listed within the brackets.

I hiked 16-17.9-mile days on day numbers: 13, 28, 36, 47, 49, 61, 64, 65, [82, 85, 89, 94, 95, 98, 101, 103, 105], 126, 128, 136, 139, 155, 157, 163, and 169. [day 82 = mile 990, day 105 = mile 1328]

I hiked 18-19.9-mile days on day numbers: 12, 42, [50, 51, 53, 57, 58, 63, 66], 90, 110, 132, 166, and 170. [day 50 = mile 544, day 66 = 780]

I hiked 20+ mile days on day numbers: 24, 29, 41, 48, 59, 67, [97, 102, 104, 106, 111], 127, 133, 137, and 171. [day 97 = mile 1210, day 111 = mile 1433]

All days 16+ miles: 12, 13, [24, 28, 29], [36, 41, 42, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 53, 57, 58, 59, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67], [82, 85, 89, 90, 94, 95, 97, 98, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 110, 111], [126, 127, 128, 132, 133, 136, 137, 139], 155, 157, [163, 166, 169, 170, and 171].

explaining the gaps: days 29-36 contained 4 zero days due to illness, days 67-82 included 8 consecutive zero days to attend trail days, days 111-126 included 4 zeros for a party, and 139-163 included the Whites and Mahoosics…enough said.

Sorry, I hope it’s not too complicated.

-Howie

Nightwalker
03-24-2004, 22:15
If you are smart, you'll keep your mileage below 10 for at least the first week to let your feet harden and to let your tendons stretch. If you are out of shape or never carried a pack make it two weeks. Very, very few people do this and therefore you get the almost universal hiker shuffle. People who are in constant pain and downing pain killers. The pain killers mask the pain, so they decide to do a 20 and then they are off the trail and wondering why. For the first month keep your mileage under 15, then you can become a mile slave.

I kept mine averaging 9 or below, on purpose, 'til Helen, where a phone-call home let me know that I needed to come home for a week or so to help my Dad re-build a large part of one of his rental properties that a tree had crashed through (it was a mess!). I'll be back out this weekend or next, again heading towards Baxter Peak.

While this was frustrating, ya gotta help family, and a week or two difference won't kill me, besides the fact that muscles over-worked build and heal with rest.

The only hard parts so far have been up Sassafras (just long), and down Blood Mountain in the dark.

I've picked up a trail name, Night Walker, for my habit of doing a good many miles after the sun goes down. I've always liked night hiking, and enjoy a couple of hours per day of the different rush that hiking after dark brings. I also saw a coyote on Blood Mountain!

I'll be back out this Saturday if we get through with the work in the next couple of days, and next Saturday if not.

Anybody hear anything from Peak-A-Boo and the Welsh Nomad? (Crystal and Mary Morgan)

Crystal tried too much too soon (only my opinion), and it just about ate up her feet, which got blistered pretty bad. The only pain that my slow self has gotten so far is sore ankles, near the end of a days hike. No soreness the next day, however.

Later,
Frank