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AdvenTrekDad
01-26-2009, 02:24
OK, first time on a blog (be patient with me) as well as packing, so need advice!

Wife, A10 son & I are into year-3 with our 3-part Adventure Trek USA goal: 1) canoe-kayak MS River from MN-Gulf, 2) bike Pacific-Atlantic, 3) hike A.T. We are spending 10-days each summer, starting 1st weekend of Aug doing 1-leg of 1-event (rotate each year). This is a lifetime goal, with A10 tasked to complete if we don't!

It's our 1st year to hike. Have very limited hiking abilities/experience (day hikes only, but plenty of other camping), but lot's of tenacity & gumption!

Without know Anything, initially said would start in ME & eventually end in GA. Just looking at basic info, appears that ME is the hardest leg & doesn't appear that we should start there! GA would probably be too hot early Aug., & since 1st year, need to have a good experience to make sure family continues (I will with or without them!)!

We also have a "road crew." This is a group that wants to participate in event, but can't (or won't) participate in actual activity (A70+ grandparent's for instance), but will travel to start, pitch pop-up camper site, then be there when we end, or meet us in the middle (did day-trips only on Mississippi, with road-crew dropping us in morning, then picking us up at night). Wondering if we should include them or just train/plane to our section this summer by ourselves?

So main question: should probably start somewhere in the middle & head??? What's your best suggestions, since don't know squat about where to begin!! (would probably only hike 5-6 days total)

4eyedbuzzard
01-26-2009, 10:16
A wonderful and ambitious plan.

Early August hike, huh? That brings heat and humidity and even possibly water scarcity into play in many areas.

A few choices that come to mind if it were me:

From the perspective of easier hiking and involving the grandparents a good compromise might be Shenandoah Nat. Park(SNP). It has some of the easier terrain on the AT with the only downsides likely being the daytime temperatures being pretty warm compared to say New England, there being plenty of other hikers especially on weekends(true of NE too), and that it isn't very deep into the "wilds". I haven't hiked it in many years(1972?), and that was in late Sept, so I'm hoping others will give some input here as to how hot it might get in dead of summer and if it makes it a no go. It's all a compromise though, and I think you could also plan relatively easy rendevous with the grandparents as there are many campgrounds, side access trails, and road crossings of Skyline Drive throughout the park. With some good advance planning, campground ressies if needed?, etc this might make a wonderful hiking vacation for all involved.

You might also consider the southern part of the trail in New England in CT and southern MA, but I've never hiked this section and only throw it out there as a possibility.

If headed to the deep south, I'd look to try and hike in the higher elevations of the Great Smoky Mountain Nat. Park(GSMNP) or southern VA as the temps will be relatively cooler at higher elevations. The terrain is decidedly more difficult though than SNP, especially in terms of elevation gains and trail grading, and there aren't as many opportunities to meet up with the support crew. Logistics would be more difficult.

It will be cooler in New England, and ideal hiking weather, but the trail gets progressively more difficult as you head north out of Adams, MA first summitting Mt Greylock and then into VT. VT is considered "moderate" in terms of terrain, but newbie hikers not in trail shape might consider it pretty hard.

New Hampshire is a hiking Mecca in the summer, but other than the first 20 to 30 miles from Hanover to Glencliff, which is "easy" to "moderate", the terrain on the AT(and getting to it via access trails is otherwise usually quite difficult in terms of elevation gain, steepness, etc, and the weather can be finicky and even downright dangerous above timberline even in summer. That said, it is magnificient and the reward is worth the climb--but only if you aren't made miserable by the strenuous climbs. The AT in NH isn't a recommended hike if anyone in your party gets winded or tires easily, as there are many ascents of two, three and even four thousand feet to be made.

The first part of the AT SOBO out of ME, including the "100 mile wilderness", with the notable exception of climbing Katahdin(which could be skipped:eek:), is actually relatively easy trail and very beautiful, and Aug would be an ideal time to hike it--not too cold or wet, lowest bug population, etc. But incorporating the grandparents here as support crew would be more difficult. There also isn't easy access on/off the trail here--there's a road about half way at mile 56(Jo-Mary Rd) between Abol Bridge Campground and Monson and that's about it. No where to really bail-out if things go wrong or people aren't having fun.

I'd tend to avoid lower elevations in the south and mid-atlantic if possible that time of year due to heat, humidity, and water source issues.

There are other WB members who know many of these areas better than me though, so I'd wait on their input before committing to a plan.

Slo-go'en
01-26-2009, 11:42
I would suggest Vermont. Start at RT 4 and head south for how ever far you can get in 5-6 days. This section is somewhat easier then the section which starts down by the MA/VT line. There are enough road crossings, you could likely do it as day hikes and meet the RV everyday, but I would suggest you do at least some overnights just for the experiance. Or just have them meet you every couple of days to resupply food to keep the packs light.

For sections in the south, try to do them in the spring, April or May if at all possible.

jesse
01-26-2009, 12:24
with all the barge traffic on the Miss River, I think I would find another waterway to paddle down.

Blissful
01-26-2009, 14:35
Or start in MA in August and head north from there. By the time you get to the Whites and ME you will be in better condition and can also enjoy fall in upper New England. Nice time to be out.