Where to join the trail near NY?

[tintin]

I will be thru-hiking NOBO come middle of March next year. I have a friend who wants to join me for a month. He'll be flying in from England and we're looking at options for where he can come join me - can't join me for the last stint as he has prior engagements.

I was thinking of somewhere close where he can join the trail and has a major airport to save on costs - maybe fly into New York, New Jersey or Philadelphia.

I planning to do the trail in 5 months and am giving myself a months to play with for unforeseen circumstances. We are thinking somewhere around month 3 - Philadelphia, NJ and NY all seem to fit that bill.

Any ideas where what part of the States would be most practical to fly to, so as to join the trail mid hike? I guess the best option would be the place that has the most accessible transport options to the trail.

Apologies for my ignorance and I'm aware that there are many factors that make this quite difficult to plan.

Many thanks

[Kerosene]

You have three choices that I can think of.

Fly into NYC and catch a train from Grand Central Station to catch a 2-hour weekend train ride a station outside Pawling, New York near the Connecticut border. Here's a Wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail_(Metro-North_station)) with several useful links.

If you fly into Philadelphia or Newark you could arrange a shuttle to Delaware Water Gap on the Pennsylvania/New Jersey border. You can find a list of shuttlers for this area here (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/atf/cf/{B8A229E6-1CDC-41B7-A615-2D5911950E45}/AT%20Shuttle%20List%20WEB%2010-15-09.pdf).

You could connect through to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and catch a taxi or shuttle to north to Duncannon.

[Cookerhiker]

I will be thru-hiking NOBO come middle of March next year. I have a friend who wants to join me for a month. He'll be flying in from England and we're looking at options for where he can come join me - can't join me for the last stint as he has prior engagements.

I was thinking of somewhere close where he can join the trail and has a major airport to save on costs - maybe fly into New York, New Jersey or Philadelphia.

I planning to do the trail in 5 months and am giving myself a months to play with for unforeseen circumstances. We are thinking somewhere around month 3 - Philadelphia, NJ and NY all seem to fit that bill.

Any ideas where what part of the States would be most practical to fly to, so as to join the trail mid hike? I guess the best option would be the place that has the most accessible transport options to the trail.

Apologies for my ignorance and I'm aware that there are many factors that make this quite difficult to plan.

Many thanks

I think the best place is Bear Mountain, NY. He can fly to New York and take a Short Line bus (http://www.coachusa.com/shortline/ss.details.asp?action=Lookup&c1=New+York&s1=NY&c2=Bear+Mountain&s2=NY&resultId=83258&order=&dayFilter=&scheduleChoice=&sitePageName=%2Fshortline%2Fss%2Etickets%2Easp&cbid=942681679876) to Bear Mountain of which there are 3 per day on weekdays and 4 on weekends. Alternatively, he could take a Metro North train (http://mta.info/mnr/html/planning/schedules/pdf/102009HudsonLineM_F.pdf) on the Hudson line to Peekskill where Bear Mountain is a short cab ride away. And another option is Pawling where he could join you literally on the Trail at NY Rt. 22 by boarding a train on the Haarlem Line (http://mta.info/mnr/html/planning/schedules/pdf/102009HarlemLineM_F.pdf). As you may know, the AT Train Station has service on weekends. If he's traveling on a weekday, Pawling or Wingdale stops are nearby.

For his return, there are bus options from Rutland, Hanover, or even Pinkham Notch if he gets that far.

If Bear Mountain is too late in your hike for him to meet you, another option is Delaware Water Gap which is also accessible via many bus departures (http://www.martztrailways.com/from-nyc.asp) from New York. I'd recommend a bus from NY rather than Philadelphia because NY is a better place to fly and it's easier access at the end of the hike.

You may be concerned with the differences in conditioning since you'll have been hiking for 2-3 months and he's coming in cold. Whether he joins you at DWG or Bear Mountain, he'll be greeted with a fairly forgiving stretch of Trail so I think you'll be compatible. For that reason, I don't recommend him joining you at Greenwood Lake because he'll start with short but extremely steep ups-and-downs.

Hope it works out!

[sasquatch2014]

You can hike north from any of the locations that Cookerhiker talked about and you will always have the option for your friend to get back down to the city even from ALbany which can access anything from Mass thru southern VT. From Albany its pretty easy to make NYC via bus train or plane.

[Tin Man]

You may be concerned with the differences in conditioning since you'll have been hiking for 2-3 months and he's coming in cold. Whether he joins you at DWG or Bear Mountain, he'll be greeted with a fairly forgiving stretch of Trail so I think you'll be compatible. For that reason, I don't recommend him joining you at Greenwood Lake because he'll start with short but extremely steep ups-and-downs.

Hope it works out!

Transportation options discussed are all easy. Cookerhiker's point is what you might want to think about some more. You will have to down-shift your pace considerably to accommodate your friend. Even if he is in good shape, your trail-shape after 2-3 months of hiking is a whole different kind of conditioning. Are you willing to down-shift, from 15-20 mile days back to Springer pace of 8-10 miles per day for a month? It will add time to your hike. Also, many quit the trail before they get half-way, so consider that in your friend's planning. What will you do if you quit early and your friend has a non-refundable ticket?

[YoungMoose]

Go to one of the major airports into new york. THe metro north railroad has a stop right on the appalachian trail im not sure hte schedual for htat. Also they have A all year round everyday trainstop in Peekskill new york that is about 15 minute drive to Bear mountian state park. There are taxis that are Parked outside of the Train station. THats your best bet. The railroad line is called the Hudson Line.

[YoungMoose]

I looked up some more information and I think your best bet is to go to a nyc airport. Take the subway to grand central Station then take THe hundson line THat leaves the Grand Central Station. Then When you get at peekskill just say bear mountian. they would know where it is.

[Cookerhiker]

Go to one of the major airports into new york. THe metro north railroad has a stop right on the appalachian trail im not sure hte schedual for htat. Also they have A all year round everyday trainstop in Peekskill new york that is about 15 minute drive to Bear mountian state park. There are taxis that are Parked outside of the Train station. THats your best bet. The railroad line is called the Hudson Line.


I looked up some more information and I think your best bet is to go to a nyc airport. Take the subway to grand central Station then take THe hundson line THat leaves the Grand Central Station. Then When you get at peekskill just say bear mountian. they would know where it is.

That's what I tried to say in Post #3.

[YoungMoose]

That's what I tried to say in Post #3.
Didnt even see it sorry.

[white_russian]

Pretty much anywhere from Harpers Ferry to Gorham is very accessible by trains and/or buses. They may have to get a shuttle or taxi for a little bit, but you can get pretty close. Any of the airports from DC to Boston are usually pretty close to a bus or train station and easy to get into their networks.

[Appalachian Tater]

You can get buses out of Port Authority in NY for Bear Mountain, DWG, and other places on the trail.

If you only have five months you would be better off having him fly into Atlanta and starting with you at Springer or hiking with you through Virginia which is easy terrain. Otherwise he is going to slow you down. If he starts with you you won't be worried about being in a specific place at a specific time and you won't have to worry about quitting your hike and messing up his trip, too. (You don't really want to think about that but realistically, most people quit.)

[tintin]

Think I'll look into Bear Mountain as that seems to be the general consensus and Delaware Water gap too (thanks Cookerhiker).

I'm aware of all the difficulties of this. I may quit (which I won't), he won't be as fit (I am giving myself a month to play with) and it will be hard to arrive at a specific point at a specific time, but I am a stubborn sod and I'll do my best to make sure it will work out. Not liking the talk of quitting!

Thanks for your posts - I really appreciate you taking the time to think about my question with what seems a lot of consideration.

[TimeSnake]

Your friend would probably be pretty amazed when he comes out to greet you in Glencliff NH and gets to experience the whites + Maine. ALso you pal would get to experience the end of the journey.

[Tin Man]

Think I'll look into Bear Mountain as that seems to be the general consensus and Delaware Water gap too (thanks Cookerhiker).

I'm aware of all the difficulties of this. I may quit (which I won't), he won't be as fit (I am giving myself a month to play with) and it will be hard to arrive at a specific point at a specific time, but I am a stubborn sod and I'll do my best to make sure it will work out. Not liking the talk of quitting!

Thanks for your posts - I really appreciate you taking the time to think about my question with what seems a lot of consideration.

The talk about quitting isn't personal. It is just a fact that only about 20-25% finish due to many factors - it wasn't what people were expecting, injury, issues at home, etc. You sound like a non-quitter, which should serve you well. But if your hike just becomes a total drudge and you aren't having any fun at all, there is no shame in quitting - it is just a hiking vacation, no big deal.

[eric j]

Also, if Peekskill, you can hike the camp smith trail down from Anthonys nose and the metro north station is about a mile from the Bear Mountain bridge tollhouse. (trailhead)

OR

take metro north one more stop to Garrisson station, the Greymoor Monestary is about 2 miles east, excellant shelter on the grounds and the Friar's might even feed you.
knifeedge

[Cookerhiker]

.... hiking with you through Virginia which is easy terrain. Otherwise he is going to slow you down.....

I disagree that Virginia is "easy terrain" - my recollection is that either NJ from DWG or NY from Bear Mountain is easier than Virginia.

[Cookerhiker]

Your friend would probably be pretty amazed when he comes out to greet you in Glencliff NH and gets to experience the whites + Maine. ALso you pal would get to experience the end of the journey.


....we're looking at options for where he can come join me - can't join me for the last stint as he has prior engagements.
......

First of all, Glencliff doesn't mesh with his schedule to hook up in the middle of the hike. Secondly, sure the Whites are awesome but hardly the place for a hiker coming in cold to join a thru hiker with 1,700 miles under his belt.

[tintin]

My friend has looked into getting time off and it looks like early july would probably be his only option. I've been working backwards from the end - taking all things into consideration - Green or White Mountain National Forest might have to be the meet up point.

If he were to join me (he can't make the last 10 days of my trip) at this point then I'd plan 7-8 weeks to get to Katahdin from there to accommodate for someone joining me cold.

I plan to start the hike mid-march and my flight home is from Boston on the 1st of September. I know you aren't aware of my physical abilities (I have done a 4500 mile bike trip over a 4 1/2 month period and just spent 6 months trekking in the jungle in the past 2 years), but is getting to either of those parks unrealistic with a mid-march start?

I'm thinking of telling him that it's not viable but want to make it happen and will exhaust all options first.

Tin Man - RE: quitting - sorry, did hit a nerve and apologies for the defensive reply, but it is a valid point. I've got flight insurance to cover that and I'll recommend he does the same.

Thanks again - really looking forward to going back to a country that has already provided me with many wonderful memories and friends.

[Cookerhiker]

I don't think anyone was questioning your conditioning. Rather the issue is your friend's preparedness since by the time he joins you, you'll be accustomed to loping up mountains and knocking off 20 mpd.

Especially if he doesn't join you until the Green or White Mts. The fact is most stretches in VT or NH will prove much more difficult than MD, PA, NJ, NY, or MA. He may want to consider flying to Boston and taking a bus to Rutland, VT and joining you at Rts 103 or 140. That means you'll hike up Killington together but despite it being the highest point on the AT in VT, it's not too hard a hike; the elevation is gained gradually.

Hope it all works out.

[Tin Man]

tintin, no apologies needed. clarifying things on the internet is much more difficult than in person. and i don't take much of what is said here too serious and you shouldn't either.

[LIhikers]

Here's a link (http://www.nynjtc.org/content/where-you-can-go-bus-or-train) that will help you and your friend figure out public transportation from New York City to the trail. It's from the NY/NJ Trail Conference web site.