Pack Size??

[ssr41]

What pack size would be ideal for Thru hiking or hiking the BMT in 2 sections?

[Egads]

I would carry either my ULA Catalyst or possibly my Gossamer Gear G5 for that hike

[SGT Rock]

I like my ULA Circuit. But that would depend on what else you were carrying and how you plan to resupply.

[sasquatch2014]

One that fits everything you want to carry.:rolleyes:

On my last section hike someone said do you know why you carry as much weight as you do? I said no and they said because you can.

[restlesss]

going at "average" speed how long should it take to do either 1)the BMT from springer to The smokies or 2) the BMT throught GSMNP? I am going to do a loop connecting the BMT and the AT in one of the two places I mentioned but I don't have too much time so I am working on logistics right now.

[SGT Rock]

Depending on how much time you take off the trail, I would say that a good planning time to do the whole trail is about 3 weeks. I'd break it down to about 6 days from Springer to Hwy 64 on the Occoee River, 8 days from 64 to Twentymile (the start of the Smokies) and about 7 days for the Smokies.

Springer to US76 ~ 50 miles: For resupply I would start with 3 days of food. This will get you to Blue Ridge. I'd start by having breakfast off the trail and get put on in the morning. The next day you can get a meal at Martin's Dixi Depot about 0.3 miles off the trail at about MP18. The following day you can get a meal at one of two restaurants on Aska Road at about MP 37. The next day you can cruise on into US 76 and hitch into Cherry Log or Blue Ridge for re-supply and hot chow, and then get back on the BMT and spend the night at Indian Rock Shelter which gets you to about MP 50.

US76 to US64 ~41 miles: Leave the area with about 3 days of food. This should be enough to get you down to US 64 and hitch into Ducktown. Ducktown is a good town to possibly spend the night in as two places offer lifts into town with stay and laundry if you stay there. Whitehouse B&B and Copper Inn. You should have about half a day to get your shopping and stuff done.

US 64 to Tellico River Road ~60 miles: Leave Ducktown with either 3 days of food or 5 days of food. Depending on how you hike it, you may hit Reliance at the end of the day after leaving Ducktown since it is about 17 miles away from US64. Another option is to camp on Loss Creek and hit Reliance at the start of the next day. There is a country store in Reliance where you can get some resupply, but their pickings are slim. Another option would be to skip past Ducktown and get a place in Reliance. Black Bear Cove Lodge offers shuttles with stay and there is a country store across from their place. Anyhow, after you leave Reliance you won't hit a good re-supply point until Green Cove motel on the Tellico River. It isn't a very good place to buy anything, but they will hold a drop. It's about 1.5 mile from the BMT and you probably won't get a hitch on that road. I didn't re-supply there myself. I brought enough to get me from Reliance to the Smokies.

Tellico River Road to Twentymile ~ 41 miles. Theoretically there is a possible place to go to resupply at Coker Creek, but I wouldn't go there because it is way off the trail and you would have to send yourself a drop there if you want anything more than a can of coke. Anyhow, it will take you about 3 days to make it from the River to Twentymile. Your best option for re-supply at the end of this section is to call Fontana Village at either the Topoco Lodge or Deals Gap Motorcycle Inn and get a lift into there for a mail drop and/or purchase at their store. If it were me, I would wait until the motorcycle place to call for a shuttle, and then have them drop me off at Twentymile and skip the NC 28 road walk. While getting a re-supply it is your choice to stay at Fontana Village or not, it ain't cheap. And I said all that assuming you are hiking through during hiker season - after about the middle of March. Prior to that most of these services are closed.

The Smokies ~ 96 miles. I would start the Smokies with about 5 days of food. This would get you to US441 at Smokemont easy which is about MP 255. And US441 I'd hitch into Cherokee and get a re-supply at Exxon Big Bear Mart and a lunch at AYCE Princess which is the first built up area you hit inside Cherokee. I'd leave Cherokee with a hot meal from Hardees for the first night, and about 3 days re-supply. This should be enough to get you to Standing Bear Hostel just past Davenport Gap. This last part is my opinion only: but the last section of the Smokies I would stay at Enloe Creek one night and Mount Sterling on the last night. Your options are to do the road walk to the end of the BMT at Davenport Gap and then walk 2.4 miles on the AT, or to take the road walk to Standing Bear from Big Creek Ranger Station.

Hope that helps. As it looks, you should not ever need more than about 5 days food in your pack.

[skinewmexico]

That's pretty detailed. Only thing he could do more is tell you what to order off the menus!

[SGT Rock]

That's pretty detailed. Only thing he could do more is tell you what to order off the menus!

Steak and salad bar at Taccoaa Riverside Restaurant is about all I can recall of the menus.