Solo thru-hike

[gareth804]

I am pretty sure I can anticipate the reaction to this question but I feel I should ask it anyways, is it advisable to attempt a solo thru-hike? I want to do the entire trail in one go, but none of my friend/family can make the time commitment to do it with me and I'd prefer not to hike with a stranger, do many people hike it alone?

[ChinMusic]

.... do many people hike it alone?
I would say that MOST start it as a solo but most are not "alone".

Trail journal after trail journal describe the friendships that are found on the trail.

IMO, starting as a solo is preferable. If you start with a friend you will most likely part due to different speeds, injury, etc.

[Mountain Wildman]

I agree with ChinMusic,
I've been viewing pages of photos everyday for months on TrailJournals.com
I am planning my Thru for next March, I would love to have my best friend hike with me since he came up with the idea 25 years ago, But that is unlikely, I will start alone but probably wont stay that way. Either way, I am doing it!!! I cant wait.

[DapperD]

I am pretty sure I can anticipate the reaction to this question but I feel I should ask it anyways, is it advisable to attempt a solo thru-hike? I want to do the entire trail in one go, but none of my friend/family can make the time commitment to do it with me and I'd prefer not to hike with a stranger, do many people hike it alone?Although I do agree with the other's that it is advisable as there will be many other's starting also (as long as you start around the peak time frame and start off point as the majority of other's attempting thru-hikes), I believe that starting out with a close friend or family member would also be great if possible. The answer to this question is really about how comfortable you are in being solo out there and thus possibly alone for long periods of time. Also, if you hike with a partner, one needs to understand that at any given time, one's partner may decide either voluntarily or involuntarily to leave the trail for whatever reason and go home. This is why everyone needs to be equipped with their own personal gear, in order to continue on their own if they so choose without having their partner's decision to leave the trail adversely affect their ability to continue on their own without any setbacks. So if you are unable to find a companion to begin a thru-hike with from the people you know, and don't feel unnecessarily uncomfortable heading out solo, then there is no reason not to do so. Also one of the nicest things about this site, is you can look for other's who want to start around the time you do, and maybe meet them and at least begin your thru-hike together or with a bunch of people, which would ultimately be beneficial for everyone who is just starting out. Good Luck

[Blissful]

You will NOT be alone, guaranteed. We had buddies on Day One.

[10-K]

About the only person I'd commit to hiking 2100+ miles with is one of my sons and maybe my wife. (just kidding honey.. :) )

[fiddlehead]

Yep!
Everyone hikes at a different pace, has different ideas of how long a break should last (and how often) as well as how long to stay in town and daily mileage, and, well, just about everything.
So, there are only a few people that I know from my experience that do most of the above about the same as me.
You will find these people on the trail.
No where else.
Good luck and have fun.

[gareth804]

Thanks for all the feedback! that was fast!

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

There is absolutely no danger of hiking solo on the AT except in the dead of winter.... it is one of the most populated trails in the country because it has so many services available and road crossings.

As Blissful notes, you will make friends pretty quickly and likely will end up hiking for long periods with hikers who hold a similar pace to your own.

[bigcranky]

I suspect most thru-hikers start alone. You'll be fine.

[jersey joe]

There is absolutely no danger of hiking solo on the AT except in the dead of winter.... it is one of the most populated trails in the country because it has so many services available and road crossings.

As Blissful notes, you will make friends pretty quickly and likely will end up hiking for long periods with hikers who hold a similar pace to your own.

There is certainly a danger of hiking solo. Many things can happen to a hiker who would be safer if traveling with a companion. For example, if there were an accident, A companion could perform first aid or go for help. While the dangers are minimal, I would say they are greater than not carrying maps, which many people frequently cite as an imprudent thing to do for safety reasons. I would add that I did hike solo and that I wouldn't discourage someone from not going on a thru hike for this reason.

[Appalachian Tater]

It's practically impossible to hike the trail alone. You would be very unusual if you spent even one day on the trail during a five or six month thru-hike without seeing other people. So your question really doesn't make sense.

[Blissful]

Okay I know this is straight forward but.... Hi FD!!!

(BTW - you can make great friends here on WB too. And even hike with them)

[gareth804]

Thank you everyone for the input, im sure ill find some excellent people to hike with

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Okay I know this is straight forward but.... Hi FD!!!

(BTW - you can make great friends here on WB too. And even hike with them)Doubtful - they are already trying to run me off again. I still hike some with my Facebook friends, but mostly it is just me and that lovable He-Dino.

Now about what Jersey Joe says - there are dangers in hiking totally alone on trails where nobody goes. The AT isn't a trail where nobody goes. As both Fiddlehead and Blissful note, you find hikers with a similar pace and similar ideas about breaks, town time, etc and they will become your hiking buddies.