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Chex Mix
12-21-2010, 10:58
Ok, I am 16 and a junior in high school, I plann on grauduating in Dec. of next year and hiking the trail and finish before college starts in the fall. ( I will be 17 ) Is this a insane idea?

Lone Wolf
12-21-2010, 11:02
not at all

10-K
12-21-2010, 11:12
Do it!

I offered to fund a thru-hike for my then 17 year old but he wouldn't do it.

In hindsight I should have told him that under no circumstances could he hike the AT. He would have been all over it then.. :)

stretche
12-21-2010, 11:58
That was my plan, while i would love to do it i cannot graduate early so either i graduate (this summer) and hit the trail basically after school gets out June 2011 and walk south and go to school during the spring of 2012 or wait until 2012 and then start march and finish by august of the same year. (or something of the like) but now im not so sure...

Jack Tarlin
12-21-2010, 14:44
There was a very fine young man named Kirby who had a great hike at about your age several years back. You should PM him; I'm sure he'd be happy to correspond with you and answer your questions.

Best of luck to you!

Flippy
12-21-2010, 15:11
Definitely a possibility! Assuming you will start college at the end of August? So finishing around the mid August would give you the time you need to wrap up some details before you start college.

It's nice to have a little "decompression" time after you finish a long hike to help readjust to society. Maybe having like a week or so to take it easy, before you jump back into today's society helps.

I started on the 26th of March and finished on the 19th of August, but I wish I didn't rush through my hike. It's cool to brag about hiking the big days for a bit, but there was alot that I missed out on just hanging around in town and few extra weeks would have made a big difference. There will be plenty of people to hike with even if you finish in early to mid August.

When I do another AT thru-hike I'll probably start around the beginning of March and finish in early September to give me more time on the trail.

Tennessee Viking
12-21-2010, 15:53
EastTNHiker,
Go ahead and plan for the whole thing. Just don't make yourself think you have to rush. If you get slowed down, you can always go back in the summer or delay college for a semester.

Be sure to get in contact with the the Tenn. Eastman Hiking Club (the local AT club; I myself am a member). Let them know you are a local, and they will help support you when you get around the TN/NC area, or try to get a partner for you for other sections. A lot of the members have completed the trail. They and other locals are great sources to help you prep.

Chex Mix
12-21-2010, 16:09
there was a very fine young man named kirby who had a great hike at about your age several years back. You should pm him; i'm sure he'd be happy to correspond with you and answer your questions.

Best of luck to you!


thanks for the reply, do you know if this guy is on white blaze? If so what is his white blaze member name.

Thanks

Phreak
12-21-2010, 16:19
thanks for the reply, do you know if this guy is on white blaze? If so what is his white blaze member name.

Thanks
Kirby (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=10351) tho he hasn't been on here since July. You could always send him an email through his profile page.

niners
12-21-2010, 16:45
My daughter is doing this year exactly what you are planning next year. She finishes high school on Jan 14 and we are leaving to hike the trail Feb 16. We're leaving early so we can be sure and finish before she starts college in Aug.

Chex Mix
12-21-2010, 17:19
My daughter is doing this year exactly what you are planning next year. She finishes high school on Jan 14 and we are leaving to hike the trail Feb 16. We're leaving early so we can be sure and finish before she starts college in Aug.


Good luck!