PDA

View Full Version : Fifty Mile Day, best stretch to attempt?



NiteRaven
01-20-2011, 23:53
Let's day someone wanted to attempt a 50-mile hiking day. In theory, where would be the best stretch to do that? Looking at an elevation profile I created:

http://kyle.goeshiking.net/wire.php

NOBO: 890-940 and 1345-1395 look like pretty good candidates. At least elevation wise... not saying anything about obstacles encountered.

Thoughts?

fiddlehead
01-21-2011, 05:00
The 40 miles (NOBO) going into Damascus has always been considered one of the easiest stretches of the AT.
Maybe you could start 10 miles before the road at Watauga Dam.
Also, SNP is another "easy" part of the trail comparably to the rest.
I once did a "longest day on the shortest day" in SNP (39.3 miles on Dec 21st, 2001)

fehchet
01-21-2011, 05:18
Kincora to Dots.

Driver8
01-21-2011, 06:40
Let's day someone wanted to attempt a 50-mile hiking day. In theory, where would be the best stretch to do that? Looking at an elevation profile I created:

http://kyle.goeshiking.net/wire.php

NOBO: 890-940 and 1345-1395 look like pretty good candidates. At least elevation wise... not saying anything about obstacles encountered.

Thoughts?

The Maryland Challenge is famously done many a time. Around 50.

fredmugs
01-21-2011, 07:56
If you're looking for the easiest then pick out 50 miles pretty much anywhere in SNP. I could probably do a 50 mile day there.

I think the Maryland challenge is "only" 41 miles.

Cookerhiker
01-21-2011, 09:50
MD into Southern PA. Start at the parking area in MD before the ascent to Weverton Cliffs and hike to PA Rt. 233 - 50 miles.

Re. the Tennessee stretch into Damascus, the 40 miles from Hampton/Rt. 321 to Damascus is fairly easy but the 10 prior miles are harder. In addition to the steep ascent up Pond Flat, the footing around Laurel Falls is too rugged for fast striding.

T-Glove
01-21-2011, 10:13
I'm pretty sure the Connecticut challenge is a 50 miler.

stumpknocker
01-21-2011, 10:44
Never did a long day to make a certain number of miles, but I have done long days because I felt good and had too much energy. A few of the ones I would suggest were from Rt 11 in PA (near the Middlesex Diner) south, from Trent's grocery in VA south and from Quarry Gap Shelter in PA south.

I do know people who have done from Kincora Hostel in TN north too.

Rain Man
01-21-2011, 10:49
I think Odyssa did a 65-mile day SOBO. It was her next-to-last day, into Neels Gap, on her record hike.

Rain:sunMan

.

GeneralLee10
01-21-2011, 11:00
My longest day was heading into Waynesboro Va. I did 41 miles +. The day before I did 37. Ahhh.. how the pain felt. The last 5 miles me and a good trail friend did it at 5 miles an hr solid no joke. My feet hurt for the next 2-3 days, I felt every rock, bump, stik and twig.

The Shenandoah National Park would be a good place to give it a try, I think. Most of that stretch is very simple compared to the rest. Or if you love rocks give PA a try, a lot of flat but a crap load of rocks. When I say flat I do not mean it is flat just not as much of the ups and downs like other parts of the trail.

Oh yeah, they have GREAT BBQ in the town of Waynesboro right downtown, called Shukris BBQ Co gotta check them out.

Driver8
01-21-2011, 11:05
I'm pretty sure the Connecticut challenge is a 50 miler.

CT is 51.3 or so, not sure it's the easiest place to do 50 in a day. Certainly not the hardest, though.

Kerosene
01-21-2011, 14:35
I'd vote for Kincora to Dots, especially if you took the old AT route to bypass the climb up to Pond Flats.

Another option might be the road crossing just north of Maupin Field Shelter, through Rockfish Gap, to somewhere on Skyline Drive.

You'll find a lot more rocks through Maryland, which I wouldn't want to contend with on a long trail run (but then again, I'm no longer physically capable of a long trail run).

I think you'd find the AT from Buena Vista (US-60) south to Daleville pretty easy also, although there are a few good climbs in there.

Cookerhiker
01-21-2011, 15:40
...A few of the ones I would suggest were from Rt 11 in PA (near the Middlesex Diner) south, .....

I think we have a winner here except I'd hike it in a northbound direction so that the last 15 miles are the extremely easy practically flat stretch through the Cumberland Valley. Start at Caledonia, hike north to PA Rt. 944 which is 4 miles further than Rt. 11. Total distance: 51 1/2 miles.

Why am I not surprised that Stumpy's referenced landmark involves food?:D

OnThePath
01-21-2011, 15:54
isn't here a 4 state challenge thats around 40 miles?

Cookerhiker
01-21-2011, 15:59
isn't here a 4 state challenge thats around 40 miles?

va-wv-md-pa

Squeaky 2
01-21-2011, 16:40
the mahoosacs are a good bet! if you can do it there you can do it anywhere!

Lone Wolf
01-21-2011, 16:46
the mahoosacs are a good bet! if you can do it there you can do it anywhere!

i did the 30 miles between gorham and grafton notch one time with a full pack when i was supporting Maineak

finskie
01-21-2011, 17:11
Never did a long day to make a certain number of miles, but I have done long days because I felt good and had too much energy. A few of the ones I would suggest were from Rt 11 in PA (near the Middlesex Diner) south, from Trent's grocery in VA south and from Quarry Gap Shelter in PA south.

I do know people who have done from Kincora Hostel in TN north too.


+1 for the stretches in pa... pretty much the whole cumberland valley is a steady elevation and alot of road walking. Boring, but probably ideal for a 50 miler.

Kerosene
01-21-2011, 19:19
i did the 30 miles between gorham and grafton notch one time with a full pack when i was supporting MaineakYes, but that was when you were young and had a good heart. ;)

StormBird
01-21-2011, 19:22
I second the four state challenge. Maryland was probably the flattest trail I remember from my thru hike. :)

Yahtzee
01-21-2011, 19:43
Pond Flats eliminates the Damascus option. What a *&^*% climb.

CT is appealing, but that last climb out of Salisbury would be a death march.

I think the PA option would be the way to go. Pine Grove north. By my calculations, you would have to cross the Susquehanna and do a hefty climb up to the Clarks Ferry Shelter. Mile 48 would be tough.

I did the 41 into Damascus. That hurt but wasn't unbearable. 50 seems like it would become very painful. Tho, if you are a runner, it might not be so bad.

Lone Wolf
01-21-2011, 20:07
Yes, but that was when you were young and had a good heart. ;)

i could still do it with this heart. i'm badazz

Lone Wolf
01-21-2011, 20:09
Pond Flats eliminates the Damascus option. What a *&^*% climb.

CT is appealing, but that last climb out of Salisbury would be a death march.

I think the PA option would be the way to go. Pine Grove north. By my calculations, you would have to cross the Susquehanna and do a hefty climb up to the Clarks Ferry Shelter. Mile 48 would be tough.

I did the 41 into Damascus. That hurt but wasn't unbearable. 50 seems like it would become very painful. Tho, if you are a runner, it might not be so bad.

i did the 41 to damascus in just under 12 hours. the extra 10 ain't nothin'. pond flats is so overrated

kolokolo
01-21-2011, 20:09
I did the Maryland challenge last year, about 42 miles. To extend that to 50, I would start about 8 miles north of the Pennsyvania border and hike south to Harpers Ferry, WV. You'd only get 3 states that way, but you'd avoid the climb South of Harpers Ferry, which could seem substantial after hiking over 40 miles.

stranger
01-23-2011, 08:20
Dennis Cove to Damascus is definately an option, but to be honest I think it would be silly to not include the Cumberland Valley section in PA for a 50 mile day. Most of southern Pennsylvania is quite easy as well.

Shenandoah is harder than people make it out to be IMO. Connecticut is easy but don't know about 50 miles in one day.

10-K
01-23-2011, 08:30
the mahoosacs are a good bet! if you can do it there you can do it anywhere!

I hiked the 26 miles from Franconia Notch back to the hostel in Glencliff in the pouring down rain in 11 hours with a daypack that probably weighed about 5-6 lbs with food, water, tarp and misc stuff in case I got stuck and couldn't make it.

Going up the north side of Mt. Mousilake (sp) in the rain slowed me down a tad. :)

10-K
01-23-2011, 08:38
i did the 41 to damascus in just under 12 hours. the extra 10 ain't nothin'. pond flats is so overrated

My fastest hike was when you dropped me off in Atkins and I hiked back to your house. You let me out on a Friday morning around 8:00 am and I was driving out of your driveway Sunday morning at 11:00 am.

So, I would say somewhere in that 75 mile stretch from Atkins to Damascus doing a 50 mile one day hike would be possible.

Cabin Fever
01-23-2011, 08:50
I love how everyone whines about Pond Mountain. I used to maintain it and laughed as I climbed it every time. Going south, the climb is no big deal. It's getting much better going north. Hard Care eliminated the hardest part of it last year. The comments about including Watauga Lake to Damascus are pretty much accurate. Laurel Fork Gorge and Pond Mountain would make for a slow start, but if the person was running they could easily make it up on the ridgeline.

Jim Adams
01-23-2011, 08:52
In 1990 I did 53.1 miles from Dennis Cove Campground to Damascus in 19hrs, 35 minutes...of course I was only 37 years old then and the 16 hours of light, cool drizzle saved me from over heating and sweating but when I did get to Damascus, I couldn't walk for 4 days...too sore and none of my leg or feet joints worked. I was carried to Dots.

geek

NiteRaven
01-24-2011, 23:37
Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll note these in my thru-hike companion.

Yahtzee
01-25-2011, 04:40
I love how everyone whines about Pond Mountain. I used to maintain it and laughed as I climbed it every time. Going south, the climb is no big deal. It's getting much better going north. Hard Care eliminated the hardest part of it last year. The comments about including Watauga Lake to Damascus are pretty much accurate. Laurel Fork Gorge and Pond Mountain would make for a slow start, but if the person was running they could easily make it up on the ridgeline.

I think the reason this climb is disliked so much more than most has to do with where it lies on the trail, right after Laurel Falls. A lot of hikers take a nice break at the Falls. Maybe swim if it is warm enough. And then right after taking in this fantastic little spot you have to grind your way up Pond Mountain. It's the juxtaposition with the beauty of the Falls that gives that climb such a bad name.

map man
01-26-2011, 00:41
Kerosene's point about avoiding rocky (or rooty for that matter) trail, even if it is flat, is a good one. I did a 52 mile trail run/race this last fall on the rocky/rooty Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota and fell a number of times, a couple times full-blown face plants, tripping on those rocks and roots. So look for both level topography and an even treadway.

RockDoc
01-26-2011, 06:07
My friend James makes parts of NC/TN sound pretty good for an adventure run. He should know, he's a GA-MEr:

"Some of the finest open ridge running in the world can be found on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina and Tennessee. Our run will traverse the mile-high open "Balds" for many miles, rarely descending to the scenic valleys below. Many Appalachian Trail veterans consider this segment of the Appalachian Trail, with its superb views from treeless meadows above 5,000 feet, to be one of the most beautiful and spectacular segments along the entire trail. You'll find the trail running sublime as you pass through these open meadows. In short, this is a trail runners paradise! "

more info at http://adventurerunningco.wordpress.com/

Jedeye
01-26-2011, 09:32
Sounds like you already have some good suggestions, so I will just add a quick thought. Going for 50 in a day is tough and I'm not sure how much gear you are planning to take, or if this is just a drop off pick up all-out-day type of thing, but you are going to need to drink a lot of water. Water is usually pretty easy to find on the AT, but just factor that in when planning. If you could find a stretch where you only had to cary a liter(or less) at a time that would be ideal, keep the weight off the body!

SassyWindsor
01-26-2011, 23:10
Not being the easiest one day 50 on the AT but I believe a stretch through the GSMNP beginning at Double Spring gap shelter, south of Clingman,to Groundhog Creek Shelter, just out of the park across I-40.

I've always thought that an attempted day hike from Fontana to Clingman, or even to Newfound Gap would be rather bold. Then another one from Newfound Gap to Davenport Gap. Traveling light and during the Fall months would be kinda cool. I would leave doing the entire stretch of the GSMNP at one clip to the "Pros".

CrumbSnatcher
01-26-2011, 23:16
keys gap WV9
to deer lick shelters 52.1

CrumbSnatcher
01-26-2011, 23:17
Not being the easiest one day 50 on the AT but I believe a stretch through the GSMNP beginning at Double Spring gap shelter, south of Clingman,to Groundhog Creek Shelter, just out of the park across I-40.

I've always thought that an attempted day hike from Fontana to Clingman, or even to Newfound Gap would be rather bold. Then another one from Newfound Gap to Davenport Gap. Traveling light and during the Fall months would be kinda cool. I would leave doing the entire stretch of the GSMNP at one clip to the "Pros".
MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO THAT
i think alot of thruhikers get thier first 20 miler on the northern half of the GSMNP