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sbhikes
01-22-2011, 21:21
I live in Southern California. It doesn't rain much. When it does, it comes down hard and steady, sometimes a foot in a single day. The creeks get flash floods. As a result, I do not do much hiking in the rain or have a lot of experience.

My experience in the rain in Washington on the PCT was strange. The rain was more like a mist. It was only steady like real rain a couple of times. It freaked me out, though, because of my lack of experience. Is the rain on the AT like Washington rain? Or is it more like the rain in Southern California?

How do you deal with so much rain when hiking the trail? How do you deal with soaking wet feet all the time? Is it cold when it rains? Does an umbrella work on the AT? I know about lining your pack with a garbage bag and all that, but what I don't know is what do you wear in the rain while hiking the AT? Do you ever get a chance to dry out your gear. Does your morale suffer with so much rain or is it light and cheery rain that doesn't bother you much?

That's a lot of questions, but I'm pretty sheltered being a life-long Santa Barbarian.

hobbs
01-22-2011, 21:27
I live in Virgina now SB but I lived in Texas where the weather is about the same. Wait 5 mins and it will change..Also as a young Boy Scout every trip I went on had rain all the time...Then in the military I was sent to central america for a couple of years...Monsoon season so..To say the least weather unless it's a hurrican which I have been in doesn't make me worry or bother me..As for on the trail.Like any other endeavor where hiking is cncerned do the best you can and tommorow may be different!!!

waywardfool
01-22-2011, 21:29
The answer to that question is "yes".


You'll see every "kind" of rain that you can imagine. From mist that just finds it way into everything, to absolute cats and dogs that make you feel more like you are swimming than walking. Rain warm as bathwater, to rain at 33* with snow laying on the ground.

You can see it all. Or none. Spent five days one spring, it was raining when we got out of the truck, and still raining, non stop, day and night, five days later when we got picked up.

fiddlehead
01-22-2011, 21:36
Yes, one thing the AT teaches you is how to hike in rain and keep your gear dry.
I double bag my clothes and sleeping bag and ALSO use a pack cover.
Some hikers hole up in shelters but you probably can't do this consistently if you want to finish in one year. (some years it is possible)

Frogg Toggs work.
THings often do NOT dry out and you need to use dryers in the laundromat in town.

I remember one of the best parts about the PCT was that we could wash out our socks everyday and they would dry in hours. Unheard of on the AT. You stink a lot more cause the humidity won't let things dry unless you set up a line at a lookout where you can sometimes find some sunshine.
One thing you don't need on the AT is sunscreen or sunglasses.
But, you do need good raingear and learn how to set up a tent so it stays dry.

4eyedbuzzard
01-22-2011, 21:37
It's wet.
A rain shower is nice, cools things off, refreshes the air.
A thunderstorm can be exciting and entertaining.
I don't mind rain when it's hot out. Just get wet and enjoy the free shower. Smells better than the sweat inside rain gear.
I don't like rain when it's cold out. I'd rather have snow. Rain seems to chill you no matter what.
Freezing rain is the worst. Trails can get dangerous. Both slippery and if it accumulates tree limbs can start dropping.
And I hate it when it's sideways. Just makes me miserable.
I don't like it when it rains steady day after day after day, which can often happen in the spring in the east.
Even gear that is kept "dry" gets damp and doesn't feel dry. Everything just seems moist and clammy and sticky.
Shoes get wet and stay wet. You can dry them a bit by a fire (not too close) or put them in the bottom of your sleeping bag (but that makes the bag even more moist). Or try sealskins, goretex socks, or plastic bags on the feet.
Damp is kind of a thing you just deal with on the AT in the spring.
Umbrellas are a mixed bag. Some people love them, some don't. Kind of like hiking poles.

Pommes
01-22-2011, 21:47
i can be cold. i can be wet. i really hate being cold and wet. double bag everything.

If you wanna make it to Maine. You have to hike in the rain.

i heard that somewhere.

lori
01-22-2011, 22:14
Come hiking with me on the coast sometime, or in the foothills in Central Sierra Nevada. I can show you some different kinds of precip - on one four day trip last October, I hiked through sleet, hail, mist, rain, and graupel. If we'd hung out another day we'd probably have been walking in regular old Sierra snow.

Serial 07
01-22-2011, 22:55
your gonna get cold rain...downpours of cold rain...

then the summer rain that is really nice, but occasionally come strong and provide a moment of trepidation...but you'll survive...

morale shouldn't suffer from rain, IMO, i always found plenty of other hikers in or around shelters on rainy days to make'em fun...some of my best memories are from rainy day times...

then cold rain...and blue mountain...but that's for you to find out about.... ;)

i survived a thru knowing little and learning a lot...then, i laughed at people carrying rain pants; now i own a pair and love'em...so perspective can change...come with your most breathable raincoat with pit zips...

Serial 07
01-22-2011, 22:59
oh, shoes real quick...in the spring time, i'd wear some kind of warm shoe...keen's or even a gortex shoe...they're gonna get wet and dry when they dry, that's what the climate will permit...but come summer, i'd go to the lightest trail shoe that's comfortable...they'll get wet, but dry super easy in the summer heat...

leaftye
01-22-2011, 23:00
I learned not to dry synthetic liner socks next to a fire.

mweinstone
01-22-2011, 23:01
eastern rain is made of skittles and one need only pack an appetite.

4eyedbuzzard
01-22-2011, 23:02
eastern rain is made of skittles and one need only pack an appetite.
Must be that acid rain.

Sierra Echo
01-22-2011, 23:04
Must be that acid rain.


LMAO!!!! 10 points for yoU!

Tinker
01-22-2011, 23:15
Must be that acid rain.

Acid maybe - rain, no. :D

mweinstone
01-22-2011, 23:22
just started a thread about pole shift in response to just this perception.

MuffinMan11
01-23-2011, 04:44
Rain is what I prepare every hiking trip for no matter what. I will no longer carry a poncho because of high wind rain. I must have camp shoes and dry socks because my feet freeze in wet boots even if using vapor barriers of some sort after a rainy day with dry socks. I use dry bags, a pack liner(trash bag), and pack cover because rain always gets in no matter what. I live by the addage of seperate hiking clothes and camp clothes.

I live in texas and I pretty much can't go backpacking without expecting a low of 85 for the over night temp and possible rain(summer,early fall/early spring time) or heavy multi day straight/cold/side blowing or sleeting/freezing rain. We rarely get snow but even if we get that its just wet 5 minutes later.

My one trip east into smokey mountain np was just that in oct 09. I can't bring my self to plan for anything else for my thru hike this year or risk feeling miserable. I get cold in 30 degree nights with a montbell #1 and midweight thermals. I carry light as I can but read about what you and many others carry and can't believe how anyone can stay warm.

I guess this was more of a vent then any help but from all I have read the AT definitely gets more rain then what I can ever imagine from the pct or at least closer to what I deal with backpackng in texas.

I never know What the rain will be I just have to prepare for the worst : (

MuffinMan11
01-23-2011, 04:49
Rain is what I prepare every hiking trip for no matter what. I will no longer carry a poncho because of high wind rain. I must have camp shoes and dry socks because my feet freeze in wet boots even if using vapor barriers of some sort after a rainy day with dry socks. I use dry bags, a pack liner(trash bag), and pack cover because rain always gets in no matter what. I live by the addage of seperate hiking clothes and camp clothes.

I live in texas and I pretty much can't go backpacking without expecting a low of 85 for the over night temp and possible rain(summer,early fall/early spring time) or heavy multi day straight/cold/side blowing or sleeting/freezing rain. We rarely get snow but even if we get that its just wet 5 minutes later.

My one trip east into smokey mountain np was just that in oct 09. I can't bring my self to plan for anything else for my thru hike this year or risk feeling miserable. I get cold in 30 degree nights with a montbell #1 and midweight thermals. I carry light as I can but read about what you and many others carry and can't believe how anyone can stay warm.

I guess this was more of a vent then any help but from all I have read the AT definitely gets more rain then what I can ever imagine from the pct or at least closer to what I deal with backpackng in texas.

I never know What the rain will be I just have to prepare for the worst : (

MuffinMan11
01-23-2011, 04:56
After all that above a rainyvday backpacking is bettet than not.

sbhikes
01-23-2011, 11:45
In my area I didn't even own any rain gear for many years. I didn't buy rain gear until I planned to hike the PCT, and then I only bought partial rain gear. Sometimes I've gone backpacking with no rain gear and no tent. Maybe a poncho at the bottom of my pack but I never for a minute expected to use it. I like living in a dry climate!

I've seen graupel in the Sierras! Strange styrofoam stuff! I love thunderstorms. That is one thing I would enjoy about the AT. Does an umbrella work on the AT or is the trail really overgrown?

royalusa
01-23-2011, 11:53
We had a lot of rain on our 2008 thru-hike - 48% of our days or nights had some sort of precipitation, either snow or rain. Some days were all day rains. Others were partial days. Some were downpour days. Others were mist only days. Sometimes it rained only at night. Other times we got 4 different showers a day. Most rains found us in full rain gear (Marmot Precip jacket/pants). In colder temps, our full rain gear included Seal Socks. We tried an umbrella but didn't like it as the wind would still cause the rain to drench us. Some rains we welcomed as we could use a shower to bathe us and our clothes - but that was rare as normally it was a bit chilly. You name it, you can get it on the AT.

We hiked in Maine during 10-year record rains. Streams were swollen to the point where we could not get across one of them and had to take a detour via jeep roads, logging roads and regular roads. See http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=322223 (http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=322223)

Our gear was wet for days on end. Mold started to grow in our food bag and on our tent. Shoes and socks stayed wet for many many days. We had to rely on town stops to dry out clothes, shoes and the tent. Sleeping bags (down) were protected in garbage bags, so they were fine, although damp.

Our feet were also a major concern, as we were afraid that any open sore we got could soon develop into an issue. Our feet were like prunes for a very long time:
http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=322214 (http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=322214) Luckily, we did escape with no issues to our feet, though we heard others did have problems.

Trail conditions can really deteriorate with so much rain. There were times that the trail was almost knee deep with water. Many fords that should have been rock hoppers were now fords. The messy trail conditions slowed us down each day.

But it was all part of the experience. Yes, morale can suffer. Sometimes after hiking under dry but very gray skies, you just wanted to holler at the clouds and say "WILL YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND RAIN SO WE CAN GET OVER IT AND MOVE ON". Other times the rain does not bother you as it is not as bad as "xyz" - which for us was a bone chilling all day rain in PA (http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=310696 (http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=310696)). That day became our benchmark - any day that was wet, but not as coldy was an OK day after all.

This was just our experience and outlook. Others will have different experiences and outlooks.

Hopefully that helps with your questions.

Wise Old Owl
01-23-2011, 11:59
Enjoy the subtle differences hiking in the rain is not an art, but an enjoyable break, with the right equipment. Be aware though to stay out of woods when high winds hit the trees and bring down branches. (always have a plan)

Slo-go'en
01-23-2011, 12:48
"The sun always shines at noon"

I read this in an "Old Farmers Almanac" once had have found it to be mostly true. The worst of the rain always seems to be either in the morning or in the evening. From between about 10 AM to 2 PM, a four hour window when the sun is at it's highest, the rain usually tappers off or stops all together.

When its raining in the morning, I'll wait it out and often be reasonably dry for the rest of the day. There will also often be a break in the rain about dusk, which gives you time to cook dinner and/or set up the tent.

An all day rain is fairly rare, (except in New England when a storm can get stuck in the Gulf of Maine or a front stalls and refuses to move), but it can rain everyday for weeks in the spring. May of '09 in VA it rained something like 25 of the 30 days I was on the trail. Thankfully, mostly at night.

Ironically, as much as we all hate to hike in rain in the spring, we sorely miss it later in the summer when we start to wish for a nice cool all day drizzle. But at best all we get is a nasty T-Storm which will drench you in seconds and make you hypothermic if your not careful. Then when its all over, its worse then it was before with the humidity spiking again.

Lilred
01-23-2011, 13:42
With all this talk about rain, no one has mentioned the mud that goes along with it. I wouldn't mind the rain so much, if it weren't for the incessant mud.

Don't forget, the Appalachian mountain range is the second largest rain forest in the world....

garlic08
01-23-2011, 13:50
Before I hiked the AT, almost all my hiking experience had been out west, too. I had also hiked the PCT as my first thru hike.

I did not bring any different gear on the AT. I considered trying an umbrella (no brush issues on the AT), but decided not to. My lightweight shell worked fine. I carried rain pants for the first month then sent them home. I wore trail runners and carried one spare pair of socks. I hiked in '08, too, a pretty wet year. I learned that wet skin is OK as long as it's clean and wet. Mud and grime is what would get to me. I would wash off and rinse shoes and socks as often as I could and everything was OK.

My closest call with hypothermia on any trail was a pretty extreme multi-day rain storm the PCT in Washington. I experienced nothing like that on the AT, at least with that level of remoteness and risk.

The huge benefit of the AT is seeing laundromats so often. Many times you have little option but to add mechanical energy to dry things out. The relative humidity is often too high and the sunlight is often not quite strong enough. Forget about drying your laundry on the back of your pack like you do out west.

The AT changed my hiking style a little. When I hike with western friends and they start putting on rain gear at the first sign of a little shower, I remember when I used to do that, too. I learned to just hike wet in the summer. Protect your insulation in your pack, take the free rinse and if it gets too cold then get out of the wind and warm up.

ocourse
01-23-2011, 14:02
Yep lots of rain on the A.T. I live in VA where we have anything from a mist to a deluge in temps from the teens to the high nineties. But I like the rain and I very much like hiking in it! The smell of the wet woods, the sound of the rain, and the rising little mountain streams are my favorites. I am a section hiker, so I can get pretty cold and wet knowing that I will soon enough be dry and back at work! I have invested in rain pants and a lightweight shell jacket, but if I didn't have so much $$ tied up in rain gear I would get a sil poncho. One really needs freely swirling air under rain protection IMO.

Tilly
01-23-2011, 14:07
Ah, the rain. I hiked the AT in '09 and I will be happily hiking out west for my next few hikes.

I had wet, muddy feet for 10 days straight more than a few times. My feet would start to get irritiated and blistered all over. Had to take a zero just to let them air out.

Tevas are 100% necessary for me. First thing at camp I would tear off my shoes and wear sandals until it was time to take off the next morning.

For the times it rained constantly for 3, 4, 5+ days in a row-straight through-you just get wet to some degree through attrition. I stayed in shelters more than I originally planned on.

'09 was a cool year so I usually hiked with rain gear and didn't get to hot. I remember being cold in Virginia in May (a few nights were down in the 30's), cold in Maryland and Pennsy in June, cold in Vermont in July, the Whites, cold...before ME we had maybe a handful of hot days. Oddly enough I was never cold in Maine in Aug/Sept (maybe once in the OHMW.)

I remember mud up to my hips in Vermont, the trail bed filled with water up to my knees for 25 miles in Pennsy. I didn't see the first 30 miles of Georgia because it rained for 5 days straight. Rain every day from May 1 through May 16 in VA. I saw tadpoles and frogs swimming in trailbed turned into bog in NH.

Raingear alternated with precip jacket, poncho, rainskirt, pants, and sometimes all of them. It was usually a cold rain. Some got used to it, but as the months wore on I got more annoyed by it because it. wouldn't. stop. raining.

Every water source was good tho. I had none of the it's hot and dry in the mid atlantic thing. And of course I had a lot of good days and times. I'm strictly talking about the rain.

I read a journal of a pair who were completing their triple crown on the AT in 09. PCT and CDT behind them, the 'easiest' trail to finish on. They skipped from Pennsy to Vermont because it wouldn't stop raining, and besides, the mid-atlantic isn't the 'important part.' Then after a while they got off in NH because it was still raining. Maybe they'll try again. But I though it was crazy that after all the hiking they'd done it was the rain on the AT that did them in.

beartripper
01-23-2011, 16:18
I like what Forrest Gump said in the movie. One day it rained up from the ground.

Toolshed
01-23-2011, 17:46
I can remember one year in PA around Sept 96 or 97. It was the tail of a hurricane that came through and caught us with heavy rains. It was pouring harder than I had eve seen it pour. the raindrops were hitting the ground so hard - Rain was hammering down making a mist at least a foot off the ground. At that point I didn't think it could get any worse, but there came 5-10 minute periods where it rained EVEN HARDER. Then it would let up and just become a heavy downpour for a few minutes, then rain hard again. Weirdest rain I ever encountered - 3 days straight.
- Nothing is dry.
- fingers and toes are like prunes
- forest duff sticks to everything
- wet nylon clings to you hindering every move
- aside from constant drumming of rain, You can't hear anybody or anything since you have
your hood on
- You cannot see anything clearly since your hood does not turn easily with your head
- Your feet simply squish in your boots and you worry about the midsole glue as little
bubbles of air pop out between the rand and leather with every step.
- When you can get a fire going, smoke just hazes around the campfire due to Barometric
pressure.
Gotta love hikingin rain......

TheTwanger
01-23-2011, 17:56
"Little bitty stingin' rain... and big ol' fat rain. Rain that flew in sideways. And sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath. Shoot, it even rained at night..."

Luddite
01-23-2011, 18:10
- When you can get a fire going, smoke just hazes around the campfire due to Barometric
pressure.


I always thought it was from the humidity...hmmm. Didn't know that.

10-K
01-23-2011, 18:15
Question: You know how to tell it's going to rain?

Answer: Everything is finally dry.

Cookerhiker
01-23-2011, 22:17
OK so many say they don't mind hiking in rain or even like to do so. I'm not going to pretend that I do. Rain to me is no fun. Yes, there is a beauty in the forest gazing at the mists from a gentle rain. And yes, frequent rain is the price we pay for the lush greenery of the AT. But I'd rather not hike in it. Rain is primarily the reason I'm grateful for shelters, especially at night and early morning. On my '07 Long Trail (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=203585) hike, there were 2 occasions where we arrived at a shelter just before a strong and colorful thunderstorm. I was glad I wasn't trying to set a tent up in it.

Don't think anyone's mentioned that rain prevents you from seeing views. I've had generally good weather in all my AT (section) hiking but because of rain, I've missed views from Max Patch, Charlie's Bunion, Clingman's Dome, Wayah Bald, Siler Bald in the South, and Glastonbury, Old Speck, Sugarloaf, and the Crockers in the North. But as I was wending my way up Old Speck in dense foggy mist, I reflected that at least I wasn't swayed by false summits; couldn't see more than 15 feet in front of me.

MedicineMan
01-23-2011, 23:59
sbhikes...turning your sights on the AT?

Slo-go'en
01-23-2011, 23:59
... I'm not going to pretend that I do. Rain to me is no fun. Yes, there is a beauty in the forest gazing at the mists from a gentle rain..

Indeed, I have a love/hate relationship with the rain. I love the smell of the damp forest and the way it can bring out the colors. I hate getting soaked to the bone and having everything damp and clammy for days. And then there are the missed views as Cookerhiker said. But that gives us a reason to keep going back. It took me 5 tries to get through the Smokies with a streach of perfict weather and to finally see all the views.

Berserker
01-24-2011, 14:46
Others covered types of rain well. On the East coast you’ll see everything from mist to apocalyptic deluges. For the thrus it depends on the year they hike as to what they may experience as the amount and intensity of rain varies from year to year. There are wet years like ’09, and dry years like ’07 (I think that was one of the drought years if I remember right). As a section hiker I get to see more variation…lucky me. Anyway, let me give you my take on some of your questions.


How do you deal with so much rain when hiking the trail?
I just keep on walking and try to stay as dry as possible. If it’s raining really hard I just get wet. In camp I either hang in a shelter, or set up a tarp for cooking and hanging out under.


How do you deal with soaking wet feet all the time?
Ugh. This is one of my least favorite things. I wear trail runners, so if it is raining while I am hiking my feet just stay wet. I always keep a pair of dry-ish socks for when I get to camp so I can try and dry my feet out. I also wear Crocs in camp. I only hiked once out in CA (in the Sierras a few years back), and I was shocked how quickly things dried out there. I had full blown boots, and after getting them damp in an afternoon thunderstorm they dried in a few hours. That’s freakin awesome.


Is it cold when it rains?
I’d say in general yes. In the summer when it’s blazing hot like in the 90’s it’s usually not cold and can feel good. It all depends on where one’s at when getting rained on, and what time of year it is though. I hike sections year round, and personally can’t remember a section where I was hot whilst getting wet.



Does an umbrella work on the AT?
Don’t know…never tried one…I use poles so I don’t have a free hand to carry one. There are parts of the trail where it’s open enough that you could probably use one, but there are also more enclosed areas where it would probably get hung up on vegetation.


I know about lining your pack with a garbage bag and all that, but what I don't know is what do you wear in the rain while hiking the AT?
Yeah, lining the pack with a trash compactor bag will keep everything dry inside. I wear a poncho as this allows some ventilation so I don’t overheat. In the winter when there can be cold rains I usually carry a Marmot precip jacket and pants.


Do you ever get a chance to dry out your gear?
This depends on the length of rain. The normal sequence of events is as follows: rain, stop raining, water drips from trees for a while, if it’s windy everything might dry off, if it’s not windy and humid you might get fog. If you get fog everything will stay wet, and as a matter of fact I would recommend not hanging things up as the fog will condense on them making them wetter. So to give you the short answer, yes…assuming the rain stops, sun comes outs and the humidity goes down. In my experience, once stuff gets wet it stays wet unless the sun comes out for a day or two.


Does your morale suffer with so much rain or is it light and cheery rain that doesn't bother you much?
For me it depends. If it rains for multiple days then yes, I get to where I loathe it. If it rains part of a day and the sun comes out, then I get ecstatic. Last year in Vermont I was out 10 days, and it rained about half the time I was out. I was able to keep in good spirits on most days by looking at the bright side such as “at least it stopped raining before I set up camp”. Other times suck like the last several sections over the last 2 years where I got rained on at least part of the time every trip. Funny thing was that the rain didn’t even bother me that much, it was the fog afterwards that really ticked me off. There are a lot of areas I need to revisit because I have no idea what the scenery looks like such as Big Firescald Knob in NC…all I can tell you is that I was on a rocky ridge…couldn’t see more than 15’ in front of me.

Llama Legs
01-24-2011, 17:17
Gore-Tex shoes, gaiters, and rain pants will keep your feet dry until it starts to really rain, then you just have to suck it up (NOT literally!). I carry two 0.5L nalgenes (multi-purpose), which I fill up with nearly boiling water and put in my boots overnight. That usually dries them out fairly well for the next day. Repeat...

Spogatz
01-25-2011, 15:43
Does anyone like using a rain wrap and good rain jacket when they are out hiking in with mother nature....I would like to know how good the wraps are when the wind blows.

Snowleopard
01-25-2011, 17:43
You may get sunshine, warmth and no bugs for the whole trail, but:

In New England at least, you have to be a bit careful of hypothermia in a cold rain. Depending on the year you may need to bring an extra fleece even in southern New England in summer. Going through the White Mountains, you need extra warm clothes and real rain gear (not a poncho, not just hiking while getting wet). You need to be prepared for a sudden 33F rain with 60+ mph winds above treeline in the summer. You might not get that at all or you might be able to wait it out in a nice warm hostel, but you've got to be ready for it. Many people pick up more gear before hitting the best of the White Mtns. and drop it off once they're through the Whites.

The worst is probably hurricanes, but you'll have ample time from the forecasts and can sit it out in time.

In a good year you'll get little of the above.

Chif
01-25-2011, 17:55
I hate hiking in the rain. I bailed on my one week fall section hike last year after 48 continuous hours of rain. I can deal with some rain but being completely soaked, in a driving rain, with no prospect for a change in the weather is NO FUN. I decided that the reason I was there was to have fun. If I am not having fun, I might as well be back in the office. Maybe next year will be better.

sbhikes
01-27-2011, 21:37
sbhikes...turning your sights on the AT?
Every now and then I do, but then I read stuff here that makes me think no way in heck am I going to hike the AT. My primary worries are:

1. Rain
2. Too many people, and too many really idiot people
3. Too close to civilization (not enough wilderness)

Luddite
01-27-2011, 21:43
Every now and then I do, but then I read stuff here that makes me think no way in heck am I going to hike the AT. My primary worries are:

1. Rain
2. Too many people, and too many really idiot people
3. Too close to civilization (not enough wilderness)

Why are you a member of an Appalachian trail internet forum

hobbs
01-27-2011, 21:47
Why are you a member of an Appalachian trail internet forum
if you look at the Bottom it's not only the AT but all the other Long distance trails and a long distance hikers knowledge is valuable no matter from where...IMO... I probably spoke out of turn but thats how I feel about the question...

Spokes
01-27-2011, 21:49
2009 was a wet thru hike year on the AT. Hardly ever got to see a good views from the vistas.

I learned quickly to dry off my shirt and shorts as best I could before bedtime then used the old hikers dryer trick- placing them flat between my sleeping bag and pad. Didn't dry them out completely but made it much more tolerable pulling them on in the morning! Brrrr!

Cheers!

hobbs
01-27-2011, 21:51
Every now and then I do, but then I read stuff here that makes me think no way in heck am I going to hike the AT. My primary worries are:

1. Rain
2. Too many people, and too many really idiot people
3. Too close to civilization (not enough wilderness)
Honest in MYO I think you should...I have read your posts on experiance and your 2cents on things....if anything it's alot of you posting about the PCT that makes me want to do that next year...I already have friends telling me why not...Well from me to you!!!! I think you should and as the saying goe's never judge a book by it's cover....Thats my 2 cents on the subject...

Cookerhiker
01-27-2011, 22:51
Every now and then I do, but then I read stuff here that makes me think no way in heck am I going to hike the AT. My primary worries are:

1. Rain
2. Too many people, and too many really idiot people
3. Too close to civilization (not enough wilderness)

1 and 3 are valid based on what you've said about your experiences/preferences re rain and yes, the AT is never as far from civilization as the PCT.

Re. 2, I don't know that the AT has disproportionately more "really idiot people" than other trails. But in any case, the answer to 2 is to hike SOBO. You will encounter other people for the first 2 months but the numbers will then drop off.

And then there's other pros of the AT - the deciduous trees, the nice lakes in the North, the woodland streams. Hiking SOBO, you get to experience the entirety of the Eastern autumn.

BrianLe
01-27-2011, 23:18
"1. Rain
2. Too many people, and too many really idiot people
3. Too close to civilization (not enough wilderness)"

Adequately covered already, but since I too am a westerner, and having done the PCT when you did and then the AT last year, I can't resist responding too ... :-)

Rain: Last year, at least, didn't seem bad at all to me in this regard. It certainly rained, but a lot of the time when it was raining it was so warm that I didn't want a rain jacket on (first time I've ever really appreciated a pack cover). The early part had some colder rain and snow, but it's just part of the experience, and they've got something like 300 shelters along this trail ...

Too many people: I started on the early side (late Feb) and the result was that I actually found the PCT to be a more social trail than the AT (I started the PCT the day after the kickoff). I didn't find the "too many people" thing to be an issue even when things warmed up and more folks were on the trail. Certainly there were occasions of less than stellar interactions, but they were few, and far, far outweighed by the many wonderful interactions. "The people" is one factor that made me like the AT a lot.

Too close to civilization: True, though there are certainly cases that the PCT gets like that too, the AT is a lot more like that. I think it's about expectations; if you expect this, then you can appreciate the substantial times when you're well away from civilization. Often what it boils down to is that you can see more of the "works of man" and have more road crossings perhaps. The flip side is a lot more opportunities to get off trail and get fed.
Related to for me was a sort of "history and culture" experience. I literally didn't know what order the various states out east came in before I walked through them. Seeing Civil War and other era historical stuff was pretty cool at times, including Harpers Ferry, the original Washington Monument, and just the general cultural differences (and many similarities) between the different areas. Maine felt kind of familiar (to the NW) and yet with it's own unique flavor. And we don't have moose.

Be aware that the trail quality and gradation is definitely overall worse, another case where it's good to go in with expectations properly tuned. And you won't get anything like the views. But there's still some great stuff out there, and it's just kind of neat to experience it. Plus for an experienced thru-hiker like yourself, the AT is pretty easy to just "jump on and go" --- as opposed to the CDT which requires a bit more prep.

I liked the PCT quite a bit more, but I'm nevertheless glad that I walked the AT.

Iceaxe
01-28-2011, 01:07
Thanks Brianle!
I have met a lot more people who have strong feelings, one way or the other, about the AT than the other long trails.
People I have hiked with these past two years were AT veterans and they seemed to have this comeraderie. They would talk about these places on the AT like Mahoosic notch and the Doyle, and the dreaded rocks of PA.
It made me insanely curious to go see these places.
I also don't see a division between my time on the trail and my town time. For me the towns, roads, and man made things are as much a part of my journey as the mountains, streams, lakes, and forests.
The people you meet on these trails are as interesting as the places you see.
So far these Long distance Trail have taught me: You get the journey your mind is prepared for.
If you are open and accept the trail experience, the good and bad things, the experience will unfold in ways you never imagined.
If you approach the trail as: "Crowded, poorly routed, too steep" then that is most likely what you will experience.
Believe me, my philosophy was sorely tested when i was being dive bombed by dozens of speeding Mountain bikes on the Grey's and Torrey's peaks route in Colorado on the supposedly "unpopulated" CDT.
Every circumstance changes. Every mountain has a summit. Every snowfield has an ending eventually and crowds have a way of disapating.
Anyhow I am so fired up to hike the AT! I can't wait to make the journey and get my a$$ handed to me by those rocks in PA! I hope the AT gives me the physically toughest hiking of the triple crown. And I hope I meet lots of great Southern, Mid Atlantic, and New England Folks along the way.
Mags describes the AT as a "Wild-ness" experience(rather than Wilderness).. well bring on the wildness!
Is it March Yet?!!! I am gonna start putting a countdown in my posts!

sherrill
01-28-2011, 13:24
One thing you don't need on the AT is sunscreen

I have to politely disagree. One of the worst facial sunburns that I have ever had (and I grew up at the beach) was from a dayhike in Grayson Highlands. On a cloudy day.

Miss Ginny at the Lazy Fox had a field day with me.... :D

sbhikes
01-28-2011, 13:38
I don't think you ever need sunscreen. I used no sunscreen on the PCT. I wore a hat, long sleeves and long pants. But anyway.

I guess it's just that I've read a couple times about yahoos chasing women on the trail. Here and I've also read it in journals. I really liked the remoteness of the PCT. I felt safe. I hiked outside the pack for most of the time and it was nice to not see any other people for days at a time. So the idiots I worry about aren't the other thru-hikers (I can get away from the frat boy drunk and stupid guys hiking south), but the bubbas who hate liberal tree huggers like myself. Should I fly a big American flag and put a few Marines bumper stickers on my pack?

sherrill
01-28-2011, 13:46
True, I didn't wear a hat that day, and if you're covered up then none is necessary. But on a summer day I can't take hiking in anything but shorts and a tee.

chiefduffy
01-28-2011, 13:58
Nobody has commented much on umbrellas - I always hike with one on the AT. Of course it doesnt work in high wind, or if you're in a section with lots of blowdowns, but in one of those day-long light rains it works great. Keeps the rain off my head, out of my eyes, and off my neck. I have a Montbell ultralight umbrella(about 7 oz), and attach it with tiny shock cords to my chest strap, leaves both hands free for my poles. Beats sweating in a rainjacket/poncho, or slowly getting soaked to the bone. YMMV

sbhikes
01-28-2011, 14:41
Thanks for the umbrella info. I used one in Washington but the trail was so overgrown that wet plants slapped me in the face. I never had trouble with wind. Even in fairly high wind the umbrella was fine. I would hold the front of it down. I also attached it to my pack with shock cords. I was disappointed in its performace only because the trail was so overgrown. Are the trails as overgrown on the AT? I literally pushed my way through wet brush with my arms held in front of me as a shield. Sometimes I couldn't even see the trail.

chiefduffy
01-28-2011, 16:57
In my experience, no, its not that overgrown.
It's funny, I rarely see people with an umbrella on the trail, but every time I have used one, almost every hiker I see has said, "gee, I wish I had one of those!" (Followed of course by "How much does it weigh?")

Iceaxe
01-28-2011, 21:02
Thats exactly what the hikers i met with umrellas said. They loved it when they needed it but most of the time it sat stuffed into the mesh pocket of their pack.
I am bringing a Golite umbrella to try out for my AT hike. It fits under the beak of my home made tarp and holds the chunk of no-see-um mesh from my home made bug bivy off my face. It's a totally new strategy for me so I have no idea if it is gonna work out. If it doesn't work out I can always ship it home. Would I be the first person to ship something home from Neel's Gap? (HaHa!)
Anyhow I am preparing for a wet (wetter) thru hike than the other trails as everything I have read to date indicates it will be.

sbhikes
01-28-2011, 22:53
Ooh, can you show a picture of your umbrella with the mesh? I had wondered if I could do something like that.

I found my go-lite umbrella in the trash in Kennedy Meadows. It was all worn out with holes. I patched them with duct tape and hiked with it to Dunsmuir. I used it in the sun and wished I had had it all along.

I took it with me again from Santa Barbara to Canada. I used it sometimes even in Oregon where it was so hot (in July) and the little patches of sun in the forest felt like they seared my brain. I used it for rain in Washington. I've used it for rain here in Santa Barbara. I can't believe someone threw it away. I finally got a brand new one for Christmas.

I think an umbrella makes an awesome piece of gear. When it rains and I pull out my umbrella, the rain becomes FUN! I love hiking in the rain with an umbrella. It makes me happy. It's so sensible.

If you are using it for part of your shelter, I'd really love to see that. It's an awesome multi-use piece of gear!

hobbs
01-28-2011, 23:04
Thats exactly what the hikers i met with umrellas said. They loved it when they needed it but most of the time it sat stuffed into the mesh pocket of their pack.
I am bringing a Golite umbrella to try out for my AT hike. It fits under the beak of my home made tarp and holds the chunk of no-see-um mesh from my home made bug bivy off my face. It's a totally new strategy for me so I have no idea if it is gonna work out. If it doesn't work out I can always ship it home. Would I be the first person to ship something home from Neel's Gap? (HaHa!)
Anyhow I am preparing for a wet (wetter) thru hike than the other trails as everything I have read to date indicates it will be.
To be honest Iam with SBhikes..I would like to see a picture of this..Trying to understand the whole umbrella thing and a visual would help....I dont know sounds like you and she have a good idea;)

Turtle2
01-28-2011, 23:13
21 of the first 30 days of my thru had rain. I started late so the rain was warm. One hour of hiking with my rain jacket had me convinced just to get wet and enjoy. Hiking kept me warm enough. It took a little longer to get used to walking in 6 or more inches of water on the trail during rains. Once I decided that my feet would be wet--it was great fun and enjoyable.

Having said that, I tried the same thing in NH. Bad move. Got soaked in a cold rain and called it a day around 4 pm with the onset of hypothermia. After that, I hiked in my Pre-cip jacket and rarely pants. My rain pants were most useful in the Whites with brisk breeze and hoar frost forming in my hair (August, mind you).

Pull the insoles out of your boots/shoes and prop them up on their heels so the water drains away from the foot bed a bit better and that helps. I also put on dry socks and crocs in camp.

Honestly, the worst part is putting on cold wet clothes in the morning, but, usually they walk dry in short order.

I too, have seen no sights from the southern balds, Max Patch, etc. Those were crossed in thunderstorms or heavy fog. It is all good!

strollingalong
01-28-2011, 23:59
what about gingas?

Cookerhiker
01-29-2011, 09:47
...Honestly, the worst part is putting on cold wet clothes in the morning, but, usually they walk dry in short order...

I agree although trying to cook breakfast and take down the tent in a steady rain is no fun either.

Iceaxe
01-29-2011, 13:57
Ooh, can you show a picture of your umbrella with the mesh? I had wondered if I could do something like that.



I sure will. I have sewed up my own version of a MLD Patrol shelter. Basically it's a pup tent style tarp with angled beaks at both ends. Is sets up with trekking poles and my umbrella can fit under the beak to close up one side of the tarp.
Right now my bug bivy is just a piece of no-see-um mesh that I throw over the umbrella and tuck underneath me. Thats my next sewing project. I am going to sew the mesh to a piece of ripstop nylon and create something like a Six Moon Designs serenity shelter.
Anyhow I will take some pictures today as I am going to set everything up to get some measurements for my bug bivy.
I think I can link to photos from my postholer account and show them here. Let me try that. Here is the tarp i made: http://postholer.com/journal/images/1100/full-801-19543-IMGP0038.JPG

hobbs
01-29-2011, 14:29
IceAxe- I am a technical Engineer alot of drawings is what I do...I have to say that looks fantastic...You have talent..Wish I could sow to make my own gear...Thats great.Now you have me curious of your other gear you made or modified..

Iceaxe
01-29-2011, 18:48
Wow thanks!
I am actually a total newby when it comes to making gear.
The first project this year was a pair of light weight rain/cold/wind mitttens: http://postholer.com/journal/images/1100/full-801-19543-MYOG_Rain_Mittens_003.JPG

They have a micro fleece liner:
http://postholer.com/journal/images/1100/full-801-19543-MYOG_Rain_Mittens_004.JPG

I am too retarded to use a sewing machine so i stitch everything by hand. It takes a long time but it is actually very staisfying. I am a pretty high energy person so I have no problem spending 10 hours at a time sewing by hand. I have already been testing these mittens in rain and cold. I visited family in PA this Christmas and shovelled snow with these mittens!
They weigh a little under 3 ounces and the felt weight micro fleece doesn't absorb much water so they stay pretty warm when they get wet. I left the shells untreated on purpose. They get wet but the breathe and dry fast and stay relatively warm all the while. Mainly they are for the cold mornings I am likely to encounter starting the AT in March. Since i made them myself from material that cost less than 5 bucks i don't worry if they get wrecked or i ditch them at some point.
Anyhow heres a picture from today showing my home made tarp with the umbrella under the beak. The tarp can actually be pitched low to the ground and the beaks can be folded flat to create a bomb shelter but I thought for some conditions the umbrella under the beak might be slick:
http://postholer.com/journal/images/1100/full-801-19707-tarp_proto_3_001.JPG

Here is a concept photo for the bug bivy I am making:
http://postholer.com/journal/images/1100/full-801-19707-tarp_proto_3_005.JPG

The idea with this bivy is it will be able to be hung under my tarp by a shock cord or be used like this with my umbrella when i am cowboy camping, in a shelter, whatever.
Obviously there is not a lot of room. I have found that I tend to hike all day and use shelter for sleeping and maybe reading a map for an hour before sleep. I though about putting mesh on my tarp to make a sort of tarp tent but I really like the idea of keeping those things separate and versatile. So I am going to integrate this bug mesh with my ground sheet as well. No sense in carrying a ground sheet if the bivy has a water proof ripstop nylon floor. So that is my next project; to sew a bug bivy together and seal the ripstop with a silicone and mineral spirit mix. I am thinking a top entry, the bivy will split right down the middle long ways using velcro for easy access.
Anyhow i probablt wont even need the bivy till later in the hike so i will most likely use a chunk of tyvek until the bugs get bad.

Miner
01-29-2011, 19:14
Nice IceAxe. Looks like you went with a Ray Way like tarp design much like Socks did for the PCT. I've done something similar with the umbrella at the end of my tarp when the wind picks up. However, I never thought using the bug netting over the umbrella like that. What a great idea.

As I'm thinking of hiking the AT in 2012, I've been debating the whole bug thing. Do I want to stick with my bivy sack from the PCT which also can work as a lightweight sleeping bag when my quilt is too hot and offers good weather protection under my tarp? Or do I want to take my MLD Bug bivy with its all mesh top for great bug protection but no real rain protection? Or perhaps go with a new 6 Moon Designs' Meteor Bivy where the upper half is all mesh but the lower part still offers weather protection. You've given me another idea to consider since I'm already considering bringing my Montbel UL Umbrella.

Iceaxe
01-29-2011, 19:35
This is going to sound wacky but i will have photos of it as soon as i finish sewing it.
I will have a 4 1/2 seam opening held together with velcro starting right about where the bivy meets the edge of the umbrella in my picture to the foot of my quilt there. That way the bivy be laid openwhile I ready my quilt. Then the umbrella gets stuffed into the top (closed) end of the mesh bivy and opened up. I can put a stake through the hand loop of the umbrella to keep it from blowing away in a gust of wind.
I am also playing around with the idea of stading the umbrella up on it's handle, staking the handle down but the loop, and having a way to attach it to the bivy which will itslef be staked down in three places at the head end. This would provide more room and get the umbreall handle a bit further out of the way as in the picture shown it ends up in the crook of my shoulder.
Hey i forgot about Sock's tarp having beaks! She built that herself too.. out of Cuben Fiber I believe!
I wish i had skill like that. Anyhow I am learning and thats the fun part.
Oh yea here is a picture of how I handled the "strom pitch" and closing one of the beaks to form a wall:http://postholer.com/journal/images/1100/full-801-19707-IMGP0049.JPG

This was where it helped to actually set the tarp up in the field and pin things together before sewing. I discovered that by keeping the corner tie outs beyond the centerline of the supporting trekking pole the tarp can stand without the beak pitched out. It is fairly strong as shown but for really high wind i can unties the beak guy line and move it up to a pull out at the reinforced apex of the tarp.
Here is a picture from inside. thats my MLD Spirit quilt in there. It is rated at 30 degrees but I am planning to use it in conjunction with my insulation layers.: http://postholer.com/journal/images/1100/full-801-19707-tarp_proto_3_002.JPG
Depending on the weather at the start of the AT this March I might bring my WM ultralight for the first few weeks.
I really just need to get out and get some "bag nights" in the new quilt first to see how well my strategy works. I might get a chance to take a trip someplace cold pretty soon.

hobbs
01-30-2011, 02:50
Now I know what you were both talking about..thats great and nifty...I like the Mosq netting bivy idea...But it's all functional..Way cool...

sbhikes
01-30-2011, 11:37
The mosquito net and umbrella was something I had been thinking of. I like the simplicity. Nothing really to set up. I sort of tried to plan it out at one time but dealing with staking it down (I would tie shock cord around the foam knob at the top of the umbrella and stake down the two ends of the shock cord at 90 degrees) and the handle being in my way and the fact I didn't have enough netting made me shelve the idea.

Here's the netting tent I ended up making. I lift a corner to get in and use rocks to hold the corners and sides down. Let's see if this destroys my bandwidth:
http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/gorp/albums/duck_bishop_2010/DSCN4554.jpg
Under my equinox tarp:
http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/gorp/albums/duck_bishop_2010/DSCN4798.jpg

Full length netting is nice so I can lay around and not worry about mosquitoes on my legs. I imagine, after hiking Oregon in July, height of snowmelt mosquito season, that I would laugh at the mosquitoes on the AT.

Iceaxe
01-30-2011, 12:38
Dang I wish your pictures came thru. WB is sensitive to where where are linked I notice. For instance if i link to a webshots photo it shows up the first time but disappears later.
Anyways I like your shock cord to the top of the Umbrella idea.. i might pilfer that for my design!:)
I know what you are saying about Oregon in 2009. even the locals I met said it was a ridiculous year for skeeters. It was so warm I actually slept with just a head net over my hat and under my groundsheet sometimes. Oregon skeeters are quicker than Sierra types. In Yosemite they land and kinda walk around for a while before they bite. In Oregon they practically spear you upon landing.
I found one place where Mosquitos were worse though, the Wind River range of Wyoming this past July. I was sitting on a rock with my skin fully covered and my headnet on. I looked up cause i thought a cloud was crossing the sun and found a cloud of mosquitos forming over me. I suppose thats why the Winds have 20 lb trout!
Wyoming also had a ridiculous amount of ticks in the Great Basin Divide. I would stop every half mile and pick ticks off my legs.
Sounds like the AT will have both types of beasties.

4shot
01-30-2011, 13:53
My primary worries are:

1. Rain
2. Too many people, and too many really idiot people
3. Too close to civilization (not enough wilderness)


imo, you can worry about stuff and find ways to not do it. or you can confront your fears and go. I met alot of people along the trail who said to me, "I wish that I could do a thru-hike but I can't because of ....". I truly believe in the saying "whether you think you can or think you can't, you are probably right". Not picking on you as you are obviously interested in hiking the AT (or I suppose you wouldn't be on here), I just encourage you to try it and don't limit yourself with preconceived notions.

sbhikes
01-30-2011, 18:47
Yeah, my pictures disappeared. Here are links to them.
http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/gorp/albums/duck_bishop_2010/DSCN4554.jpg
http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/gorp/albums/duck_bishop_2010/DSCN4798.jpg

sbhikes
01-30-2011, 18:49
Iceaxe, I used to sew everything by hand, too. I got a $35 sewing machine from an estate sale. What a difference it makes!

chiefduffy
01-31-2011, 10:01
Bravo Iceaxe! Good stuff!

BOATS
01-31-2011, 12:15
SealSkinzes for a foot liner. I use Frog Toggs sind they are light and rugged but will burn next to a fire or drier...Boats

flemdawg1
01-31-2011, 12:56
So the idiots I worry about aren't the other thru-hikers (I can get away from the frat boy drunk and stupid guys hiking south), but the bubbas who hate liberal tree huggers like myself. Should I fly a big American flag and put a few Marines bumper stickers on my pack?


Seriously? :confused:

No, there is no such things as "liberal hunting". If there was Al Gore wouldn't have lived to adulthood in TN. I'm a Tea-partier, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't party with you (or any other liberal) too.

chief
01-31-2011, 13:22
So the idiots I worry about aren't the other thru-hikers (I can get away from the frat boy drunk and stupid guys hiking south), but the bubbas who hate liberal tree huggers like myself. Should I fly a big American flag and put a few Marines bumper stickers on my pack?No, put a rainbow sticker on your pack so we know you're fair game. Besides, you wouldn't want anyone to think you respect your country and military, would you?

hobbs
01-31-2011, 23:51
No, put a rainbow sticker on your pack so we know you're fair game. Besides, you wouldn't want anyone to think you respect your country and military, would you?
Hey chief- did you ask Sailors or Airmen what their political views were when you served? Hey that's how she feels let her alone about it!!
Were hikers there's no politics to hikeing besides argueing over fee's...
I know I sure as h*** didn't ask anyone their personal feelings about politics or for that matter being liberal when I was kicking in doors with me...So please let it go...Thank you:sun

sbhikes
02-01-2011, 00:40
My nephew is a marine. Does that make you feel better?

hobbs
02-01-2011, 00:46
Sbhikes- Its none of my business..My brothers nickname at the WAR college was tree hugger and he retired a colonel in the Air Force and he's a liberal...Iam a liberal conservative if there is one....I just dont knock people about what they think about politics or whatever....Not my deal....