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squirrely
04-08-2011, 11:43
What sorts of supplies and how much would you recommend mail dropping?

Montana Mac
04-08-2011, 11:49
You will get all types of replies here - from people that use them a lot to people that tell you you won't need/want them.

It will be something you will have to decide for yourself based on your needs. Do you have special meds that you need, etc.

When I did my hike in 09 I used 5 and found that worked well. The one I was really happy I did was Fontana Dam because the store hadn't opened for the season yet when I was there.

Good luck and be ready - also it has been discussed in other threads

squirrely
04-08-2011, 12:07
Thanks for the info! My friend and I are definitely planning a few drops, I'm on seizure meds so I will definitely need them even if he doesn't, and we weren't sure how easy it would be completely resupply all the food etc we would need before the next town. I imagine the stores probably sell out of things quickly with all the hikers going through.

royalusa
04-08-2011, 12:13
I'm not aware of any town or stop that will run out of food because other hikers got there before you. If you wanted to do the bare minimum for mail drops, you would use it for meds, perhaps guidebook/maps, and gear (shoes, socks, etc). But as Montana Mac said above, there is no right or wrong way to do mail drops, as long as the solution works for you. It is possible to buy ALL of your food along the way.

DMurphy
04-08-2011, 12:18
I think you will be very disappointed with any mail drops. During my thru hike in 2010, I was appalled at the level of inefficiency and unreliability of the U.S. postal system. Unless you have medical needs, you will find resupplying in town much easier, and less expensive in the long run when you factor in postage. Additionally, on-the-fly resupply gives you more freedom and a greater margin of success when planning your next stretch (you will be less likely to have too much or too little food, etc.). Case in point: when I had to forward a food drop from Fontana Dam to Bryson City because I got there at 1:30 on a Saturday (can you name any other business that is closed at this time?). When I got to Bryson City and my package was not there either, I asked the clerk how I beat the package on foot. She told me that I should keep in mind that it had been snowing.

squirrely
04-08-2011, 13:10
This is all very good information. I'm definitely re-evaluating my plans :) the US postal system is really horrible, I have to agree.

Thanks again for all the info! I love this website, everyone is so helpful!

One Half
04-08-2011, 13:18
I think you will be very disappointed with any mail drops. During my thru hike in 2010, I was appalled at the level of inefficiency and unreliability of the U.S. postal system. Unless you have medical needs, you will find resupplying in town much easier, and less expensive in the long run when you factor in postage. Additionally, on-the-fly resupply gives you more freedom and a greater margin of success when planning your next stretch (you will be less likely to have too much or too little food, etc.). Case in point: when I had to forward a food drop from Fontana Dam to Bryson City because I got there at 1:30 on a Saturday (can you name any other business that is closed at this time?). When I got to Bryson City and my package was not there either, I asked the clerk how I beat the package on foot. She told me that I should keep in mind that it had been snowing.

Gotta love that reply!
:D

One Half
04-08-2011, 13:19
This is all very good information. I'm definitely re-evaluating my plans :) the US postal system is really horrible, I have to agree.

Thanks again for all the info! I love this website, everyone is so helpful!


I don't know anything about your meds but any chance you can get a 3 month supply before you start out.

squirrely
04-08-2011, 13:25
I don't know anything about your meds but any chance you can get a 3 month supply before you start out.


Yes it is very likely that I can. I don't think carrying 3 mo. Worth of meds is a very good idea though (knowing me ill probably end up falling in a stream or off a mountain or something :D ) so I was planning on some sort of mail drop for those.

squirrely
04-08-2011, 13:27
I just wasn't sure what all else I should consider adding to those mail drops.

tjforrester
04-12-2011, 20:19
What sorts of supplies and how much would you recommend mail dropping?

Unless you're someone who spent the winter dehydrating a bunch of delicious meals--I always envy those hikers--you don't need to mail drop on the AT. (It's very easy to hitch in and out of town to resupply.)

If you don't stay with Jeff and Nancy at the Hike Inn (they'll drive you to Robbinsville to resupply), you might consider mailing a drop to Fontana. You can get by on the food at the little store next to the PO, especially if you're going in at Gatlinburg, but if you're looking to stay out a while you might be better off with a drop.

Spokes
04-12-2011, 20:23
If I thru'd again I would reduce my maildrops but still do a bounce box filled with all that hard to find stuff like travel size toothpaste, small notebooks for journaling, meds, extra platy and bite valve etc.....

Don't forget you can always buy food at trail towns then mail ahead at critical points.

Cheers!

brian039
04-12-2011, 22:42
I'd like to see somebody break down the cost of mail-drops vs just resupplying at the stores along the way. My guess would be that mail-drops are more expensive due to shipping costs. Obviously with you needing meds you'll have to do a few but I would try to avoid them as much as possible because of the hassle of trying to get somewhere before the PO closes and such. Besides meds the only drop you really have to have is after Mt. Rogers and before the Whites so you can switch out warm/cold weather gear. You'll NEVER run into a problem with resupply. The longest stretch without a store is 5 days, and that only happens 3-4 times.

protargol
04-16-2011, 16:54
Which is more efficient in terms of reducing the amount of time it takes to get off and back on the trail? I'd like to reduce the number of "nero" days. How long would you say an average trip into town and back takes?

Jeff
04-16-2011, 17:44
Keep mail drops to a minimum and simplify your hike.

Dogwood
04-16-2011, 19:22
Squirrely, it sounded like you had your mind made up already that you WERE going to do SOME mail drops. That's fine, no matter what anyone else tells you! Be open to suggestions BUT DO NOT let others, including me, tell you what's RIGHT FOR YOU and YOUR HIKE. In the end it's your decision. You'll find that's one of the beautiful and necessary things about hiking especially thru-hiking - you'll have to make a multitude of decisions, sometimes min by min, for and by yourself. Unless you want to haul around your entire supply of meds for the entire duration of your hike, which as you point out may not be a good idea, you seem to have a legitimate reason to do some mail drops or do a bounce box - you take seizure meds - that's IMPORTANT stuff! As is the usual habit here on WB these mailing resupply threads usually go off on a tangent with folks posting their opinions about whether or not THEY should/would do SOME mail drops.

You asked specifically in your original post about HOW MUCH and and WHAT SORT of resupplies you might want to mail yourself. First, if you haven't already, peruse the resupply articles here on WB. They will be VERY helpful. These questions have MOSTLY been answered in those articles.

I will not dwell too deeply on my resupplying system FOR THRU-HIKING THE AT other than to say I'm a picky pesce vegeterian; I'm on a special lifestyle diet. I can't ALWAYS find the food I want along the AT(or in other hiking places) at convenient or nearby resupply options. I also take about 20 different supplements each day(not really vitamins, some are hard to impossible to find along the AT(and in other hiking places) or I can't find them in the quantities or dosages I desire or find them WHEN I run out of specific ones). I also take meds(blood thinner) each day. Taking the meds part sound like your situation.

Now, if you are mailing meds you might want to mail some other things with them at that time, like hard to find or VERY expensive items or possibly include some gear in your mailed resupply box. Again, when you read those WB articles you'll get lots of ideas/options/pros/cons/how to instructions.

As far as the USPS being inefficient or horrible, I have mailed myself upwards of 50 resupply boxes while hiking to key locations throughout the country, including a few on the AT, and have only had one delayed and one get temporarily lost. The one delayed was mailed from the east coast to Hawaii; this was my fault because I failed to take into account that sending something to HI always takes longer. Duh! The one that was temporarily lost was mailed USPS PARCEL POST to a more remote area in Califirnia from NJ. I try not to mail anything PARCEL POST via USPS while hiking. Instead, I mail myself completely filled resupply boxes via USPS FLAT RATE PRIORITY BOXES. They get extra attention by the USPS. They also get to where you are sending them faster. They are not much more than sending something Parcel Post either! In a med sized USPS FLAT RATE PRIORITY BOX I can get up to 6 days repackaged food resupply and ALL my supplements for about two weeks hiking time for the price of $10.95. FOR ME, $10.95 IS NOT TOO MUCH to pay or TOO INCONVENIENT for getting the things I want/need at a place where I know it will be waiting for me in the span of a 2-3 day mailing time! I rarely to never mail myself resupply boxes to places where I know I can just purchase my resupplies along my hike! Again, as you read those articles you will find this is referred to as a hybrid resupply system. You mail SOME resupply boxes to KEY LOCATIONS and buy some resupply as you hike. It cost $10.95 no matter how heavy for the med sized USPS FLAT RATE PRIORITY BOX is(there is a wt limit but you would be hard pressed to go over that limit unless you were mailing lead bars). There is a LARGE FLAT RATE PRIORITY BOX costing about $14.95. Virtually everywhere in the lower 48 states a USPS FLAT RATE PRIORITY BOX mailed from anywhere in the lower 48 sates will get to its destination in 2-3 days! FOR ME, I do limited mailed resupply drops to only key locations and the cost, IMO, does not become significant for all the benefits mentioned above!

If you are concerned about what resupply is available where along the AT most of that info can be found here on WB in the resupply articles also or can be found in the AT Thru-hikers Handbook or if you have questions about resupply availabilty that is not addressed by either ask here on WB! Lots of helpful folks that live along the AT right here on WB!

safn1949
05-09-2011, 21:22
I found that parcel post cost about $1 a pound to mail ahead,I tore up my knee so I had to cut things short but to me the maildrop was a pain,also remember this,when I got my package it was beat to death.

I had made sure to use a good box and tape it securely but it looked like they dragged it behind the truck on the way to the post office,I sent some stuff home and same thing.Beat to pieces.:D

Day Glow
06-01-2011, 21:13
I'm hiking Springer Mt. GA to Davenport - [NC/TN]. Anyone know of any resupply opportunities close to the trail?

Sierra Echo
06-01-2011, 21:18
I'm hiking Springer Mt. GA to Davenport - [NC/TN]. Anyone know of any resupply opportunities close to the trail?

Mountain Crossings has a food pantry. You could also hitch a ride to the Dollar General just a few miles down the road.

Day Glow
06-01-2011, 21:29
Awesome SE. Thanks...

Blissful
06-01-2011, 22:25
At NOC there's a small general store on the left as you come out of the woods, before heading into the Stecoahs. Also an outfitter

You'll need shuttles or hitch for resupply in Hiawasee, Franklin, Fontana Dam Village

gregpphoto
06-09-2011, 10:08
Yea, the post office is so god awful. I mean, for 50 cents theyll take some letter I wrote, pick it up from me, and bring it anywhere in America?

I used flat rate boxes for the Northville Placid Trail and the boxes were there when needed. Weigh the options but don't blame the post office.