View Full Version : Female planning to hike the AT alone...suggestions?
Hey guys. I'm taking a year off from college and I'm planning on hiking the trail alone next spring/summer. I want to do it alone because I'm planning on spreading my father's ashes along the way, so I want the hike to be a personal experience. That being said, I know I'll be around a lot of hikers most of the time at shelters and such, and that being alone isn't that dangerous. The only thing I worry about is getting into town. Also I'm planning on starting in early March so I can be done by early August, do you think I will end up alone alot at the end? (Again, I'm not worried about being alone in the woods but about hitchhiking alone into town) Any tips on staying safe will be appreciated.
mad4scrapping
04-12-2011, 09:56
You won't really be alone. You may hike by yourself during the day, but you will have company in the shelters. My understanding is that the hiking community is tight-knit and takes care of its own. You will make friends who will watch out for you.
I also plan to do a thru hike by myself, and I expect to make lots of friends. but I am looking forwarding to walking alone.
That said, use commone sense. If your intuition tells you something is not right, move along. I find that a strong sense of self confidence does much to deter others from bothering me.
max patch
04-12-2011, 10:06
Don't hitch alone, don't camp close to a road.
You'll have plenty of company and almost certainly someone will also want to hitch into town the same time you are. I wouldn't worry about it.
I hiked "alone" but there were only 2 days when I didn't see anyone else.
I hiked the PCT alone and found hitchhiking to be one of those experiences that restores your faith in humanity.
Some experiences of note:
- Met some nice backpackers on the trail who said if I was at their car at the same time they were that they would give me a ride (22 miles) to town. They said to look for a marathon runner with a gray beard who would be driving. I found him and spent a hour talking and waiting for the other hikers. He was a really nice guy and strangely, I met those same people again trying to hitchhike a few towns further up the trail so they gave me a ride again.
- Had a really hard time getting a ride on a lonely road. Ended up walking 16 miles. I finally got a ride from a man who had seen me earlier in the morning. He was kind enough to drive me half an hour to town.
- Stuck out my thumb in front of some old folks who obviously wouldn't ever stop for hitchhikers but I knew they would stop for me. They did and swore they never pick up hitchhikers but there was something about me...They took me to meet their son who was a ranger at a nearby ranger station.
- Got rides with nurses, with a family with a developmentally disabled daughter, with more than a few people who really wanted to hike the trail someday and wanted to ask me questions and from people who live near the trail and know when they see a dirty, smelly hiker they should stop.
See, it's not bad at all! Enjoy your adventure!
Blissful
04-12-2011, 10:14
There will be plenty of people around. If you go SOBO that's where it gets lonely. I did hitch alone just once, in Vermont, and prayed before I did it for the perfect person to pick me up and had a 60 yr old lady drive by, turned around, picked me up, and drove me to Manchester Center, waited while I went to the PO and then took me to the outfitter.
have fun and dont hitch alone..
Rockhound
04-12-2011, 11:44
You will not have to wait long, if at all, to have others hitch with you. In fact you will most often be the one hithing while the nasty bearded smelly guy hikers stand out of sight. Works every time.
You're from Atlanta, GA and you're worried about hiking the AT alone?
Coffee just shot out my nose!!
Seriously, use your urban "sixth sense" and you'll be fine. Hike strong.
max patch
04-12-2011, 12:40
You will not have to wait long, if at all, to have others hitch with you. In fact you will most often be the one hithing while the nasty bearded smelly guy hikers stand out of sight. Works every time.
Thats a common comment on message boards.
However, I gotta tell ya that when I make the decision to give someone a ride if someone else all of sudden comes out of hiding -- then guess what, nobody is getting a ride.
I don't play games and I don't let people play games on me.
Thats a common comment on message boards.
However, I gotta tell ya that when I make the decision to give someone a ride if someone else all of sudden comes out of hiding -- then guess what, nobody is getting a ride.
I don't play games and I don't let people play games on me.
I agree........
88BlueGT
04-12-2011, 12:49
^^^ +1
Best advice is to maybe look for people who plan no hitching into town maybe the day before, try and hang with them and catch a ride?
awesome guys! thanks for all the info!
Trailweaver
04-12-2011, 14:54
There are also people around the trail towns who are willing to give people rides and leave their phone numbers close to the shelters sometimes. You can keep your eyes open for opportunities like that. Whenever I know there is someone who does that, I pass that info along to hikers I meet on the trail.
You will be hiking amongst a lot of people if you start in early March and end in early August. Lots and lots of folks start in early March (around 80% of NOBO hikers start between Feb. 25 and April 7), and though there is a lot of attrition as you hike (most who start a NOBO thru-hike don't finish) over 20% of those who do finish do so in August.
Sorry to bog you down with numbers, but what I'm trying to show is that you won't be lacking for thru-hiker company.
brian039
04-12-2011, 22:26
Being a female you are an asset to any male who wants a hitch into town. You will cut their hitching time by at least half. You wont have a problem finding someone to hitch with you, trust me.
miassis dragon
04-12-2011, 23:25
You'll never be alone on the trail. There are many who will be there in spirit when circumstances are preventing them from hiking. Nature will hold your hand.