View Full Version : Several Questions from a Prospective Thru Hiker
I_like_hiking
05-03-2011, 02:31
As my username might imply, I happen to like hiking. I’ve done quite a bit of hiking in my life, but I haven’t done a whole lot of wilderness backpacking. I wanted to hike the AT in a couple of years (it’s probably too early to start planning, but I don’t care), and I have a few questions. I would very much appreciate any answers people can give me.
1. Can I get sufficient backpacking experience in 2 years? I’ve done a couple of 3-4 day trips and have some longer ones planned for the near future. I anticipate doing a lot of backpacking in the next couple of years.
2. Similarly, can I get in decent shape in 2 years? I’m willing to exercise, and even diet (shudders), but I know it takes time to get in shape. I’m not overweight so I’m not worried about weight loss, but I have horrible, horrible endurance.
3. I am Canadian (eh), and from my understanding, I can stay in the United States for 180 days without a visa (please correct me if I’m wrong). I would try to do the AT in 5 – 5.5 months so that I don’t have to worry about time. Is this enough time to be able to fully enjoy the experience? I know some people can hike the AT ridiculously fast, but I want enough time to be able to enjoy the views and take a day off every now and then.
4. Are there any permits that require American citizenship? Is there anything necessary for hiking the trail that requires American citizenship?
5. Since I would require a passport to fly to Georgia and from Maine, would I have to carry it with me for the entire trip, or could I send it ahead?
6. What is the preferred pronunciation of “Appalachian”? This isn’t that important, but it has been bothering me.
Thank you to anyone who answers my questions. You can have a cookie.
fredmugs
05-03-2011, 07:05
1. Yes. The AT for the most part is a continuous series of more or less 5 day hikes. By that I mean you load up your pack with 5 days of food and then hike until you reach a resupply point and then shoot for 5 more days. This makes it more of a mental challenge than a physical one for a lot of people. If you can do a 2 - 3 week hike you can thru hike the AT. One of the best things you can do to prepare is understand where you can obtain food and where you can have food mailed ahead of you.
2. Yes but I don't know what shape you're in now. Most thru hikers lose a significant amount of weight because they simply cannot replace all of the calories they burn. Your endurance will improve but you'll need to be able to hike 12 - 15 miles a day on most days.
3. Don't know
4. I'm guessing once you get here and you have a passport you won't need anything else in order to hike other than money of course.
5. I would always have my passport on me at all times.
6. Depends on what part of the country your in. Some say App-a-LAY-chian and some say App-a-latch-en. Most sat AT.
Good luck. I can't wait to hike the PCT and have to deal with the same issues of entering Canada.
max patch
05-03-2011, 07:19
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I_like_hiking
05-03-2011, 07:39
1. Yes. The AT for the most part is a continuous series of more or less 5 day hikes. By that I mean you load up your pack with 5 days of food and then hike until you reach a resupply point and then shoot for 5 more days. This makes it more of a mental challenge than a physical one for a lot of people. If you can do a 2 - 3 week hike you can thru hike the AT. One of the best things you can do to prepare is understand where you can obtain food and where you can have food mailed ahead of you.
2. Yes but I don't know what shape you're in now. Most thru hikers lose a significant amount of weight because they simply cannot replace all of the calories they burn. Your endurance will improve but you'll need to be able to hike 12 - 15 miles a day on most days.
3. Don't know
4. I'm guessing once you get here and you have a passport you won't need anything else in order to hike other than money of course.
5. I would always have my passport on me at all times.
6. Depends on what part of the country your in. Some say App-a-LAY-chian and some say App-a-latch-en. Most sat AT.
Good luck. I can't wait to hike the PCT and have to deal with the same issues of entering Canada.
Thanks for the help. Good luck with your PCT hike.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=44383 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=44383)
mweinstone
05-03-2011, 07:55
your visual phonetic matthewskiized trailname translates thru the universal matthewskewlator as:
I DASH LIKE DASH HIKING
what happens to human beings when they become carriers of the springer fever virus isnt pritty. it dont smell good. and it causes homelessness.
clinical studys show 98% display a high perpensity for excelence in the feild of self reliance.
within 100 miles victims display exstreem proficiency in all areas of backcountry appalachian trail long distance hiking skillsets.
treatment is exsposure to the only known springer antivirion, katadhin hydrocloride.
suggest you hike under trailname dash.
4. Are there any permits that require American citizenship? Is there anything necessary for hiking the trail that requires American citizenship?
5. Since I would require a passport to fly to Georgia and from Maine, would I have to carry it with me for the entire trip, or could I send it ahead?
4. No, people fly in from countries like Australia and England to hike the AT, and do fine.
5. NEVER leave your passport. Not only could it get lost in the mail, failure to produce it upon request might result in detainment and/or deportment. This would ruin your hike for certain. I have ZERO faith in the fairness/understanding of US customs and those who "protect our borders." My own mother was threatened with denial of entry while trying to enter the US from Canada with a Valid US passport going into her home state. They will use any excuse to give you trouble, so don't give them one. NEVER LEAVE YOUR PASSPORT!
Hey Dash, I've known people who have completed thru hikes without ever doing any camping/hiking. Most of them weren't in great shape either. Start slow and you'll get your "legs" before you realize it and pumping out 20+ mile days .
Take a look at these two Backpacker Magazine articles below (ignore the pop-ups). They're short, sweet, and to the point. No fluff. Sorry I can't help you with all the crossing the border stuff.........
Hiking an American Classic- The Appalachian Trail (http://www.backpacker.com/november_2008_american_classic_hiking_the_appalach ian_trail/destinations/12530)- A 10 page article full of good stuff about planning and what to expect in each section
The Mountain Crossing Method (http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=4)- The only gear list you need. It's tried and true and from pack guru Winton Porter.
Hope this helps.
Cheers!
1- Yes, some people hike it with no experience.
2- Of course.
3- 8 months is a long time to hike it. You'll be fine. Most do it in 6-7 months. The people who do it in 3 months are typically "ultralight".
4- Some places require hiking permits, and that may require ID, but I don't think you need to have citizenship.
5- Always carry your information with you everywhere, at all times. And have backups. And backups for your backups.
6- Ask somebody who lives in the Appalahcians, but make sure they don't have a southern or hillbilly accent: they don't say things correctly. The 'a' in the the middle of 'appalachian' is pronounced 'ah' not 'Ae': the same way it's pronounced in 'at', not 'ate'.
I_like_hiking
05-03-2011, 12:01
Dash sounds like a good trail name. It lends itself to more lame puns then I can think of right now, so I guess that makes me a happy camper.
Beachcomber
05-03-2011, 12:45
6- Ask somebody who lives in the Appalahcians, but make sure they don't have a southern or hillbilly accent: they don't say things correctly. The 'a' in the the middle of 'appalachian' is pronounced 'ah' not 'Ae': the same way it's pronounced in 'at', not 'ate'.
Who let Prof. Henry Higgins in? Who's to say any regional variation is incorrect? When in the hills, it can be wise to do (or speak) as the hillbillies do. If nothing else, it might give you some appreciation for the wonderful varieties to be found in this remarkable land of ours.
Carry your passport. I'm American and I carried my passport the whole way along the PCT. You never know when you might need to fly in a plane and a passport just works better than other ID. The US is a jackbooted dictatorship when it comes to planes.
One of the nice things about these long hiking trails is meeting all the people who come from other countries.
If you do like hiking and do it often, you probably are already in enough shape to get started. In my opinion, what helps most to get a list of towns where you can buy food and a list of towns where you can't and will need to mail food. After that, just basic understanding of how to manage your hydration, food, shelter and warmth in the outdoors and you are good to go. You can get that knowledge day hiking in all weather conditions and expand it more with overnight camping/backpacking.
#6) "App-a-latch-un" is the Trail. "Appellation" is a trail name. :)
#6) "App-a-latch-un" is the Trail. "Appellation" is a trail name. :)
Somewhere, a hostel I believe, I actually saw a sign that said "South of here people say app-a-latch-in and north of here people say app-a-lay-shin.
is this a first - earning a trail name w/o being on the AT. go for it dash.....
Feral Bill
05-03-2011, 16:55
Where in BC are you?
I_like_hiking
05-03-2011, 17:07
Thanks for all of the answers everyone! I have to say, this is one of the most helpful forums I've ever been on. Now all I have to do is find a way to kill time for two years.
Where in BC are you?
I live near Penticton.
Snowleopard
05-03-2011, 17:13
Always, always carry your passport, preferably on your person, inside a waterproof plastic bag. Make a copy of your passport front pages and carry it separate from your passport, with phone numbers of the Canadian consulates. Leave a copy at home with your family.
If you need to go back to Canada to extend your visa, you can easily reach Montreal (and maybe New Brunswick) from New England by bus, train or plane. In fact, if you're behind schedule you could take Vermont's Long Trail from its intersection with the AT and hike to Quebec.
Exercise:
at your age you won't need to do anything special to get into shape.
Its old people who have to get into shape before hiking.
Experience:
prior backpacking experience is not mandatory.
however, any experience you can gain between now and then will help.
Passports:
I don't know about Canadian passports but American passports are good for 10 years. You will probably need a passport someday, so you might as well just get it now. That way you will have it if you ever need it.
Panzer
People around here in TN say either App-uh-latch-un or App-uh-laetch-un.
long island bob
05-24-2011, 10:56
Hey Dash, I've known people who have completed thru hikes without ever doing any camping/hiking. Most of them weren't in great shape either. Start slow and you'll get your "legs" before you realize it and pumping out 20+ mile days .
Take a look at these two Backpacker Magazine articles below (ignore the pop-ups). They're short, sweet, and to the point. No fluff. Sorry I can't help you with all the crossing the border stuff.........
Hiking an American Classic- The Appalachian Trail (http://www.backpacker.com/november_2008_american_classic_hiking_the_appalach ian_trail/destinations/12530)- A 10 page article full of good stuff about planning and what to expect in each section
The Mountain Crossing Method (http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=4)- The only gear list you need. It's tried and true and from pack guru Winton Porter.
Hope this helps.
Cheers!
Wow. I was hoping Winton would post a list.
Thanks for linking that.