View Full Version : How do you find your way?
brill540
05-25-2011, 07:26
For water on the trail, I figure I'll print this out and carry it with me:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/index.php?page=shelters
But how about food? I saw a re-supply list with stores distributed out along the trail, but I'll eventually find myself off the trail or simply wanting to stop somewhere else.
Where do you guys find maps that have store locations on them? I've checked some local gas stations and they have little more than road maps. Add a lot of questions to people passing by, and that's my best option so far.
Or GPS, which I have yet to look into at all.
Advise and opinions? How do you find your way?
-SEEKER-
05-25-2011, 13:28
Appalachian Pages, Data Book etc. They have descriptions of which way to go from the trail and have some small maps of the town proper with places of need for hikers.
Don't get too bogged down in the details.
As Seeker said, get one of the trail guides and they will contain enough information to make planning and hiking pretty hassle-free.
Data Book:
https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?atcmem=1&itemid=677&compid=1
The AT Guide (my favorite):
http://www.theatguide.com/
Thru Hiker Companion:
https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=678&compid=1
Plan your first few days hike to Neel Gap, consult your guide to find out how far to the next resupply that you want to use, buy enough food, hike on.
Baltimore Jacks resupply guide is very helpful initially until you learn to judge your pace, plus it gives some first-hand descriptions of the options available. Good resource.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/index.php?page=resupplypart1
GPS is not needed at all.
Most recommend that you carry maps, available from Appalachian Trail Conservancy (links above). I recommend that you carry maps for emergency use and to just know where you are in relation to surrounding features. They generally are not really needed for navigation (but can come in handy if you want to take any shortcuts or alternate routes - blasphemy to some :-) )
How do you find your way? Follow the white blazes for the most part. It really is that easy.
Within a week or two, you will be pretty expert, and this concern you feel now will seem silly.
Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!!!!!
singing wind
05-25-2011, 23:28
Good suggestions listed above. I've found the ALDHA guides helpful, as well as some of the other abbreviated trail guides. Only carry the pages I need and send the rest ahead, although now I might be more inclined to carry a backup copy on a thumbdrive - just in case.
I also carry road maps that are trimmed down to the area adjacent to the trail. Main reason is for safety in case of emergency or an urgent matter that requires getting to a town. Otherwise, the only place I ever wished I had ATC or similar trail maps was in Maine.
I agree with the other poster - no GPS needed. Good luck with your planning!
Spirit Walker
05-26-2011, 12:56
The AT is extremely well marked. In most places you can see at least one blaze in front of you and one behind you. If you go more than five minutes without seeing a white blaze, turn around, you've gotten off track somehow. Generally the treadway is very obvious. You absolutely don't need a gps.
The guidebooks are helpful because they'll tell you not only whether there's a grocery in town but whether the stores are good for long term resupply or if they only have a few snacks available. You can get by on snacks, but it's nice to be able to get things like pasta, rice and tuna for real meals.
Old Hiker
05-26-2011, 13:18
"Appalachian Pages" by David Miller and Rick Towle (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=David%20Miller%20and%20Rick%20Towle). Amazon has one (1) for ONLY $99 + shipping. I paid $15 (?) for a bound edition and the same for the unbound.
Update: www.appalachianpages.com (http://www.appalachianpages.com) has been suspended. I've never seen that before.
World-Wide
05-26-2011, 13:32
Love the A.T. Guide as "Lyle" mentioned above. Great info on mileage, elevation changes and great info on water and food which seems to be your primary concern. Definitely check it out!! W-W
Carl in FL
05-26-2011, 13:32
"Appalachian Pages" by David Miller and Rick Towle (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=David%20Miller%20and%20Rick%20Towle). Amazon has one (1) for ONLY $99 + shipping. I paid $15 (?) for a bound edition and the same for the unbound.
Update: www.appalachianpages.com (http://www.appalachianpages.com) has been suspended. I've never seen that before.
That price is there because there is only one to be found on the net, at the
moment. If another one hits, the price will go back to sanity.
Old Hiker
05-26-2011, 13:44
That price is there because there is only one to be found on the net, at the
moment. If another one hits, the price will go back to sanity.
Weeellllllllll. Maybeso I should put my several copies up for grabs before sanity is restored!!! ;) :D
"Appalachian Pages" by David Miller and Rick Towle (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=David%20Miller%20and%20Rick%20Towle). Amazon has one (1) for ONLY $99 + shipping. I paid $15 (?) for a bound edition and the same for the unbound.
Update: www.appalachianpages.com (http://www.appalachianpages.com) has been suspended. I've never seen that before.
The title has been changed to The AT Guide. Same book with additional info. Website is linked above in post #3.
The AT is extremely well marked. In most places you can see at least one blaze in front of you and one behind you. If you go more than five minutes without seeing a white blaze, turn around, you've gotten off track somehow.
I agree with this *mostly* but I'd just like to say not to take it literally - there are many, many places where you can walk for 5 minutes without seeing a blaze depending on where you are.
And, you won't get "lost in the woods" - the absolute worse case scenario is that you'd get on a different trail somehow and hike in the wrong direction for however long it took you to figure out what you did. So, you may lose hours or a good part of a day. Highly, highly unlikely though.