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ScottP
06-14-2011, 22:08
The most helpful thing that I found in planning my thru-hikes was chatting with people that have already thru-hiked.

Everyone has different personal situations, preferences, and styles so I'd recommend asking several people the same sets of questions. I wouldn't want anyone to think that they are prepared for a thru from talking to just me.

I was 22 when I thru-hiked the AT, nobo starting in mid-march in 2006. I'm an UL hiker, but not to the extent of being a gram weenie. I'm a faster hiker, but not to the extent that I see myself trying any sort of race-type hike.

I did about half the AT again and the PCT in 2007, and a couple more long sections of the AT and CDT in 2008 (didn't finish thru mostly because of non-hiking related medical problems and money).

I started in 2006 a month or two after my college wrestling season, and in 2007 and 2008 I started after working 80-100 hours a week (most of which was over a deep frier) overweight and out of shape.

I didn't do maildrops in 2006. In 2007 I did mail drops and cooked, and in 2008 I did mail drops and didn't cook.

I spent more money than I should have in 2006 and hiked very affordably in 2007.

I live about a hour bike ride from the AT near McAffree's Knob (SW VA) now working on grad school for forestry.


There's a lot more experienced hikers floating around on WB, so make sure you take what I say with a grain of salt.

4shot
06-16-2011, 07:55
The most helpful thing that I found in planning my thru-hikes was chatting with people that have already thru-hiked.

Everyone has different personal situations, preferences, and styles so I'd recommend asking several people the same sets of questions. I wouldn't want anyone to think that they are prepared for a thru from talking to just me.




this is a great resource/site for potential thruhikers. I would add: 80% of the planning and/or questions on this site appear to be gear related (based on past post history). Prepare for conflicting opinions as ScottP has suggested which may be confusing. there are as many different opinions as there are hikers but at the end of the day, it just means there is no single correct answer to most questions pertaining to gear selection.. there is also a search feature that is useful, odds are your gear related question has already been discussed (perhaps even a few times).

Like Scott, I met with or corresponded privately with several former thruhikers, some of whom I met thru this site. I would especially encourage this -I found these to be especially valuable, especially when I could sit down and have a live, interactive conversation.Provided way more insight than anonymous posts on a message board. the community of past thru-hikers is very welcoming to "newbies" based on my personal experience (in retrospect, it was/is a way for them to pay back for all the kindness that they received while doing their hike) and were willing and gracious to meet and discuss the trail. and trust me, I was a newbie. good luck to all those in the planning stage for next year's hike.