2013 Thru-hike

[SupertrampAB]

Anyone out there planning a thru-hike in April 2013. This will be my first thru-hike and would like to hear from people in the same boat and also from experienced hikers for tips on planning.

[quilteresq]

I'm hoping to head out in 2013 - haven't really thought about a start date yet, but likely before April. While I haven't yet planned for an AT hike, I did plan and execute an extended bike trip in 2003 - from Portland, Oregon to Traverse City, MI.

The first thing you have to decide is if you're going to do mail drops. I dehydrated a lot of food for the trip - and found that we used it less than we thought. (Early on, we started having breakfast in camp, then having a second HUGE breakfast at the first town we hit for the morning). I'm planning on dehydrating a lot of food for this trip as well, but since there are no restaurants on the trail, I'm assuming I'll be eating more of it. Planning mail drops is important, and having a support person available to change your boxes around a bit is also helpful. I'm older and know more about how my body works now - planning on being very careful to take enough protein - dehydrated eggs and dried meat mostly, but also tuna or chicken in packets. I see a lot of folks that don't seem to need that though, so you need to decide what works for you.

Also, planning this far in advance means that you read a lot of equipment reviews, watch sales, and pick up equipment for a cheaper price. I'm finding that the biggies -- the ultra light tent, bag, and pack - don't really go on sale much. But having the time to look at it all and decide which one is best for you is a great blessing.

I also sew - so I have time to make some stuff. I made 12 panniers for our bike ride in 2003 - mine, my husband's, and my daughter's. There were no light weight panniers available even back then. Also, stuff sacks, hats, micro weight polar fleece sweaters (I miss the polar fleece outlet!) I'd make them even lighter if I had it to do all over again. And take lighter equipment. There will be more bike rides, though, so I have a chance to get it right. I've already made a "Ray-way" backpack to test for the AT - I might carry it in the hot months, but I likely won't start out with it, so I'm searching for something that will comfortably carry more warm clothes. Planning on picking up down sweaters and I'll likely make a cuben rain suit - don't want to buy that stuff.

Good luck!

[SupertrampAB]

Thanks for my first post reply Quilteresq wish I could make my own clothes that would be great, very jealous how bout you make me some too hahaha good luck with your planning and keep me posted.

Food and equipment are the main things on my mind at the moment next to getting a visa sorted as I am British, but I don't think this should be a problem.
As I am going it alone and wont have support from anyone in the US I wont be able to benifit from mail drops. Does anyone think this is a problem? From what I have read so far there seems to be enough places along the trail to re-supply with some form of food I hope so anyway otherwise this hike could become very problematic.

[ChinMusic]

As I am going it alone and wont have support from anyone in the US I wont be able to benifit from mail drops. Does anyone think this is a problem? From what I have read so far there seems to be enough places along the trail to re-supply with some form of food I hope so anyway otherwise this hike could become very problematic.I am a 2013 thru as well. Regarding food, I'm showing up with 4 days of food and totally winging it. Zero drops.

[Datto]

Many helpful articles for AT thru-hiking are in the Articles Section of Whiteblaze -- Go to Home then choose Articles part way down on the Home Page.

Here's a link to my "Datto's AT Thru-Hiking Tips" on Whiteblaze that will get your started:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?8136-Datto-s-AT-Thru-Hiking-Tips

Datto

[Mattykyle11]

I'm planning a 2013 NoBo thru as well. I'm going to test out my gear this spring up in Tennessee for a week or so see how I manage. As far as the drops I can't help much on that, but from what i've been reading it isn't necessary but in a few spots up north where it may be harder to get to some towns... or maybe just supply up with a little more food before you get to those areas. best of luck to everyone.

[leaftye]

I'm planning on a 2013 hike.

The biggest thing I'm doing is preparing my body. That is, building up my joints, losing weight, and conditioning. I want to be able to do big miles with ease. I see little point in agonizing over the first few weeks or months when I can prepare myself physically to actually enjoy the walk.

I could easily go with the gear I have right now, but I want to refine my gear a little bit. I want to make a new quilt with very lightweight breathable fabric and high fill power down. I have two other quilts, but I believe splitting the difference between those two quilts will be ideal for my thru hike. I'd like a framed backpack than can carry weight as comfortably as the pack I have now, but with much less volume. I've also found that I rarely use my down jacket, and even though it's very light and compact, I think I'll switch to a vest. I might also replace my Hexamid with a custom Hexamid that has a beak, sewn in silnylon floor and a few other customizations.

[SupertrampAB]

Thanks ChinMusic

Bit more comforting to know other people are doing it without maildrops

[SupertrampAB]

Datto thats great will go over your article with a cuppa and note pad thank you very much.
Mattykyle11 good luck testing your gear, Im testing mine in spring along the Hadrians Wall trail in UK. I think your right about the food and the trail the 100mile wilderness sounds challenging but fantastic!
leaftye I am also preparing my body, 20mile hikes a few weights and sit ups nothing big just to get fit and in shape next step is to start hiking with the pack I will be taking not got it yet still deciding on frame or no frame at the moment swaying towards no frame for the simple fact they are lighter.
Thank you all, good luck and keep posting
SupertrampAB

[atmilkman]

Thanks ChinMusic

Bit more comforting to know other people are doing it without maildrops
Ditto on ChinMusic's approach. Strictly gonna improvise. Right now "we" are late SOBO's. That could change. The one thing you can count on is change.

[Wobegon]

I did it this year (2011) without a single food drop. They're not necessary and I saw them cause a lot more problems (people buying thousands of dollars worth of food and quitting, people having to wait until Monday to leave a town) than I believe them to be worth.

[SupertrampAB]

Thanks atmilkman and Wobegon once again great to hear people are doing it or have done it without mail drops so I can cross that off my list of problems to get around!

[ChinMusic]

Thanks ChinMusic

Bit more comforting to know other people are doing it without maildrops

One thing you can do, even after your thru has started, is to mail food ahead.
.
Say you fear a supply up the trail is questionable, you can mail forward a box from an earlier town to the later town. So, even if you start with no drops you can create some on the fly if you want.

[leaftye]

leaftye I am also preparing my body, 20mile hikes a few weights and sit ups nothing big just to get fit and in shape next step is to start hiking with the pack I will be taking not got it yet still deciding on frame or no frame at the moment swaying towards no frame for the simple fact they are lighter.

I believe conditioning is the least important part of getting your body ready. You get in cardiovascular shape pretty fast. What takes longer to adjust is your joints and feet. In fact they can take so long to adjust that you hurt them and only hurt them worse and worse until your hike ends, maybe prematurely. As far as feet go, there are several considerations, the plantar fascia, the metatarsals and the blisters. Plantar fascia may not end your hike, but it can be agonizing, and really takes the joy out of zero days in town because you don't feel like walking around and exploring the town because it makes your feet hurt. Broken metatarsals have happened to quite a few hikers, presumably because they switched to lightweight shoes and put more strain on their feet than the bones were ready for. The bones get stronger with time, but they need that time. Blisters might be prevented entirely by taping, changing socks, types of socks and very breathable shoes, but I think the best prevention is to toughen them up by hiking.

So focus on the parts of getting into shape that take longer. The things that I mentioned above take longer than you might think, and if you're very out of shape, you might needs the entire year and a half to get ready...more if you injure yourself along the way.