View Full Version : Best place for someone to hike 1 week with me on my thru
True Blue
12-23-2011, 02:22
Starting my thru early March. My son-in-law wants to hike a week-long section with me sometime during my thru. He is a marathon runner and Oregon mountain hiker, so will be in good shape.
He isn't interested in trail towns, just the hiking & scenery. I'd like for him to have some good options so he can plan taking time off of work.
Any suggestions as to which section he should hike with me?
Thanks!
Monson to Katahdin (Hundred Mile Wilderness - plus a few).
Big Dawg
12-23-2011, 03:50
The Smokies, or north from Damascus VA, which would include the Grayson Highlands.
My wife joined me for the ~100 miles or so (if I recall correctly) of Shenendoah N.P., and this worked out great. She had trained ahead of time, so was able to do low 20's out of the gate, so hiking with her didn't slow me down much, I quickly forgot that she wasn't just a thru-hiker that I happened to be married to. I don't think this is a typical scenario, but it sounds like it might be similar to yours.
One nice thing about Shenendoah N.P. is that at multiple points a person can opt to walk the trail or walk the road, and "it's all good". My hiking partner (apart from my wife) in there had hiked the AT before, so he hiked a lot of road this time, and opined that he saw better views overall and more wildlife by walking the road (!). My wife was pretty keen to stay on trail, however, so that's what we did. Weird kind of downside: overall the trail in the N.P. is quite good, so I found myself periiodically telling her that "this isn't really like the AT in general". The last few miles out of the park, as I recall, became more the AT-norm, however, so she got a bit of a taste for that too.
And of course, there are various places to eat and stores along the way, making it a bit kinder, gentler for someone just jumping on trail. We were there on the early side, so not everything was open yet, but still.
+1 for Grayson Highlands area.
jersey joe
12-23-2011, 08:48
The Smokies, or north from Damascus VA, which would include the Grayson Highlands.
+3 for this section, Grayson Highlands are fantastic!
An equally great section is the presidentials in New Hampshire. Any trip that Included this above treeline section is sure to be a good one.
rocketsocks
12-23-2011, 08:57
Greyson,one of the Easts best keeped secrets for bouldering ....till now.
Smokies and Max Patch get my vote as far as th Southern portion. Oh, and Roan through the Humps, but that is a very short portion.
Mountain Mike
12-23-2011, 19:24
All above are great choices but I would vote for Whites. You can use public transportation from Boston & hit several spots on/close to trail or use AMC shuttle to get to other places.
Chaco Taco
12-27-2011, 21:14
Either The Roan Mtn area, The Whites, Anything in Maine
malowitz
12-27-2011, 21:20
If you're willing to slow down, she can join you and hike anywhere - all excellent suggestions above.
I found Maine to be the most beautiful state, but as a NOBO, you may be anxious to get it over with. Also the Mahousucs were, in my opinion the most difficult stretch of the trail.
I loved Maryland. It is a short trail state but has many historic markers/sites to cross. Also, she could join you starting in Harpers Ferry, see the ATC center etc and then hike north through Maryland with you.
Enjoy.
White Mountains, hand's down.
A Westerner isn't going to do well in the Southern humidity so I wouldn't reccomend anything south of New England or earlier than mid/late August at the earliest.
Planning his visit for a Maine section in the fall would be ideal as well.