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View Full Version : Holy food weight, Batman!



Veetack
05-26-2012, 17:47
So I'm headed out for 10 nights from Springer on Monday. I just bought all my food, and I'm being really stubborn about not resupplying because I don't really want to come off the trail. I forgot the 2lbs per day thing and my pack is probably close to 35 lbs right now. Should make for an interesting trip for the first 5 days...

ChinMusic
05-26-2012, 17:51
So I'm headed out for 10 nights from Springer on Monday. I just bought all my food, and I'm being really stubborn about not resupplying because I don't really want to come off the trail. I forgot the 2lbs per day thing and my pack is probably close to 35 lbs right now. Should make for an interesting trip for the first 5 days...

Neels Gap is at about the 30-mile mark and is RIGHT ON the trail. I would resupply there.

Rasty
05-26-2012, 17:56
So I'm headed out for 10 nights from Springer on Monday. I just bought all my food, and I'm being really stubborn about not resupplying because I don't really want to come off the trail. I forgot the 2lbs per day thing and my pack is probably close to 35 lbs right now. Should make for an interesting trip for the first 5 days...

Ten days is a lot of food. Are you really saving time on resupplying every 10 days? Would you be able to make up the time spent on resupply by hiking faster / lighter with a 5 day resupply?

Feral Bill
05-26-2012, 18:22
You are 29 years old. 35# won't hurt you a bit. Enjoy your hike.

WingedMonkey
05-26-2012, 18:34
There is no reason not to enjoy a 10 day section hike without running back to civilization every 3 days. Like you said food weight will drop fast. Double check that you aren't carrying more than you will eat.

WIAPilot
05-26-2012, 18:41
Even though much of my equipment will be light, I am still not going UL. But I know I just can't carry a lot of wt. Whenever possible (and I know it won't always be) I'm just going to try to carry about 3-4 days food and eat less and hit the towns more frequently. Stay at a hotel. Relax in a jacuzzi tub. Ahhh. Wash my hair. Have some great meals in a restaurant. LOL It may take me 7 months to hike the trail. HYOH! :sun

Veetack
05-26-2012, 20:43
Neels Gap is at about the 30-mile mark and is RIGHT ON the trail. I would resupply there.

Neels Gap is the end of Day 2, no sense in resupplying there, but......


You are 29 years old. 35# won't hurt you a bit. Enjoy your hike.

This. It's not really that big a deal, I was just mentioning that I had forgotten how much food weighs.

Oh, and the coming off the trail thing, I mean I don't want to go into towns that I have to hitch into. There are a few stops on my route where I'm coming off for a night in a hostel/hotel and a shower and perhaps a hot meal (Neel's, NOC, shower at Fontana before pickup).

mountain squid
05-26-2012, 21:07
Neels Gap is the end of Day 2, no sense in resupplying there, but......Holy blistered feet and sore knees and legs, Batman!

Most hikers probably get into Neels on day 4 . . . .

See you on the trail,
mt squid

how to hike (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?73587-how-to-hike)
some observations (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?14493-observations-from-fs42-(advice-for-first-week-on-trail))

WIAPilot
05-26-2012, 21:14
Holy blistered feet and sore knees and legs, Batman!

Most hikers probably get into Neels on day 4 . . . .

See you on the trail,
mt squid

how to hike (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?73587-how-to-hike)
some observations (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?14493-observations-from-fs42-(advice-for-first-week-on-trail))

It's definitely Day 4 for me...

Veetack
05-26-2012, 21:17
Holy blistered feet and sore knees and legs, Batman!

Most hikers probably get into Neels on day 4 . . . .

See you on the trail,
mt squid

how to hike (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?73587-how-to-hike)
some observations (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?14493-observations-from-fs42-%28advice-for-first-week-on-trail%29)

I'm pretty comfortable doing 20's all through the Smokies, I shortened to 15 a day because I needed to extend my hike. I don't know the Georgia mountains, but I do know my body, and I really hope 15s are doable or I'm not gonna make it to Fontana.

Lone Wolf
05-26-2012, 21:18
I'm pretty comfortable doing 20's all through the Smokies, I shortened to 15 a day because I needed to extend my hike. I don't know the Georgia mountains, but I do know my body, and I really hope 15s are doable or I'm not gonna make it to Fontana.

georgia is pretty easy walkin'

Veetack
05-26-2012, 21:22
Wolf, remember sarcasm is difficult to convey over the internet :)

Seriously though, are you serious or are you joking?

Lone Wolf
05-26-2012, 21:24
Wolf, remember sarcasm is difficult to convey over the internet :)

Seriously though, are you serious or are you joking?

i'm as serious as the major heart attack and by-pass surgery i had. seriously. GA is nothing

Veetack
05-26-2012, 21:25
It is just walking. And I don't mind doing it for really, really, really, really long periods of time.

Lone Wolf
05-26-2012, 21:27
It is just walking. And I don't mind doing it for really, really, really, really long periods of time.

good attitude.

ChinMusic
05-26-2012, 21:30
Neels Gap is the end of Day 2, no sense in resupplying there, but......



If Neels is two days for you, 35# is nothing.

Have a nice hike.

rocketsocks
05-26-2012, 21:39
Must have a tail wind.:-?

Veetack
05-26-2012, 21:46
All these comments.... is 15 a day in GA really not achievable? I have pretty decent trail legs, as I do a 40 miler or so almost every week. I just feel like I'm gonna get on those mountains and a boulder is gonna bitchslap me and scream "you just got punk'd"

rocketsocks
05-26-2012, 21:52
All these comments.... is 15 a day in GA really not achievable? I have pretty decent trail legs, as I do a 40 miler or so almost every week. I just feel like I'm gonna get on those mountains and a boulder is gonna bitchslap me and scream "you just got punk'd"Now that right there is pretty gal darn funny...goot won

ChinMusic
05-26-2012, 23:33
All these comments.... is 15 a day in GA really not achievable? I have pretty decent trail legs, as I do a 40 miler or so almost every week. I just feel like I'm gonna get on those mountains and a boulder is gonna bitchslap me and scream "you just got punk'd"
No, 15/day is def possible for someone in pretty dang good shape. Some gunners get to Neels in one day. Only you know your endurance level. IMO, if you are a 15/day/GA type of hiker, the 35# pack will be fine.

You are from Knoxville, so GA shouldn't be an unknown to you. It's not like you live in Florida and have never hiked the AT.

Mountain Mike
05-26-2012, 23:36
I hit Neels 3rd day of my thru counting approach trail with over 35lb pack. Very doable.

garlic08
05-27-2012, 09:03
I agree with Lone Wolf. I started with a lighter pack (first resupply at Franklin, after an unexpected top-off at Neels Gap at lunch the second day) and Georgia was four beautiful days for me--I loved it, and I didn't expect that. I think GA gets its reputation as a difficult hike because so many start way out of shape, or have not hiked like that before. The trail is well-maintained and well-routed though rugged country--very enjoyable hiking.

RWheeler
05-27-2012, 10:22
I hit Neels in two days, and I was also toting a heavier-than-necessary food bag at that point - about 7 days worth when I started.

Just enjoy your snack breaks a bit more emphatically the first few days to help yourself out ;)

Bronk
05-28-2012, 00:28
Get rid of 3 days food...eat a bunch at Neels Gap (ice cream) and replace the 2 days food you ate getting there.

shelb
05-28-2012, 00:52
So I'm headed out for 10 nights f...bought all my food, ... forgot the 2lbs per day .....

We did this last year going through Virginia/SNP. BIG MISTAKE! I will always plan on resupplying, if possible, for any trip 5 days days or more! If you get this before departing and still plan on taking 10 days of food, my suggestion is to eat the heaviest stuff first! lol

Veetack
05-28-2012, 01:29
We did this last year going through Virginia/SNP. BIG MISTAKE! I will always plan on resupplying, if possible, for any trip 5 days days or more! If you get this before departing and still plan on taking 10 days of food, my suggestion is to eat the heaviest stuff first! lol

lol that's what I'm doing. It's too late to send out boxes, but I might drop some food. I leave in 5 hours and I'm at work for the next 4 and a half... might be tough.

lemon b
05-28-2012, 10:09
Must be a sign of my age. 30 pounds for 10 days seems way light.

Whack-a-mole
05-28-2012, 13:04
Count on eating a big lunch at Neels Gap, and also at NOC. That is two meals right there that you don't have to worry about carrying. There is nothing like sitting on the deck at Joe's at NOC, eating a big ol' BBQ sandwich and having a cold drink. The food is a little pricey, and the soda pop is expensive, but it's all you can drink, and I think they lost money on me!!

bigcranky
06-04-2012, 13:30
If you're hiking 40 miles per week in the mountains, 15 mpd in Georgia is fine. Have fun.

sbhikes
06-04-2012, 15:06
Why couldn't you do 15 mile days in Georgia? I did a day hike to Blood Mountain and Neel Gap once. The mountains in Southern California where I live are way harder than that. If you're not out of shape, 15 mile days are simply a matter of putting in the time and favoring the walking over the camping.

Blue Jay
06-05-2012, 09:21
I hope he checks in soon, I'm sooooooooooo worried. Thirty five pound pack weight, on a twenty year old body, oh the horror. He surely must have died.

1azarus
06-05-2012, 14:55
I agree, no problem on the distances. I do think you may be carrying too much food for the ten days if you are bringing 2 pounds a day. 1 1/2 pounds should do it. Why don't you consider bringing only 1 1/2 pounds per day -- that'll save you five pounds! ...and keep the first two days food separate so you can see if that is enough for you to get to Neels gap. If it isn't quite enough you can pick up a little extra at Neels gap or even later at the NOC to supplement -- and I'd bet a snickers bar you won't need to. Yes, you can carry it all, but why bother carrying more than you'll need? You can't hear me sigh, but I wish I were coming along. Easy walking, but beautiful, too! And I could probably get you to carry my food, too.

Veetack
06-08-2012, 17:14
I ended up averaging 17 miles a day with 3 20+ days and my long being close to 25 into Winding Stair Gap. I did have too much food, mainly because of town stops where I ate out, but the extra weight turned out to not be an issue. Gave a lot away at the Fontana Hilton so people didn't have to resupply before the park. It was an amazing learning experience, and by day 5 or so I was on auto pilot and flying along. Jacob's Ladder still sucks though.

4shot
06-08-2012, 18:48
georgia is pretty easy walkin'

actually the whole thing is incredibly easy. or almost impossibly difficult. depends on how much one wants to bite off each day.

WickedMiner
06-08-2012, 19:43
a 15 mile day is definitly possible. I did 15 miles a day even being the last to leave the shelter. 35lbs.. you should be fine. i weighed in at 47lbs when i left Amicalola falls.