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Lady Grey
02-19-2013, 20:20
My last day of work was Friday so I now have time to focus on my final prep for an AT hike to start in early March. I've thought and researched a lot about maildrops and am now probably over-thinking... I was all set to only send a couple of maildrops to key places where resupply is hard (i.e. Fontana Dam down south) but now I'm wondering if it would be wise to send a few others. I'm reluctant to send packages anywhere that takes me off the trail since I really don't want to have that schedule to follow up on, but I'm thinking places such as Neels Gap and NOC might make sense.

If anyone can provide some definitive words of wisdom and perspective related to this topic I would be greatly appreciative. I've got to say that food confuses me the most and it's the last minute planning that seems really hard!

Sugarfoot
02-19-2013, 20:28
There's plenty of food to be had at Mountain Crossings (Neels Gap). Yes, it is a little pricey, but when you factor in the cost of a mail drop, it is a good alternative. There is no problem in carrying sufficient food from Franklin to Fontana. You can pick up a few snacks at NOC if your appetite has kicked in. Personally, I use a few mail drops for vitamins, half rolls of toilet paper, and sections of the guide book, but none at all for food. My appetite changes as I hike and few things are worse than having a mail drop filled with food that you really don't want to eat - pack ballast.

Lady Grey
02-19-2013, 21:06
Thanks, Sugarfoot. Maybe I won't worry about a maildrop at Neels Gap... my appetite always changes when hiking so you make sense with your logic. Any other ideas out there?

Blissful
02-19-2013, 21:29
I'm reluctant to send packages anywhere that takes me off the trail since I really don't want to have that schedule to follow up on, but I'm thinking places such as Neels Gap and NOC might make sense.

If anyone can provide some definitive words of wisdom and perspective related to this topic I would be greatly appreciative. I've got to say that food confuses me the most and it's the last minute planning that seems really hard!

Well you're going to have to go off trail to buy food, so that can't be a question. Where you buy food there are hostels and PO to pick up a drop. So it really depends if you want the food the stores have and possibly pay premium prices in spots for the same kinds of food every day or have a drop that contains specialty foods you know you are getting. And have good support person on the home front that knows your tastes. I found I had better nutrition with the variety of foods and dehydrated foods I sent via my mail drops to certain locations.

On my blog I have suggested trail foods (http://blissfulhiking.blogspot.com/2011/02/hiker-food-kinds-of-stuff.html) plus mail drop advice (http://blissfulhiking.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-goes-in-maildrops.html)and a mail drop list (http://blissfulhiking.blogspot.com/2013/02/possible-maildrop-list-for-appalachian.html). I bought on trail and I also used drops. Worked good for me north and south.

But maildrops isn't for everyone.

Ox97GaMe
02-19-2013, 23:31
There are several schools of thought on this. Here are some things to consider.

You can get resupply items at almost all of the trail towns. Prices are not much higher than what you would pay at your local grocery. When you tack on the cost of shipping and the extra food given away, you really arent saving much on total cost. As has also been mentioned, it is difficult to calculate how much food you will need between resupply points prior to starting your hike. Weather, terrain, points of interest, and how you are feeling will affect daily mileage. you will need to make plans at least 2 town stops ahead, which is the amount of time needed to get a box packed and shipped to a location. Some hikers try to do this 1 town stop ahead (4-5 days). This is extremely tight scheduling, especiallly if you have to account for a weekend within that period. Many of the post offices close by 4:30 and are only open half day Sat. Boxes can be shipped to hostel. There is sometimes a storage charge if you do not stay at the hostel.

Hikers that ship packages often complain about the following:
- having to wait in town for a package to arrive
- too much or too little food in the package
- They are getting tired of the same foods each resupply

If you need prescription meds or special dietary items, then it makes sense to use mail drops. Some hikers dehydrate food and ship it. It doesnt make sense to ship things like peanut butter, tuna, or candybars. Maildrops can cost $15-20 or more depending on weight, origin, and destination. You can probably get your entire resupply in a trail town for around $50-60. It just depends on where/how you want to spend your money.

You will ALWAYS want to grab at least one meal in a town during a resupply. A hiker cant carry enough food to account for the calories they burn when they are in the woods. You will need to camel up on calories in town. You will want to account for that if you are calculating meals to put in a maildrop.

In the end, you need to hike your own hike and figure it out as you go. Dont overthink more than 4 weeks from the start date. By that point, you will have a pretty good idea based on your experience and learning from your fellow hikers.

Enjoy your trip.

Prime Time
02-20-2013, 00:01
Ya vtdeb, I'm with you on this. Here's what I decided and my rationale. I have 10 maildrops planned, including one to my starting point at Amicalola Falls Lodge (there because I want to carry my pack on the plane and can't if I have certain foods and an Isobutane canister in it). All 9 other drops are on my scheduled zero days. That way I will have at least 3 opportunities to get each drop (arrival day, zero day, departure day). That gets me around closed PO worries on drops going to PO's. These drops are spaced well for including, besides food, things like mini duct tape rolls, repellant, sunscreen, new pair of socks, extra batteries, alcohol wipes, upcoming pages of AWOL guidebook, mini toothpaste tubes, floss, Centrum vitamin pills, fuel canister (they're being sent parcel post so this is OK), nice perfect sized partial rolls of TP and anything else that pops up that I can have my wife drop in the box before sealing and mailing it. I'm not including all these things in every drop of course, just what I think I might need. This keeps me from having to run around and get all this stuff every time I stop in a town. The food I have included is at least what I think I'll need. If I need more, I can buy it. if I need less I can drop it in a hiker box.

As for PO vs Hostel, I only choose the PO 4 times (Waynesboro, Delaware Water Gap, Salisbury CT, and Killington VT) because I wasn't sure where I wanted to stay in those towns. All others are going to Hostels that say they'll gladly accept my drop if I try to stay there and they are full. Some said they'd charge a few bucks, some said they wouldn't.

Good luck with your hike!

swjohnsey
02-20-2013, 11:35
Boxes mailed to post offices can be forwarded stuff sent to hostels, etc. can't.

I wouldn't use Neels Gap or Fontana Dam because they were both good resupply points for me.

I would definately include Harpers Ferry Glenn Cliff.

Lady Grey
02-20-2013, 16:24
Thanks again, everyone. Blissful, I had checked out your blog in the past and you include lots of good info about mail drops. Prime Time and Ox97GaMe you both make a lot of sense, and swjohnsey your post helps as well. I've taken a deep breath and will forge ahead. For starters, will definitely plan on Fontana Dam and most likely NOC. I'm fortunate that I don't need "daily" items such as contact lens supplies or prescription meds, so that makes it all a bit easier. I will need to send maps so will plan a few boxes but probably not too much food.

www.trailjournals.com/LadyGrey

swjohnsey
02-20-2013, 18:40
Don't know about Fontana Dam. They had a good supply when I was there. Good new is that it don't really matter, store, post office and laundry are right next to each other. NOC, on the other hand, had just about nothin' 'cept Mountain House at the outfitter. Before I left I prepacked ten flat rate boxes, with stuff that I wanted every coupla weeks like soap, toothpaste, razor, vitamins, batteries and about 3 days of food. When I picked up one box I would tell my wife to mail the next. It would be there with about a week to spare.