View Full Version : Hikers I need your Help!
OnHighPlaces
08-13-2005, 10:34
Greetings Hikers! I am in need of some assistance. My husband is faithful to use this website for answers so I believe you can help. I am not a hiker but my beloved husband is and as a treat to him, I am trying to arrange a hiking extravaganza for him, without him knowing. I have shopped for supplies long enough to know what he needs and wants as well as how to pack ultra light. My big questions is mail drops. He will be hiking from the Shenandoah Valley, VA area to Hot Springs, NC. How do I decide where to put mail drops for him along his journey and how do I address the package to him w/o a post office box? I know it seems elementary to be asking these questions, but I really don't know what I need to do.
Without going out and buying a guidebook you can download the necessary sections of the ALDHA Companion which has the towns and zip codes.
http://www.aldha.org/comp_pdf.htm
(Your Husband)
C/O General Delivery
Trailtown, State Zip
Please Hold for AT Hiker
ETA **/**/**
Regarding a surprise package, don't forget he has to know to go to that particular post office and ask for the package :)
Jack Tarlin
08-13-2005, 12:26
Check out the "Articles" section of this website; you'll find several things on maildrops, re-supply, how to address and send parcels to hikers, etc. Lots of folks have found these articles useful.
In addition to U.S. Post offices, there are lots of other places that will hold hiker mail.....motels, hostels, B&B's, Outfitters, etc. It is often a good idea to send mail to these places instead of to P.O.'s as this way the hiker can get them 7 days a week and isn't subject to the P.O.'s hours of operation.
Also, send your boxes Priority Mail; they'll get there quicker, and also, the hiker has the option of forwarding them along to another address for free if he doesn't open the box.
Let us know if you need help with anything else.
A good place to start for addressess (Post Offices, etc.), as Sly said, is the Thru-Hikers Companion, published by ALDHA. In addition to mailing addresses, there's all sorts of other useful information there as well.