8-9 Days of backpacking Virginia Appalachian Trail.

[btommie]

Hey Guys!

Soon I will be leaving to begin backpacking the Appalachian trail for 8-9 days. I'm new to the forms and had a few questions I could use some help with.

The plan at this moment is to be shuttled from Damascus, VA to Atkins, VA and walk back toward our car, so around 75 miles correct? We'll leave on a Tuesday and are hoping to be back to our car the next Tuesday/Wednesday.

So the questions:
-- Is Atkins to Damascus a long enough distance for 8-9 days?
-- It is not to late to pick a different section of Virginia should we move the trip farther north on the Appalachian Trail? Where do you recommend?

[RED-DOG]

How many Miles Per Day you planning to hike, I can cover that distance in 4.5 days but i hike 18 to 20 MPD so if your only planning to do lets say 10 MPD that section should take you about 7 days, Yeah if your planning for low mileage that section should be good in this section you will go through the Grayson Highlands which is AWESOME.
but if you want to do more miles you can always keep hiking south through damascus to US 421 Low Gap TN which is 15 miles south of damascus and that will give you an overall mileage of 90.3 miles and you should be able to do that in 8-9 days if you do 10 MPD, i would recommend you to add more miles to this section either north or south.

[RED-DOG]

And To WB.

[johnnybgood]

Going north to VA 42 adds 12 miles and your new starting point.
Without any information to go on, i.e.experience , fitness level (for all hikers involved), there isn't any way to answer this. You and your hiking partners must answer this on your own.
Just remember, you must account for heavier packs with more food when covering less mpd.

[Lone Wolf]

i do shuttles

[btommie]

Thanks for the answers guys! Would it be a good idea to just go ahead and bump the hike to a even 100 miles? Or would that likely run us over our 8-9 day goal? Thanks.
and I'll PM you Lone Wolf for some details!