mail drops on the AT

[ryan207]

Are post offices more or less closed on saturdays in towns along the AT? I have estimated the dates for my maildrops and I have a few saturdays in there.

[Jack Tarlin]

Nearly all Trail town P.O.'s have Saturday hours, tho they generally close at, or just before Noon. Detailed operating hours for all trail town post offices can be found in either The Thru-Hiker's Companion or the Thru-Hiker's Handbook. (The Companion is available on-line at www.aldha.org, tho you'd be better off to wait a few weeks and check out the 2006 edition which will have all sorts of additions). You also might want to use these books to learn about alternate places that accept hiker mail (hostels, motels, Outfitters, etc that are open seven days a week so it doesn't matter what day you get to them. This way, you're not so dependent on Post Offices and their hours of operation.

[ryan207]

Thank you.

[TJ aka Teej]

Make sure you know when the P.O. "window hours" are, Ryan. It's easy to confuse "lobby hours" with the times the window is open for picking up mail. Good advice above about alternatives to being stuck hanging about town waiting for a P.O.to open.

[Uncle Silly]

Be wary ... lots of the PO's on the trail close their windows at 4:30pm (or even 4pm) rather than leave them open until 5. This is especially true in the smaller towns.

[sparky2000]

As a hicker, I've noticed that my plans for food drops and how much food one can carry don't agree with reality. Plan wisely and listen to these old timers who have gone to a remarkable amount of effort in these pages to tell one how to do on trail buying.

[Skidsteer]

As a hicker, I've noticed that my plans for food drops and how much food one can carry don't agree with reality. Plan wisely and listen to these old timers who have gone to a remarkable amount of effort in these pages to tell one how to do on trail buying.

Hicker? That may be a new one for the hiker lexicon...

[MisterSweetie]

I began planning hiking days the other night, and I quickly realized how planning takes the wind out of my sail.

I hate to just ask for "tips" in general, but if someone has their old plan of action in excel (or any) format, I'd love to see it.

In my mind, planning aside from having someone ready to mail your packages is somewhat futile, since who knows how I'll feel today or tomorrow. Maybe I won't hike as much as planned. Maybe I'll hike more. Any number of things seem that they could prevent any semblance of a schedule to be adhered to.

Any suggestions regarding this? Thanks!

[MOWGLI]

I began planning hiking days the other night, and I quickly realized how planning takes the wind out of my sail.

I hate to just ask for "tips" in general, but if someone has their old plan of action in excel (or any) format, I'd love to see it.

In my mind, planning aside from having someone ready to mail your packages is somewhat futile, since who knows how I'll feel today or tomorrow. Maybe I won't hike as much as planned. Maybe I'll hike more. Any number of things seem that they could prevent any semblance of a schedule to be adhered to.

Any suggestions regarding this? Thanks!

Any suggestions? Sure! Don't plan maildrops. Take your plan and throw it in the garbage. Then head to Springer and buy stuff along the way.

Almost anyone who has previously hiked the trail will give you similar advice. Unless you have special needs, it is much better (and cheaper) to buy food along the way. To me, it also adds a bit of sense of adventure. Instead of expected the same old, same old, you never know what you'll be leaving town with.

[MisterSweetie]

I like this idea the best MOW... Even not considering mail drops, I'd need to consider which towns to hit, and I'd need to plan accordingly. Even that is somewhat daunting to me in planning.

I can see that it'd be cheaper to buy along the way. No shipping costs. I think if I did that I'd be more likely to eat "better" - ie, less preserved food. Still would probably get occasional mailings of protein suppliments etc, but I think that could be arranged.

So is it typical for people to make no plan at all or what?

Thanks!

[MOWGLI]

So is it typical for people to make no plan at all or what?

Thanks!

I think its typical for people to make a plan. Most '06 thru-hikers will be consumed by thoughts of the trail over the winter. Developing a plan is a good way to use some of that energy.

What is also typical, is that most (not all) hikers who stick with the trail, toss their plans at some point. Some do it earlier, others do it later. You can end up becoming a slave to a plan.

There are of course some folks who can't live without a plan. Some of those folks stick to a plan all the way. I would definitely call them the exception rather than the norm.

[Peaks]

I like this idea the best MOW... Even not considering mail drops, I'd need to consider which towns to hit, and I'd need to plan accordingly. Even that is somewhat daunting to me in planning.

I can see that it'd be cheaper to buy along the way. No shipping costs. I think if I did that I'd be more likely to eat "better" - ie, less preserved food. Still would probably get occasional mailings of protein suppliments etc, but I think that could be arranged.

So is it typical for people to make no plan at all or what?

Thanks!

First, everyone has their own ideas of how to hike the AT. But, I think that BJ's advice is about as good as anything.

Should you make a plan? absolutely. People should have some idea of where you are when. But, use it as a baseline, and be flexible. Weather is just one reason to depart from a baseline plan.

[Frosty]

Any suggestions? Sure! Don't plan maildrops. Take your plan and throw it in the garbage. Then head to Springer and buy stuff along the way.

I have never understood this advice. I know you are addressing maildrops, but I have heard this as advice for an approach to the trail. Don't plan how many days to the next food stop, just wing it. So how many days food do you buy?

You at least ought to have an idea how long it will take you to get to Neels Gap, and how long to Dicks Creek Gap, so you can bring enough (but not too much food) from Springer, and buy at Neels.

Then, from Dicks Creek, you can resupply to Frankling or NOC, but isn't it a good idea to look at the map and figure out aboukt how may days (i.e., plan) it will take you to get there so you don't arrive in Franklin with five days of food still in your pack?

The are two extremes here. Some make a plan, and stick to it come hell or high water. Some have no clue how far it is to the next re-supp[ly and always have extra food.

Both are extreme and IMO not too good an idea.

Best IMO is to get an idea (plan) how where you will resupply. use Jack's article, WIngfoots book, the Companion. Then be willing to make the plan suit your hike and modify it at will.

There is a big difference between loosely following a plan and having no idea what you are doing.

I think planning this way is the best bet for those who have never hiked a given part of the trail yet. on parts that I have done, I don't need a plan because I already know where the stops are (which is to say that I do have a plan, it is just part of my knowledge base). Otherwise, I think it is a good idea to know where you can buy food and about how many days it will take you to get there from the last food stop.

I'm also not sure it is a good idea not to see where a maildrop will be necessary or good, and to make a plan where you DO want maildrops. You are an experienced hiker and can hike the AT without a single maildrop, but many of us plan on at least two or three maildrops. Sometimes it is the best alternative. Even when you can buy (at Front Royal, for instance, or Charlestown), a mail drop to Linden or Harpers Ferry respectively is sometimes a better idea unless you have time to kill.

Hope this isn't too prickly....

[soulrebel]

I've settled on prepping some food for these...
fontana dam 163.1 max 6 days
harpers ferry, va 1002.5 5days
port clinton, pa 1195.5 5days
delaware water gap 1273 4 days -curious if the outfitter's is still here and if they are running the $2 shuttle to E. Stroudsberg?
Bear Mtn 1485.1 3 days

post=hike-Millinocket--street clothes,duffel,etc..

gathered this from the articles, proximity, others, etc....