One word: permetherin
One word: permetherin
Most mountain bred hikers are spoiled on the constantly changing elevation so that hiking here carries a stigma of being repetitive and boring.
Florida hiking is an acquired taste to be sure but I've been in these woods since I could walk so no where else feels as much like home. As someone earlier pointed out, our state was not easy to settle but once a foothold was found, the developers went crazy. Now there are less and less patches of green on the map but those that are still there are primordial compared to the sheen and gloss of suburban Florida. Hiking here, especially in Central and South FL is like hiking in the jungle. You have to be prepared for that. It's not a pleasant New England stoll to the crick over Granny's bunion or whatever. There are things that want to eat you and a lot of things that want your blood. We've been the lightening strike capitol of the world AND the shark bite capitol of the world numerous times throughout the years. The summer weather is brutal and dangerous in the same way that hiking in the desert in the summer is brutal and dangerous--you can't just strike out on the trail and expect to have a good time. You need to approach it with all the extremes in mind. And not just heat--there is nothing quit as humbling as spending an afternoon thunderstorm gripping a cypress trunk and praying you don't end up a lightening strike statistic.
That being said, I've had some great summer hikes in Florida--especially those that end with a swim in one of our famous springs.
Winter hiking in Florida is our reward for suffering through the heat and rain of the summer.
Some folks like to talk about how boring or flat Florida is. The scenery does not hit you over the head with beauty in the way Yosemite Valley or Shenandoah might. You have to be a little more perceptive to "get" the beauty of Florida's nature--the little things like the morning dew bleeding through the saw grass or the wind singing in the long leaf pine needles or the constantly changing ecosystems. We have one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world--walk twenty yards and you go from pine scrub to oak hammock to riparian marsh and back again. I will admit it can be hard to look past the endless seas of palmetto but that's part of the challenge.
"I am learning nothing in this trivial world of [humans]. I must break away and get out into the mountains to learn the news." --John Muir
X2 on the permethrin. It not only kills ticks, it repels just about every insect - including mosquitoes.
...and filtered swamp pond water still tastes like pond water, even with a fruity powdered drink mix added to it...and when it's 95* farenheit and that's all you have to drink, it can be a challenge to stomach enough to stay hydrated.
I can't stress permethrin enough.... on my AT thru hike I dealt with the bugs then I got to CT and treated my stuff, my head gear was key. It was like a shield around me, I went from gnats in my face all day to 0. I couldn't believe how good it worked. I guess they say it's safe to not leach in your skin right? …. I avoided treating my t-shirt and boxers just incase being the most sweat absorbing things.
NoDoz
nobo 2018 March 10th - October 19th
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I'm just one too many mornings and 1,000 miles behind
I've hiked AT from Springer Approach to Crawford Notch, NH.
I'm thinking of thru hiking the FT starting in early January. Couple of questions...is normal time to thru hike 2-3 months?
Also, I've always used Aquamira for treating my water. Can this be used on the FT? I would think a Sawyer squeeze would gunk up quickly with all of the dirty swamp water...
What is the beat water treatment to use on the FT? Thanks, Bubblehead
Couldn't you pre-filter your water with something like a bandana?
I was going to also suggest the MSR SwweWater SiltStopper pre-filter. It could be used inline with a Sawyer. It's a little awkward as you would have to go from bladder to hose to silt stopper to hose to Sawyer. But I've done it and it works (just not as easy as screwing the Sawyer directly to a dirty water bag). But I see that this pre-filter has been discontinued by the manufacturer, to finding someone who still has it in stock can be difficult (and replacement filters won't be available in the future).
Most people take 2 to 3 months for a through hike. I section hiked an attempted to average 11 miles each day i hiked. The trail is roughly 1100 miles so I figured that's 100 days of hiking. I imagine a thru hiker ill do more miles per day on average.
Most people filter but I don't know why one couldn't use AM. The section between the Seminole Nation and Lake Okeechobee, around 35 miles, I highly recommend caching. The available water is fertilizer laden and nothing will really help. Some areas will have high levels of tannins in the water. Not really a problem unless you're not expecting it.
I hiked from the Oasis Vistors Center to Orlando last Dec/Jan in 28 days. I didnt push very hard. I would guess 60-70 for a thru hike.
I used a Sawyer Squeeze and had no problems. Only needed to use from cypress basins or creeks a few times. The were trail angels that left gallons of water in places where availability was limited. Below is a pic of water after filtered from a creek north of Kissimmee Preserve.
Also, when you enter the Seminole Reservation just before Billies Safari there is a HUGE female pit bull that attacked me. Be careful. Had to fend her off with my hiking poles which she bit into the handles of. Be careful.
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I met a hiker in on the AT in Virginia this summer who was hiking the Eastern Continental Trail who told me he bitten by a dog in Florida.
I gave that pit and and it's friend, a little white dog, a taste of pepper gel. When I saw them coming I knew there was going to be trouble. After the incident I called the tribal police and talked to a leutentent that knew about these dogs. Stopped at Billies and there were three hikers that were attacked by them that morning!
Sorry for your experience, not all barking dogs are bad. Try to read the dogs body language but if you feel threatened be prepared to act.
Last edited by Rustymosin; 10-05-2020 at 11:34.
I think each hike is what you make of it. Coming from the Appalachian Trail the Florida Trail is very difficult because of the long water carries and flat topography. However if you have experience in Wyoming, New Mexico or Southern California, then this trail is a cakewalk. Once you do 36 miles with no water at all and 7 liters on your back, this trail is a piece of cake. It’s better to cut your teeth on the PCT with other hikers to impart wisdom & confidence your way.
Personally I love this trail because I know I have the best optical equipment and the most ultralight kit that has been perfected over the Triple Crown & Colorado Trail. You do the Colorado Trail or John Muir Trail, and the Appalachian Trail is easy at that point. It’s all mental, and having the requisite knowledge on how to perform. You can’t get that from a book...you can’t get that on WhiteBlaze...you get that from putting in the work and learning from the results you derive each day.
I have been 100% sober for over two years now, and I went vegan. That has enabled me to perform at peak level and if you do one of those things it will prime you for ultimate success, not only on the Florida Trail...but on any trail and in life...
Get high on winning the day, making it to the next resupply and savor the small moments and the people you meet and impact along the way of your journey. It’s the people and the towns on the Florida Trail that make it special... live each day like it’s your last and make conversation with the locals.
Yawn....................
Just to throw in my $.02 on mosquitoes on the Colorado Trail: my thruhike dates were July 24-August 30. The mosquitoes were a problem starting on the fifth day or so and lasted about a week. One evening they were so pervasive that I ate my dinner walking around. By about August 10, they were gone.
FYI, my past couple of weekends have been nearly mosquito-free in Juniper Wilderness. A hard freeze is expected in this area Christmas night so bugs will be minimal for a while.