Originally Posted by
4eyedbuzzard
USPS regulations instruct offices to hold general delivery mail for up to 30 days. In practice this means that post offices will hold packages from between 14 and 30 days. If their hike is delayed, thru-hikers should call the PO and let them know approximately when they will be in, or give forwarding instructions.
Remember to take a list of hours and PO phone numbers in case needed. Also, plan for the worst case scenario - you get into town late Sat and miss the PO and have to wait until Mon or even Tues (holiday weekend) to get your mail. This is one of the disadvantages of mail drops. First class and Priority can be forwarded for no extra cost provided you don't take possession of the parcel. You can forward it in person, over the phone, or possibly by sending a letter or post card to the postmaster at the office. I wouldn't trust the latter as there's no way of confirming it.
Typically, post offices that are in AT trail towns are very aware of thru-hikers and go out of their way to hold packages for a minimum of 30 days, and many will simply hold them until the end of the NOBO thru-hike season, especially in the north. In my wife's former office in VT they kept thru-hiker boxes on a separate section of shelving and would return to sender any unclaimed boxes in late October/early November to clear space for the increased holiday season mail. [Late season SOBO's take note: Put an anticipated pick up date on any mail drops for this reason.] If they were sent First Class or Priority, and no one made contact, they will without further info generally be returned to the sender's address as Unclaimed - Addressee abandoned or failed to call for mail. And note that Parcel Select (online) or Standard Post (thru USPS) packages cannot be forwarded or returned without additional postage.
Many USPS employees are supportive and enjoy hearing from thru-hikers as they pass though. One of my wife's USPS co-workers just completed (last week) becoming an AMC White Mountain's 4,000 Footer Club Member - all 48 WM 4,000 footers - and in a single year!
BUT, the USPS is undergoing a lot of changes. As Postmasters retire or leave their office, they are now sometimes being replaced by displaced district office people who have little actual experience running an actual office, or staff from non-trail towns. So there is that chance the person running the office is unaware of what through the years has typically been preferential treatment of thru-hiker boxes.
Private businesses like hostels, etc., are a whole different matter. Call and find out.
Some basic USPS info:
1) Mark all boxes "Please Hold for AT Thru-hiker"
2) If you aren't going to claim a package within two weeks of it's arrival at the PO, CALL and let them know, and/or mark an anticipated P/U date on the package, and/or send a post card to the Postmaster. You do have a list of trail PO's and their contact info, right?
3) Fuel (iso-butane canisters, alcohol, Esbit) cannot be sent Priority Mail or First Class (even if you mark it Ground Only ORM-D). It can ONLY be sent by Standard Post/Parcel Select, marked as Ground Only ORM-D. ALL Priority and First Class mail is considered and treated as air mail by default. Even if just mailing to the next town. Anything that can't fly can't go First Class or Priority because of the way the distribution hub system works, plus the chance of forwarding/return, misrouting, etc., and somehow, even accidentally, winding up on an airplane. You will not be able to forward or have these packages returned unless you provide additional postage.