trip planning from Australia

[Perthite]

G'day
I am planning to visit NE USA in Novemeber and would love to be able to hike the AT for a few days. The problem is I will not be able to take my camping gear. Is there a section of about 3/4 days where accomodation is available and I can walk 'bed to bed'.
Can anyone help?

Perthite

[wilconow]

well, if you have the money
http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/huts/huts-map.cfm

[ffstenger]

I mostly hike on the southern half of the trail, so I don't know about New
England states. But I would think that a near-by outfitter would rent you
some basic equipment to make a 3-4 day trip possible. How'bout it?? any
NE'ers know of someone who can help and Aussie out

[fiddlehead]

Check out some Bed and Breakfast places possibly around Connecticut or Mass. although i agree you'd get more of an experience if you could come up with some gear and sleep out. Also the hut system in the whites might work well for you if you can afford them. You'd still need some warm clothes and possibly a sleeping bag but you could rent them somewhere around N Conway i'm sure. That's the most scenic part anyway. good luck

[saimyoji]

I have an old sleeping bag, old tent, old pack, old other stuff I'd be willing to rent you for a smile.

You'd have to come to PA to get them though. Isn't there someone who lives in NH that has some old gear, and is friendly to hikers, and posts here on WB?

[John S]

You posted under Hostels and Lodging in Maine – are you limited to Maine? If not, how far from Maine are you willing to go? Where you choose to hike is important because November could be either early winter or mid autumn. If you check some of the trail condition reports from last November at http://www.viewsfromthetop.com/index-vftt.html you’ll notice a substantial difference between conditions in NH and ME vs. those in MA and CT.
Only three of the AMC huts are open in November, none of them serve food and you’ll still need a sleeping bag (winter-rated). Tents, sleeping bags and winter gear can be rented at IME and Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) in North Conway and at many EMS stores in New England.
Day hiking from a B&B or motel will also solve the equipment issue. If you can get to western MA, local bus service and a taxi or two opens lots of possibilities. The bus crosses the AT in North Adams, Cheshire and Dalton and gets within a few miles (3-5 or so) of the crossings at Blotz or Pittsfield Roads east of Pittsfield, US 20 east of Lee, MA 23 in Great Barrinton and US 7 in Sheffield. That’s about 70 miles of the AT. See the links below.
http://www.ime-usa.com/catalog/index.html
http://www.ems.com/
http://berkshireplanning.org/3/2/4/#1
http://berkshireplanning.org/3/2/download/BRTA_Fixed_Route_Map.pdf

[mrc237]

Where are you planning to visit?

[Pacific Tortuga]

Perth, great place to visit, surf and hike a long trail ? Have you hiked any of the Bibbulmun Track or in New Zealand ? I met some Gary's in South Africa 8 years ago, told them to look me up and I think they posted it at a Rustys surf shop and they've been visiting ever sence. "Bobs your Uncle" and Im just another seppo take care and good luck mate. If I meet you on the trail we can go get piss't, but no Foster's (Wallaby urine)

[wakapak]

Depends kind of on where you plan to visit...the more nothern you go in NE the colder and more snow likely. I am from NH, and as someone mentioned on another post, you could possibly rent gear that you may need from local outfitters ( in NH there EMS-eastern mountain sports that you could rent from ) or you could check the AMC huts, although quite a few of them are closed in november for the winter. Your best option would be to either rent the gear to do 3 to 4 days of actual backpacking or staying at lodges/bed and breakfast/hotels and doing day trips.
just returned from australia myself, was in melbourne for a week and loved it!! beautiful area, beautiful country, beautiful people!