Skipping mail drops

[Big Terrapin]

I'm starting mid April and my question for those in the know, Can hiker just skip the mail drops and go town to town.....I'd rather skip waiting around for The Post office and just go from whatever supplies I can scrounge, This can suck up more time and energy then hitting the post office...If things go bad I have family and friends that can send me supplies out of me holy crab box for broken or busted items that I may need....has anyone else here just skipped the post office from start to finish? Any thoughts or Ideas are appreciated.

Thanks for asking, I'm Super

[Lone Wolf]

yes. no need for food mail drops

[AT-HITMAN2005]

not sure what you mean by supplies you can scrounge but there are several outfitters all up and down the trail that can help you replace broken or lost gear. as for food you definitely don't need mail drops, check out the resupply article by baltimore jack in the articles section.

[KG4FAM]

I don't do mail drops unless my family wants to feel involved and send me a box of supplies and goodies. Takes too much planning and I just like to wing it.

[rafe]

I wouldn't bother with maildrops for food nowadays... but for getting from GA to ME, I haven't thought of a way to stay stocked with maps without them. Carrying the complete set would be silly, IMO.

[Kirby]

Read Jack's resupply article in the articles section. I believe in that he gives maybe one-two places where a mail drop might make sense, but I'm sure you can avoid it in those spots as well.

Kirby

[Ashman]

What is your plan for maps? From what I understand, I don't think you want to rely on picking them up as you go

[K-Man]

I didn't rely on mail drops for food at all from GA -> ME and IMO it limits what kind of food you will be eating. How do you know now what you will want to eat after a few months on the trail? I saw a lot of hikers that planned food mail drops for their whole trip. After one month they were giving away all of it and buying what they wanted to eat at a grocery store. If you want to roll into town and buy 5 lbs of oreos to live off of for a few days you can...lol Now that being said there are a few town stops that don't have a large grocery store and you have to resupply out of a gas station or catch a long hitch to another town. A few that come to mind are: Caratunk, Monson, Andover, Glencilff, and Dalton. Now there IS food available there, I made it work, but don't expect fresh fruit and higher end grocery store items. As for maps and other items, I did use a bounce box that I mailed 2-3 weeks ahead as I travelled north.

[fivel]

What is your plan for maps? From what I understand, I don't think you want to rely on picking them up as you go

why not? how would you get them then? confused...

[rafe]

why not? how would you get them then? confused...

The maps you want -- the ATC maps -- are generally only found at outfitters along the way. There aren't that many of them, and the ones there are, are well off the trail. You can't rely on them being in-stock. Plus, it's a lot simpler and more cost-efficient to purchase the entire set from ATC in one go.

[max patch]

. You can't rely on them being in-stock. Plus, it's a lot simpler and more cost-efficient to purchase the entire set from ATC in one go.

I planned on buying some maps at the ATC when I reached Harpers Ferry and even THEY were out of one of the states I needed.

Best time to buy complete set is the annual sale, Thanksgiving to just before Christmas.

[rafe]

I planned on buying some maps at the ATC when I reached Harpers Ferry and even THEY were out of one of the states I needed.

When I was there last summer, I really wanted to buy something light and vaguely useful from the store. The "mapdanna" for the section I was hiking was out of stock...

[Ashman]

why not? how would you get them then? confused...

Sorry I meant, I wouldn't count or rely on buying them along the way as opposed to mailing them.

[Kirby]

I didn't rely on mail drops for food at all from GA -> ME and IMO it limits what kind of food you will be eating. How do you know now what you will want to eat after a few months on the trail? I saw a lot of hikers that planned food mail drops for their whole trip. After one month they were giving away all of it and buying what they wanted to eat at a grocery store. If you want to roll into town and buy 5 lbs of oreos to live off of for a few days you can...lol Now that being said there are a few town stops that don't have a large grocery store and you have to resupply out of a gas station or catch a long hitch to another town. A few that come to mind are: Caratunk, Monson, Andover, Glencilff, and Dalton. Now there IS food available there, I made it work, but don't expect fresh fruit and higher end grocery store items. As for maps and other items, I did use a bounce box that I mailed 2-3 weeks ahead as I travelled north.

I found that the Monson General Store had a decent amount. But you are right, if you want a full grocery store, you need to get a ride to Greenville.

Kirby