37 Maps 17 Mail Drops

[GeneralLee10]

The list here is for maps only I tried to make my choices close to the end/beginning of a map. The map/s that I am done with will try and mail them home when possible. It would be helpful for me if you that have done this before could give me some input. If you see a spot that could be moved and why just say so I can look into it. Thank You



1) Blueberry Patch Hostel

2) Fontana Village, Nc

3) Standing Bear Farm

4) Erwin, Tn

5) Damascus, Va

6) Pearisburg, Va

7) Glasgow, Va

8) Waynesboro, Va

9) Luray, Va

10) Harpers Ferry, Wv

11) Boiling Springs, Pa

12) Delaware Water Gap, Pa

13) Great Barrington, Ma

14) Hanover, Nh

15) Gorham, Nh / Pinkham Notch

16) Stratton, Me

17) Monson, Me

[Johnny Swank]

I had more maildrops than that for food +maps. Never again. While carrying extra maps are a pain, I'd cut the number of places in half and carry the extra weight. You can always send home maps as us use them if you happen to be in a town.

If you haven't already bought them, you may want to consider purchasing some along the way or buying a half set. Maybe buy half now, then the other half once you get to Harper's Ferry. Not saying you won't make it, but the fact is that 75% don't.

[Jack Tarlin]

Seems like a lot of drops to me, too, especially if you're planning to include food at all these spots. Keep in mind that many of the places you cited have perfectly good supermarkets, i.e. there is no rerason whatsoever to send food to many of these places.

In other words, I hope some of your mail spots are JUST for maps or small things, otherwise you'll be spending a lot of money needlessly on postage. Sending big boxes of food to towns that have enormous supermarkets is a waste.

[GeneralLee10]

Yes the maildrops are for maps and some small items. I do not see the need to carry many maps. At most I will have 4 maps and that is after Ga. My food I will get in the towns that I pass through and pick up my maps. Most of the spots show in the companion there is a grocery store of some kind. The idea is to carry as less as possible at the start. This way it will asure me that I will finish and not hurt myself in the begining try-n to be He-man.

Seems like a lot of drops to me, too, especially if you're planning to include food at all these spots. Keep in mind that many of the places you cited have perfectly good supermarkets, i.e. there is no rerason whatsoever to send food to many of these places.

In other words, I hope some of your mail spots are JUST for maps or small things, otherwise you'll be spending a lot of money needlessly on postage. Sending big boxes of food to towns that have enormous supermarkets is a waste.

[Blissful]

Wow you have a lot of maps to carry betw PA and MA drops for NY and CT. Might consider a drop inbetween.

[GeneralLee10]

now this is what I was expecting Thank you. So I had a problem making a choice in some spots. This is where I needed some input from people that know the trail. To you, what would be some spots to think about. My plan was to mail the maps home when done with them. Tell me please what should I look into as far as the towns go and places that are good to use. Thank You!

Wow you have a lot of maps to carry betw PA and MA drops for NY and CT. Might consider a drop inbetween.

[sleegunn]

I am not speaking from experience since I have never thru-hiked, but I live in Unionville, NY and we are very hiker friendly here (note that the post office does close at lunch time for an hour - very small town!). I am sure there will be plenty of experienced hikers that can weigh in on the best places, but I wanted to give my new hometown a plug.

[sarahgirl]

I am not speaking from experience since I have never thru-hiked, but I live in Unionville, NY and we are very hiker friendly here (note that the post office does close at lunch time for an hour - very small town!). I am sure there will be plenty of experienced hikers that can weigh in on the best places, but I wanted to give my new hometown a plug.

I will vouch for him...I spent my 21st birthday at the Backtrack Inn if I remember correctly, slept in a hostel aka broom closet located right next to the bar. It was great. Got really drunk with the locals and owners of the bar, they closed the bar and we partied until early morning, and even the next day they gave us a ride up to the trail. Hiker friendly town I'll say!

[bobbyw]

I think it looks fine.

[flyingturtle]

I am not speaking from experience since I have never thru-hiked, but I live in Unionville, NY and we are very hiker friendly here (note that the post office does close at lunch time for an hour - very small town!). I am sure there will be plenty of experienced hikers that can weigh in on the best places, but I wanted to give my new hometown a plug.

And the sub sandwiches at the store are most excellent!

[Spokes]

lndwlkr, Just curious but why all the maps? Most thru's do just fine carrying the handbook. If I did it over again I would only consider maps covering New Hampshire.

[Blissful]

lndwlkr, Just curious but why all the maps? Most thru's do just fine carrying the handbook. If I did it over again I would only consider maps covering New Hampshire.

It is a safety issue. And if you get lost (we did and glad I had maps), get hurt or someone else does, you need a bail, avoid a t-storm, look for a quick camp site, a map can show you where you are. I would never skimp on map to save weight or anything else, no way.

I really dislike it when people come on here saying don't carry a map to save weight or mail drop. Or you can simple "follow the little ol' white blazes" like the yellow brick road as if carrying a map is purely infantile. That to me is stupid advice. SO what if your particular thru goes fine without it? Someone else's might not and your advice could make or break it (more people than not do not finish because of injury or other things). You can go hike without one. But don't advocate to someone else to go without it.

End of rant.

[GeneralLee10]

I would carry a map all the time. I just hiked the first 30 miles of the AT last month. I had the first few pages of the 2009 App. Pgs and the info was incorrect, said there was one stream before Stover Creek shelter and that is not true. I found that there was two crossings the one before the shelter had a bridge. The one before that was not noted in the App Pgs., and I was using the pgs only Yup had to get "THE MAP" out and what do you know it was correct (The Map) in this area and the pgs were what NOT correct. I am by no means saying anything Bad about the Author/s of the Book as humans do make errors and land does change over time. I was in the Surveying business for 13 years and a map to me is a must have.

[ShoelessWanderer]

It is a safety issue. And if you get lost (we did and glad I had maps), get hurt or someone else does, you need a bail, avoid a t-storm, look for a quick camp site, a map can show you where you are. I would never skimp on map to save weight or anything else, no way.

I really dislike it when people come on here saying don't carry a map to save weight or mail drop. Or you can simple "follow the little ol' white blazes" like the yellow brick road as if carrying a map is purely infantile. That to me is stupid advice. SO what if your particular thru goes fine without it? Someone else's might not and your advice could make or break it (more people than not do not finish because of injury or other things). You can go hike without one. But don't advocate to someone else to go without it.

End of rant.

Very nice rant.

[Spokes]

It is a safety issue. And if you get lost (we did and glad I had maps), get hurt or someone else does, you need a bail, avoid a t-storm, look for a quick camp site, a map can show you where you are. I would never skimp on map to save weight or anything else, no way.

I really dislike it when people come on here saying don't carry a map to save weight or mail drop. Or you can simple "follow the little ol' white blazes" like the yellow brick road as if carrying a map is purely infantile. That to me is stupid advice. SO what if your particular thru goes fine without it? Someone else's might not and your advice could make or break it (more people than not do not finish because of injury or other things). You can go hike without one. But don't advocate to someone else to go without it.

End of rant.

Yes, nice rant indeed! I almost broke out in a sweat reading it.

Anyone know if there's been any past polls on WB regarding the topic? It'd be sort of fun seeing the percentages of people who used just the handbook, handbook and maps, or just maps.........

[Graywolf]

This is a very good thread. One that needs discussing for I too have been told not to go without maps, which I find to be a premature way of thinking when hiking. ALWAYS go with maps. Even if you know the way, you may run into someone who is lost and can lead them in the right direction.

What happened to the companion, I thought by changing it, it was to be much lighter and take up less space? When I recieved mine, I could not believe how heavy it was. My 2004 companion is only 3 1/2 inches wide and weighs mere ozs. This new one is almost 6 inches and weighs a ton. I left mine on the bunk at Neels Gap. It was just too heavy and never used it once. The maps and guide books was just fine and gave me all the info I needed.

Ditto to the post on inaccuracy, I too was coming to streams that were not metioned in the guide book. I made a note of them and moved on.

I hope ALDHA goes back to the companions previous format.

[whitelightning]

The list here is for maps only I tried to make my choices close to the end/beginning of a map. The map/s that I am done with will try and mail them home when possible. It would be helpful for me if you that have done this before could give me some input. If you see a spot that could be moved and why just say so I can look into it. Thank You



1) Blueberry Patch Hostel

2) Fontana Village, Nc

3) Standing Bear Farm

4) Erwin, Tn

5) Damascus, Va

6) Pearisburg, Va

7) Glasgow, Va

8) Waynesboro, Va

9) Luray, Va

10) Harpers Ferry, Wv

11) Boiling Springs, Pa

12) Delaware Water Gap, Pa

13) Great Barrington, Ma

14) Hanover, Nh

15) Gorham, Nh / Pinkham Notch

16) Stratton, Me

17) Monson, Me

You can easily trim this list down a bit. Eliminate 3 & 4 and have a drop in Hot Springs instead. Eliminate #9 Luray. Consider using the waysides in SNP and resupply in Front Royal if that is a concern. I'd skip #11 and have a drop at Duncannon or Port Clinton to spread the weight of the PA maps out (the ones I had were single-sided). Otherwise it looks OK.

[emerald]

This list, once tweaked, should be linked to ATC Maps List. There are more drops than necessary. Keep in mind the postage involved and the actual weight of the maps.

These maps don't weigh much. Sometime someone should actually weigh them on an accurate scale that registers grams. Then we can talk numbers and poke holes in some of the silly stuff posted here.

[take-a-knee]

I thought the Blueberry Hostel was closed. I'd get shuttled to the Hiawasse Inn myself. There is a Weis's Supermarket there that has everything you'll need.

[*Monkey*]

This is a very good thread. One that needs discussing for I too have been told not to go without maps, which I find to be a premature way of thinking when hiking. ALWAYS go with maps. Even if you know the way, you may run into someone who is lost and can lead them in the right direction.

What happened to the companion, I thought by changing it, it was to be much lighter and take up less space? When I recieved mine, I could not believe how heavy it was. My 2004 companion is only 3 1/2 inches wide and weighs mere ozs. This new one is almost 6 inches and weighs a ton. I left mine on the bunk at Neels Gap. It was just too heavy and never used it once. The maps and guide books was just fine and gave me all the info I needed.

Ditto to the post on inaccuracy, I too was coming to streams that were not metioned in the guide book. I made a note of them and moved on.

I hope ALDHA goes back to the companions previous format.

One option to avoid carrying heavy maps / guidebooks without ditching them altogether would be to start a bump box. Check out my article on how to do this on HubPages:

http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Bump-Box...u-Hikers-Guide

Anything is possible,

*Monkey*