2005 wingfoot book

[cupcake]

i plan on using my 2004 edition, unless there are enough changes in the 2005 edition. i haven't seen the latest edition. can anyone comment on whether or not i can get by with using last years?

[Lone Wolf]

You'll get by just fine with last year's. When you get to town just ask locals if you can't find something or have questions.

[The Solemates]

On our 2004 thru we used a 2000 book. You'll be fine. In fact, if you hike with main crowd you could get away without even needing a book.

[wacocelt]

In fact, if you hike with main crowd you could get away without even needing a book.

Then someone like Mountain Dew will cry and moan about him carrying your extra gear for you.

The 04' will do you justice

[cupcake]

thanks for the input. i only used my 2004 book for 140 miles last season. it wants to go for a walk again, and not be replaced.

[Youngblood]

thanks for the input. i only used my 2004 book for 140 miles last season. it wants to go for a walk again, and not be replaced.

Yeah, I think they have a 2195 mile warranty so you should have plenty on miles left on it.

Youngblood

[Footslogger]

The main thing will be hostel openings/closings and a few trail re-routes, which could add/subtract mileage. Another thing is water sources. The Handbook generally lists them all and has a "?" in front of the ones that are seasonal or iffy. We had so much rain in 2003 that all the "?" water sources were generally fast flowing streams.

I have both the 04 and the 05 version and for what it's worth ...I think the 05 version may be just a tad thinner. If you're carrying a section at a time that would probably not be noticeable though.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[The Weasel]

Although I've elsewhere recommended getting all 3 books, and just carrying the pages you need for each section, you can frankly do without any of them. Water is reasonably abundant along the Trail, shelters are pretty obvious, and part of the excitement of a day is not exactly knowing what's coming up around the corner. After a while, you stop saying, "Gotta walk 19 miles today so I get to Dumshyt Shelter," and say to yourself, "I'll walk until I stop."

Main value to me was that the pages for the rest of the section sort of became something to read at night to go to sleep with, when I finished reading my Bible (not selling religion here...but the Bible is the most compact couple thousand pages of stories and other stuff available and yes, I compared it to the smallest versions of Shakespeare), and to tell me where the hiker friendly AYCE in the next town was, when I got sick of my pasta.

The Weasel

[MOWGLI]

Although I've elsewhere recommended getting all 3 books, and just carrying the pages you need for each section, you can frankly do without any of them. Water is reasonably abundant along the Trail, shelters are pretty obvious, and part of the excitement of a day is not exactly knowing what's coming up around the corner.

Water is reasonably abundant in normal rainfall years. '99 & '01 were anything but normal rainfall years along the trail in New York. It was as dry & dessicated as could be. In fact, it was so dry in '99 that the trees just dropped their leaves in late August. Even in '00, while the Southern Appalachians were wet, Maine was experiencing a drought. Three weeks with no rain can affect many water sources along the trail.

For that reason, as well as others, I would strongly suggest that all hikers carry a listing of water sources along the trail while they hike.

[The Weasel]

Mowgli is right, and prudent. But if you're gram-stripping, and a little apprehensive about water, carry the Data Book pages for a couple of sections only. Even then, my basic attitude was that I always carried 2 liters of water, and topped off anytime I was down to 1. Using iodine made that pretty easy.

Best book about such things, of course, is the one you don't have to buy: Shelter registers. I never went/will go past a shelter without reading the pages for the last week or so, which almost always includes a few people moving the other way who will usually mention any problems (including lack of water or hostile Army Rangers with big guns and no sense of humor) they encountered.

Shelter registers also will tell you, if you have the time (at night, if you stay at one, it's ideal) a lot more current info about where to stay and where not to stay or go in trail towns. Frankly, I strongly suspect that book writers get a huge amount of their info each year from shelter register info.

It's also cool to carry a blank notebook to leave at the occasional shelter without one, or where one is full - always return to the person who left it if it's full.

The Weasel

[TJ aka Teej]

Use what you have, more of a chance for discovery and surprise.

[MOWGLI]

It's also cool to carry a blank notebook to leave at the occasional shelter without one, or where one is full - always return to the person who left it if it's full.

Some trail clubs claim ownership to all shelter registers for historical purposes. The PATC is one of those clubs. While that rankles some hikers, please respect the wishes of the local trail clubs in this regard. Since they make the trail possible for us to hike, the least we can do is let them keep the registers if they so desire.

[The Weasel]

Mowgli's wrong, and right, and it doesn't matter, about Shelter Registers.

Trail clubs that "claim" a right to own shelter registers are probably right in their claim only if they have left the register there in the first place, or if they make it manifest (a sign, for instance) that "any register left in this shelter for X days will be considered abandoned and the property of Trail Club." Beyond that, a register belongs to whoever left it there, even without a name (which makes it a little hard to figure out ownership, but trust me, such things have been litigated about writings). Legally - and a few will recall that my Trail Name indicates why I can speak fairly authoritativly on this - there's no difference between a notebook that says "Shelter Register for Dymwyt Shelter" and a notebook that says "My Notebook" with each of them saying, "Return to Me". Mine, as both the seagulls in Finding Nemo and the law says, is mine.

That being the case, I think it a commendable act of grace to take a moment to find out how different trail clubs feel about registers, and, if the trail club feels so, to make such a notation at the front of the registers you leave behind and have it sent to the club. Mowgli's right: They are the ones who make the Trail as good as it is, and it is a generous thing to do.


The Weasel

[Lugnut]

I have the books but don't carry them. As part of my getting ready to hit the trail I transfer all the useful information such as water, campsites, etc, onto my ATC map and just carry that.

P S - Mowgli, loved you on Dennis Miller. Happy retirement!

[MOWGLI]

Mowgli's wrong, and right, and it doesn't matter, about Shelter Registers.

The Weasel

Actually, I'm not wrong at all. Please re-read my post. There is nothing at all that is factually or legally inaccurate in what I said.

[The Weasel]

OK. I surrender. Mowgli's right, right, and right. PATC is wrong. But be nice to them, PATC is far nicer to us.

The Weasel

[c63]

I just get on the trail and follow the blazes till I hit a road im comfortable to hitch on. Maps are to heavy I just carry my food and which consists of 25 packgages of ramen noddles crushed into very small pieces in a ziplock bag (so I don't need a fork) 10 Snickers bars cut in squares in zip lock , and one canister of gatorade mix in same. With all that wieght im carring i don't have room in my custom designed hefty sack for much else beside the clothes on my back and my 2LB sack (bag) you don't need maps or guides on the trail ... just Wing It ... LOL