Appalachian trail hikers

U

USS Worden 352

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Jul 27, 2013
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Has anyone here hiked the AT? Those of you who have hiked the trail did you hike it it in one go or in sections?
 
We've done a few sections. Have not hiked the whole trail (either in sections, or in one go). Still looking forward to doing a "one go" pass at least once.
 
I've done about 3/4 of the total AT, a few long 3-weekish trips, some shorter sections many times over.

-Peter
 
My wife and I hiked sections back in the early 1970's as part of a college class, "Geomorphology of the Southern Appalachians" The world has revolved many times since then so I don't think my experiences would be of much help to you today. Except to say that I still fondly remember the experience forty some odd years later. And given the opportunity to repeat my life, would do it again.
 
Codger, you took a Geomorph class... cool. Were you a geology major?

I have hiked a few secions in the Southern Appalachians as dayhikes, but never had the desire for larger sections of the AT. My next door neighbor has hiked the entire length a couple times. He's pretty hard core. Age and bad knees are about to keep him from doing many more of those runs. He did about 3/4ths last year.
 
Read Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods", it's a very entertaining, informational book about a middle-aged man's through walk of the AT.
 
22-rimfire said:
Codger, you took a Geomorph class... cool. Were you a geology major?
.
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It was a gravy class with a long, fun field trip at the end. An easy A to fluff out my credits in a different major. But it led to a lot of hiking trips with my wife over the years after that. I tried to get backtuit in more recent years but alas too late. So I've stuck with using a canoe to get out beyond where the sidewalk ends.
 
I've done the first 220 miles thru N Ga and a good portion of NC. Mostly doing 1 week-long solo hikes. A good amount of those miles I've done multi times as well as both directions. I was hardcore for a long time. Hiking along with the thru hiker glut is always a unique experience too, imo. You meet all kinds and experience levels. ..and from all over the country/world.

I live up relatively high up a holler just below the AT up on the 4000' ridgeline up the mtn 1 mile (as the crow flies), while gaining about 1000' vertical. steep. Anyway, so because of, I'll do local sections of it combined with the Bartram trail or others, and then be able to hike back to the house.

I also work sometimes at the NOC in the Nanty Gorge. Family members work there too. So it seems I'm always seeing north..and later on, south bounders in, and around the region. I also try to be a Trail Angel when I have the resources. Like when I go over Stecoah Gap(which I know is a dry gap. and the last water source is several mtn miles farther back) and if I see any obvious thru hikers, I'll pull in and offer what water that I might have. Sometimes a gallon of water(I typically carry resources in the truck) or more. To a hiker that stuff is gold (and especially at this particular gap)on the trail and one of the only 3 basic concerns while on any mileage hike..food, water, shelter.
 
I've done Maine and NH in week-long sections. I'll probably continue South next year.
 
Quite a bit of the NY/NJ/PA parts of the AT but only with day packs. Is there any particular reason you are asking?

I try to deliver some AT Trail Magic for the folks who are actually hiking it with a pack. It can be a beast in the humidity and heat of summer in my area. My brother in law recently did 60 miles out of a possible 100 miles in 6 days near Vermont. He messed up his knee carrying 50lbs of gear so he had to cut his trip short. He trained for the trip too, but the weight of the gear was too much. (He actually mailed his tent back to himself so that he could save on weight and used the shelters along the trail.


Have you been here?
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hiking/thru-section-hiking
 
Codger_64 said:
My wife and I hiked sections back in the early 1970's as part of a college class, "Geomorphology of the Southern Appalachians".
Click to expand...

I received a BS in Geology 29 years ago. If I had it to do over again, I'd have borrowed money and immediately entered a geology or geophysics postgraduate program.
 
Skrapmetal said:
A thru hike is on my bucket list.
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I'm with you on that one. I have done different sections through Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. My last trip was just over 30 mi. in the Smokies. If I can get the time I want to do the AT through the Smokies, about 70 mi.
 
Did most of it when I was a teen with my family, and sections later as an adult. It has always been one of the best times of my life.
 
Raindog101, how long did it take? Cost? Gear used? What time of year did you star ? What key words of advice for someone doing the thru?
 
Beginning of May used to be the traditional start time, when heading north(a bit later for the N bounders) . But now, its not uncommon to see(I live next to the trail in the NC mtns) hikers starting as early as Jan 1 or even sooner. The shelters get crazy full at peak times. Especially in the Smokys where you have to use the shelters. Remember tho, that the days are short and it gets serious cold with sometimes deep snow, that time of yr in the N Ga and NC mtns.

Edit:this is KDuckys Brother using one of my Late brothers old accounts at our parents home.
 
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