Going to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in about 75 days time, October-December

Thank you to everyone for the helpful comments and suggestions. I have thought over and considered most of this already, but your input is appreciated and has given me more things to focus on in for the month of September as I plan my trip.

I know this time of year will not present the easiest conditions (especially temperatures) for hiking the trail, but I have nothing too important in my life going on for the upcoming few months and next spring/summer I plan on having work and other plans that would make taking three months off to do this more difficult.

The 75 day goal is just a goal, if I can't hike as much as i hope to during quite a few days because of lack of daylight, fatigue, foot issues, etc. then I can certainly take more time tip complete the trail, say 80-90-100 days or so. I just set the goal at 75 so I could finish before Christmas and because I know the winter months will be cold and probably more difficult to hike during.

I have probably spent about $800 in the past month on some gear and have a good dollar amount more that my brother is loaning me. I have put aside $3000 for trip expenses while on the trail in addition to having the necessary funds to cover my bills (car payment/insurance, life insurance, phone, etc. for the months of October-January).

I think all-in-all I have done a good job of planning this far. I currently live in Lake George, NY, the southern Adirondacks, where there are some decent trails to hike. Just yesterday I hiked a 14 mile trail with a backpack weighing about 15 pounds total, and carrying snowshoe poles as hiking sticks (I will be bringing these on the AT with me as well). In the first 3 miles of the trail there was a 1400 foot elevation gain, then a gradual decline over the next 6 or so miles, and the last 5 miles was a little up and down. I completed the hike in four hours and ten minutes, so I averaged just under 18 minutes per mile and this included a 20-25 minute break to go swimming and eat. after hiking 9 miles. I think I can keep this pace for 10-12 hours daily on similar terrain. I realize some areas of the trail will be more difficult and my daily mileage will be less, and there is nothing I can do but accept that fact.

I will of course have a headlamp with me and probably start while its still dark and hike a little into the dark on most days as long as the terrain is not too difficult. I will try to plan my days as best possible so I can sleep in the valleys on most days, rather than at a higher elevation where the cold nights would affect me more uncomfortably. I need to talk with my brother and plan my cold weather gear most effectively over the next few weeks.

I will update my planning/training progress every few days until I begin my hike. Any other advice/input is of course greatly appreciated.

Go to letshike for starters.

DNS

Why not challenge yourself and start in Georgia and finish in Maine in December?

trailjournals.com, broham

If you hike through the night, you should sleep in the shelters not, pitch a tent. When people set up camp in the dark they might accidentally set up near animals trails and will probably trample sensitive vegetation.

For training you should start hiking every day back to back. You can start progressing now and on the trail as well. Get used to moving along.

Understand vapor barriers in your clothing layers and use these for warmth. Also, spend good money on an insulating sleeping pad.

You said you are going to try to run 100 miles and drink 100 beers in 100 hours again when you finish the trail? How do you think three months of hiking and losing all that weight will affect your drinking abilities?

How much money would a trip like this take? How much should I save up if I ever wanted to do this?

Average person needs to buy 1000 worth of gear, maybe an extra thousand on food/emergency on the trail, couple hundred dollars for mail drops, last minute provisions based on needs, transportation to and from trails... I'd say 3 thousand give or take

notdumbtomequestions wrote:

assuming you had to buy everything to get started what would it cost --good guess is fine

what do you eat

how do you cook/heat it

how much water/liquid do you carry

how many food resupply points along the trail

equipment resupply

how much weight to you expect to lose

Yes I know this is not a weight loss plan

will you bulk up a bit to compensate

do couples who do this together have sex

do singles self-pleasure

is there casual sex with fellow travelers

how much of the trail is mostly out of sight of civilization lets say power cables fireroads antennae are expected

thanks

TysonBrock wrote:

The 75 day goal is just a goal, if I can't hike as much as i hope to during quite a few days because of lack of daylight, fatigue, foot issues, etc. then I can certainly take more time tip complete the trail, say 80-90-100 days or so....

I will try to plan my days as best possible so I can sleep in the valleys on most days, rather than at a higher elevation where the cold nights would affect me more uncomfortably.

This flexibility seems a bit more realistic. 100 days is still averaging almost 22 miles a day, pretty fast by AT thru-hiking standards -- but that's a lot more "doable" than averaging 30 miles a day. Still, apart from these various training hikes you mention, it doesn't sound like you have much long-distance backpacking experience. The best preparation is in doing, so hopefully you have time enough in September to actually go on a real "shake down" hike -- maybe a week on Vermont's Long Trail -- to gain a better sense of what you're getting into, and to practice using your newly purchased equipment.

As far as sleeping in valleys, bear in mind that the Appalachian trail tends to follow the high ground. If there's a mountain nearby, you can bet that the trail will go over it. But if you have decent equipment and know how to use it, the cold won't be the main issue. It'll be more the daily wear and tear of getting up every day to put in the miles. The romance wears off pretty quickly, after which you just have to accept that walking a lot is basically your purpose in life. Most people who start the trail w/ the intention of thru-hiking quit because they just burn out mentally and emotionally, not because of a particular physical ailment. "It isn't fun any more." But if you can see each day's hike as your job, you can accept that you're going to have ups and downs, good times and bad times (just like you would at any job), but if you put in a good day's mileage, then you've done your job, and you can take satisfaction in that. Keeping a positive attitude even when you're sore, it's cold, the wind is blowing, rain is falling, the trail is a steep, rocky, muddy mess, and you still have ten miles over a couple of mountains to get to your shelter for the night -- that's your real quest.

Google "Warren Doyle" for a more philosophical slant on the whole thing. He's hiked the trail something like 15, 16 times, and has a useful perspective.

Good luck!

You still haven't answered how you'll get food. There aren't supermarkets on the trail. Most thru-hikers, every three to four days, have to hitch a ride off-trail to a small town for food and laundry. Have you calculated the fact that this takes, on average, probably MOST of a day?

If you went hiking with your buddy, and woke up in the morning with your underwear around your ankles and your @ss hurting, would you tell anyone?

No?

Mind if I join you?

Regarding Elevation: Keep in mind that 1400 ft over 3 miles isn't really a big deal by White Mountain/Maine standards. Some trails on Mt Washington average close to 1000 FT/Mile (just using Tuckerman as example that goes from 2,000+ -6200 in 4.5 miles.

I would be a little worried about potentially finishing in late December. Please read Bill Bryson's book, he starts in Georgia around St. Patricks day and the temperature outside is well below freezing for most of the first week. All im trying to say is Northern Georgia can be a lot colder than people expect.

Not saying you won't accomplish this and I hope you do but many people underestimate the terrain and weather on the AT.

I thru-hiked a few years ago. I wasn't the runner then that I am now...but 35 miles a day is very aggressive. Most 'records' you read about are made with some type of support(a van or car meeting hikers to bring supplies....). Sometimes you can sit on the side of the road for hours waiting for a hitch into town to resupply.... and trust me- you do NOT want to walk an extra 5-10 miles to resupply when you already have a 30 mile day planned. I also planned a record attempt but got sucked into real life. Maybe in 30-40 years when I retire, I will do it again. Make friends, talk for a while, enjoy yourself, build lots of fires and enjoy the views. When it ends, it really ends.

Try running some parts of the trail. It was easier for me and uses different muscle groups than hiking. I did 4 day trip on the AT but actually used running shoes, no problem, although it was summer. Ran about 12, where I could, hiked about 12, for 24/day. I think it will tough to get in 35/day.

TysonBrock wrote:

Just yesterday I hiked a 14 mile trail with a backpack weighing about 15 pounds total, and carrying snowshoe poles as hiking sticks (I will be bringing these on the AT with me as well). In the first 3 miles of the trail there was a 1400 foot elevation gain, then a gradual decline over the next 6 or so miles, and the last 5 miles was a little up and down. I completed the hike in four hours and ten minutes, so I averaged just under 18 minutes per mile and this included a 20-25 minute break to go swimming and eat. after hiking 9 miles. I think I can keep this pace for 10-12 hours daily on similar terrain. I realize some areas of the trail will be more difficult and my daily mileage will be less, and there is nothing I can do but accept that fact.

If you've already admitted you're not in the shape you'd like to be in, I don't think a month of day hikes is going to get you into back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back (that's just week one) 30+ mile days. For one thing, why are you hiking with 10-15lbs when you'll have ~30lbs (calories...) all said and done on the trail?

I genuinely hope you can pull this together, but I agree with others above that you need to check your bravado against the realities of what you're undertaking.

Are you going to post a blog online of your travels? How about picture updates and so forth? How will everyone know how your trip is progressing?

I don't like the idea of "being ok with 90,100,+ days" the days will only get colder, the hiking slower, and your morale lower - I would highly recommend starting earlier. No one wants to wake up at 6:00 to start the day when its 7F out and sun won't be up for another 2 hours.

Look brother, the biggest mistake you can make with hiking or any of these other activities is going into it arrogantly. Thinking you can average 35 a day for your first hike is pure arrogance. I've hiked the AT, continental divide, and PCT all more than once, the AT I've done 4 times. I've also climbed Everest among other things. I am an experienced outdoorsman and have never gone into something as arrogantly as you're approaching this. Be humble or get humbled. It's that simple.

But hey, I usually head to the east coast around October and stay through Christmas. If you find yourself in need of a hiking partner who can log big days, come post on here and maybe I'll join for a few days.

One other note: I think you probably miscalculated your recent hike. I don't think you were doing 18 min miles. Even if you were, there's not way you maintain that pace for more than a day on the trail.

good luck.