Has anyone hiked the Appalachian Trail?

[bigbet1234]

A friend and I are doing a section in July. We are starting in the Smokies and heading north. We are planning for 30 days, could be longer. Not sure.

Any tips or stories from your experience?

 

[Avocado33]

How long of a section are you doing?

Dried food is good (and delicious)

Have hiked sections of it but more in the northern parts .

The region you’re in should be easy as far as the actual hiking part goes though it should be pretty warm. Know where the natural springs are along the way for hydration

 

[StevieRay]

What part of a smokies starting at?

 

[bigbet1234]

How long of a section are you doing?

Dried food is good (and delicious)

Have hiked sections of it but more in the northern parts .

The region you’re in should be easy as far as the actual hiking part goes though it should be pretty warm. Know where the natural springs are along the way for hydration

Not sure. We might go all the way or we might stop at 30 days. We don't really have a plan. I've been watching a lot of videos. I know it starts in Springer, Ga. But her family is vacationing in Gatlinburg in July and she is living in Colombia right now, but moving back in July.

I've read good things about the dried food. I know I want my pack to be as light as possible. We are most likely doing hammock camping, hostels and a few hotels to charge are devices because we are both filming it.

 

[bigbet1234]

What part of a smokies starting at?

Near Gatlinburg I imagine. Her family will be there and she is flying in from Colombia. And I'm about a 4.5 hour drive from there.

 

[StevieRay]

Near Gatlinburg I imagine. Her family will be there and she is flying in from Colombia. And I'm about a 4.5 hour drive from there.

I’ll reach out when have a few. Traveling today. Light is key. Good boots are key. Had one girl lose three toenails hiking. Slowed us down a lot and painful for her

 

[Bozzie]

Not sure. We might go all the way or we might stop at 30 days. We don't really have a plan. I've been watching a lot of videos. I know it starts in Springer, Ga. But her family is vacationing in Gatlinburg in July and she is living in Colombia right now, but moving back in July.

I've read good things about the dried food. I know I want my pack to be as light as possible. We are most likely doing hammock camping, hostels and a few hotels to charge are devices because we are both filming it.

I did the John muir a bunch of years ago.
Send food ahead it'll make you life a lot easier...pretty sure the app trail has cache boxes...You can even get a pizza delivered at a few of the way stations..or I've been told.

Plan then plan again..30 days is a good long hike ..Go with lighter shoes or invest in a great pair of Danners.
25 pounds is considered a lightweight pack, all the stuff you'll need gets heavy quick.

I'm jealous ..enjoy!

 

[bigbet1234]

I did the John muir a bunch of years ago.
Send food ahead it'll make you life a lot easier...pretty sure the app trail has cache boxes...You can even get a pizza delivered at a few of the way stations..or I've been told.

Plan then plan again..30 days is a good long hike ..Go with lighter shoes or invest in a great pair of Danners.
25 pounds is considered a lightweight pack, all the stuff you'll need gets heavy quick.

I'm jealous ..enjoy!

Thanks. Yea. I need to find a good shoe. I want to wear gym shoes but I know that’s a bad idea. I have 3 months to figure everything out. I’m binge watching YT videos now. Ha

 

[bigbet1234]

I’ll reach out when have a few. Traveling today. Light is key. Good boots are key. Had one girl lose three toenails hiking. Slowed us down a lot and painful for her

Thanks brother. Yea! I don’t want o lose a toenail. Haha.

The girl I’m going with is a ICU nurse, so that’s helpful. Ha

 

[Bozzie]

Thanks. Yea. I need to find a good shoe. I want to wear gym shoes but I know that’s a bad idea. I have 3 months to figure everything out. I’m binge watching YT videos now. Ha

The trails are good..you don't need anything too extreme shoe wise plus you walk through towns if you need new shoes.
I'd also carry at last 15 pounds of Gold Bond J/K..I did some weird looking bowlegged walking on a few days...that wasn't good.

 

[festeringZit]

Have hiked northern parts in Vermont and New Hampshire...

 

[bigbet1234]

The trails are good..you don't need anything too extreme shoe wise plus you walk through towns if you need new shoes.
I'd also carry at last 15 pounds of Gold Bond J/K..I did some weird looking bowlegged walking on a few days...that wasn't good.

I worry about that too. Lol

 

[bigbet1234]

Have hiked northern parts in Vermont and New Hampshire...

Just day hikes?

 

[festeringZit]

Just day hikes?

No, but nothing greater than 2-3 days...

 

[StevieRay]

And as long as you can out run her you should be fine with the black bears

 

[rwjr]

And as long as you can out run her you should be fine with the black bears

LOL ?

 

[bigbet1234]

And as long as you can out run her you should be fine with the black bears

Hahahaha

 

[Avocado33]

Not sure. We might go all the way or we might stop at 30 days. We don't really have a plan. I've been watching a lot of videos. I know it starts in Springer, Ga. But her family is vacationing in Gatlinburg in July and she is living in Colombia right now, but moving back in July.

I've read good things about the dried food. I know I want my pack to be as light as possible. We are most likely doing hammock camping, hostels and a few hotels to charge are devices because we are both filming it.

The northern part is really the toughest, but definitely the coolest. The White Mountains in New Hampshire are fun. Vermont portion is pretty nice on the Long Trail. If not on this trek, I strongly encourage you to go up to New England and do some of that portion

30 days is a long one -- good luck

 

[festeringZit]

The northern part is really the toughest, but definitely the coolest. The White Mountains in New Hampshire are fun. Vermont portion is pretty nice on the Long Trail. If not on this trek, I strongly encourage you to go up to New England and do some of that portion

30 days is a long one -- good luck

My buddies and I, when we were in our 20's, hiked to the top of Mount Washington in the middle of the winter. We got snowed in, sleeping in a lean-to on the way up and woke up covered in snow.

The highest surface wind speeds ever recorded are up there, it's amazing to experience. You jump up in the air and land 10-15 feet away.

https://www.mountwashington.org/about-us/history/world-record-wind.aspx

 

[festeringZit]

My buddies and I, when we were in our 20's, hiked to the top of Mount Washington in the middle of the winter. We got snowed in, sleeping in a lean-to on the way up and woke up covered in snow.

The highest surface wind speeds ever recorded are up there, it's amazing to experience. You jump up in the air and land 10-15 feet away.

https://www.mountwashington.org/about-us/history/world-record-wind.aspx

In amazing amount of people have died up there...

https://949whom.com/the-shocking-number-of-people-who-have-died-hiking-mt-washington/

According to NH Magazine, there have been a total of 161 fatalities on Mount Washington since 1849. That's a relatively high number, almost half the number of people who have died attempting to climb Mount Everest.
The most common causes of death on the mountain include falls, hypothermia, and heart attacks.