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2011-03-09 9:58 AM
in reply to: #3388949

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Expert
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Central Mass
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail

If I move back east, I'm gonna do a couple sections at least.

I'm doing a ~70 mile section of the PCT this summer.

 

If you want something really hardcore with an even smaller window, look at the north country trail.  4600 miles from central North Dakota to the Lake Champlain shore in New York.  As far as I can tell, only about a dozen people have thru-hiked it.



2011-03-10 1:16 AM
in reply to: #3388949

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Tx
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail

I've hiked parts of the AT in NC and TN. Love it!  

The shelters usually have a ziploc bag w/ a notebook inside.  It's fun reading about others' adventures and writing your own in it... but you're gonna need to think of an awesome "trail name"...

And yes, be prepared for mice/rats if you stay in the shelters... 

2011-03-10 6:32 AM
in reply to: #3391263

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the Alabama part of Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
pistuo - 2011-03-10 2:16 AM

I've hiked parts of the AT in NC and TN. Love it!  

The shelters usually have a ziploc bag w/ a notebook inside.  It's fun reading about others' adventures and writing your own in it... but you're gonna need to think of an awesome "trail name"...

And yes, be prepared for mice/rats if you stay in the shelters... 

One does not give themselves their own trail name.  It is bestowed by one's fellow hikers. That is in part how I got the gearboy moniker, while my SIL's husband got named "Low Tech" on the same trip, as he used a pack from the 70's, used a stick as a hiking pole, and generally had little of the gadgetry that I favor.

2011-03-10 6:43 AM
in reply to: #3388949

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Master
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Ferndale, MI
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail

I've not hiked it but once you get into the Nantahala Gorge, look for the train and wave at the conductor.....he's my future step-dad.

2011-03-10 8:36 AM
in reply to: #3388949

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Elite
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South Florida
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail

Is Max still on here?  I think he might have done it.

2011-03-10 10:13 AM
in reply to: #3388949

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Colorful Colorado
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
I've spent 3 months on the PCT (northern half) and about 6 weeks on the CDT many years ago.  Some of the best experiences of my life!  The logistics can be a pain in the a$$, but don't let that distract you from what can be an awesomely freeing experience.


2011-03-10 10:52 AM
in reply to: #3389009

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Champion
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Eat Cheese or Die
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
I've done almost all of the Trail through PA. I never bothered with the lowland south of michaux state forest and between South Mountain and the Blue Ridge in central PA.

I've also been on several sections in NC, NJ and NY

I once read an article in Backpacker that proclaimed the Pennsylvania portion as the place boots go to die. It's seriously rocky, and seriously beautiful hiking.

I would love to through hike it. It will have to wait till my kids are grown up now. Another approach I may take is what a older man I worked with did. Every year he and a couple friends would hike a section. They started at the south end, and every year they would start where they finished the year previously. He was supposed to finish last year, but one of his hiking companions was sick. This thread reminds me I need to get in touch with him and see if they completed it or are doing it this year..

- My daughter on her first AT outing at 11 months old. Mount Mitchell in NC

- Portion of the AT north of Allentown, PA called Knife Edge. We are sitting on the middle of the trail. You can see the white blaze on the rock in the foreground in front of the girl in the green shirt.

- The view from Knife Edge.



(AT in NC.JPG)



(Knife Edge.JPG)



(Knife Edge View.JPG)



Attachments
----------------
AT in NC.JPG (79KB - 15 downloads)
Knife Edge.JPG (48KB - 12 downloads)
Knife Edge View.JPG (39KB - 16 downloads)
2011-03-10 1:45 PM
in reply to: #3388949

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Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
If you figure out when any of you will be thru Virginia, I'm willing to figure out time to try and pull the Shenandoah National Park section.  However, they do call Virginia the burnout section, simply because there are so many miles from one end to the other.  This would probably be the ideal time to have company.  It is only 2 hours away from me so please message me.  I'm trying to do it in the July/August time period as I'll be back from my Mt. Rainier trip and between races. 
2011-03-10 2:01 PM
in reply to: #3389053

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Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
aquagirl - 2011-03-08 5:57 PM

Have you read A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson?

This is a hilarious look at the authors attempt to hike the AT.

Interspersed with tons of factual and historical info.

A great read.

 

i love this book.  I got it unabridged on audio as well. My fave part is where he describes the weather in Vermont: 9 months of snow followed by 3 months of very poor sledding. 

I grew up on the AT in Maine.  I have been mulling a North to South trip starting at end of summer with Katahdin... 

2011-03-10 4:30 PM
in reply to: #3388949

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PNW
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail

When I was 29 a girlfriend and I were planning this.  We'd  collected the gear and were staking out our shipment spots when she was in a bad car accident.  She was physically ok, but it destroyed her financially so we had to cancel.  Then I went back to school and started a new career, and then got married and then.... well, it never happened.

I have hiked parts of the AT in 8 states though.  My favorite was a week up in Baxter State Park and Katahdin (northern terminus).  Maybe I'll talk my husband into the thru-hike when we retire.   We did get our first glimpse of the PCT this past summer and I'm dying to see more of that route now that we are out west.

Have a great time though - I'm jealous!!

2011-03-10 4:31 PM
in reply to: #3388949

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Mt Pleasant, SC
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail

Hello

Mark Sanford is out of office now.  Maybe he can finish his hike.  

No his wife told him to take a hike.

Kevin



2011-03-10 5:37 PM
in reply to: #3388949

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Irvine, California
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail

Just noticed a Wired.com article about a 4 minute-ish video that Kevin Gallagher made of the trail.  It's pretty cool:

http://www.wired.com/playbook/2011/03/video-appalachian-trail

http://vimeo.com/20218520

 

I would love to hike some or all of the AT at some point in my life.

 

2011-03-14 5:22 PM
in reply to: #3391333

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Tennessee
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
gearboy - 2011-03-10 6:32 AM
pistuo - 2011-03-10 2:16 AM

I've hiked parts of the AT in NC and TN. Love it!  

The shelters usually have a ziploc bag w/ a notebook inside.  It's fun reading about others' adventures and writing your own in it... but you're gonna need to think of an awesome "trail name"...

And yes, be prepared for mice/rats if you stay in the shelters... 

One does not give themselves their own trail name.  It is bestowed by one's fellow hikers. That is in part how I got the gearboy moniker, while my SIL's husband got named "Low Tech" on the same trip, as he used a pack from the 70's, used a stick as a hiking pole, and generally had little of the gadgetry that I favor.

Gearboy is absolutely right!  My son and I sectioned hiked the beginning 50 miles (including the 9 mile approach from the state park which was BY FAR the hardest part).  We had great trail names picked out for ourselves, but quickly found out that we could not give ourselves our own.  He has section hiked for 2 years without a trail name, and was in January bestowed the trail name "Post-hole" because of the way he sinks in the snow when he hikes (6ft 4in and 245 pounds!)

2011-03-15 12:08 PM
in reply to: #3388949

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Vancouver, BC
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
LGraff - 2011-03-08 1:56 PM

Have any BTers hiked a portion or all of the AT?  What have your experiences been?



I haven't, but I just finished reading A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. I highly recommend it.
2011-03-15 1:13 PM
in reply to: #3388949

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Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail

I have section hiked form Springer mountain in Georgia including the approch trail to Hot Springs NC. have always had a great time in met some interesting people.   I ususlly take 2 trips a year but not always on the AT.  I'm 2 years from retiremnet so hopefully will have more time to hike then.   Check out  trailjournals.com  At the beginning of the thru hiking season I will read several journals until one is found that I find interesting and that I think will finish the hike, enjoyable to read someones adventure.  Good Luck with your hike Laurie.

 

2011-03-15 2:53 PM
in reply to: #3388949

Veteran
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Minnesota
Subject: RE: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Here in Minnesota I enjoy both the Superior Hiking Trail and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, but would like to check out the AT. I have read a couple AT books including A Walk in the Woods and a Walk for Sunshine. I find the characters the authors encounter especially interesting.

Can anyone share their experiences with other hikers on the AT, particularly the shelters?



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