2015 Thru-Hike Registry

[cats.don't.camp]

Trail Name: As much as I don't want to be named after something stupid I did, I'm gonna take my chances.
Direction: NOBO
Estimated Start Date: March 19ish
Approach Trail: Yes, my husband and son are coming with me for a few Spring Break vacation days at Amicalola Falls SP. I'll head to the trail and they'll head home.

To help pass the time until next year, I've decided to visit every single Texas State Park. I won't reach my goal before the AT (there's just under 100 of them!) but it's been a pretty nice distraction so far. I'm new to backpacking but I'm trying to learn as much as I can. Laugh at all my camping fails at http://catsdontcamp.wordpress.com.

[David Green]

Trail Name: Gonna have to earn that I think. :-)
Direction: NOBO - Timing works out better but I think it sounds cooler to claim the "classic" title, no?
Start Date: Aiming for 10 March or so...
Approach Trail: Haven't really decided...I mean on the one hand if I want to really hike the "whole thing" I guess I should...lol

[Photog]

Trail Name: Retread
Direction: Flip Flop Harpers Ferry to Katahdin then get a ride back to HF and backpack down to Springer.
Start Date: Mid March
Approach Trail: Yes....will be my last section on my flip flop hike

I figure i can avoid a lot of crowds and also most of the cold weather by doing this flip flop.

I attended Trail Days in Damascus this year. Great event!

[SawnieRobertson]

[QUOTE=Photog;1883832]Trail Name: Retread
Direction: Flip Flop Harpers Ferry to Katahdin then get a ride back to HF and backpack down to Springer.
Start Date: Mid March
[COLOR=#333333]Approach Trail: Yes....will be my last section

I figure i can avoid a lot of crowds and also most of the cold weather by doing this flip flop.>>

Hmmmmm. Interesting. What do you expect from weather mid-March?--Kinnickinic

[permagrin]

Trail Name-Moutain Dew
Direction-NOBO, Springer, GA to Harpers Ferry, WVA
Estimated Start Date: May 1, 2015
Approach Trail-absolutely!

This hike from Springer to the Harpers Ferry ATC sign will be the culmination of a 40 year dream. MD to Maine was never part of my dream. Maybe next time, though.

[permagrin]

Trail Name-Moutain Dew
Direction-NOBO, Springer, GA to Harpers Ferry, WVA
Estimated Start Date: May 1, 2015
Approach Trail-absolutely!

This hike from Springer to the Harpers Ferry ATC sign will be the culmination of a 40 year dream. MD to Maine was never part of my dream. Maybe next time, though.

[lordwilliam]

Trail Name: lordwilliam
Direction: NOBO, why swim against the current?
Estimated Start Date: March 1 - 15
Approach Trail - Don't know yet.

New to long hiking but have been walking for the past year. Total about 2,850,000 steps so far. I use a fitbit for tracking. Anyone who wants to come hike in Colorado to train for the big one is welcome to contact me. Good altitude training where I live. My house is at 7500'. We could do some Colorado Trail or Continental Divide segments for training.

I think I will be back in NYC around July or August until December at least. I plan some segment hikes then.

See you all next year!

The thought has occurred to me that it would be cool to celebrate my 67th birthday with a finish on Mt. Katahdin. I am wondering if October 17 is too late to finish.

[Dosu]

Dosu
NoBo
March 8th (my birthday)
not sure

[dangerdave]

Trail Name: Danger
Direction: NOBO
Estimated Start Date : April 1st, 2015
Approach Trail: Definitely

I am retiring in January 2015 after 28 years as a career firefighter in my hometown of Chillicothe, Ohio. The idea to hike the AT seeded in my mind nearly thirty years ago, when I used to kayak the Nantahala River with some like-minded youths of my time. The plan sprouted from there; now comes the commitment. I have spent my entire life camping, hiking (day hikes), kayaking, mountain biking, snowboarding (which I absolutely love!), ATVing, and making wine---yes, I make wine. My impending departure from the fire service needed a mark of distinction.

In spite of all of my outdoor adventures, I have zero backpacking experience. I am currently reading, planning, and researching from ground zero, adding to my knowledge as I go. I plan to do no additional training in preparation, preferring to let the AT itself break me in. I hope to get to know some of you---here and on the trail---while I patiently wait for the startled look to vanish from my wife's face.

[Bob55]

Trail Name: Don't have one, but was called "Head" in a past period of my life, when I would think way too much.
Direction: NOBO
Est. Start Date: Mid March I believe
Approach Trail: Not Sure, Did that Stair Case already, but it's a hell of a scenic way to start.

Life is throwing another curve ball atm, and if things don't change soon, it will change in a big way. If that happens, then I might as well make this dream come true. Been spending the last 3 weeks reading about it, pulling out my gear, deciding what to replace, etc. I've been doing 3 miles a day in soft to hard sand. Longest camping was 5 days. lots of 10 mile day hikes. Biggest worry is my knees, more than anything else.

Time passes fast, and before we know it we'll be meeting up on the AT.

[overthinker]

Trail Name: Ain't got one
Direction: NOBO
Estimated Start Date: Early April
Approach Trail: Might as well, right?

Gonna quit my job and finally do this thing. I live around DC, so if anyone wants to do some shakedown hikes, hit me up!

[Bindle Stiff]

No trail name
NOBO with my 24 yo son
Start 1st week of March
Plan on having friend drive us down from MI , park at Hightower Gap hike to Springer with him and he'll drive back home on the return .
I will be 50 on Dec 29th and I may never have the chance again . Been camping / hiking since I was a kid , already have the gear , Army Infantry '82 to '88 so I hope I still have the mental fortitude ( though it seems a lifetime ago ) . No excuse not to !

[lordwilliam]

Trail Name: Lord William, just to keep things simple, also my company name.
Direction: NOBO
Start Date: apx March 15
Approach: Maybe. Why not?
Why: I am a retired widower. I have nothing but time. I started walking a year ago to loose weight accumulated due to stress. Once I started walking there seemed no point to walking circles around the mall or the neighborhood, so I decided to put the walking to good use. I knew the AT from living in NY and NJ. I have camped all my life but hiking is new. I will be selling my house and giving my car to a grandson so I won't have any worries at home. Although I am to old to have been diagnosed with ADD, I know I have it as did my son and daughter and 4 of 6 grand kids. I have had a lifetime struggle completing things. I almost finished grad school, short 12 hours. I almost completed my MCSE (Microsoft certification). First marriage lasted 16 years ending in divorce. Second 20 years ending with wife's death. This is my opportunity to complete a major goal. I plan to finish atop Mount Katahdin on my 67th birthday (October 17). My training will mostly be in Colorado. I know it is a curse, but what can you do? I will be hiking the Barr Trail on Pikes Peak the weekend of June 27th and watching the Hill Climb Race on the 29th. I will also be hiking the Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango (apx 500 miles) through the Colorado Mountains in July. I may go to NYC in the fall and do some section hikes on the AT, then back to Colorado. Training at altitude will give me a leg up for the start of the AT for the first week or so but after that I will just be another exhausted hiker at the end of the day.

[Glimmer]

Trail name: Letting the trail pick that.
NOBO.
Starting March 1st-ish.
Yes to the approach trail.

I'm a rather adventurous woman, and have been lacking the adventures lately. Why not?

[Apollyon]

Trail Name: Apollyon
Direction: Nobo
Start Date app. April 15
Approach Trail: undecided

[Nobodhi]

Name: Nobodhi
Direction: SOBO from midpoint to Georgia, then NOBO to Maine, then SOBO back to PA
Start: about March 15




ok... That's the hyper ambitious plan anyway. I live less than 5 miles from the trail about a days walk from Pine Grove Forrest. Figure I'll step off my porch and start walking... Then we'll see how it goes.

[tk527]

Trail name: I don't have one yet
Direction: NOBO
Start date: Hopefully around the beginning of March
Approach: For sure!
Why: I will be graduating college in December and have been wanting to do this for awhile. I can't wait to get out in the woods!! I'm always down for a good adventure

[Puppy]

Puppy
Northbound
March 5th or so
Haven't decided on the Approach yet

Looking forward to it!

[sasquatchhiker]

Don't have a trail name yet!
NOBO all the way to Katahdin.
I plan to start on March 3rd.
Approach: Yes
I don't have a plan on when I will finish, I hope to meet some awesome people while I'm traveling.
Can't wait!

[meat803]

No trail name yet
NOBO
March 6th or so
Approach yes


I Live in Augusta, GA which is about 2-3 hrs away from Springer. I can host someone which has to travel a distance to get there. Preferably someone that can host me on a future JMT or NW hike. You can fly into Augusta and my GF will drive us up. Possibly interested in starting in AL and doing the Pinhoti Trail. That way one day when it is incorporated into the AT, I will have already done the deed. Hit me up if interested.