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  1. #1
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    Default Newbie Planning a Trip

    I am a midwesterner and graduating college in a few weeks. I have a teaching job in Virginia that starts in August. Before the job starts I wanted to go on a backpacking trip on the AT. Thing is I have little experience backpacking, a small budget, few supplies, and likely no partner to go with. The rough plan would be to go on two, five day trips where I can refuel and take a few days off in between. Please give any advice for me to help make this happen, supplies to get/avoid, places to go, ways to keep it cheap, and most importantly advice in convincing my family this is not crazy. Ideally, this will be the beginning of a life camping and hiking in the mountains.

    Some of many questions:
    Should I just plan on staying at the shelters or invest in a tent or hammock?

    Will I need a really good sleeping back if it is going to be hot?

    What are commonly overlooked items I will need?

    Will I need a bear bag/barrel in Virginia?

    How many miles should I expect to cover in a day (I am a runner that has ran a lot of trails but hiking carrying a backpack is a lot different)?

    Thanks for everything!!!

  2. #2

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    Definitely get a tent or hammock. It gives you a lot more freedom in where you camp, so you aren't tied to the shelters. (i.e. if shelters are 6 miles apart, you might end up doing a short day or a too long day in order to stay at one. With a tent, you just hike until you are tired, picking up water along the way if necessary.) Plus you won't have to deal with mice, snakes and snoring hikers. And you can't ever be sure that there will be room in a shelter. You might find a group of thruhikers, boy scouts, church camp, etc. filling the space. Having your own shelter means freedom and safety.

    For midsummer, a 30 degree bag will work, though if you plan to camp at other times, a 20 deg. bag is more versatile.

    If you are worried about being solo, start in the midst of the thruhikers. Harpers Ferry would be a good option. You'll meet lots of other hikers. Besides, there are a lot of weekenders and section hikers out now.

    As to lack of experience -- it really doesn't take all that much time before you will feel pretty comfortable on the trail. You need basics - a pack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, food, water, rain gear and clothes to hike in and a spare set for night that you keep dry. In June you'll probably want bug dope as well. Water treatment of some sort is a good idea. A small first aid kit is also a necessity. I take a book and paper for a journal. Many don't. Get one of the thruhiking guides so you know where to find resupply and water.

    Distance per day depends on what kind of shape you're in and how heavy your pack is. If your pack is under 20 lbs., it won't slow you down much. I'd figure 12-15 to start, if you are used to running distance. If you continue for a couple of months, you'll soon be hiking 20. Expect to slow down in New England.

  3. #3
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    This link is to a fairly old but still worthwhile discussion about how to put together a backpacking kit for fairly cheap. It's definitly worth a read:

    http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...-300-Challenge

    this one too:

    http://www.pmags.com/300-gear-challenge
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

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    Welcome to Whiteblaze, Lostman.

    1. By all means bring a tent or hammock. You cannot rely on space in the shelters. But more importantly, the shelters aren't always where you need or want them. Having a tent means you can camp (almost) anywhere and set your pace without worrying about the next shelter.

    2. A 40-45 degree bag is generally fine for summer hiking on the AT.

    3. Bear canister - not needed. But carry a bear rope, maybe 30-40' or so, something that will let you hoist your food bag up onto a high tree limb. (1/8" or 3/32" nylon twine is good for this.)

    4. Miles per day -- seasoned thru-hikers typically walk 15-20+ miles on days when they actually walk, but they also take days off and half-days off from time to time, so the average is typically less than 15. If you haven't hiked the Appalachian mountains before, or hiked with a 30 lb. pack on your back, you need to know it's not always a leisurely stroll. The AT packs a lot of vertical into every day's hiking, and the footpath is often rough and rocky. Miles per day varies hugely from one hiker to the next. It varies even for the same hiker depending on weather, general health, and the terrain at hand. A hiker who does 18 mile days in Pennsylvania may well do 12 mile days in New Hampshire.

    There are plenty of good books that will introduce you to the nature of the AT. Check the store at the atconf.org (ATC's website.)

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    I've hiked without a tent or hammock but it was in the Smokey Mountains where the shelters are big and I always got to them early to beat the crowd. There's also a reservations system to regulate usage. I wouldn't hike most places without a hammock or tent because many of the shelters are smaller and I want to hike my own hike. Having to worry about shelters every night for a 10 day hike would be too much.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lostman View Post
    Should I just plan on staying at the shelters or invest in a tent or hammock?
    Will I need a really good sleeping back if it is going to be hot?
    What are commonly overlooked items I will need?
    Will I need a bear bag/barrel in Virginia?
    How many miles should I expect to cover in a day (I am a runner that has ran a lot of trails but hiking carrying a backpack is a lot different)?
    Thanks for everything!!!

    Here's a trip suggestion first, then I'll answer the specific questions:

    Drive to Damascus, Virginia. It's a great little trail town - the AT goes right down the main street through town. You can park your car there and get a shuttle to Hampton, TN, which is about 40 trail miles south of Damascus, and walk back to town. It'll take 3 or 4 days of relatively easy walking along a ridgeline. You can figure out the whole backpacking thing on this stretch -- finding places to camp, finding water, all the little things that need to be done besides walking. Once you get back to Damascus, you can spend a night in the hostel, resupply at the grocery store, and get a second shuttle, this time 65 miles north to the Mt Rogers Headquarters building. Now you'll walk the 65 miles south to Damascus, and it will be wildly different -- big climbs and open balds and wild ponies. It's a terrific section that should take about 5 days of hiking.

    So, answers: Yes, take a small tent or a hammock with a rain fly. It's not prudent to count on there being space for another hiker in a shelter, and folks who are already packed into the shelter in a driving thunderstorm do not care in the slightest that you don't have a tent. Yes, you'll want a sleeping bag, but a simple summer bag rated to 40-F or so is fine. These can be had for well under $100. Yes, you'll need some way to hang your food in Virginia in the summer, not just for bears but for other small critters as well. A waterproof roll-top stuff sack, a mini-carabiner, and some slick Spectra cord will let you learn the PCT bear bag method, which is fairly simple and mostly foolproof.

    At your age and level of fitness, you should be able to ramp up quickly to anywhere between 12 and 20 miles per day. I'd start at the lower end for the first couple of days and see how you feel in the morning. Note that backpackers get similar overuse injuries to runners -- IT band issues, pateller tendinitis, achilles problems, etc., so treat backpacking like running, and don't start with a marathon on the first day

    Items to bring: a tent or hammock and a sleeping pad (cheap blue foam pad from Walmart will work.) Nylon shorts and a synthetic t-shirt to hike in, and something dry to change into at the end of the day. A warm layer like a synthetic fleece sweater. A rain proof layer like a rain shell or a nylon poncho. A very light fleece beanie for chilly mornings. A kitchen kit for whatever food you bring (I eat cold food in the summer, so no stove needed for me.) Some sort of water treatment, like Aqua Mira solution. Some cheap water bottles: I like 1-quart Gatorade bottles. Speaking of which, I like the packets of Gatorade Recovery drink mix, at half strength, to drink at the end of the day. In the summer this is magic. A map, headlamp, pages from one of the guidebooks with mileage data and town maps, toilet paper, some basic first aid supplies especially including blister pads, phone and charger should you want one, and some way to waterproof your gear inside your pack, like a pack cover or a big contractor trash bag for a liner. A piece of plastic or tyvek to use as a ground sheet. A bandana or two are very useful. A small bottle of Purell so you can sterilize your hands before eating. I take powder to prevent chafing, but as a runner you may prefer Body Glide.

    Fire away with any more questions, and have fun on the trail.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

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    Thank you all for the advise! I have started to make a list of items to start collecting (the $300 challenge was extremely helpful). Still got to convince a few people that this is a good idea and safe to be done alone. Will cellphone coverage (a call or text at some point during the day) be possible along the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah regions? I like the idea of a shuttle, but likely this will have to be an out and back trip. Not ideal, but it will save a couple bucks and seeing everything from a different perspective won't take away from the experience. Food is still a little iffy to me. I'm thinking that I could have rice and beans for dinner, oatmeal for breakfast, something involving lots of peanut butter for lunch, and high calorie foods for snacks (jerky, nuts, energy bars).

    Thanks again!

  8. #8
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    Should I just plan on staying at the shelters or invest in a tent or hammock?

    Don't plan on shelters. Use a tent, tarp or hammock

    Will I need a really good sleeping back if it is going to be hot?

    I would plan on using a 20-30 degree bag

    What are commonly overlooked items I will need?

    a. A way to purify water
    b. first-aid
    c. some type of rain protection
    d. warm clothes/extra set of dry clothes

    Will I need a bear bag/barrel in Virginia?

    No bear vault/canister needed in VA but, you will need to learn to hang your food/hygiene bag

    How many miles should I expect to cover in a day (I am a runner that has ran a lot of trails but hiking carrying a backpack is a lot different)?

    No one can judge that for you but, most people would start off with lower mileage and work up. I'm guessing but, I would say 10-12m to start, maybe 8m. Running is good but much different than hiking up and down mountains.

    "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
    Isaiah 55:12

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lostman View Post
    Thank you all for the advise! I have started to make a list of items to start collecting (the $300 challenge was extremely helpful). ...
    Big Cranky gave you an excellent list. If you are on the AT in VA in Aug, it simplifies things a lot, which can help getting started on a budget. You can do fine with basic stuff and upgrade in the future.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lostman View Post
    ... Still got to convince a few people that this is a good idea and safe to be done alone. ...
    I would suggest that it isn't your job to convince other people that it is a good idea or safe. Don't make their problem your problem. But that's a personal call.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lostman View Post
    ...Food is still a little iffy to me. I'm thinking that I could have rice and beans for dinner, oatmeal for breakfast, something involving lots of peanut butter for lunch, and high calorie foods for snacks (jerky, nuts, energy bars). ...
    Wow, you pretty much summed up my food bag exactly (except the tortillas to hold the PB and J). That's a good balanced cheap available diet.

    good luck

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lostman View Post
    I'm thinking that I could have rice and beans for dinner, oatmeal for breakfast, something involving lots of peanut butter for lunch, and high calorie foods for snacks (jerky, nuts, energy bars).

    Thanks again!
    Food is one of the most personal items, so this is just my opinion. I think your plan is great, with one change. I have found that cooking in the morning can feel like extra work, as well as delay your start. I started out cooking oatmeal but switched to a no-cook breakfast to save time and effort in the morning. For me, Pop Tarts are an easy and delicious no-cook breakfast. I don't eat them in regular life, but on the trail I discovered the many joys of the various Pop Tart flavors.

    And don't forget that if you use normal rice and dried beans, it will take FOREVER to cook! And you will not want to wait! So make sure to use quick-cook or instant rice/beans. There's always the original cheap, lightweight dried food - pasta! Elbows cook pretty fast. Just add some kind of topping, or use the delicious, inexpensive, quick-cooking, flavor pack included Ramen noodles. Instant mashed potatoes are another hearty option on their own, they come in many flavors and you can also shake a few tablespoons of instant potatoes into other dinners to make them thicker.

    For lunch, tortillas make excellent vehicles for peanut butter and they don't take up much space in your pack.

    Hope that helps!

  11. #11
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    PS, if you are trying to save money, Snickers bars cost much less than energy bars and fill you up just as well!! (and taste better too, in my opinion)

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by quasarr View Post
    PS, if you are trying to save money, Snickers bars cost much less than energy bars and fill you up just as well!! (and taste better too, in my opinion)
    Especially if you buy them in the multipacks in the regular grocery store. Mmmmmm, Snickers.
    Ken B
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    Our Long Trail journal

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    So looking into things a little more, would it be a good idea to get a hammock instead of a tent? Potentially cheaper and lighter. I realize I would still need a tarp for rain and potentially a bug net of some sort, but I am wondering how I would possibly find flat land to even put a tent up. But I have never tried to set up a hammock, so I can't say what will be easier, better, or most comfortable.

    Thanks again!

  14. #14
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    Hammocks a great - I use one for solo hiking in the summer. Easy to set up, easy to find a spot (no need for flat ground), great weather protection with the right rain fly.

    But they usually aren't lighter than a comparable tarp or tarptent setup. You'll still need something under you for warmth -- hammocks are cold at night even in the 60s. A 3/4 length closed cell foam pad is perfect, and multiple use. I find my hammock setup weighs slightly more than my solo tarptent setup for summer use. Though, like most things, I could get it a lot lighter with the proper application of cash

    So yeah, consider a hammock.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

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    So I have pretty much all of my supplies!!! I just need to get my food and a few odds and ends, and I potentially have a friend that will be joining me. We would have two cars so ideally we would park one at our destination. The section going north of Damascus sounds to be the best bet, but I am wondering where we could park a car in Damascus and then at our destination (4-6 days north). If anyone has a good place to drop a car off north of Damascus please let me know! Thanks again for all the help.

  16. #16
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    Default Getting by Without bug Without Overnight Bug Protection

    Quote Originally Posted by Lostman View Post
    So looking into things a little more, would it be a good idea to get a hammock instead of a tent? Potentially cheaper and lighter. I realize I would still need a tarp for rain and potentially a bug net of some sort, but I am wondering how I would possibly find flat land to even put a tent up. But I have never tried to set up a hammock, so I can't say what will be easier, better, or most comfortable.

    Thanks again!
    Yes, it's possible to find clear flat places where you can put up a tent or a tarp. Sooner of later, as you continue backpacking, you're going to be camping at a time and place where not having overnight bug protection would be unpleasant. I like the fact that my light Tarptent provides bug protection. But, thus far in my experience, overnight bug protection has not really been needed at those places in the Southern Appalachians, including the Grayson Highlands, where I have camped along the AT in mid-summer. That's fortunate because good, light weight shelters such as Tarptents tend to be expensive.

    When I first started backpacking, as an impoverished student, I sheltered using a simple tarp made of clear plastic. Sheets of such plastic are sold in hardware stores, and also in big box stores such as Walmart, in the paint section. This can work well provided your home made tarp is reasonably large and sturdy. The lightest painter drop cloth plastic hasn't worked well for me, but sturdier varieties have served me well. Parachute cord, or something similar from the same store, and some gutter nails (or thin aluminum tent stakes from the store's camping section) complete the shelter. Out in the woods you wrap small rocks or sticks in the plastic at strategic spots and then attached pieces of cord there, to guy out the corners (and maybe the two sides) of the tarp. The tarp's ridge line is created by tying a piece of cord between two trees.

    The tarp setup described above can be created for $25 (or considerably less) and can keep you dry. It's components will be a bit bulky and will probably weight, however, as much (or slightly more) than would a good lightweight tent or Tarptent (costing, unfortunately $200 to $300). Learning to use tarps (practicing first at home) is entertaining.

  17. #17
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    I have a number of planning spreadsheets, gear, food, nutrition. If interested, please send PM with your email and I will forward.

    Q

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    If you decide to do the MD section I'd be happy to shuttle you. And if you get bored I can tag along for a hike.

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