Chunk Hiking

[Singto]

I'm reading Brian Lewis' Make Your First Thru Hike a Success and he mentions "Chunk Hiking" as another option falling in between Thru Hiking and Section Hiking. Although I really would like to Thru Hike the AT in the next couple years, Chunk Hiking might be the best thing for me. I usually have 6 - 7 weeks between Mid March and early May that I could hike for 6 to 7 weeks straight.

With that being said, my geographical location makes it convenient for my family helping with drop off and pick up if I do something like Damascus/Waynesboro to Harper's Ferry/High Point State Park, which I put at roughly 550/475 miles respectively.

So, here's my questions:
1. Would the terrain between Damascus to Harper's Ferry or Waynesboro to High Point State Park be an OK place to start hiking?
2. What kind of weather will be faced starting in Damascus/Waynesboro in mid March?
3. If the terrain and weather is suitable for my situation, how many miles would one be able to reasonably hike per day on those two hikes?
4. To complete the Damascus - HF chunk in 6 weeks (zero day every week), I calculate 15.3 miles per day the other hike 13.19....doable????

Or start somewhere further North such as near Wytheville (maybe worse weather) to HF for lower Mileage per day?

Waynesboro would be a good location to start too except the farther North I start, the sketchier the weather.

Any ideas for a 6 week hike starting early March and centered around Harper's Ferry?

Thank you

[Venchka]

I was in Boone, NC (elev 3,400 feet) the last week of March, 2015. Boone is about 40 miles southeast of Damascus. Lows were in the low-mid 20s with one night in the 17-19 neighborhood. It rained too. We missed some snow, darn it!, by about a week. Very common for March at elevation. I imagine that Grayson Highlands at 5,000+ feet would have been colder.
Stay dry. Stay warm. Have fun.

Wayne

[Kerosene]

1. Would the terrain between Damascus to Harper's Ferry or Waynesboro to High Point State Park be an OK place to start hiking?

Either should be a fine place to start, recognizing that you have some high elevation (and weather) just north of Damascus that you wil have to contend with.

2. What kind of weather will be faced starting in Damascus/Waynesboro in mid March?

The weather can be highly variable at this time of year. I did Pennsylvania in late March 1974 and had a stretch of very cold rain that reduced our mileage quite a bit. Of course, this past March I think the entire East Coast had to deal with a series of heavy snowstorms. In Virginia you may also have some very nice spring days, but you basically need to be prepared for a wide range of temperature and precipitation.

3. If the terrain and weather is suitable for my situation, how many miles would one be able to reasonably hike per day on those two hikes?
4. To complete the Damascus - HF chunk in 6 weeks (zero day every week), I calculate 15.3 miles per day the other hike 13.19....doable????

This really depends on your initial fitness level. Averaging 15.3 mpd out of the chute would be tough for a lot of new backpackers, but that is actually a bit less than what I averaged as a 40-something throughout Virginia on mostly 1-week long fall hikes. Note that a stint of poor weather may limit your mileage. Conversely, you should be in pretty good shape at the end of 6 weeks and may be able to crank out 20+ mpd. Starting out too fast or too hard increases your risk of joint/tendon injury, which can very well force you to abort your hike.

If I were you, I'd probably start as far south as you can. If that is Damascus, make sure that the conditions will allow you to get past Grayson Highlands by the time you start. Don't worry so much about a destination until the final week or two of your hike. If you make it to your goal then great, but the weather might slow you down a bit or you might make more miles than you anticipated. There are a lot of bail out points along the AT, and with a charged cell phone you shouldn't have a problem coordinating a pick-up at a different road or town.

[BrianLe]

Hi Singto. It seems to me that you don't need to stress the miles per day, but rather hike the pace that makes sense for you and develop a better idea as you go along of when your end point is. Last year a friend and I hiked the first month with another friend (who was thru-hiking) on the AT just starting from Springer, where we had no planned end location. As we got close, we started asking people at hostels or anyone who seemed to know just what our best "leave the trail" options were. In our case, an employee at a hostel gave us a ride to the nearest airport town for a modest fee. Your case should be even easier! The AT offers a lot of options for start/end locations.

The weather (time of year) is a tougher issue. I think that going SOBO might help some. I.e., put the Mt. Rogers/Greyson Highlands area last on your trip rather than first; elevations around Harper's Ferry are likely to provide milder weather. That said, I live on the west coast; I've hiked through there exactly once! Someone else might have better knowledge. But have a look at the elevation profiles, here's the set for Virginia:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/cont...tions-Virginia

It also means you're carrying a somewhat heavier load and perhaps need to own some additional gear to deal with temps that might indeed get down into the teens. Oh well! Best wishes, I hope this works out very well for you.

[Singto]

Thank you all for the informative responses and recommendations.

[Buttercup01]

I live in that part of PA. As mentioned earlier, expect the unexpected at that time of year. I like it cold, so for me it is great short sleeve weather, but expect the temperature to range from 20 to 55. Take your gloves and warm gear to use during stops. Snow is possible. I can easily do 20 miles a day, but I don't take breaks.

[Singto]

I've all but decided to go ahead and start a chunk hike at Springer on or around March 11, 2016 if I can get everything in order to do it. I'm looking for a finish on or around May 6 in Daleville. I've included 4 zeros (Franklin, Hot Springs, Damascus and Pearisburg) in the 8 weeks and hope I can get through the McAfee Knob area before I finish. If things go OK but I have some difficulties, I can exit at Bland as a back up hopping-off point. I'd really like to attempt to thru hike the whole trail but it isn't practical given my current circumstances. I've laid it all out on a spreadsheet borrowed from someone on the board...maybe Dale? It looks like I can't attach it but kudos to the person who shared this spreadsheet.

[chelko]

Sounds like a good plan. Beware of the weather in the Smokys. The AT through Great Smoky Mountain National Park has the longest stretch over 5000ft of the entire trail. Late march and early April can have snow measured in feet not inches. Many times the initial wave of North Bounders starting in March have hit blizzards and deep snow on the ridges in the park. Be sure to file your permit with the park as well. Starting at springer means you won't be held to a strict schedule for shelter reservations but you will need the permit. Hike on!

[Singto]

Thanks for the heads up Chelko, the snow does have me concerned and I appreciate the info about the GSMNP shelters. My schedule puts me there around March 25.

[Venchka]

Personally, I would extend the "Be prepared for anything caution zone" to include all of the NC-TN border area that the AT follows. The mountains of northwestern NC are known for making their own weather. Put Ray's Weather app on your phone.
Have a great hike!

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[Singto]

Personally, I would extend the "Be prepared for anything caution zone" to include all of the NC-TN border area that the AT follows. The mountains of northwestern NC are known for making their own weather. Put Ray's Weather app on your phone.
Have a great hike!

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

I downloaded an Android application called Appalachian Trail Weather authored by "Shutter". Is that Ray's?

[Lyle]

I decided several years ago that future long hikes, for me, will probably be "chunk hikes", even if I didn't know what they were called. To me, that seems like the only way I would want to hike a trail like the PCT or CDT now that I'm retired. Better choices for picking your season for each section, easier logistics at home, easier on the body, less pressure to "make the miles". I can think of few if any down sides, other than the possibility of more travel expense. I am well past the need to "prove" myself, or chalk up a "conquer". I just aim to have fun and enjoy the views.

I even switched the relatively short JMT hike to a "chunk" hike, dividing it into two parts - spent three weeks on the northern 2/3 last summer, plan to spend another 3 weeks on the southern 1/3 (plus a few extra miles) this summer. LOVED the slow, leisurely pace, plenty of time for photography or fishing or side trails, all without the guilt that I'm not "making miles".

[Singto]

I see that they are not the same. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Singto]

I decided several years ago that future long hikes, for me, will probably be "chunk hikes", even if I didn't know what they were called. To me, that seems like the only way I would want to hike a trail like the PCT or CDT now that I'm retired. Better choices for picking your season for each section, easier logistics at home, easier on the body, less pressure to "make the miles". I can think of few if any down sides, other than the possibility of more travel expense. I am well past the need to "prove" myself, or chalk up a "conquer". I just aim to have fun and enjoy the views.

I even switched the relatively short JMT hike to a "chunk" hike, dividing it into two parts - spent three weeks on the northern 2/3 last summer, plan to spend another 3 weeks on the southern 1/3 (plus a few extra miles) this summer. LOVED the slow, leisurely pace, plenty of time for photography or fishing or side trails, all without the guilt that I'm not "making miles".

I think that's a great attitude. I hope to be in your position in a few years so that I can pick and choose my seasons and which parts of what trail I'd like to hike. For now, I have to schedule within a 2 month window to maintain family ties and income flow.

[Lyle]

Singto, Yes retirement is GRAND!

With your current window, you might run into problems with black flies and mud or heavy snow as you get to the northern end of the trail during that time of year, although you will be early for the major onslaught bugs most years. Not trying to discourage your overall plan, but just point out a sticking point. Maybe have to do the northern section on vacations in smaller chunks and divert to other hike destinations for your big chunks when you hit the north. You have a couple of years to figure it out.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

[BrianLe]

I'm sure that what a "chunk hike" is will vary somewhat by the person. Personally, I think that section hiking is hard! Logistics are always a PITA I think, relative to the number of miles hiked.

It takes me a week or more on the trail to get my body into shape; I certainly enjoy part of that, but a lot of it is tough, even sometimes painful, certainly not always fun. Once my legs are strong and my back is again used to carrying the pack, it's just great being on trail. My sense is that most people don't get beyond the "tough" part, as their trip is over before they've got their body and process dialed in. Perhaps this just reflects a lack of discipline for me in prepping for trips at home; I nevertheless find that no matter how good I train at home, there are at least a few days of breaking in period for most hikes.

So I favor trips long enough to let me get up to speed, and to then spend a goodly amount of time to enjoy feeling strong on the trail. That amount of time also helps me to feel really at home in the outdoors and to forget my 'normal life'.

There are certainly great alternatives to a standard 'chunk hike'. Base camping with heavier gear and a series of day hikes in the area could certainly be more flexible and comfortable. I personally like the feeling and sort of rhythm of long distance linear hiking. Last year I hiked half of the PNT with a friend, and then he and I also hiked half of the Florida Trail. I'll hike the other half of the FT (about 600 miles) this coming January, and perhaps the other half of the PNT later next year. "Several hundred mile" chunks have become my sweet spot.