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  1. #1
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    Post Amicalola Falls to Springer

    Can anybody give me a good idea of roughly an "average timeframe" to hike from the Amicaolola Falls approach trail to Springer Mountain Summit (8.1 miles, rough terrain) at a steady pace? Prepping now, thru-hike in 2017 Thanks! Buz

  2. #2

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    About 4-5 hours at an easy pace.

  3. #3
    Registered User Cotton Terry's Avatar
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    +1 what Soumodeler says. That said, sometimes it depends on the weather. Last spring, I heard about some that got so bogged down by the rain they had to camp at Black Gap Shelter. Definitely in the minority.

  4. #4
    Registered User Christoph's Avatar
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    Took me around 4 hours last April during the Tornado Warning. Even with all the lightning and torrential rain.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by soumodeler View Post
    About 4-5 hours at an easy pace.
    +1 - I flew to Atlanta from Cleveland, met shuttler at MARTA station and got to Amicalola Fall SP in early afternoon and got into Springer shelter area just as it was getting dark having taken my time on trail and spent some time at the Springer summit.
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  6. #6
    Registered User Bushrat's Avatar
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    I have hiked that many times. With a pack you should plan on 4-5 hours but why bother with the Approach Trail. There are plenty of PUDS after Springer.
    Wheezer

  7. #7
    Registered User kimbur96's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bushrat View Post
    I have hiked that many times. With a pack you should plan on 4-5 hours but why bother with the Approach Trail. There are plenty of PUDS after Springer.
    Pardon my ignorance, new here and trying to learn...what's a PUDS?

  8. #8
    Registered User dink's Avatar
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    Pointless Up and DownS

  9. #9
    Registered User kimbur96's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dink View Post
    Pointless Up and DownS
    ah, thank you

  10. #10

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    Not rough terrain at all. If you can average 2 mph going uphill, its downright ez.

  11. #11

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    I did it again four months ago on a section trip with the kids. It is a gut check. I think the P.U.Ds acronym is about right. That 8.1 is either going up or going down. There is little to no flat spots. We made it in 4 hours with a few breaks along the way.

  12. #12
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    Flat spots are boring. I didnt realize the AT was ever flat. All my hiking is ether going up, or going downhill.

  13. #13

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    Of course, there have been people that have taken up to 3 days to do those 8 miles.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  14. #14
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    I just did Amicalola Falls to Springer on Monday. Took me between 4 and 5 hours from the starting arch behind the visitors center. At the top of the falls when you enter the woods, there's a sign that tells you that you have 7.3 more miles to Springer and that the "average hiking time" is six hours one way from that point. From that sign, I'd say it took me approx 3 1/2 hours. And then I headed back to my car.

    BTW I just registered here today and this is my first post -- Hello everyone! I've been lurking and reading the forums for about a month. I've just gotten into hiking and I've only ever done day hikes --- my Monday hike from Amicalola was by far my longest and most ambitious hike to date.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by LetsGoWalk View Post
    I just did Amicalola Falls to Springer on Monday. Took me between 4 and 5 hours from the starting arch behind the visitors center. At the top of the falls when you enter the woods, there's a sign that tells you that you have 7.3 more miles to Springer and that the "average hiking time" is six hours one way from that point. From that sign, I'd say it took me approx 3 1/2 hours. And then I headed back to my car.

    BTW I just registered here today and this is my first post -- Hello everyone! I've been lurking and reading the forums for about a month. I've just gotten into hiking and I've only ever done day hikes --- my Monday hike from Amicalola was by far my longest and most ambitious hike to date.
    Both ways out and back? Thats a pretty good day. Did you do the stairs as well? Not as hard as people make it out to be in their heads.

  16. #16
    Registered User solobip's Avatar
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    Welcome to the forum LetsGoWalk. So much info and advice here.

  17. #17
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    I love the AT approach trail. Great way to kickoff an AT hike. Like they said, usually 4 hours, but have met some 'thru hikers' who took 2+ days to make it, usually those end up camping/resting up at Black Gap shelter before the 'summit'. Met a group of young 'thru hikers' from Ohio at Springer Shelter back in April 2010 that had one guy with a badly sprained ankle....they laid up at Springer Shelter for 3-4 days letting him recover. They got drunk their first night at that Max Epperson Shelter and the dude fell off a boulder and sprained his ankle. Fun way to start a thru hike.

  18. #18
    Hiker bigcranky's Avatar
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    i like the Approach Trail too, but dragging a 12 year old with us it took closer to 8 hours. Not learning our lesson on that hike, we proceeded to drag her the next couple of years, finally giving up after a particularly bad outing in the summer of 2005. Just hiking by ourselves, sans fille, works so much better.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by MuddyWaters View Post
    Both ways out and back? Thats a pretty good day. Did you do the stairs as well? Not as hard as people make it out to be in their heads.
    Yeah, out and back in one day. Did the stairs too -- I love stairs!! Roughly, I passed through the arch behind the visitors center around 9:40am and I finally made it back to my car around 7pm. That includes a quick visit to the lodge once at the top of the falls and I also hung around the Springer summit area for about 30 minutes.

    I enjoyed the hike very much even though it was pretty foggy and rainy most of the day

  20. #20
    Registered User FatMan's Avatar
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    It takes me hours with pack.

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