Getting Ready for a 10 day

[Stone1984]

This will be my first long hike and I want to do 2-3 mail drops. Where can I find the best information for mail drops? I have purchased most the food I will need already. Its only 10 day hike so I am sure 2-3 drops will be plenty.

[somers515]

This will be my first long hike and I want to do 2-3 mail drops. Where can I find the best information for mail drops? I have purchased most the food I will need already. Its only 10 day hike so I am sure 2-3 drops will be plenty.

What section are you doing?

[Stone1984]

What section are you doing?

I am starting in GA at the approach trail, then Heading north for ~120 miles.

[soumodeler]

Neel Gap and Top of Georgia hostel are your best bets.

[JC13]

Just something to consider. I did mail drops this last trip and it cost me probably double just buying food at the available hostels/towns. Unless you have specific dietary needs, I would skip the drops. Next year, no drops for me, I will carry 8-10 days of my staples and resupply the rest as we go.

[MuddyWaters]

maildrops have one real advantage....they get you back on trail faster ...IF you have planned and prepackaged everything well so you just grab and go. I usually dump my remaining foodbag contents in hiker box. Grab my resupply, which has TP and aqua mira too, and go.

If you will spend a zero day and have time to shop....probably not worth it. I like to come in to towns in late afternoon, eat good dinner, and leave next morning after late breakfast. Or after lunch in some cases. I dont particularly like shopping, stripping, repackaging. It can create a lot of waste too for only a few days at a time. Particularly if you are anal about not carrying more food than you need to.

[map man]

Here is a link to a good web page for AT mail drops done by someone who thru-hiked recently:

https://appalachiantrailclarity.com/...-on-maildrops/

[One Half]

I use this list.
https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/con...or-a-thru-hike

If you send your stuff out early you can usually spend less money on shipping by using your own boxes and avoiding "priority mail." Priority mail flat rate boxes are good when you need heavy stuff fast. Otherwise, just mail stuff out a week before you leave and along with the other "stuff" you have to mark on your package put your expected pick up date something like "Nov 1 -15." Also, if you end up leaving early, you can get any of them "return to sender."

[Stone1984]

Just for a little more detail, I got a killer deal on some freeze dried meals and I also am trying to maintain my current diet as much as possible. This food is already bought so I need to use it. And it seems from looking at the links the best plan for my hike looks to be 2 drops, 1st at Mountain Crossing then 2nd at Top of GA. Then thats a long stretch to the end of my hike. Any places between mile markers 70-110 that Carry supplies?

[Venchka]

You won't die if you hike 120 miles without resupply.
If you think that you will die without resupply, pick up a package at Mountain Crossings. Then you can hike the rest of the way without resupply.
Spend the money you saved on postage for pizza at the finish.
Resupply is vastly overrated. Ask Heather Anderson.
Wayne



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[JC13]

Just for a little more detail, I got a killer deal on some freeze dried meals and I also am trying to maintain my current diet as much as possible. This food is already bought so I need to use it. And it seems from looking at the links the best plan for my hike looks to be 2 drops, 1st at Mountain Crossing then 2nd at Top of GA. Then thats a long stretch to the end of my hike. Any places between mile markers 70-110 that Carry supplies?

70-110 is the stretch from Dicks Creek to Franklin, not really much in the way of resupply or even roads in that section.

[One Half]

Just for a little more detail, I got a killer deal on some freeze dried meals and I also am trying to maintain my current diet as much as possible. This food is already bought so I need to use it. And it seems from looking at the links the best plan for my hike looks to be 2 drops, 1st at Mountain Crossing then 2nd at Top of GA. Then thats a long stretch to the end of my hike. Any places between mile markers 70-110 that Carry supplies?

70-110 = 40 miles. 4 days TOPS to do that stretch. You are resupplying at mile 32 and 70. What's the problem?

[Stone1984]

70-110 = 40 miles. 4 days TOPS to do that stretch. You are resupplying at mile 32 and 70. What's the problem?

I'm a just nervous about it.

[Venchka]

I'm a just nervous about it.

Don't be nervous. By the time you get to the 70 mile resupply you'll know how much food you consume. Leave the 70 mile resupply point with sufficient food to get to the end. Chances are you'll have food leftover. Most people, like me, carry more food than they need. Stop worrying.
Have fun.
Wayne


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[Slo-go'en]

Most people hit the trail well feed and 20 pounds overweight. Your appetite will actually decrease initially. That's why short section hikers find they have too much food. By the end of the 10 days you might start to get hungry.

[Stone1984]

Most people hit the trail well feed and 20 pounds overweight. Your appetite will actually decrease initially. That's why short section hikers find they have too much food. By the end of the 10 days you might start to get hungry.

Yea I am sure I will loose some weight, but as it is right now I don't have 20 lbs to lose I am coming in to the trail at 140 and hope to leave the trail as close to that as possible. Gaining weight for me has never been easy.

And thanks for the advice everyone. And I can't wait to get out there for this longer trip!

[rmitchell]

Yea I am sure I will loose some weight, but as it is right now I don't have 20 lbs to lose I am coming in to the trail at 140 and hope to leave the trail as close to that as possible. Gaining weight for me has never been easy.

And thanks for the advice everyone. And I can't wait to get out there for this longer trip!

Same here with the weight issue. In that weight range your gear and food is a higher percentage of body weight than someone larger.

I've done a little over 1000 miles of the AT, mostly in week long sections. Typically I lose 2 to 5lbs. Usually I'll carry a weeks worth of food. Usually I have food left over. Only once have I run out of food. I was ready to fight with a bear over my last snickers bar.

Three times I have resupplied. One maildrop to a post office, once in Waynesboro and at Neel's Gap. Regular post office delivery takes less than a week.

[Bronk]

I would do 2 resupplies for a 10 day trip. Mostly because I know that I'm not going to hardly eat anything the first couple days out before my appetite kicks in. So you're really only talking about carrying 3 days of food at a time.

[moldy]

At the start of the trail we all tend to pack to our fears. Running out of food is yours. 2 to 3 mail drops on this section is excessive, you will be admitting that after your hike. Watch and see.

[Huntmog]

Not to kick the dead horse.... but I highly encourage you to map out your days... you are starting with your first 5 days so worst case do 1 mail drop for the 2nd 5 days. If you need help on what to pack food wise, let us know your plan.