Motels/Hostels/Inns/B&B's>>>Why?

[Drew54]

As a purist adventurer, LNT nut, and wilderness advocate, I am wondering the essentiality of paying for lodging on the AT. I saw an older couple of women at Walasi-Yi staying the night and carrying with them a 6 pack of charmin ultra.

I am planning my 09 Sobo right now, and am doing it to get away, and to get into touch with the wilderness. Wondering the purist point of view on Trailtime Luxury. Why and how often must it be accomodated? Toilet paper is the biggest of jokes, but paying for beer/pizzam, lodging and a shower is hardly roughing it (especially on day 4/5 at walasi-yi).

What is the minimum # of in-town stayovers made?

[buff_jeff]

If you are looking for a mostly wilderness experience try the PCT or CDT. The AT is a great trail; plenty of views, woods, etc., but it is also a social experience. It is much more "crowded" than either of those trails and you'll see people every day. As far as how necessary town stops are, that is up to you. You know your limits more than anybody else. If you want to bypass a town, go ahead.

[thestin]

Geez, HYOH and do what you feel is right. What's a purist anyway?

[bigmac_in]

If you want to "get in touch with the wilderness" - I'm not sure I'd pick the AT. Although there are stretches of forest, I'm not sure I'd call it wilderness. It is a good place to take a hike, however, and an interesting destination for backpacking.

But "wilderness"? Nah - not really.

By the way - I'm guessing the minimum # of in-town stayovers would be zero.

To each their own.

[Drew54]

i guess i was a bit misinterpreted. im planning my MEGA 09 not to be in extreme wilderness (i will be doing that in prince william sound on a 30 day NOLS OutdoorEducator course this summer) but moreso just chiming in about the excessive luxury while thru-hiking.

the AT is calling me, i have to do it, and i read Pat Pittards "Bearfoot: A NoBo" book, confirming the potentiality of my hike, but i just hate to see the extreme luxury on trail

[buff_jeff]

i guess i was a bit misinterpreted. im planning my MEGA 09 not to be in extreme wilderness (i will be doing that in prince william sound on a 30 day NOLS OutdoorEducator course this summer) but moreso just chiming in about the excessive luxury while thru-hiking.

the AT is calling me, i have to do it, and i read Pat Pittards "Bearfoot: A NoBo" book, confirming the potentiality of my hike, but i just hate to see the extreme luxury on trail

Honestly, I don't see anything wrong with hitting a hostel or hotel, etc. once every week or two weeks. The trail towns can be considered just as much of the experience as anything else. In the end, just do what makes you happy. It is certainly feasible to never stay over night in a town, if that's what you want.

[Drew54]

yeah i agree with every so-often for a hygenic stop (6 months is absurd without ANYTHING)

[bigmac_in]

Extreme Luxury is interpreted differently by different folks. The two women carrying the Charmin probably thought they were far from luxury. My wife will never go backpacking with me, even if she could take the Charmin.

I'm not sure I would call Mountain Crossings' hostel luxury.

However, I do understand what you are saying. I'd rather be out several weeks without seeing a soul if I could. Just let the others hike their hike, and go out and enjoy yours. It's all good.

P.S. - have a GREAT time on teh Prince William Sound trip. It sounds like great fun.

[warraghiyagey]

If you are looking for a mostly wilderness experience try the PCT or CDT. The AT is a great trail; plenty of views, woods, etc., but it is also a social experience. It is much more "crowded" than either of those trails and you'll see people every day. As far as how necessary town stops are, that is up to you. You know your limits more than anybody else. If you want to bypass a town, go ahead.

Can't be said better than that.

[Grampie]

Well Drew it goes like this. Quite a few folks think like you. "I'll go hike the AT and not stop at hostels, motels or go to towns." The unfortunate part is that many folks fall for the temptation of home cooked food, a warm shower and a soft bed.
I hiked in 2001. Of the 20 to 30 hiker I met and got to know, none of them could stay away from the towns vortex. You have so much time, while hiking, to think of the luxurys that the up-comming town has to offer and all your hiker friends are making plans to go into town, it gets hard not to go.
You have to go into a town ,now and than, to resupply. Either by mail drop or purchase as you go. You can't get away from doing that. You can get your supplys and hike back out and not stay. You can wash without taking a shower and also wash your cloths in a stream or pond and that would work. That would give you maximum time to enjoy the wilderness.
The problem is, everyone you meet and become a friend of will be going into town or staying at a hostel. You will than have a choise; wait for them or hike on alone. I have not met many young folks your age that could do that.
I hope you are a special person who will shurely be able to hike your own hike.
Happy trails to you on your adventure.

[Drew54]

I understand what you are saying for sure. I will be doing the SoBo MEGA run next July, I hope to see some great people, but when it comes down to it, virtually no group starts and finishes together (from what i gather so far) and that pressure of town is going to be my dragon. ill get er done and hope to find what im looking for along the way.

i really like to hear the experience talking from you all, and i am very excited to get going on this.

Anyone else 09 MEGA hikers?

[bigmac_in]

I understand what you are saying for sure. I will be doing the SoBo MEGA run next July, I hope to see some great people, but when it comes down to it, virtually no group starts and finishes together (from what i gather so far) and that pressure of town is going to be my dragon. ill get er done and hope to find what im looking for along the way.

i really like to hear the experience talking from you all, and i am very excited to get going on this.

Anyone else 09 MEGA hikers?

That's the spirit Drew - I believe you'll be a finisher !! If for some reason you don't finish in one season - welcome to section hiking! Like I said - it's all good.

[dessertrat]

As a purist adventurer, LNT nut, and wilderness advocate, I am wondering the essentiality of paying for lodging on the AT. I saw an older couple of women at Walasi-Yi staying the night and carrying with them a 6 pack of charmin ultra.

I am planning my 09 Sobo right now, and am doing it to get away, and to get into touch with the wilderness. Wondering the purist point of view on Trailtime Luxury. Why and how often must it be accomodated? Toilet paper is the biggest of jokes, but paying for beer/pizzam, lodging and a shower is hardly roughing it (especially on day 4/5 at walasi-yi).

What is the minimum # of in-town stayovers made?

The minimum number, I'm sure, is zero. There has to be someone doing a thru who just hated town stays and never stayed in town. From my recollection of Earl Shaffer's trail journals, he might have never stayed in a town, that I can remember.

How often is all up to you. It depends upon your own tolerance for lack of hot shower, washing machine, etc. I find that as much as I like sleeping out, I enjoy a motel stay after a week in the woods. It is all up to you. There are some who scoff at staying at a motel, but have never spent more than a weekend out in the woods, and change their tune after a week or two on the trail.

And toilet paper ain't no joke! I always start with a full roll of it.

[max patch]

Until I was out there week after week after week I had no idea how good that weekly hot shower, clean clothes, and a meal cooked by someone else was.

[Blissful]

The purist / wilderness "get away from all the civilization - can't wait -" stuff goes out the window when it's been two months on the trail and you're hungry and your food is out, you have a pulled muscle and you've been in thunderstorms for three days and your stuff is drenched and temps are droppping with 60 mph wind. The hostel and / or motel room looks pretty good.

HYOH is the only purist way there is.

[Blissful]

Until I was out there week after week after week I had no idea how good that weekly hot shower, clean clothes, and a meal cooked by someone else was.

You got that right. This is one of those situations that you can't know really what to expect unless you been out in it day after day after day.

(And BTW - I want to go back!)

[Frosty]

i guess i was a bit misinterpreted. im planning my MEGA 09 not to be in extreme wilderness (i will be doing that in prince william sound on a 30 day NOLS OutdoorEducator course this summer) but moreso just chiming in about the excessive luxury while thru-hiking.

the AT is calling me, i have to do it, and i read Pat Pittards "Bearfoot: A NoBo" book, confirming the potentiality of my hike, but i just hate to see the extreme luxury on trail

You are not required to stay in a hotel. If you want you can camp every single night of the hike. I don't understand what the issue is.

[A-Train]

As a purist adventurer, LNT nut, and wilderness advocate, I am wondering the essentiality of paying for lodging on the AT. I saw an older couple of women at Walasi-Yi staying the night and carrying with them a 6 pack of charmin ultra.

I am planning my 09 Sobo right now, and am doing it to get away, and to get into touch with the wilderness. Wondering the purist point of view on Trailtime Luxury. Why and how often must it be accomodated? Toilet paper is the biggest of jokes, but paying for beer/pizzam, lodging and a shower is hardly roughing it (especially on day 4/5 at walasi-yi).

What is the minimum # of in-town stayovers made?

Keep an open mind. Your plan and mindset just MIGHT change during the hike. That's the beauty of a long trek, you can notice the transformations in your values and what's important.

Reminds me of a young Auburn U frat boy I met on the AT near Low Gap Shelter. He was doing a minimum of 15 miles per day. He was going from Neels Gap to NOC without resupply and was planning on a 4month thru-hike. He spent the night with many of us at the shelter and some of us hiked together the next day. Needles to say, he was sharing a room with us in Hiawassee a couple days later, and sucking back a beer.

I'd spend the next 4 months hiking on and off with him.

You never know....

[Peaks]

It's part of the Hike your own hike philosophy. Some like the comforts more than others. It all depends on what your idea of a thru-hike is. For some (many), it seem to be to get from one town to the next, while others prefer to stay out of town as much as possible.

A-Train: good post.

[Jack Tarlin]

Drew:

The A.T. is very often a bad-weather Trail.

In all likelihood, about a third of your trip will be spent hiking or dealing with lousy weather......you'll be about to head into rotten weather; you'll have just gotten OUT of rotten weather; or you'll be travelling IN poor weather.

In light of this, hostels and town stops can start to look really good.

I suspect your feelings towards warm rooms, non-leaking roofs, decent meals, and hot showers will change a bit after you've been hiking awhile.

Very few people hike the A.T. without time off in the "civilized" world.

And those that try to do so either change their minds, or they tend to go home.