Georgia Section Hike?

[NCYankee]

Hey all. Sorry for such a meager question when people are researching the entirity of the trail, but I am looking to do just a sectional hike of the trail come the early spring. Professional (and marital) commitments don't allow for months of absence but I figure that I can easily do the 75 miles of the GA AT in a week.
What information would ya'll be willing to share regarding this section? Anything I should do to prepare out of the ordinary? Any decent books to order?
Thanks!

[max patch]

No road access at the GA NC border. Either need to backtrack 9 miles or go ahead an additional 7 miles into NC.

Download and print the first 7 pages of this:
http://www.aldha.org/companyn/ga-tn08.pdf

Buy this:
https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalo...id=62&compid=1

And thats all you need to know.

[Blissful]

Welcome to WB!!! There's nothing wrong with doing a section hike. (!) WB is not about doing it all in one felt swoop. In fact most here are doing it one step at a time. Section hikers rock.

I can tell you though that if you start in early spring, you will have plenty of company with would-be thru hikers out there.

Best advice is to take it easy and not rush the section. Some good mtns to climb there.
Also, watch the weight you are carrying will make a more pleasant trip . When you get a chance, post your gear list.

[bigcranky]

We like to keep relevant information from new hikers. Surprises are fun....

Seriously, you've come to the right place. Download the Companion pages, buy a Georgia map, and enjoy the hike. You can park at the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega and they will shuttle you to Springer, then you can walk to wherever you want to stop, and they will pick you up.

Early spring in Georgia tends to be cold, so be prepared.
I

[gaga]

Buy this -- http://www.appalachianpages.com/ its all you need for good info.

[Two Speed]

Or you could download the Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee part of ALDHA's trail companion here. Lots of information on the AT from various sources.

BTW, to WB.

[bigmac_in]

First, welcome to Whiteblaze.

Second, DO NOT apologize for being a section hiker. Section hikers do it better!

Third - All the previous posts are good information. I'd recommend getting the shuttle to the USFS parking lot on springer and hiking the .9 miles south to the terminus, and then backtracking. It will save you 8 miles on the approach trail.

I would recommend late April or early May, most the heavy traffic of thru hikers will be over.

Josh and Leigh Saint at the Hiker Hostel are great and will take good care of you if you use them.

Have fun !!

[futureatwalker]

I did a Georgia section hike this past spring... a couple of thoughts:

1) It was absolutely terrific. I really, really wanted to keep going.

2) The folks at the Hiker Hostel are brilliant. They got to the trail from Atlanta, and
picked me up near the NC border.

3) I was out for 7 nights. On the last day, before the Hiker Hostel people picked me up, I ditched my pack ran the last few miles to the NC border and back.

4) I started on April 2. It was misty and wet for a few days, and then very pleasant. Flowers were just coming up, and there were no leaves on the trees yet. The woods still felt like winter.

5) I wanted to enjoy my week out, and trained a lot before going. I built up to running an hour over hilly terrain at home. This helped tremendously on the up and down terrain of Georgia. Walking for 8 hours, with a pack, up and down hills, is tough. As a section hiker you don't really have the opportunity to hike yourself into shap, so physical preparation, in my opinion, will enhance your enjoyment of the time that you are out there. Trail running is my preferred way of preparing, but I don't doubt that walking up and down hills with a pack on is probably the best preparation.

Enjoy it!

[bloodmountainman]

I live 5 miles south of Neel Gap. If you need any assistance with anything, let me know. I have done the same hike you have in mind.

[FatMan]

...but I figure that I can easily do the 75 miles of the GA AT in a week.

What you need to know is that most hikers who go into this section with that belief find themselves to be wrong.

[Bulldawg]

What you need to know is that most hikers who go into this section with that belief find themselves to be wrong.

That's right FatMan. Georgia is not a portion of the trail to be underestimated. There are certainly worse sections, or tougher sections you might want to call them. But Georgia is not a breeze by any means!!! It's a tough little 72 miles.

[max patch]

Not tough. Average.

ATC rates GA a 6 on a 1-10 scale. I'd give it a 5.

[Bulldawg]

Not tough. Average.

ATC rates GA a 6 on a 1-10 scale. I'd give it a 5.

It would be tough on someone thinking because it was Georgia came up here not ready! I haven't hiked the entire trail, only some in GA, NC, and TN; so maybe I don't have much comparison. But it is not a section to be underestimate by thinking because it is Georgia it is simple.

[NCYankee]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I guess a couple of things...

That's right FatMan. Georgia is not a portion of the trail to be underestimated. There are certainly worse sections, or tougher sections you might want to call them. But Georgia is not a breeze by any means!!! It's a tough little 72 miles.

I don't doubt that it will be difficult. While I am a complete neophyte to the AT I have done several extended trips in the past over similar terrain (I spent a month hiking in CO, a week on the mountain to sea trail... lots of time in NC's Pisgah).

Physically preparing is something I'm in the process of doing now. I normally go on simple overnights with the wife and dogs once to twice a month.

As far as gear, I certainly think that I should make the move to more of the lightweight movement as I am still carrying my 14 year old Dana Terraplane pack, but it is just too comfortable to walk away from If you think it would be helpful I could list all my gear (it is not all transitioned over to the newer ultralight gear)

I have been reading some of the trailjournals.com entries and reading about people putting up 20 mile days, which is normally not my pace by any means (I'm traditionally in the steady 2-3 MPH cadence with about 12-15 miles a day being my comfort level).

The way I am looking at this is I have been backpacking for 16 years now and I have NEVER been on the AT. I always thought that after high school I would make the time to do it but then came college, grad school, debt, and then working to pay off debt. I have several more weeks of vacation time than my wife, so a week long trip (9 possible days) is completely possible for me.

I hope that I could do the 75 miles of GA plus the 7 miles to a road in NC in 9 hiking days...
Am I being naive here?

I know Blood Mountain is the tall peak but we have done Mount Mitchell...

Once again, thank you for the encouragement and guidence, it's been over 10 years since I planned to get out there and now I'm six months away.

[Bulldawg]

Yeah 75 miles in 9 days is easily doable if you have hiking experience.

[FatMan]

I hope that I could do the 75 miles of GA plus the 7 miles to a road in NC in 9 hiking days...

Now that you listed some of your experience you will be more than fine. And 9 days vs my presumed 7 days will be very easy. Please understand that we have people come on here that have never hiked before with grandiose plans and make statements of how easy it will be.

[NCYankee]

Now that you listed some of your experience you will be more than fine. And 9 days vs my presumed 7 days will be very easy. Please understand that we have people come on here that have never hiked before with grandiose plans and make statements of how easy it will be.

Gotcha! I was concerned for a moment there.

I have always had this weird fantasy about the AT and avoid trails that come near it because I held out the belief that I would one day be able to hike it all in its entirity but life sort of gets in the way.

As far as experience we are normally on a trail weekly and do at least 1 to 2 nights per month (currently... it's getting a bit cold and the wife officially declared that after this last weekend in Panthertown Valley she is done for the season).

I am looking at a map from the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club and based off what I am seeing here the shelters are laid out in the following increments:

1. Stover Creek Shelter 2.8miles
2. Hawk Mountain Shelter 7.8miles
3. Gooch Mountain Shelter 6.3miles
4. Wood's Hole Shelter 11.9 miles
5. Blood Mountain Shelter 1.3 miles
6. Whitley Gap Shelter 8.6 miles
7. Low Gap Shelter 4.6 miles
8. Blue Mountain Shelter 7.2 miles
9. Tray Mountain Shelter 7.8 miles
10. Deep Gap Shelter 8 miles
11. Plumorchard Gap Shelter 8 miles

The way I am reading this is that if I only hiked from shelter to shelter, including 5 mile, 1.3 mile, and 4.6 mile days, then it would take a 11 nights/12 days. Based off the fact that I would need to be on trail on Saturday and off trail a week later on Sunday (blasted corporate vacation policies) I figure if I can combine a couple of shorter days into longer days then I can complete this section and knock out a whole state (too bad I cannot do the next section in a week).

You sort of answered my question of whether what I am planning feasible or is it rife with naiveté so I thank you very much. I am truly jealous of the thru-hikers out there but I think I'm going to have to settle for just gobbling up a week at a time.

Thanks so much!

[NCYankee]

Now that you listed some of your experience you will be more than fine. And 9 days vs my presumed 7 days will be very easy. Please understand that we have people come on here that have never hiked before with grandiose plans and make statements of how easy it will be.

I cannot edit my posts, so I apologize for poor forum etiquette by posting directly below a reply.

I did not mean to imply that it would be easy physically... I was talking about easy as far as time allotted. I should have made that more clear in my original post and I am sorry about that.

[FatMan]

Being that you will be hitting the trail on a Saturday in early spring you will have plenty of company leaving Springer with you. The shelters will be very crowded. I recommend forgetting shelters and hike based upon what your body tells you. GA is loaded with plenty of tent sites along the trail. Unless you have a real desire to mingle with crowds, tenting would be best that time of year.

[buff_jeff]

I found it to be a really pleasant experience. My only other backpacking experience prior to heading south was in Pennsylvania so, comparatively, it was a blast. I'm not trying to get you to underestimate the trail, but I really didn't find it that hard at all. The trail is really well maintained. I never had a problem with rocks or roots and almost every Gap has a sign.

Are you doing the Approach Trail?