Going solo on Appalachian trail what's it like?

[Concealed]

First of all..let me say this. Get that word "hopefully" out of your head and your plans. (That will doom you to fail.) You gotta have the attitude "I WILL hike the entire length!" I haven't yet did a thru hike but I have spent a considerable amount of time on the AT in the Great Smokey Mountains of NC and TN because I only live 130 miles from there. In the Smokeys Stevie Wonder could see and follow that trail but I can't honestly vouch for the other areas. I did see once where a blind dude did it with his seeing eye dog. (Now how that dog read maps and trail markers and signs is beyond me.) I have seen bears on and near the trail and in camping areas in the Smokeys on rare occasions when I was in the woods outside of winter and even a large sow with 2 cubs at 40 yards once but I have no teeth or claw marks on me and the bears also survived the incidents so I wouldn't worry too much about bears. Just hang your food at camp and never eat or keep food in your tent and don't pour peanut butter and / or honey all over your self and you should be fine in regards to bears. They are really cool people. (the bears) As far as getting lost goes, if you do get lost you won't be lost forever so don't get your drawers all in a wad if you do. LOL.. Always carry a tent in case you don't have room in a shelter or maybe just can't make it to one before time to sleep. I prefer to do most of my hiking in the dead of winter and at that time there may not be a lot of people so that should solve the shelter problem at least during that season. You can find on this website about small towns near the trails and you will probably never be more than a few days walk at least from a road that will lead to a town. More than likely the fartherest you will be from road or town access will be in the middle of the Smokeys. I would suggest doing some wilderness hiking for training to alleviate your fears before you begin your hike. Also, I worry more about the ill mannered dogs of other hikers who don't have sense enough to keep those unruly dogs leashed or leave them at home than I do bears. I have had closer calls with dogs than bears on the trails and then nearly had to kick a dog owners a** when his unleashed German Shepard charged me with his teeth bared, at which time I readied a Leki Trekking Pole and a large knife to defend myself, but the dog stopped short of his own death when the owner yelled at him. (They were 30 yards apart.)The bottom line though is the owner should have had an aggressive dog on a leash to begin with.

Tyvm. I actually really don't have much experience with hiking, I mean I've marched and jogged long distances in the army, but again, not hiking. To be honest, I didn't expect so many people to see me as not being serious, I've also read a lot on other sites just now about it. I'm just really wanting to do this hike to get away from everything, put myself in a different enviroment, get into good shape again, and to find myself. I'm wanting to try this by the end of December, an I'm sure I won't be 100% ready when making my way onto the trail, but would at least like to be as prepared as I can be. I've never encountered a bear, all I know is that it's pretty scary to me, knowing that my life is in the bear's hands. As it would be faster, and stronger, an I'm not into hurting animals. My main concerns really though, is how far away from other people I will be, especially after I'm really down into the trail, and I'm also concerned whether or not I will actually find these small towns along the trail or not, as this will be my only source of food. ((Don't plan on hunting for my own.)) I wish a friend would come along, but no one really wants to try doing something like this that I know lol.


Anyways, here are the biggest fears:
1. Bears ((No experience with them.))
2. Getting lost, or being 3 miles + away from other people.
3. Not finding the small towns where I could resupply my food.

[Luddite]

Why do you think you'll have trouble finding the towns? When you get to a road crossing you just hitch into town. You don't have to worry about bears, you might not even see one the entire time you're out there. They're basically shy vegetarians. You won't get lost and if you do it probably won't be for long. If you're ever 3 miles away from someone it won't be for long, the AT is a popular trail.

[Rocket Jones]

Anyways, here are the biggest fears:
1. Bears ((No experience with them.))
2. Getting lost, or being 3 miles + away from other people.
3. Not finding the small towns where I could resupply my food.

You need to sit down and look through one of the AT Trail Guides, and you'll see that finding town resupply isn't the hardest part of the hike, although it'll certainly be tougher in the winter. I don't have the link handy, but there's an online version of one of the guides that you can read.

Up top of the page, look for the link called "Thru Hiking Info" and under that the "Prep" articles. Tons of good info there to give you an idea of what a long hike is really like.

Right now, you need information. Mainly to keep you from making the same mistakes that so many of us made in the beginning. Trust me, you'll find brand new mistakes of your own to make.

[Carbo]

...I'm wanting to try this by the end of December, an I'm sure I won't be 100% ready when making my way onto the trail, but would at least like to be as prepared as I can be...

If you are doing this in December, I think a big challenge will be putting up with 13+ hours of darkness and cold when you stop for the day.

[Mags]

I wrote this article. It may answer some of your questions?
http://www.pmags.com/a-quick-and-dir...alachian-trail

[weary]

Winter is not a wise time for someone with no experience to start a long distance hike. My strong suggestion is that you get in contact with hiking groups in your area and do some day and weekend hikes until late March or early April.

I don't know how things work in the south, but several groups in Maine run hikes all winter long in Maine. Start by contacting the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. A google search will give you an email and a phone number, I'm sure.

Winter requires far more complex skills than do spring, summer, and fall.

[emerald]

You need to sit down and look through one of the AT Trail Guides, and you'll see that finding town resupply isn't the hardest part of the hike, although it'll certainly be tougher in the winter. I don't have the link handy, but there's an online version of one of the guides that you can read.

Linked twice in post #3

A.T. strip map

[Grinder]

Concealed,
+ 1 on the "read the trail journals

Also, there is a free guide to the trail in this forum. Download it and scan through. You are rarely more than a couple of days away from a town.

During peak season, you will see people nearly every hour at worst. Finding an empty shelter is rare.

You can get lost from time to time. But you quickly develop a fifth sense that you haven't seen a white blaze for a while.

Your idea of hiking as far as you can is a good one. More than likely, you can finish a through hike in one season, but if not, who cares???

Good Luck

[topshelf]

Concealed

Don't worry about bears. You're bound to see them. Just keep your distance and make sure they know your presence(be loud).

Don't worry about getting lost. Even if you do get lost you should have an extra day's worth of food and should be fine. Just follow the guidebook and use common sense. No shortcuts down the ridge to refind the trail and such.

Finally using your guidebook you should find every town, no problem. Only difficult part may be hitch hiking to the town and back in some parts.

Hiking alone is basically all I do. It gives you the freedom to meet new people. You're not required to hike with any certain group of people when you go it alone. If you don't get along with those you're with you can leave them or let them leave you. You can hike your own hike and do the things you want.

Again just read and study up, practice with full weight do over nighters and week long hikes to get ready,

[Concealed]

All right, ty everyone for the input. The reason I'm really wanting to do this by the end of december is because I'd like to do something like this before college starts. Still seems like there is a lot of research ahead of me to do something like this. But like I said, I'm really just wanting to do something rough and tough that would also get me away from everything. Just wanting an adventure really. Anyways, I'll do some more research, an add to the list. Also, if you guys have any alternatives for me that I can do which is similar to hiking the A.T, until I'm more prepared, it's the right season, an maybe have someone to go with me, please let me know.

[emerald]

You need not compile a reading list and spend months in preparation. There's plenty of time to make plans.

Step by Step: An Introduction to Walking the Appalachian Trail (PDF).