New Section Hiker- My Story, My Gear, My Food, Your Thoughts!

[Candy Korn]

Here's my story in the briefest nutshell I can manage...
This will be my first section hike of the AT. I have hiked parts of it on day hikes while living in Asheville, NC but have never spent the night and kept hiking the next day.
What took me to Asheville? Roller Derby and School! I played roller derby in Tampa, Fl. starting in 2006. In 2009, I decided to move to Asheville and skate with a league there. While there, I feel in love with the mountains and the trails, but roller derby kept me very busy (oh and school but I was way more involved with roller derby). I moved back to Tampa, Fl area in 2011 to be closer to my family and I had already graduated. I started to play rollover derby back in Tampa but had a sudden bad run of luck....turns out all the hits to my head during my 6 years of playing roller derby took its toll. I had got a mild concussion and went to get myself check out. They decided to do a scan and found out that at one point I had a brain bleed but luckily it had cleared up. I only had a mild concussion, but the doctor told me that I needed to stop playing contact sports because all of the injuries over the years have complied and I could really do permanent brain damage if I continued. I stopped playing and started coaching! This sport has taken me all over the world and I have had a blast doing it, but I am a bit tired of practice 5days a week and not getting to play too. So I am retiring after our last tournament in September.
My hike....I decided that I wanted to try a section hike of the AT to see if I was even capable of doing the whole thing, and time restraints as of now, sometime in February. I have been planning since then. I will be hiking with my service dog so when I say we, it's just me and him. He and I have been training here in Florida since mid March and doing 2-3 nights on the longest trails I can find here that also offer primitive campsites. We have encountered all animals that could be on the trail except bears, but I am confident we will be able to handle it after all the friendly help here and being vigilant in storing my food.
We will be going doing the first 110 miles staring at springer mt. I am thinking we can do about 8 miles the first few days then step it up to 11 or 12. We are tent camping the whole time so we do not disturb shelters. (We both do better in the tent!)
Here is my gear list and his and our food list. He is carrying all his own stuff and has been practicing for it so he is ready! Please feel free to Le me know if I'm missing something or feel free to leave your thoughts on my gear. I got all of this on a very tight budget but have been testing it out and getting used to it and like all that I have
Big items:
- Kelty Red Cloud 80women's
-kelty 20degree women's sleeping bag
-Ozark Trail 3season 2 person tent with foot print and tarp for rain fly
-sea to Summit pack cover
-thermorest self inflating sleeping pad
-crazy creek chair
-katadyn hiker pro water filter
-bear spray
-bear vault
-goal zero solar power charger
-2 32oz. Nalgene bottles
-Spot GPS tracker
Cook Bag:
-Jetboil stove kit
-GSP Outdoor cook pot, bowl, cup
-wind screen
-spork
- bandana
Clothing:
-Rain Wear Bag- Frogg Toggs Rain Suit - Ourdoor Reaserch Short length gaiters
-Separate clothes bag -2 underwear/ 1 on me, 1 packed
-3 pairs socks/ 1 on me, 2 packed
-2 convertible pants/ 1on me, 1 packed
-2 convertible shirts/ 1 on me, 1 packed
-1 bandana
-fleece packed
-2 sports bras/ 1 on me, 1 packed
-baseball cap on me
-Salomon Women's Hiking Boots
-Keen Sandles for camp
Personals Bag:
--everything in separate ziploc baggies- bug spray with deet
-Sunscreen
-Camps Suds 3oz.
- travel toothbrush
-travel toothpaste
-hand sanitizer
-1 roll portable toilet paper
-2empty ziplocks for waste
-30ft rope
Handy Bag:
- basic Swiss aArmy knife
-energizer head lamp
-foldable shovel
-sea to summit insect shield
First aid: 4-3x1 bandages, 2-2x6 bandages, 1 small roll stretch wrap, 2 alcohol pads, 2 doses aspirin, 2 doses ibprophen, 2sting relief pads, 1 small roll medical tape, 1 neosprorin on the go, 1 small roll duck tape, water proof matches, water tablets, emergency whistle
My Dogs Pack:
-rain cover for him
-pack cover
-chuck it travel bed
-ruff wear dog boot
-2 6ft leads, 1 on him, 1 back up
- 2 32oz. Nalgene bottles
-2 portable food/ water bowls
- sea to summit insect shield
-odor resistant bags for food
Our Food:
we are stopping at Neels Gap and I'm giving us 6 days to get there.
His---
- 1 packet of wet food per day/6packets
-2 cups dry food per day/ 12 cups
-3 biskit/bones per day--18
- 3 pieces of jerky a day--1 pack jerky
My Food---
-Breakfast: -combination of eggs and grits/oatmeal/granola
-dehydrated eggs and bacon-3bags=6 meal with supplement
-oatmeal and grits- 6oatmeal 3grits=6 meal supplements
-dehydrated milk and granola- 1pack=4 meal supplements
-Lunch:
-peanut butter and jelly on tortilla- 12oz peanut butter/8 indivitual jelly packets/5 tortillas
- tuna and crackers- 2 packets of tuna/ 1 sleeve crackers
-Dinner:- dehydrated meal and meat
- dehydrated meals- chilli Mac, beef stroganoff, chicken Alfredo/ 3 packages=6 meals
- pepperoni and beef jerky- 1 package of pepperoni, 1 package of jerky=6 meals
-Snacks: - gorp ( m&m, honey roasted peanuts, raisins, pretzels)
- chewy granola bars- 10 cliff and natures valley bars
- fruit leathers- 10 assorted fflavored
-cinnamon roasted almonds and walnuts
-Extra Food Stuff-- 6 tablespoons protein powder, 6 iced tea packets, 6 coffe packets, 6 emergenC, salt and pepper, 3 hot chocolate, 12 packets of honey


Ok, that's it, thanks in advance for those who read all of it

[Mountain Mike]

Bear spray & vault are overkill, really not needed. CC chair? I have one but seldom take it as onces add up & eventually become pounds. Clothing depends on when & where your hike is. Standard for clothing is one set for hiking & one for camp & town. Looks pretty good, just take note of what you use each hike so you only carry what you need for the next one. Starting at Springer you can mail supplies to Neels Gap & keep you weight down first 30 miles. The only way to find what works for you is to go out & try it. I have many tents, packs & stoves. Each suited for certain seasons & weather. Good luck on your hike!

[rocketsocks]

What, No candy corn??? prolly just an oversite, I love candy corn, the staler the better....but even more than candy corn, I love roller derby...on a tilted track....bring back the tilted track! I say....but i digress...

I guess you'll use socks for gloves, many do

Excellent culinary choice of dinners, three of my favs too

that's all i got, congrats on your choice to walk away from somethin you love to do, prolly a good call, to many brain dead hikers walkin around in the woods these days anyway. Seriously though, good move...we can't abuse our body's our entire lives. great luck to you on your hike.

oh, and one more thing, kudos for thinking about the dogs rain gear, I rarely see people post that they are bring one for the dog.

[illabelle]

Our Food:
we are stopping at Neels Gap and I'm giving us 6 days to get there.

Welcome to WB! Wow, that's quite a first post! Good for you for being thorough in your description. So many ask for advice without telling us their experience level, and the responses they get range from helpful to completely not. One thing that wasn't entirely clear - to me - is when you're hiking. Will you be doing this section in September after your retirement? or in February?

Regarding your food, it's only 30 miles from Springer to Neels Gap. We did this section in 3 days, and we're not fast (we didn't do the approach trail). Four days should be plenty.

You didn't tell us what your loaded pack weighs. Mountain Mike questioned you bringing a chair - almost nobody carries a chair for any length. I think the concern is whether your overall weight is too much.

Good luck with your hike!

[Chris10]

I would leave the chair and vault for sure.
and I know hike your own hike and all, but I'd wait to go until further along into Spring, early summer. February can and could be pretty brutal in the mountains. If you are trying to avoid the "crowd", leave late April, early May.

oh, and good luck and have fun!

[moldy]

You have way too much stuff for a 31 mile hike, seek professional help. It must weigh 50 pounds. February is all wrong.

[RED-DOG]

WOW that's a lot of stuff: things you don't need if you going to this in February.
1 Bear spray.
2 Bear Vault.
3 Sun Screen
4 Bug Spray.
5 G.P.S Tracker ( the AT is well marked ).
6 Crazy Creek Chair ( their's just no need for one ).
7 Insect shield ( bugs don't come out until April ).
8 Foldable shovel ( get a plastic one instead ).
9 Camp suds ( what this for ).
10 Bowl, Cup ( don't need them ).
11 Portable Toilet Paper ( that stuff don't last, get a regular roll and stuff it in a Zip-Lock bag ).
Things your dog don't need.
1 Chuck it travel bed ( he can sleep in the tent with you ).
2 Rain cover for him ( he just don't one ).
3 Nalgene Bottles ( he is not going to need those ).
4 He is not going to need a Insect shield.
The AT in February can Brutally cold, Since you are from Florida and used to the warmer climate, start later like in April, Just keep this in Mind, Good Luck and Happy Hiking.

[Ezra]

The folks who I see carrying rope for the most part carry parachute cord, anything heavier would be overkill.

[Gray Blazer]

Your gear is better than mine. Why do you have a woman's sleeping bag?

[Rasty]

Your gear is better than mine. Why do you have a woman's sleeping bag?

Her name is Candice.

[max patch]

I wouldn't go on a 110 mile hike in february with a 20 degree bag.

[Candy Korn]

We are going the last week of September. My pack completely loaded weighs 43pounds. I have been training with it weighted at 55 pounds ( my gear plus hand weights). I know it's a bit extreme, but I am a bit extreme as well! My thoughts are if i train for way harder situations, the actual thing I'm doing will seem like a breeze! My dog weights a solid 65 pounds and his pack is 21 pounds packed, he has been training with 25 pounds, a bit much but he is a boxer/pit bull mix with solid muscle, he loves it! Am I am a woman, hence the woman specific items
The bear vault. After putting my food in a waterproof bag and then another bag to hang it, I tried hanging it. I wish I had a video cause you all would die from laughter. You would think a woman that has played sports would be able to get a rope in a tree with some aim, this was not the case. Compile that my dog loves rope, to chew on, so he thought it was a game of " let me catch that rope in the air mom". Took me close to 2 hours before I had it "properly hung". The water proof bag and diddy sack to hang that I have weigh 1.3 pounds, the vault weights 2.6. I made the very conscious choice of adding the extra 1.3.
I have been giving thoughts to ditching the crazy creek and just using the bear vault to sit on.
Thanks for all the helpful advice! I am a work in progress you might say, but I think we all are

[Rasty]

Living on flat land like I do, it is important to remember that 50# on flat land isn't a big deal. 45-50# on steep hills will kick your butt unless you got serious leg muscles.

[Gray Blazer]

I've seen more bears on the FT Than the AT.

Because of lack of hills in FL you may want to find some multi-story buildings in Tampa or Tampa Stadium and walk those steps a few times.

[illabelle]

CK, you mentioned that your dog is a service dog. Does this mean that your physical health will restrict your ability to hike? And if so, does that factor into your schedule or preparations in some way? I don't mean to pry, just wondering if we're getting an accurate picture.

I carry more weight than I should, often in the 35# range, occasionally closer to 40#, 43# is definitely getting uncomfortably heavy. If you can reduce your food a bit and leave the chair behind, that will help. But don't feel like you can't take things you want. For example, somebody above said you don't need a cup and bowl. Truthfully I suppose you don't NEED them, but if you want them, and you're able to carry them, go ahead. I don't like eating from a zip-lock. I carry a bowl, but I use it for both a cup and a bowl.

A concern about your bear vault: Does all your food fit in it? If not, you'll have to hang a bag anyway...or sleep with it in your tent. Not recommending it, just recognizing that some do. We do some of both.

[Weather-man]

Wow! That's a lot of stuff. Have you had a chance to weigh everything yet, to include a liter or 2 of water? I'd say 50lbs is on the light side. From reading your bio it seems that you're professional athlete so I have to assume that you're in good physical condition which means you're capable of carrying all of this....but why ? IMO your hike will be so much more enjoyable if you lighten this up a bit. As others have said here already many of the items that you're carrying simply aren't required for an enjoyable, safe hike. I've embedded my .02 below...

Caveat- while I'm not an ultra light hiker I do go comfortably light so that's my perspective when commenting. Also, not sure what your money constraints are but there are much lighter options for many of your items.

As another poster mentioned, race tracks in Myakka, don't equate to humping up Sassafrass mountain with 50+ pounds. Can you do? I think you can...will you like like it? Maybe not.

What's your resupply plan? Any town days in there?

Do you have AWOLs guide?

Smart phone? If so there are some great aps for the AT as well as weather aps.

I didn't comment on your food but would recommend that you shoot for about 3000 cal/per day. A stick of butter in the cold is great. When winter hiking/ camping I put a dollop in everything....even my coco in the morning. More chocolate too. Eating a bite of chocolate at night before bed or drinking a pack of hot jello will help keep you warm. Also, dry soups are great in the winter.

Have you considered going the extra 25 or so miles and stopping at the NOC? That's a wonderful place to stop and rest before heading back.

Finally, my comments below are not meant to be critical but rather just critical thinking from my perspective. I'm also in Tampa and am heading up to the smokies in mid Sep with one of my daughters. This summer has been brutal and I can't wait to get to the mountains.

Big Items
- Kelty Red Cloud 80women's- -kelty 20degree women's sleeping bag- Might be a bit light for the weather in Feb...
-Ozark Trail 3season 2 person tent with foot print and tarp for rain fly- Not sure but sounds heavy!
-sea to Summit pack cover I use a compactor bag inside my pack, ymmv...
-thermorest self inflating sleeping pad- Which model? These vary and a good R value will make life much nicer if it gets cold.
-crazy creek chair- Not for me though a small piece of foam is nice in the cold months to sit on.
-katadyn hiker pro water filter- If this freezes it's mission non capable. It's heavy as well. I'd say go with aqua mira drops for the cold weather
-bear spray- not needed
-bear vault- not needed
-goal zero solar power charger- Why? All I see is the spot tracker? Are you carrying a phone as well? I'd go with the New Trent 5000mah lithium battery, instead, if you need juice.
-2 32oz. Nalgene bottles- Heavy. Use 2, 1 qt gatorade bottles instead. I'd bring a 2 liter platypus as well for a total or 4 liters of camp water (water for your buddy as well)
-Spot GPS tracker
Cook Bag:
-Jetboil stove kit- Nice and fast but single purpose. Can't use your pot in a fire if one's available. I use a Soto with Ti pot. How much fuel are you carrying?
-GSP Outdoor cook pot, bowl, cup- Drop the bowl at least and use your pot. Did you mean GSI....? If so, there are lighter options.
-wind screen
-spork- I personally don't like sporks and opt for a long handled Ti spoon which helps with the deeper Freeze dried food bags.
- bandana
Clothing: I don't see any real warmies....Feb in the mountains can get way down into the teens or even single digits. I'd bring a light or medium down jacket and warm hat as well, for sleeping
-Rain Wear Bag- Frogg Toggs Rain Suit - Ourdoor Reaserch Short length gaiters- While I usually go light as practical with rain gear I go more durable with pit zips. I use Marmot Precip pants and jacket. Heavy but works well for me.
-Separate clothes bag -2 underwear/ 1 on me, 1 packed
-3 pairs socks/ 1 on me, 2 packed
-2 convertible pants/ 1on me, 1 packed- drop the second pair. Be stinky and go light!
-2 convertible shirts/ 1 on me, 1 packed- same as above
-1 bandana
-fleece packed- add merino mid (or heavy...it is Feb...) weight tops and bottoms for sleeping and moving around camp.
-2 sports bras/ 1 on me, 1 packed
-baseball cap on me
-Salomon Women's Hiking Boots
-Keen Sandles for camp
Personals Bag:
--everything in separate ziploc baggies- bug spray with deet- No bugs in Feb
-Sunscreen
-Camps Suds 3oz.- Use Dr Bonners for washing, teeth, etc...instead
- travel toothbrush
-travel toothpaste
-hand sanitizer
-1 roll portable toilet paper- Roll of good ole Charmin
-2empty ziplocks for waste
-30ft rope
Handy Bag:
- basic Swiss aArmy knife- not really needed, IMO
-energizer head lamp- Heavy
-foldable shovel- Not really needed
-sea to summit insect shield- Not needed in Feb
First aid: 4-3x1 bandages, 2-2x6 bandages, 1 small roll stretch wrap, 2 alcohol pads, 2 doses aspirin, 2 doses ibprophen, 2sting relief pads, 1 small roll medical tape, 1 neosprorin on the go, 1 small roll duck tape, water proof matches, water tablets, emergency whistle- I carry Leuko tape which can suffice for duct tape, medical tape and moleskin. The hand sanitizer can replace the alcohol pad. Drop the AsA and load UP (!) on the Motrin. I carry at least 3 days at 2400 mg per day.

we are stopping at Neels Gap and I'm giving us 6 days to get there.- Long time to get to Neel's. 4 days is about normal I'd say, if moving at a leisurely pace.


Ok, that's it, thanks in advance for those who read all of it

[Candy Korn]

Duke is a registered PTSD Emotional Support dog. My physical health is fine, I work out 15-20 hours a week with the roller derby team I coach, on top of training for this hike. My mental health is fine, now, but I have worked at that for a long time and Duke has been very helpful. I am not ashamed to talk about, in fact, I'm proud of how far I have come, but not everyone wants or needs to hear about it. I don't mind if people pry, it's a natural instinct to be curious I have managed to get all of that food in my bear vault (Tetris master!) and yes it is a bit heavy but food is important! The Spot GPS is for my family to alleviate some of their concerns.
After reading some of these responses, I have made some decisions:
- leaving the chair at home!
- going with 4-5 days to Neels gap instead of 6 will allow for me to take out a whole days worth of food! This will cut down some weight too
- going with 1 6ft lead for my dog (I have rope to use if I need)
-going to switch my rope out for parachute cord
- I'm also going to take out the bowl and leave that at home. I can use the cup for both!
So going buy all my lists of EVERYTHING I have written down (item,weight,description, location in bag and in pack) I just took off/out 4.1 pounds, bringing my pack to under 40! Awesome

[Slo-go'en]

The term "service dog" seems to be very loosely defined these days.

A 21 pound pack for a dog is down right cruel. That boarders on abuse. I don't even like lugging a 21 pound pack!

He might be able to handle that load on a short hike in Florida, but you get into the mountains of Georgia and I can guarentee after the 2nd day he's not going to be loving it any more. Your not going to like that 42 pound pack much either.

You definately need to lighten both your dogs and your load by a significant amount. Lots of advice available here at WB, you just have to look for it.

[max patch]

I don't hike with a dog so I'm not going to offer any advice, however, I will pass along what REI says:

Pack weight should be no more than 25% of dogs weight. That would give your dog a 16 pound pack.

A dog will eat more when backpacking. Up to twice as much, so plan according.

Just FYI. I hope you have a good hike.

[Candy Korn]

As far as his pack weight, I am going by 3 different books, talking with his vet, and tons of online research saying that up to 1/3 of the dogs weight is fine for his pack. It's not cruel nor is it abuse. If you read the entire post, you would see that we have been training for long hikes doing 2-3 day hikes. The term "nice guy" is also a very loosely defined these days. I am new to hiking the AT and open and welcoming to advice, but personal digs are not necessary.