Hi! I'm attempting a CT through-hike this year. I've lived and backpacked in CO for many years, but have never done a trip as long as the CT, so I'm just wondering what I can do to mentally prepare for the challenges ahead!
Thanks
_Mike_CT mental prep - Appalachian Trail
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If you know how much food, water, & gear you will need on each part of the trail; then you will have alot less mental stress while you are hiking. ( & save alot of time foraging downhill for water & the pain of rationing food). Read as many journals as you can & the latest forum topics & take notes on trail bypasses & water availability. If you have a small box waiting at most resupply places of the easiest to cook instant foods & ready to eat trail snax; then you can supplement that with junk food you can buy almost anywhere like chips, peanut butter, crackers, & cheese.
If you live near the CT, it doesn’t cost much more to send bounce/drift boxes priority that can be forwarded for free with a phone call, post card, etc… (if for any reason you have to skip that post office). If you have new gear, it wouldn’t hurt to do a weekend hike up a hill to see if it works & feels good. Any time you get a hot spot, moleskin or molefoam it before it turns into a blister… strangely, while you need 2 pairs of sox with boots, you may only need 1 pair of liner sox with trail running shoes… I tried to use 2 pair with TRS’s & got blisters !!! While silnylon tarptents are lite, they may flap so loudly in the above-treeline-wind you can’t sleep ! While a z-rest is lite, an older hiker may need a z & a backpacker’s inflatable in order to sleep comfortably (as I do)… the z can be thrown down during breaks if you keep it handy & ez to access. With some kind of GPS & a good map, you can find out which way it is back to trail if you are lost ! Instead of one set of heavy clothes, layers of thin clothes can be used & you have some redundancy if you happen to lose something !!!
_gingerbreadman_