Hiking 2008 - Appalachian Trail

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#1

Just wondering how many miles everyone did this year on the A.T. and plans for 2009. I hike 76 miles from the approach trail to Dicks creek Gap. Im hiking 97 in late march from Dicks creek to Fontana.

SmokeEater

#2

SmokeEater, I went about 300 miles and plan to do about the same this summer.

It looks like you are off to a great start. It sounds very much like my start. Started with many out and backs (day hikes) in Georgia. I got the bug to hike the entire trail, so I started increasing my time and distance. I have made it up to PA, by doing continouus sections. There are many sectional hikers out here and there.

I took my journal off for a few months, but there are many good section journals you can read. Good Luck with your hike next year.

Bilko

#3

Bilko -

I enjoyed your journal entries, photos and information sharing. I hope you continue with your quest online. As a fellow section hiker I am interested in how you get to and from the trail, choice of gear, how you deal with the weather and the trail, plus your daily hiking routine.

Happy Trails!

Steamer

#4

Steamer, I usually take my journal off for a couple of months, and then put it back up after the new year.

Living in Atlanta, GA it wasn’t much of a problem going to the trail for day hikes. I ened up going for over nights by hiking north from my car and then hiking back south to my car, after a couple of days out. Once I hiked out of Georgia, we (my son) drove two cars. We would drop my car off at a trailhead and he would drive me around to my starting point. I would then hike towards my car.

I then graduated to shuttles. At the time about a dollar a mile. The ATC has a list of shuttle drivers that will shuttle you around. I would usually find & contact these shuttle drivers about a month before going hiking. A week before hiking I would contact them again and the night before give them another call. It made both of us feel more secure. Believe it or not some shuttle drivers have been left out to dry by hikers and some hikers have been left waiting for their shuttle. Make good communications. I have found all shuttle drivers great people.

My last two trips I have caught a greyhound bus from Atlanta to a city close to the trail and then found a shuttle there. By far the most fear I have on the entire hike is riding the greyhound bus. I flew home the last time from DC.

My starting points to the trail have become long distance. Over a thousand miles. There are possiblilities of driving close to the trail and catching a shuttle from there. I always tried to park my vehicle at my ending point and have the shuttle take me to my starting point. That way I don’t have to rely on meeting a shuttle at a certain day or time. I also didn’t want the driver to put up with my smell for several hundred miles. I have made contacts with people at WB and TJ, and have gotten a few free rides.

My gear, I like to get camping presents for Christmas and birthdays. REI gift cards are nice, I have been a member since 1989.

I just deal with the weather, I go out in the summer months, so rain can be a problem. But you learn to deal with it.

In January, I start getting in shape for my summer hike, jogging, lifting weigths etc.

Bilko

#5

Let’s see, last year I did 100 miles in Maine and 10 miles in New Hampshire (day hike outside Glencliff). Not the 2176 I planned… oh well section, by section…

Red Hat

#6

Thanks for the info. I have yet to ride Greyhound, but I have driven, been shuttled, hitch-hiked and flown. I think as a section hiker you must plan ahead for the next section before you even start the current one. At my present rate to complete the trail it will take 20 years. Ultralight gear is constantly evolving, so I like to see what others are using and decide if I need to update. I do try to stay in shape, but the best exercise is the trail itself. If I read that a hiker endured a week of rain on the trail, then I feel like a wimp for taking some extra zeros. But everyone should “hike their own hike”.

SmokeEater, sorry for utilizing your blog. I look up to Bilko because he has so many more miles and trail experiences than I.

Happy Trails!

Steamer

#7

Well this year, I covered 103 miles in total, A section from the Tye River to Rockfish Gap in Va. Another section from Snickers Gap to Route 30 in PA. This spring, I’ll start up again in Central Virginia with the Tye River to the James River. I hope to end 2009 with 150 miles completed.

Tim

#8

Tim

Hope you can do your 150 miles with us. We expect to be in that area of VA in early April. Keep in touch.

As for 2008, we did 645 miles, but it was all in Europe.

rocky and Swamp Fox

swamp fox

#9

I went from Hanover to Me 26 for a total of 175 miles,wow NH sure seemed harder this time

old school

#10

From my home in Charlotte NC I’m about a 4-hour drive from the trail, points from GA to Rockfish Gap so I’ve been able to get my wife to help me get to/from the trail. A couple of times I met our church group whitewater rafting at Nantahala and got a ride home with them. A couple of times my drove a 2nd car with me and I parked my truck at the end point at a campground for a $1 a night. Then she drove me around to the start point and dropped me off. I usually would do about 100-150 miles in 8-12 days. The last few trips I’ve taken Amtrack; OK and cheap but a l-o-n-g day. Good connections to Duncannon, Harpers Ferry, and Delaware Water Gap. Now due to the hassle of getting to/from the trail I’m doing longer trips - 180 miles in 14 hiking days. Next year I hope to get a 10-week block of time and FINISH!!! - about 700 miles.

The downside of short trips - about the time the blisters are under control and the trail legs are starting to kick in – it is time to go home.

Dioko

#11

on the AT in '08?..between trail days, hard core, and a couple of small hikes over in the roans, i got in about 100 miles this year…but OHHHHH! how i’d LOVE TO DO ANOTHER THRU!..('09 will be the PCT for me and paw…maybe the ol’AT again in 2010…or maybe we’ll hike with billy goat for his 75th birthday in 2015!..if we haven’t destroyed the planet by then! :^)…merry christmas everyone!

maw-ee

#12

My daughter finished 1/4 of the AT in 2008. We live in Roanoke VA so quite a few miles of the trail is very close to us. She hiked all of her miles North of Daleville VA but didn’t make it all the way to Maine this year as planned. She had 22 miles to hike by the end of the this year to make it official…1/4 of the trail, Done!! We took a picture of her holding a quarter to represent 1/4 of the trail! Yay!! She hasn’t figured out yet when/how she is going to get back on the trail. She still wants to hike the entire trail.
Anyone coming through Central Virginia should give us a call if you need rides or shuttles. I have my contact info in Fullhardt Knob Shelter… 540-815-1289 Happy New Year everyone!!

Karen

#13

did from rt.60 long mt way side in Va to roan mt this year that leaves us the hardest parts of the trail left to do from roan to springer and hannover nh to katadin left to do. hope to get some miles in next year.
any one hike with a hip replacement? doc says ones in the near future

where is she