Hopefully, somebody has some first-hand experience out there. I’m planning to thru-hike the AT next year,and I’m just wondering how our little 70 miler, which I just finished Saturday as my first backpacking experience, matches up with a typical 70 mile stretch of the AT?
JZ
Is that the Laurel Highlands Trail? In some ways, it is similar to the AT - well marked, well maintained, shelters, lots of people, wandering through mixed mostly deciduous forest. But the AT has a lot more variety, both because of terrain and seasons. Parts of it are cruising trail, parts are roller coaster with short steep ups and downs, parts are hand over hand climbs up rocks, parts are wet rooty eroded tangles. Then there is the seasonal question of cold/snow/rain in the early days, wildflowers galore as you ‘walk with spring’, heat and humidity in mid summer, rain and cold up north - maybe - with autumn colors, if you’re lucky.
Ginny
The Laurel Highlands Trail is really quite an enjoyable trail & very well maintained. It basically goes up at each terminus and is a 60 mile ridgewalk. Lots more climbing and descents on the AT.
Jeff
I did the LHHT in two parts–in '97 and '98. Very enjoyable EXCEPT for the “no dogs” rule at the shelters, and the water coming from the pumps at the shelters tastes HORRIBLE. Did the second half by cacheing my water near road crossings a day ahead of starting to hike instead of pumping it.
And that’s just two of the differences–on the A.T., except in the Smokies and Baxter, your dog is welcome. And most places along the A.T., except in drought years, the water sources are better.
The terrain on the LHHT is much easier. In fact the only “tough” LHHT sections I found were the climbs (or descents) at each end and a brief stretch just north of Route 30. Most of the LHHT is very well maintained, and if anything, over-blazed.
The shelters on the LHHT are generous (dare I say decadent) compared to most on the A.T.–actually a “campus” of a half dozen or more Adirondack-style huts with fireplaces. You reserve these in advance, therefore you are not sharing shelter space with strangers a la the A.T. There are also tentsites, and separate male/female bathrooms more akin to what you’d find at a commercial campground. The state also provides a tall supply of firewood at each shelter campus. You won’t find these kinds of amenities at most A.T. shelters. OTOH, on the LHHT you are told you MUST camp at the shelters–no primitive backcountry camping allowed–another difference vs. about 85% of the A.T. (I think the Smokies, Maryland, and part of New Jersey are the only places on the A.T. where you’ll find similar rules–tho there are sporadic no-camp zones up and down the A.T.)
The LHHT is a great opportunity to break in both your body and your gear, but it’s generally easier than the A.T.
“Skyline”
Thanks for the feedback. I’ll just continue with what I’m doing and hope the body parts hold up.
JZ
What info do you have on the LHT? I checked out several sites and it looks cool. Any of the shelters you could recommend to reserve? or e-mail us
Try the Knobstone in Indiana. One way trail and hikes like NC. Took me four days in Feb of '99 I think? We’re in Dayton.
http://www.indianaoutfitters.com/Destinations/
Knobstone_trail.htm
Bushwhack
Depends on what your interests are and how much hiking you feel like doing in a day. As I stated, the overall length is 70 mi. The distance between shelters going N to S, is 5.2, 8.0, 10.4, 8.3, 5.7, 8.5, 5.5, 12.2 and 6.3, not counting side trails. These range from right off the trail to a mile away, sometimes backtracking. The northern half of the trail has less people using it. Right about the middle of the trail, it crosses 7 Springs, which is a ski resort(winter) and conference center(summer). It finishes in Ohiopyle, which is home of the busiest stretch of whitewater in the US. I’ll be heading to the park office to pick up some food that I left there (I didn’t eat near as much as I thought I would). If you want, e-mail me your address, and I’ll send one of their recreational guides, or I can get you addresses or phone numbers for additional info.
JZ