NOBO hiking buddy needed

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#1

Hello All! This coming May I will be a fresh college grad and am looking to set out on the AT starting the first/2nd week of May. Anyone starting that time? Looking for a hiking partner to swap stories with and to get my very worried family off my back.

_Morgan Bechtle _

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#2

Morgan, a more suitable match will be found on the trail than over the internet.

#3

I agree with Stealthblew. I went solo and found an entire community of friends on the trail.

Slow n Steady

#4

To go along with what Stealthblew and Slow n Steady said, your family shouldn’t have to worry. There IS, a LARGE community of friends out on the trail, I doubt if you will have any days, that you don’t see several other hikers.

Gorp-Gobbler

#5

I agree completely that a suitable hiking partner is best found on the trail, but this can be very hard to convince a concerned loved-one of. I am planning to start section hiking this fall and my girlfriend is insisting that I need a hiking partner. Any advice from you more experienced hikers who may have dealt with something similar? (BTW she will not go with me…probably best that she does not)

James (no trail name yet)

#6

You must figure that by the first or second week in May most of the thru’s will be four to five weeks ahead of you. What you could do is start your NOBO in Damascus. Trail Days is the weekend after Mothers Day. Then drop back and finish the lower section. But either way you can expect plenty of hikers on the trail with you, albeit many day and section hikers. It’s hard truly to find solitude on the AT. Have a good Hike!

Woody

#7

I may be totally wrong about this but while you certainly will find hikers on the AT that you are very compatible with and will enjoy hiking together, sharing a shuttle or a hotel room with but it is rare that you will establish a true partnership. During my thruhike I met a lot of hikers I really enjoyed hiking with but sooner or later we would part company. Usually we would bump into each other farther up the trail. A partnership with one other hiker is hard to establish. What you find on the AT is the hiking community is your partner. It will be your friend when you need one, come to your aid when you need help, and give of itself when you are in need. You will also find there are many wonderful people outside of the hiking community that will do the same.

Bob

#8

I am also looking for a partner, but have considered going solo as well

wally

#9

Almost everyone starts alone. Alone with thousands of others that have tons in common with you everyday. There were a lot of hikers this year that just finished college, high school, 16 year olds and a 14 year old. They all made out just fine. May is a late start unless you plan to hike big days and catch up to the herd. I ended up hiking with the younger groups that were half my age and it was amazing how they all looked after one another. You will have more quality friends then you ever had before, shortly after leaving Springer. GOOD LUCK.
Terodactyle GA-ME 2016

Thru-Hike Partner

#10

I am starting at the approach trail during this time going NOBO. You won’t be hiking alone, we will probably meet each other along the way!

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