Yeah they’re a pain when not used with care to those that don’t like them but to plan a pick up in NH it was necessary. Or to call EMS. It’d be nice to have one around any way. You can call for help when that dog bites you!
Bushwhack
Safety? - Appalachian Trail
system
#22
Scamp-do you know what service people were using? I’m wondering if Verizon’s claim really is good.
Bushwack–Graysen Highlands? What dates are you going?
hippie hiker chic
system
#24
B–
I’m at work, sadly I can watch TV for hours on end, but not sure I can get into the chatroom. I’ll try though!
hippe hiker chic
system
#25
I made this point recently somewhere (maybe right here) as far as bears go: compare all the people killed by bears along the AT in history, and then compare that number to how many folks have died of hypothermia on Mt. Washington alone. Bears should not be a serious worry on the AT. Hypothermia shouldn’t be a big worry either if you are prepared and use your noodle.
As far as dogs go, almost all of them are very scared of a raised pole. If they get threatening, raise a pole up as if to strike, and their attitude will usually change abruptly. Personally, I only had one dog get mean with me and that was a little, abused yapper dog.
Don’t bring a gun. Simply unneeded and you’ll freak people out. Also, you don’t need a big fighting knife.
You may start out alone on the trail, but you’ll make friends fast. You can assure your parents of that. The place on the trail to be most heads up is in towns and near the roads.
The AT is relatively safe with some minor precautions.
Colter
system
#26
There was only one(or two) carrier that covered the AT down
south. I don’t remember which one.
Maybe you could email the GATC & AMC clubs and get some ideas.
Perhaps the people at Walasi-Yi Center will know.
Farther north (VA<MD<PA<NY<CT) is less remote and coverage
should be better, until you get to VT or NH.
Scamp
system
#27
Farther north in VA, MD, PA, NY, and CT it’s less remote and
coverage is better. From VT north I’d contact AMC.
Don’t believe the advertising. Several people complained that
they were SUPPOSED to have nationwide coverage but…
Scamp
Scamp
system
#28
don’t bring weapons like guns, machetes, tazers or anything
bigger than a pen knife.
Hiking poles or good boots can keep any dogs away.
The other hikers will keep an eye out for you. It’s a nice
little community out there, but it is dynamic in that people
come and go. Just let someone know if you’re leaving for a
few days or a week and the faster hikers will pass the message
up the line to your friends. Everyone knows where they are
relative to the hikers they were with last week vs. this week
etc.
Be sure to fill in shelter registers, if your folks need to
find you the trail runners can narrow down the search easily.
You don’t need to fill in ALL the shelter registers, but do
the one’s where you sleep, at least.
Scamp
Scamp
system
#29
Beverly “Maine Rose” Hugo’s book “Women & Thru-Hiking on the Appalchian Trail” covers safety and a lot of other topics well. It’s a must-read. I’ll be on the Trail with my sister starting 17 March. We aren’t planning on having a gun, knife, or cell phone. Others can carry that weight if they want to. I MAY bend and take pepper spray. It’s easy to keep handy. I always carried it when I worked at the Pentagon.
Cave Woman
system
#30
You’re taking off this march? Are you keeping an online journal? I’d love to keep up with you! I’m planning on heading to Trail Days, are you planning on being there?
hippie hiker chic
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#31
You mentioned a trail dog in the second post by the name of Madison… She wouldn’t be a Brittany spaniel from Pennsylvania with an owner named Brett would she? Just on the off chance…
tuffdarts
tuffdarts
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#33
Our trail journal is under my sister’s trial name, Sassafrass. We were just talking about Trail Days. We’ll be beyond Damascus by then and were trying to figure out if/how to get back there. Would be fun.
Cave Woman
system
#34
let me know what your schedule is and where you’ll be. I’m in NC, so I have to go north anyway, and my parents might come to trail days and they live in VA, so somehow we might be able to grab you and take you with us(and get you a meal while you’re at it!). 
hippie hiker chic
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#35
In 2000 women were more safe on the trail then men. In NC there was man trying to get male hikers to go to his trailer. There was at least 10 of us who had an encounter with him. Were all still here to talk about it. I Think youll be fine without any weapons, My cell service is ATT and it works well up and down the AT for 2 years now.
Good luck
Chef
Chef
system
#36
Turkey Bacon is right! You don’t need a gun, mace or pepper spray. There was only one time last year that I got to a shelter and I felt uncomfortable with the guy who seemed to have been there several days. Along came another hiker I knew and we stayed together. Had he not come along I probably would have moved on up the trail. TB thanks for toting my sleeping pad; never caught up with you again.
Blaze