Has anyone every hiked the AT totally unplanned (not planning anything before hand). …or as little as possible? No maildrops, time schedule, reading up on the area in detail and so on. How did the hike go and any regrets in not planning? What is the minimal you need to plan would be helpful.
ou812kris
A young hiker named 3 Day did exactly that in 2002. Just 3 days before beginning his thru-hike he decided to go without having done any previous planning.
BTW he hiked without a stove and ate cold food all the way!
downunda
Thanks downunda! I’ll check out his/her journal once they get Trailjournals back on line. I’ve been dreaming of doing a thru-hike but would like to do it spontaneously. I guess I am waiting to get sick of working the job I have now and making a few drastic changes in my life. I’ve been hiking since I was 10 (23 years) and have done some longer hikes here in europe (favorite GR10/France and off trail Lappland/Finland) and of course parts of the AT while still living in America. So I would like to think that even if unplanned I do have good experience in the outdoors. My mother lives in OBX, NC and father in D.C. so I have them in case I need support. Hopefully some else will have a few experiences to add here…
ou812kris
I did little planning. I think the biggest thing is to buy gear strategically beforehand. I can help you with that, if you want (I did the Trail last year). Food is never an issue & I ate cold food until Damascus. The question is how much you can deal with. I always fly by the seat of my pants, but if you have to eat a particular type of oatmeal or something, little towns along the way might not have some of the stuff. Gear along the way was never an issue, as there are tons of places (although sometimes you have to get a bit creative). Also, after 30 miles, you don’t need a GPS, but eventually, you’ll need either the Wingfoot book or both the mileage book & ATC book, b/c there comes a point where you can no longer rely on others to ask where the water sources, next town, etc. are. You can buy that though (and all the other gear you realize you need) 30 miles in at Neels Gap. I’ll be doing Georgia starting around 5/24, so maybe see ya out there.
Shera, Princess of Power
Shera is right. The only thing you probably should buy is Wingfoot or the other one. Maildrops aren’t necessary, the hitch might be longer but you can always buy food along the way. Some of the little towns definitely have less variety (Monson was pretty bad)and resupplying at Neels Gap will be a bit expensive. A lot of the southern towns have gear shops and there is always internet if you want to order something else.
I had two major maildrops to exchange wintergear for summer gear and vice versa and that was really all I needed.
Apple Pie
Show up at Mountain Crossings/Neels Gap, in early April with $5000, and nothing else. Ask for Winton, Tell Winton that Rocky Top sent ya. And you need to get to Maine. He can completely outfit you and save you enough money to get to Maine. It worked for me in 2002. If you plan a little, you can save as much as $3000. Just start hikin’!!!:boy :boy :boy
Rocky Top
Hello. I started my 2001 NOBO thru-hike with about 30 minutes of planning but with years of daydreams. It was the time of my life! The Beauty of the AT is that things just seem to happen the way they should; it’s really the magic of it all! “Trail Magic” isn’t just an unexpected cold beer at a trailhead, it’s also what happens to you along the way. If you have just a little common sense and a willingness to walk every day, then thats all you need.
Good Luck to All,
Just a Hiker
Just a Hiker
Hey Rocky Top, did you get those Chuck Taylors you hiked in from Winton?
Hope to see you at Trail Days old friend.
Papa Smurf
What other journals can I read to see how an unplanned hike worked out? I have all the gear (x4) though I might need to switch a few items for something lighter. By the way…have any of you seen someone using the Trangia stove and pot system? Thanx for the tips…
ou812kris