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Offlinenfshroomer
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Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance!
    #25733638 - 01/09/19 10:39 AM (5 years, 20 days ago)

Hi folks,

I've applied for leave from my job and will (as long as all approvals are met) be hiking the trail in spring of 2022. I know this is a long way off but a thru-hike is a major undertaking and I want to be as prepared as possible.

First off, I'm an experienced hiker. I do the vast majority of my hiking in my home province of Newfoundland... for anyone who has never been here, we're the home of the East Coast Trail, 330 km of oceanside hiking, absolutely spectacular views, etc. It's a rugged trail and so I feel like a couple of warm-up thru-hikes on the ECT will be good preparation for the AT attempt. I have lots of UL gear and I have the opportunity to test and fine-tune my setup over the next couple of years. I also have that time to make sure I'm in the best condition I can be in for this major undertaking, but I'm committing to a healthy lifestyle and regular hiking between now and then to ensure that I'm as close to my best as I can possibly be. I feel like that side of things is well in hand... I'm a good hiker, a safe hiker, and I know my stuff.

That said, I'd like to make some connections with folks from here who I might possibly meet up with along the way. Being a Canadian hiker, I've gotten used to having joints on the trail... it's a part of my hiking experience. There's nothing like being out in nature when you're high. I don't want to do 5-7 months on the AT without access to MJ. I'm not asking for a hookup, but if anyone has any advice on how I can ensure that I have a bit of green for each leg of my journey, I'd really appreciate it. My first thought is to use a mail-order MJ system, which is what I used pre-legalization in Canada; if someone has a reliable one that'd be something I'm interested in. Aside from that, any advice you could give would be appreciated. It is my understanding that green blazing is not uncommon on the AT, but I'm a bit older and not from the country, so I don't want to be asking random kids for weed... that's a bit too sketchy for me.

I'm not sure if I'll use any hallucinogens while I'm on my AT experience, but I'm not ruling that out either.

At any rate, the planning starts now! Exciting stuff... a real life goal for me.


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OfflineXUL
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: nfshroomer]
    #25735553 - 01/10/19 09:04 AM (5 years, 19 days ago)

Are you starting in southern Maine or where?


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TRUMP 2020


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Offlinenfshroomer
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: XUL]
    #25736011 - 01/10/19 01:02 PM (5 years, 19 days ago)

I have a lot of time to develop a plan of attack, but the nature of my leave makes a northbound thru-hike (starting in Georgia) the more likely approach. I know this is what the crowds do too, but I'm probably going to be limited in my choices by the time I have off work.


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OfflineJizzMasterZero
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: nfshroomer]
    #25742703 - 01/13/19 10:28 PM (5 years, 15 days ago)

Check out WhiteBlaze.net, it’s a forum dedicated to the Appalachian Trail. You’ll find an endless supply of information there.


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OfflineBlas
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: JizzMasterZero]
    #25743001 - 01/14/19 05:13 AM (5 years, 15 days ago)

I've hiked over half of the AT, I should finish it this year.  Don't worry about finding MJ.  Ask around hostels and ask other hikers.  As one hiker said this past summer when asked if he smokes "I'm hiking the AT aren't I"?  The state you are in will dictate how easy it is to come across.  States where it is decriminalized or legal = easy to find.  States where it is still highly illegal such as VA you will have a slightly harder time.


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Offlinenfshroomer
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: Blas]
    #25745202 - 01/15/19 10:06 AM (5 years, 14 days ago)

I'd rather not "wing it" if I can avoid doing so; I'm a planner and a stockpiler and crossing my fingers and hoping I come across what I'm looking for isn't how I typically do things (I like to have everything planned out and leave nothing to chance, that sort of thing). I suppose if I'm forced to do so that's what I'll do, though. It wouldn't be the end of the world if I had to do without here and there, I'd just prefer not to. My typical distance hiking routine has me smoking a few joints a day.

All of that said, the more I think about it, the more I think SOBO is going to work for me. It's up in the air for now, but if I do start in Maine, it'd be easy to stockpile before hitting the trail. From what I understand retail sales of recreational marijuana are getting underway now.

I really do appreciate the advice, at any rate. It's great to hear from people who've been on the trail. It's a long way away for me and I've spent very little time in the States so I appreciate the knowledge of folks who have been there.

WhiteBlaze will be my bible for the next two or three years, JMZ :smile:


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InvisibleDustyBottoms
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: nfshroomer]
    #25756716 - 01/20/19 05:19 PM (5 years, 9 days ago)

Sounds like a good time.  I hope to do a thru hike at some point in my life.  Likely the AT.  If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?


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Offlinenfshroomer
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: DustyBottoms]
    #25758393 - 01/21/19 11:37 AM (5 years, 8 days ago)

I'm in my early 40's. The AT thru-hike has been a goal of mine for years, but I'm just getting to a place work-wise where I can afford to take the leave. Trying to be a responsible adult about the whole process :wink:


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Offline5150
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: nfshroomer]
    #25758767 - 01/21/19 02:19 PM (5 years, 8 days ago)

Do the pct instead,way more interesting and beautiful,no ticks either,u wANt Lyme disease?


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"the way of the warrior is the resolute acceptance of death"

Miyamoto Musashi


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Offlinenfshroomer
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: 5150]
    #25760539 - 01/22/19 10:11 AM (5 years, 7 days ago)

My eventual aim is to do a triple crown. I'll get to the PCT, likely 3 years after my AT hike. I'm aware of the risk of lyme disease, but if we made our decisions based solely on eliminating risk, we'd never go anywhere. There's always a risk; it's about playing it as safe as you can and mitigating the risk as much as possible.


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InvisibleDustyBottoms
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: nfshroomer]
    #25761294 - 01/22/19 04:31 PM (5 years, 7 days ago)

The PCT looks gorgeous but what about the crowds?  I heard ever since Wild came out that the permit applications increased like 10 fold?

AT would be my first choice as well.  So much history!!!  And the mountains might be puny to those found on the PCT or ContDiv, but there's still something very magical about them.  Maybe not so much when you're driving through them, but hiking through them is totally different. 

And that 100 Mile Wilderness section towards the end...it sounds intimidating but I so can't wait to try it.  I'm hoping to sneak that in at some point prior to attempting the entire AT.

I hiked Smoky Mountain National Park last year and part of our backpacking loop touched the AT.  It was awesome sharing the trail with peeps that had started several weeks and several hundred miles before getting to this part of the country. 

You better follow through on this OP!!!!  And if you do attempt it, don't quit on us!  I hear the quit rate is extremely high on these thru hike attempts. 

What's the most miles/nights you've got under your belt in one trip so far?


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Offlinenfshroomer
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: DustyBottoms]
    #25764023 - 01/23/19 07:12 PM (5 years, 5 days ago)

I did 10 days on the East Coast Trail, about 300 km (186 miles), which is a good shakedown hike for the AT. The ECT has some rough sections. No mountain climbing though, which will be the big challenge for me. And I haven't done that in a while, so the next couple of years will be getting back into that kind of shape. I'll thru the ECT again this summer if the spring prep goes well :smile:

I am committed to giving it a valiant effort, at the very least! The only way I'm coming off the trail is if I'm injured to the point where I shouldn't continue. I know this will be a test beyond anything I've done up until now but I feel like I can do it. That said, you're right, the completion percentage is pretty low... something like 20-25%. I'm going to do what I can to be in the good part of that number!


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Offline5150
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: nfshroomer]
    #25768054 - 01/25/19 03:29 PM (5 years, 4 days ago)

Enjoy the humidity and bugs

Pct ,none of that ,Sierra s  r heaven on earth,don't even need a tent,thermarest z rest and a 30 degree bag ,so many stars at night,hardly rains,trout everywhere from bishop north ,it's like over a hundred for fishing license though,don't use goretex  for shoes if doing pct,unneeded and cooks your feet


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"the way of the warrior is the resolute acceptance of death"

Miyamoto Musashi


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InvisibleDustyBottoms
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: 5150]
    #25769529 - 01/26/19 07:19 AM (5 years, 3 days ago)

A conveniently timed article in this months Backpacker Magazine:




I’m really surprised by two things here. 
1.  The AT has the most elevation gain compared to the other two of the triple crown. 
2.  The AT sees the most attempts compared to the PCT and CDT. 


Can somebody explain why the success rate of the PCT is so much lower than the other two?


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Offlinenfshroomer
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: DustyBottoms]
    #25774805 - 01/28/19 01:56 PM (5 years, 1 day ago)

That's a very cool infographic. I wonder as well why the completion numbers for the PCT are so much lower. Could the the Wild effect (ie. the movie and the book have been encouraging people to try it, kind of like the Bill Bryden book did with the AT, and those folks are unprepared and less likely to complete it)?


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InvisibleThayendanegea
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: nfshroomer]
    #25776477 - 01/29/19 10:59 AM (5 years, 7 hours ago)

My cousin hiked the entire AT, I've done a couple stretches in Pa. I grew up in Boiling Springs which is the halfway point....They give each through hiker a gallon of ice cream at Pine Grove Furnace park to mark the halfway point....a lot of them get sick from the calorie rush...lol.

Anyway, it's always been a dream of mine to go end to end but my RA and job commitments won't allow it :sad:now.  South to North is the way to go but be prepared for some tough Georgia hiking as many hikers drop out in the first couple sections. The ones that continue usually throw out half the shit that they started with to cut weight.

Good luck man, I hope you can do it!


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Look Deep Into Nature,and Then You Will Understand Everything Better.

Albert Einstein


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OfflineGratefulBob
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Re: Starting the Appalachian Trail prep well in advance! [Re: Thayendanegea]
    #25792759 - 02/05/19 11:32 AM (4 years, 11 months ago)

I have always been very interested in hiking the Appalachian Trail. But I'm not at a point in my life where it's currently possible. Maybe one day soon.


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