I was able to let this chipmunk the morning before I got to Hanover, NH

I’m nearly done with Appalachian Trials and although it has definitely been helpful for mental preparedness I could use something that gets more into the nitty gritty of daily life on trail. Not sure what to read next… TIA

I'm in between jobs, and being new to New England, I'm not at all familiar with the AT here. (I've hiked on a bit of it in New York.) Any recommendations for a short section I could hike over the next 3 or 4 days? Preference to:

— not being potentially frigid/super icy (I'd rather not head to the Whites)
— somewhere I can easily get back to my car by taking local transit or using other trails to make a loop, OR someplace transit-accessible on both ends so I can leave my car at home in Boston
— I'd prefer to tent, rather than have to sleep in shelters, but that's negotiable

Any ideas are welcome! After a number of years in California, I'm exciting to be back on rocky, rooty, thickly forested East Coast trails.

What’s everyone’s favorite trekking poles? I know I want aluminum, cork grips, and comfortable straps. I currently use Paria tri-fold aluminum. They are…ok. I hate the foam handle and the straps are twisted. There is no way to remove the straps to fix them.

Always wanted to do the AT, fascinated by it since I was a kid and listening to my great uncle talk about his through hike.

Fast forward to today, was laid off. Got nothing else going on, and for reasons I won't be able to find another job for a couple years if ever again. I figure now that I have the time, and at least money to get me through a year or two including doing the AT (probably more so if I do the AT then not), seems like this would be my chance to tackle the trail in one go. Or, at least make a serious attempt.

NoBo sounds like that's the earliest start, SoBo has some benefits too as to possibly getting some of the most difficult terrain behind me out of the gate with a later start and finish for the year.

I have the gear for it. I need to minimize quite a bit, but that comes with time I now have before the start of next season.

IDK what i'm really getting at with this post other than sharing that I'll hopefully see a few of you on the trail next year. Might as well take advantage of this opportunity or whatever while I have it.

Saw you guys heading down the trail head and couldn't catch you in time...hung it where you'll see it easy if ya decide to backtrack/see this today

Hello all, I’m new to this community and I would love, and greatly appreciate, some insights and opinions (especially if any of you out there have explored the northern sections in depth). I’m planning to do a SOBO hike in the coming years and my birthday is July 10th. I like the idea of celebrating by starting the hike, but obviously have to consider the challenges this poses down south by starting so late (although I would miss the peak of those dreaded black flies). I’m wondering, are there spots further along the trail that you all felt were more impactful/grounding, or just a greater all-round immersion in nature than the summit of Katahdin if I were to start earlier? Or is the milestone moment of beginning the hike on my birthday as well as being at the summit worth braving a later end and colder weather down south. Thank you everyone who took the time to read and a special thanks to any who responds. Take care 🤙

I have a week off and I’m thinking about hiking south somewhere around smoky mountains in Tennessee. But I honestly want to experience the bubble, where is everyone at right now? At least the people who are still hiking, I know some have finished already

Hello everyone!

I’m planning on hiking the last 9 miles to the NC Border in Georgia and was wondering what good camping options are near Bly Gap.

I’m planning on hiking the 9mi in one day and wanted to camp near the border so I wanted to see what the best option was for camping around there.

Thanks so much for the suggestions and happy hiking!!

I plan to bring fire starting equipment of course, but between local restrictions and the hassle I just can't see myself setting up a campfire too often.

When you hit a trail town to resupply, did you more often than not sleep in a room with a bed and shower? Or would you do your resupply and just get back on trail and keep going?

Last week, I did my very first section hike through Shenandoah, Mary's Rock to Rockfish Gap. I was going to do the entire thing but because of Isaias I didn't feel like hiking through what could have potentially been a life endangering storm without cell phone service. So, Monday last week, got dropped off at Mary's Rock and took to the trail and stayed in all of the shelters the entire way.

At Pineview on Day four, ran into a guy who was...quite eccentric. He was very vocal about his beliefs which were, ahem, adjacent to a group of people who really liked a certain letter of the alphabet (hint: the letter is above 'A' and left of 'W' on your keyboard).

He was a little salt and pepper in the beard, and he didn't have a trail name, but he was very interpersonally friendly, even if his beliefs were extreme and didn't sit well with me. I didn't want to kick the guy while was down (he had been without employment, home, and hadn't seen his family in 5 - 6 years) so I just listened to him and tried to keep his spirits up. Plus, my shoes were soaked from the rain the night before and I needed to let them dry before I could leave the shelter, lol.

Anyone know any information on the guy, or maybe spoke to / ran into him? He mentioned he worked in pesticides before he got canned (to which he had very convoluted theories on).

Hello everyone, I will be graduating from college in December 2027, and I will have from until August 2028 free (I start medical school in August 2028). I've been a frequent day hiker/ short overnight camper on the trail in the PA sections, and I've had a dream of thru-hiking one day for some time. My concern comes from the fact that I know it is a lot more challenging to thru-hike starting in the winter. I know that I will likely never have another opportunity to do this again, but I also don't want to end up getting hurt or have the attempt go wrong. If I attempt this I will start in January 2028 and will have to be done by July. I am just curious to hear others thought about this, do you think that I can reasonably start in January and have a good experience? Thanks in advance!

I am planning to do a NOBO starting around the first week of March (maybe earlier) and am looking for advice or ideas on what to do with my underside insulation situation.

My hammock and top quilt are:

Hennessy Hammock Expedition Zip + Hex rainfly
Neve Gear -6C Waratah Pro

I already own the following gear to insulate my backside:

-EE Revolt 40F Underquilt
-Hennessy Hammock Heat Reflecting Double Bubble Pad
-Thermarest Ridgerest CCF cut to 48"

-I should also give an honorable mention to my Neve Gear Barrington Down puffy (very warm) and an Alpha 60 top and bottom set

My thoughts so far:

The 40F UQ on its own it definitely not enough, this much I know. Obviously the simple answer is to just buy a new 0-20F UQ. I don't really want to do this if I can avoid it. I could be tempted to MYOG a new UQ for around $70 in materials. I still have a ton of 800 fp down from a previous MYOG cheapo sleeping bag conversion and plenty of free time.

Then I remembered the Double Bubble pad I bought with the hammock and thought maybe if I combined this with my 40F UQ that it would be enough to get me through the worst of the cold. An AI search tells me this could potentially take me down to 15-20F since I would be reflecting 90% of my body heat up into my top quilt but I'm not sure if it actually works that way in practice. The padding would be better than nothing if I had to use a shelter at any point. I could also do the same with the CCF pad.

I also read about people using a partially inflated sleeping pad inside the hammock. I kind of like the idea of having a light pad for shelters just in case. I was looking at the Paria Elevate S for this (5.7R value fully inflated, 48" long for $99). I am interested in this idea because I was already looking into inflatable pads for tent camping unrelated to my thru.

Lots of ideas in my head and I would like to hear some thoughts of people with cold hammock camping experience. If you haven't camped in a hammock in the cold, please keep speculation to a minimum. I am really only interested in anecdotal reports.

Thanks!

I am planning on hiking the trail after I graduate highschool, and we get out late April-early May. I will probably have to miss graduation, but if I go NOBO since I live in GA I'll probably just get off trail for a weekend then head back. I have to be finished by September 20th, as the school I wanna go to starts about a week after that. I kinda want to go NOBO, just because that's the "normal" way to do it, and I love the Maine section of the AT and I'd like to end on that (I've already hiked all of it). Worst case I could skip Maine and New Hampshire cause I've done both of them already, but I wanna see it through. Any suggestions?

I am originally from VA, and my friend lives there, but I have lived in PA for years. We were thinking of meeting up and hiking SOBO, beginning maybe near Snickers Gap and ending at Rockfish Gap.

I used to camp as a kid in Shenandoah and Big Meadows and am stoked to get back and see it.

We think we are looking to average maybe 10 miles a day, but will allow for about 3 weeks total. We want to enjoy ourselves.

We are two middle-aged ladies, in decent physical condition and good health, and we will be spending the next few months training and doing local hikes to get our legs solidly under us! :)

Anything more seasoned hikers might bring to our attention to consider or rethink?

We will take any suggestion seriously, just want to get excited about our trek! Give us whatcha got!

Hey yall! Any SOBO's in GA yet? Im thinking about doing some trail magic up on Blood Mountain in the next week or so - is anyone around? As fun as it is to hike up beer and cookies, its a lot less exciting if I have to hike it right back down afterwards

I am on my first section hike (currently writing this from my car) & damn my pack does not fit correctly + is too heavy. I may need a new pack (it’s fit for a man) but I also desperately need to cut down weight. My base weight is about 25lb without food and water which bring it almost to 40lb. I’m an in-shape younger woman but this is a lot. I’m struggling in a couple places:

1. I sleep very cold so am struggling to cut down clothes while sleeping comfortably
2. I am on a budget so am borrowing most of the big items I’m using from friends. I could buy a new big ticket item: a backpack, a sleeping bag, or a puffer. But not all of them.

I wish I had weights for everything but I’m currently on the road, so apologies for not having every items weight. Kinda desperate for help and wanting to get back on the trail!!

The main stuff:
70L backpack 5.2lb
20 degree synthetic sleeping bag in dry sac: 2.5lb
Sea to Summit reactor bag liner: 13.4oz
REI insulated air pad: 1lb 5oz
Nemo Pillow: 2.8oz
Tent with short poles, fly, stakes, stuff sacs, and ground: 3.1lb
Bear vault bear can: 2.25lb

Water:
Sawyer squeeze with bag 2.2oz
A couple 1L Smart water bottles

Clothing:
Small dry sac
Fleece jacket
Wind jacket
Sun shirt
Underwear x3
Wool socks x2
Buff

Sleep clothing:
Sleep socks
Down booties: 3.88oz
Smart Wool base layer top
Fleece pants
Heat Keep Synthetic Puffy
Merino wool sleep hat

Rain / wind protection:
Rain pants: .8lb
Frogg Toggs poncho: 9.6oz

Meal kit:
Spork
Aluminum pot
MSR stove
MSR fuel can
Lighter

Tech:
Anker power block w/ built in USB-C cord
Headlamp
Extra headlamp batteries

Other:
Ear plugs
Extra lighter
Gear tape
Krazy glue
Iodine tablets
Compass with whistle
Nat Geo area map
Journal
Pencil
Extra paracord
Sawyer Squeeze plunger
Bear spray: 1.1lb
Wallet
Car key
Morakniv knife with sheath: 5.6oz (silly I know, makes me feel safe)
Daily medication
Phone
Fanny pack to carry snacks and phone: 3.5oz

Toiletries:
Camp Suds soap in a tiny bottle
Travel toothbrush
Tiny toothpaste
Sunscreen in a travel bottle
Body wipes x3
Tiny tub of Vaseline

Med kit:
A few XL bandaids
A couple gauze pads
A couple alcohol wipes
Neosporin
6 Tums
8 Benadryl
6 Laxative
6 Anti-diarrheal
8 Aleve
Needle and thread
Tick key
Pocket knife
Some Lucotape
Duct Tape

EDIT: I appreciate everyone in this thread so much! Couldn’t have gotten out on the trail at all without creepin this Reddit.

Today I got a new pack that cut off almost 3 pounds of weight and fits so much better. Also ditched the bear spray and bought pepper spray (-1lb). Shrunk some of my med kit and cut other extras or got smaller versions of them. Cut out the extra dry sac for my sleeping bag and just have it in the regular trash compactor bag liner area. So base weight is down by a bit over 4lb.

Other items if budget allows, I probably have a bit under $200 left:
- replace my fleece pants with heavyweight merino wool bottoms
- swap out my poncho + rain pants + wind jacket for a rain jacket & pack cover
- replace sleeping bag liner
- replace bag with a new down 20F quilt (probably can’t afford)
- swap out bear can for a bear sac (Ursack) but I love the simplicity of the can so might stick with it for now

Also got a tiny Nalgene today for hot water so I can warm up my bag more efficiently before bed & hopefully sleep with less layers. I’ve learned it’s possible I have been layering for sleep inefficiently (going to try different set ups this week to see what my body prefers).

Sunday, November 8 · 11:00 AM at Umstead State Park

We'll hike roughly 3 miles on the Sal's Branch Trail at Umstead State Park. Plan to meet at the furthest parking lot off of RT 70. It will be the main William B Umstead entrance. (see attached pic).

This is our first one! Come hike and meet some people. Expect about 1 hour on trail. After the hike we'll head to Gizmo Brew Works

If you have thru-hiked, are planning a thru-hike, LASH, or do trail magic and live in the RDU area, please join! First-timers genuinely welcome, a big part of why this group exists is to help people get from "someday" to a start date.

Dogs are welcome! Please just respect park rules and manage them properly. I'll be at my standing by my Black Toyota Tacoma with my pack. We'll begin at 11am promptly!

Please RSVP so I know roughly how many to expect, but walk-ups are fine too.

~30 glorious miles from Iron Mountain Gap to 19E, hitting all the Roan balds, Roan High Knob and Little/Big Humps. I couldn’t sleep the last morning, so I struck camp and hit the trail at 5 a.m. by headlamp so I could stargaze and take in the sunrise from atop Hump Mountain before descending back to 19e. 10/10, so worth it.

Now resting for a day at Mountain Harbour B&B before I shuttle north for another ~16 miles/1.5 days southbound to see some waterfalls.

Life circumstances now preclude a true through-hike, but I’ve definitely caught the bug and now want to start piecing together every section I can.

Yesterday on top of Mt Madison. A beautiful day in the Whites!

Do you carry a separate bottle for use with your portable bidet while on trail? Or do you use the same bottle you drink from?