[at-l] (no subject)

[Dennis]

There is a wealth of knowledge in the group of folks on this site.  Many
thru hikers on here that offer excellent advice on topics that are broad, or
very detailed.  Poking around on some of their websites provides a lot of
good practical information.  As a 30 year section hiker with a lot of miles
on the AT in Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina I know they have provided
a lot of good information to me that has helped me reduce my pack weight and
increase my comfort level at the same time.

 

My advice:  Use this group and treat the info from the experts at most
trusted.  Get out and backpack on the AT.  Springer isn't that far from you
in Middle Tennessee.

 

I can't offer the thru hiker type of advice such as mentally preparing, or
shelter versus tent versus tarp, or how many calories you need and how best
to plan your meals, how to plan stops in towns, etc.but they can.

 

I can tell you that it is very cold on the southern AT in February and
March.  Of course it varies from year to year.  Those that got an early
start last year should have enjoyed much better weather than in previous
years.  I have seen snow in the Georgia mountains every March since I moved
here in 1989.  There was a recent thread on here about the coldest night you
ever spent out.mine was on spring break with my son on the AT a few miles
north of the Georgia - North Carolina state line and we hit minus 4 degrees
F in March.  I enjoy winter backpacking, but I did not enjoy that night.  

 

I can also offer advice about your gear in general.don't let the first time
you use ANY of your gear be on your AT thru hike.  I love to go backpacking
in Georgia in March and April every year because I get to meet so many thru
hikers and hear the interesting stories about what prompted them to thru
hike, what they hope to accomplish.it is a great time for me to sit back and
listen to new friends.  Two years ago I took my normal 4 day trip up to
Springer and 3 Forks and I felt more like an instructor than I did someone
there to enjoy my experience.  I had plenty of warm clothing and a 15 degree
bag as well as my tent, but a 30+ MPH wind and I did not want to stay near
the Springer shelter because it was just too hard to stay warm.  I walked
down to 3 Forks and got out of the wind, and I bet it was a few degrees
warmer as well, but we got down to 15 degrees.  I was surrounded by young
folks from all different parts of the country beginning what they thought
would be a thru hike.  I tented over in an area away from everyone else, but
one by one they started coming over and asking me for help.  The first one
couldn't get his stove to start.  The second one brought food he had no clue
how to prepare.and I am not sure he knew how to use any of his gear.  The
third one had a can.yes a can of chili he was heating over an open fire.  He
did not have a can opener and was heating an unopened can.hmmm.might this be
a problem?  The next morning as I was walking out of 3 Forks back up to
Springer the guy that couldn't get his stove to start came back over.  I had
shown him how to start his stove in cold weather and he had eaten well.but
he rinsed out his pot and lid and stored his stove in it.  He hadn't
bothered to dry the pot so the moisture froze that lid solidly.  My
solution, go for a long walk kid.later in the day it will warm up and that
lid will just pop right off.and learn from this so you don't make the same
mistake twice.  If you start early plan on it being below zero at some point
you are out there on the trail.  Don't plan and pack according to the
average temperature, plan and pack for the extreme.

 

The best advice I can offer you is to learn what you can from the guys on
this list, but most importantly get out in the mountains and make your
mistakes now before you start the thru hike.  You can learn from them in
time to do something about it before you start the thru hike.

 

If you happen to be hiking near the Walasi Yi (Neels Gap in Georgia), it has
an outfitter right on the trail.  They are well known as the place for
inexperienced thru hikers to stop and dump their packs out inside the store
to let the guys there pick out the stuff you don't need, box it up and mail
it home.pick out the stuff that isn't what you need.send it home too but you
have to purchase replacements.  Just me, but I would rather do this way
ahead of time rather than 30 or so miles into my hike.  Getting cold up in
the mountains now may not be so bad.it will give you time to plan cold
weather gear accordingly and/or decide that a late March or early April
start isn't such a bad idea.   Of course, you might figure out that you like
the cold and head out early.it has to be your decision, but hopefully a well
informed decision.

 

From: at-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:at-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On
Behalf Of WILLIAM D VINCENT
Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 8:32 AM
To: at-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [at-l] (no subject)

 


This site is great and as a newbie I appreciate all the responses (Winter
closer of GSMNP).  So your next challenge>>>>

I have hiked and over nighted extensively in middle Tennessee (snow, 20
degrees and hills not mountains).  I am a competitive long distance runner
at 60, recently fininshed 16th in a national championship.  So here is my
question:  I plan on retiring in Oct. 10 and want to thru hike the AT
beginning Feb or March 2011.  What will I gain by attending one of those
"schools" for thru hikers?  Be brutal, nothing but honesty will help.

 

And... I'm a tarp hiker, what are the virtures of a tent?         

 

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