Appalachian Trail

I'm not sure if this is in the right forum or not....How many of you fellow hipsters have hiked the AT or are planning on hiking the AT? I would love to do it, and am making plans for next spring/summer to do so. What tidbits of info have you got to share with me?!

 

This is another dream of mine (all my goals in life have to do with hiking/camping/nature; so much for ambitions! haha). There are tons of good websites out there that offer great info, here's some good ones:

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/
http://www.trailplace.com/portal/index.php

 

Always wanted to.

Been on the NC leg, but I understand it's been largely re-routed or re-graded since than.

I always wanted to go south to north instead of the usual north to south.

 

Have always wanted to do it, but with a wife (who doesn't hike), a 2 year old kid, and a full-time job, it's kinda hard to take 6-8 months off to do it.

I have hiked most of the trail in NJ and NY over the years, and a friend and I manage to get on the AT in the NH White Mtns. just about every summer. I have been on the trail for at least a short distance in VA, WV, PA, TN, MA and VT, as well.

 

I'm so glad you asked.. My brother and I hiked the Appalachain Trail in' 98. The majority of hikers hike from south to north (northbound or NoBo) but some do hike from north to south(SoBo).Earl Schaffer(the first thru hiker) called hiking from south to north "Walking with Spring". The hiker community is full of really wonderful people! Its very much a sub-culture. I have some of my Trail photos on my gallery.


check out

www.whiteblaze.net www.trailjournals.com

 

When I was hiking, most people would hike south "following the bloom of spring" they called it.

 

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE AT!!!!!!!! ive been reading up on this for some time and am going on a few backpacking excursions this year to prepare myself for the AT, which i plan to start in spring of 2006. happy trails

 

thanks for sharing!! i alos am planning on doing this...my astimated time of beginning is in 2006 as well, perhaps i will see you on the trail!
AT 06 or bust!

 

Hey Geckopelli when did you do your hiking? What was your trailname?

 

thanks for those links....i've been enjoying looking through all the pictures in the gallery at trailjournals.com

 

mid to late 70's, early 80's.

My ex-old lady usually signed the shelter logs. We used our first names.

Some day they'll throw my ashes off of Standing Indian.

 

I've always wanted to hike the AT. Maybe someday I'll be able to live out that dream.

 

haha, do you guys name yourselves crazy things like at a rainbow gathering? I plan on hikin the trail as soon as my son is old enough.. might be awhile.....

 

i haven't hiked the trail, although i hope to within a few years, but i do know people go by "trail names" which are often given to someone after a few days into the hike.

i heard one story where a guy was furiously searching for his headlamp. a fellow hiker asked why he was searching for his headlamp (in the middle of the day) and he (stupidly) replied "it might be dark over at the spring..." from then on he was known as "headlamp"

 

I'm just getting into backpacking, but hiking the AT is a major goal of mine. And once I have completed it...off to Europe I go to take in the trails there!

 

Well... I've been away from the AT for way too long so I'm gonna go do another thru hike in '06. I'm looking forward to meeting you future hikers at Schwagstock and Wakarusa. I met another hiker that lives about 30 minutes away from here. Turns out he and I know alot of the same people in the hiking community.


Its only 6 more weeks 'til Trail Days! I'll be going to Damascus VA to hang out and party with all my old hiker friends and meet the new friends I haven't made yet. Trail Days is a bit like a Rainbow Gathering. About 4,000-6,000 of us take over the tiny little town in southern VA and party down! Can't wait!

 

What are the dates for the trail days? I may be in that area around that time and would love to party down myself, and meet some trail folks. I'm aiming for a an 06 hike myself. until wakarusa......

 

I have never hiked the whole thing but I do live close to it where I am in VA. Beautiful people and beautiful scenery!!! One day I will hike it all!

 

I've hiked parts of the trail in TN,Maine,and PA. Doing the whole trail has been a dream/goal that will hopefully come true within the next few years.

 

I'd like to hike it eventually, I'd of course like to do a lot of things, but isn't that what life is for?