Thru Hike sans mail drops?

[Red Hat]

The only reason for mail drops for me is to get new maps as I move on and to send warm/cold weather gear. Food is pretty easy to resupply. If you are not using maps, and if you don't need to change out gear, it's pretty easy to do with no drops.

[Red Hat]

Thanks Cannibal. I will add that to my list of places to send a bounce box to. Maybe even a maildrop to this one. It is still only 30 miles into the trip so really will not need a lot. I was planning on send one mail drop to the Blueberry Patch Hostel.

You really don't need one there, since Hiawassee has good resupply.

[Nest]

You really don't need one there, since Hiawassee has good resupply.

Yeah. The hostel does shuttles to town for dinner and resupply. Even if they can't for some reason that is one of the easiest hitches on the whole trail. It's like a hiker bus stop at that trail head.

[attroll]

You really don't need one there, since Hiawassee has good resupply.

I was not planning on doing a 11 mile hitch into Hiawassee. When the Blueberry Patch in only two miles.

[Take-a-knee]

I was not planning on doing a 11 mile hitch into Hiawassee. When the Blueberry Patch in only two miles.

You should stay at the Hiawassee Inn. They will shuttle you for eight bucks each way, and you can resupply at a large Ingles supermarket and eat a killer buffet/salad bar at the local steakhouse.

[attroll]

You should stay at the Hiawassee Inn. They will shuttle you for eight bucks each way, and you can resupply at a large Ingles supermarket and eat a killer buffet/salad bar at the local steakhouse.

Thanks, I wrote that in my notes too.

[Nest]

Here's the best advice I can give. If you feel a bounce box would be good, do it. You can always stop using it like I did on my first thru.

Have a plan if it makes you feel better, helps the time pass, or makes you feel like you are working towards your thru hike when you can't hike yet. That said, always be open to changes, and complete deviations or even a burning of your plans.

This hike is about total freedom for the duration of the hike. No matter what you do on your hike, just make sure you can finish without any regrets. If that means you stop having fun in Virginia and decide to quit, then so be it. Just make sure it is what you really want. Just remember, no regrets.

[medicdude332]

You folks definitely gave me some good info - VERY much appreciated!

[bear bag hanger]

I did my '04 thru hike without mail drops. Being single, I don't have anyone reliable enough to send things to me when I need them. All my hikes are without mail drops and I haven't really had a problem. Sometimes I need to get creative about what I'm going to eat, but I've never run out of food.

As far as to having to carry winter gear, I've found I start out with a lot of cold weather gear, send it back to someone around the end of May beginning of June and then never need it again - you get use to the cold by the time it returns around September. I started my thru hike Feb 28th and ended Sept 11. This year I started hiking late March and never carried cold weather gear - but wished I did when I got to the Whites.

[medicdude332]

I did my '04 thru hike without mail drops. Being single, I don't have anyone reliable enough to send things to me when I need them. All my hikes are without mail drops and I haven't really had a problem. Sometimes I need to get creative about what I'm going to eat, but I've never run out of food.

As far as to having to carry winter gear, I've found I start out with a lot of cold weather gear, send it back to someone around the end of May beginning of June and then never need it again - you get use to the cold by the time it returns around September. I started my thru hike Feb 28th and ended Sept 11. This year I started hiking late March and never carried cold weather gear - but wished I did when I got to the Whites.

That's exactly my dilemma - so it can be done, you're living proof!