Hammock on the AT?

[stillnotallhere]

I'm pretty sure that in the whites, you're not allowed to camp above alpine zone (trees <8ft)

I think he's right on this one. Spending time hiking in the Whites, I'd say that where you're not below tree line (which isn't often on the AT to be fair) there's a hut nearby, and the staff are always super supportive. Haven't had the chance to thru hike myself, but my personal yoda has gone through that whole section and refuses to leave the comfort of his hennessy if he doesn't have to, so I'd say your safe. Worst comes to worst, use your tarp and your thermarest/pad and do a little tarp-camping. You'd certainly be glad to get back to hanging!

[fishike]

...As a teacher, I would need to break the hike down to two summers, so technically, not a thru-hike, but can't get the time to pull off the whole shebang in one shot...

As far as I'm concerned that's a thru-hike, HYOH, not changing the subject or starting anything...

[Chop]

I thru hiked last year with a hammock for most of the way. I switched when it got cold (I hiked SOBO) in the fall...and didn't have the capacity on the trail to figure out a colder temps outfit. I used my hammock tarp and a NeoAir for the last month on the trail.

You can hammock the whole thing honestly.

About the Whites - > what folks are saying about camping above treeline is correct, but it just doesn't come up that much. You can plan around it so that you are not above treeline. It comes into play really in just one area, the Presidentials. Hammock near Nauman Tentsite /Mizpah hut (trees are plenty big here) and the next day hike to Osgood Tentsite, which is down from Madison Hut. Long day, yes....but you will have plenty of those..and you have already made much of the difficult elevation getting up to Nauman tentsite.

When I went through the Whites, I wanted to stay in a couple of the AMC doing the work for stay. I had a pad that is used as my back support in my pack, and used that on the floor. Very uncomfortable for me, but I have historically, not had a great back. (It is in great shape now after hiking the AT, btw)

Smokies -> There are some restrictions here. But AT hikers can tent/hang in the Smokies. when the shelters are full. I'd expect in the summer, the shelters to be full. We had a couple over capacity shelters in the Smokies in November...I may be wrong, but I'd expect them to be full. If you don't want to chance it, just take a pad through that area.

If I were hiking in just summer, I'd just take the hammock.. Easier to find a great hammock site than a mediocre tent site in my opinion.

Have fun!

[jima59]

Please read Shugs thru hike. Great from a hangers point of view plus you get an early insight into his great sense of humore we see today. Laughed all the way through it. I would do the hammock also with using the tarp where I couldn't hang rather than using overcrowed shelters.

[Miguel]

I plan on doing the same trip starting in about five weeks and plan on using a hammock the entire way. I'll use some sort of pad or air mattress for the Smokies just in case I'm forced to sleep in a shelter. If the shelters are full and you are a thru hiker you can tent or hang in the vicinity of the shelter. I don't see that as being much of a problem in April when the masses are passing through.

I'm also a teacher albeit retired. We're doing it in two seasons because we want to take our time and really enjoy all that the trail, people and towns have to offer, without the pressure of meeting a deadline. Our plan is to go from Springer to Harper's Ferry this year and finish the second half next year.

Good luck on you plans and trip. When are you planning to go?

Miguel

[RichardD]

I used my hammock on my thru last Summer. I had a NEO for the Smokies and needed it for two nights. The shelters did not fill for two nights and there was a ridgerunner at the shelter. He made it very clear that the shelter was MANDATORY.
I went to ground a couple of other times where camping was provided behind a very nice bar and at a convenience store. I could have avoided each but wanted to stay around friends.
Later in the hike I used shelters when the weather turned suspect and was happy to have my NEO although I could have hammocked quite easily.
I had hammocked several nights early in the hike and had very disturbing lightning storms so when I found myself high on a mountain with suspect weather I found the shelters quite reassuring.
In the Whites I needed and got work for stay at Lake of the clouds, other than that one night I was at places where I could legally hammock. A long day out of Lake of the Clouds to beyond Maddison but I made it just before dark.

[2new2hang]

I plan on doing the same trip starting in about five weeks and plan on using a hammock the entire way. I'll use some sort of pad or air mattress for the Smokies just in case I'm forced to sleep in a shelter. If the shelters are full and you are a thru hiker you can tent or hang in the vicinity of the shelter. I don't see that as being much of a problem in April when the masses are passing through.

I'm also a teacher albeit retired. We're doing it in two seasons because we want to take our time and really enjoy all that the trail, people and towns have to offer, without the pressure of meeting a deadline. Our plan is to go from Springer to Harper's Ferry this year and finish the second half next year.

Good luck on you plans and trip. When are you planning to go?

Miguel

Thanks Miguel! I have two more summers (this coming and next) to finish up some training classes I am taking, so I'm shooting for the summer following 2014? Although, I did consider doing something a bit shorter and not quite a strenuous (Camino de Santiago) to start off, but should probably just get out there and start.

[2new2hang]

Thanks to everyone for your great advice. It is exactly the info I was looking for. I will go ahead and take a pad to make sure I'm covered for shelters if necessary. Otherwise, I'm planning on staying in my hammock! Thanks again guys!!

[Miguel]

Thanks Miguel! I have two more summers (this coming and next) to finish up some training classes I am taking, so I'm shooting for the summer following 2014? Although, I did consider doing something a bit shorter and not quite a strenuous (Camino de Santiago) to start off, but should probably just get out there and start.

OK...this is getting a little weird now. My wife and I are planning to hike Camino De Santiago in Spain beginning this Sept. I think it will be a fascinating hike through the rural countryside and towns of northern Spain. We're really looking forward to it.

Miguel

[jons4real]

Two isles just started her hike thru yesterday i believe. She will be hanging the entire trip