Wild Azalea Trail Backpacking Advice

**JumpinJackJim** · 02-23-2014, 09:57

Three or four of us are planning a 3 day WAT backpack. Two of us are hangers, two probable ground-dwellers. While we all have a lot of base camping and hiking experience, less so with backpack packing -especially with hammock backpacking the WAT. Just looking for any advice, do's, don'ts, especially around where to break for overnight hanging, etc. Anywhere off-trail? Any cautions this time of yesterday (March)?

**Nodust** · 02-23-2014, 22:14

You will be able to hang anywhere you chose to stop. Hiked half of it a few weeks ago. You will cross many creeks so water is easy to find. Just bring a filter.

The lake Kinkaid trail is also nice. Just plenty of biker to deal with. The WAT didn't have as many biker going south from Lake Kincaid.

**dukhntn** · 02-23-2014, 22:46

How long is the wild azalea trail?

**Nodust** · 02-23-2014, 22:50

24 miles or so.

**JumpinJackJim** · 02-23-2014, 22:54

Great. We will be going south from Evangeline, doing 5.5 miles first day, starting at noon, camping, then about 7 miles second day. Finishing on day 3. I was thinking I packing only 2L of water per day while backpacking, planning to filter up just before night.

**JumpinJackJim** · 02-23-2014, 22:58

I'm kind of a backpacking rookie. Lots of base camping, hanging and hiking, but very limited bkpking. Can't get my total pack weight below 35#, including food and water. Would love to minimize the water carry.

**Nodust** · 02-23-2014, 23:00

Originally Posted by JumpinJackJim

I'm kind of a backpacking rookie. Lots of base camping, hanging and hiking, but very limited bkpking. Can't get my total pack weight below 35#, including food and water. Would love to minimize the water carry.

I carried one liter. Camped close to the creeks both nights so didn't have to carry camp water. You will have a good hike.

Look for wild horses in the castor plunge area.

**JumpinJackJim** · 02-24-2014, 00:41

Thanks. That helps. Maybe I'll drink up at start, pack 1.5 L, then filter up prior to camp.

**Caveman** · 02-24-2014, 11:30

I hiked it in Nov of 2012. It's a nice easy trail and there was no problem finding a place to hang my hammock. March should be a nice time to hike it.

There is a TH right where the trail hits the woods, so you can avoid that miserable road walk if you choose. Have a good time.

**JumpinJackJim** · 03-08-2014, 01:20

Just to follow up...5 of us backpacked up from near Woodworth x 16 miles, roughly 6 miles per day, as one in our group was having some cramping problems. Much of WAT was burnt. Plenty of water. No need to carry more than 1.5 L, as plenty of opportunity to filter at/near camp. 3 of us were in hammocks, 2 in tents. Weather was a little overcast, but pleasant. The last night, around 8:30 pm, it started to rain. By 9 pm, wind began to blow, and within 30 minutes, it dropped from 71* to 42*!!! By morning it was around 28 degrees and was snowing very lightly....awesome. I've never directly experienced such a dramatic drop in temp over such a short time. This was a great entry level backpack trip. I did well in my UGQ 45* TQ with a little help from some long johns and a down jacket flipped backwards. I had a JRB 20* UQ. Others in the group got a little cold. Nice 2.5 day trip March 1-3.