A couple of buddies and I are thinking about goinig on a 5-6 day AT hike from Springer Mt. on or around the 22nd of March. We want to walk 100 miles or 5 days. Anyone interested...lets geaux!
Just trying to push ourselves to see what we can do.
A couple of buddies and I are thinking about goinig on a 5-6 day AT hike from Springer Mt. on or around the 22nd of March. We want to walk 100 miles or 5 days. Anyone interested...lets geaux!
Just trying to push ourselves to see what we can do.
"Life's short, if you don't stop and look around every once in a while you might miss it". FB
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Practice, Practice, Practice. You are talking roughly 20 miles per day in some roller coaster stuff with varying grades and elevation change. Stair Climber in the gym with pack every day would be good, unless you are already tuned up to that level. March weather can be good or bad - meaning too hot and/or snow and ice. With the weather patterns the last few years, anything goes.
Suggestions: get your pack weight down; plan on re-supply of food at Neels Gap to save weight for first 2 days; enjoy yourself despite the pain!!!!
Would like to be back on the trail but am back in an old job to help fill in for folks who retired. Maybe next year!
Rockdawg69
It's a long way to the top if you want to Rock and Roll ----- those hills!!!
Professional Prevaricator: Part-time dealer in Yarns, Tales, Half-Truths, & Outright Lies -1st half-hour session at no cost (Lawyers and Doctors excepted).
Thanks for the advice, let me say this, we are hoping to get 100 miles but I understand the weather will be crazy up or down but I think I'm prepared. Got my 20* TQ and 20*UQ along with a down jacket. My pack weight is 19 lbs minus food and 15 lbs without clothes. The main thing I'm worried about is my buddies coming with me, they have hiking experience but not winter camping. Also worried about me physically, but I'm training just about everyday with a 20 lb pack and a number 6 incline on the treadmill. I even put blocks under the back of the treadmill to simulate a downhill hike! So hopefully i will be fine and if we dont make the 100 miles in 5 days oh well ill still be happy. Our goal of the trip is to push ourselves.
Last edited by bayoubomber; 02-06-2013 at 17:34.
"Life's short, if you don't stop and look around every once in a while you might miss it". FB
Is the trip set?
I believe so, there are 3 of us so far. Are you thinking about making this trip?
We know that this will be much more difficult if the weather is bad, so we are ok if we dont make the goal of 100 miles. I think we just want to see how far we can go.
One of my buddies lives outside of Knoxville TN and the other is from Lexington KY. Our only problem right now is we will need to find a ride back to our trucks.
"Life's short, if you don't stop and look around every once in a while you might miss it". FB
Don't sweat the small stuff
When you have traveled as far as you want to go, at a road crossing just hitch to town and bus from there.
There are many shuttle services all along the trail also. Call a day in advance, if possible to one in the area you are in.
Many times they will get you from the trail at a crossing and deliver you wherever you want. Cost is usually about a dollar a mile for their total miles, not just your pickup and drop off points.
Take and eat a lot more food than you think you will need for cold weather.
Consider Kahtoola micro spikes for the best traction
Plan resupply on the trail, at close by towns, hitch in and back.
I do a lot of one legged squats, on top of a bosu half ball, for core balance and leg strength, no additional weight required
]Nice advice ,thanks! micro spikes look interesting.
Update: Did a little research and decided to go with https://www.yaktrax.com/product/walk
i believe these will be fine. I did a little hiking at Newfound Gap right after Christmas and if I would have had these it would have been a whole lot easier!
Last edited by bayoubomber; 02-07-2013 at 10:29.
"Life's short, if you don't stop and look around every once in a while you might miss it". FB
Bookmarks