Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 31

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Northern VA
    Hammock
    Northwoods Wolf
    Tarp
    HH Hexfly
    Insulation
    Northface Bag
    Suspension
    Whoopie slings
    Posts
    82

    Average miles per hour on the AT in the SNP?

    I have never stepped foot on the AT but I plan on starting taking it section by section in April or May starting in the SNP. Right now the plan is to start from Front Royal and work south doing a couple of 2 or 3 day hikes this year.

    Anyway... as part of my planning process I was wondering if anyone has some pointers to information about the average miles per hour hiked in the SNP for someone of average hiking fitness. Right now I am planning on 2 MPH and doing 8 or 10 hour days (with plenty of breaks for sightseeing/resting).

  2. #2
    Senior Member Brute1100's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    South Texas
    Hammock
    WWM or tablecloth
    Tarp
    SuperFly
    Insulation
    shamu 40*
    Suspension
    UCR whoopie
    Posts
    2,319
    Images
    1
    2 miles seems like a decent goal... Most people fluctuate back and forth, sometimes doing 8 miles a day other days covering 20-25 miles a day... Just depends on the terrain, and your exhaustion level...
    Live, Laugh, Love, if that doesn't work. Load, Aim and Fire, repeat as necessary...

    Buy, Try, Learn, Repeat

  3. #3
    Senior Member Risk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Beavercreek, OH
    Hammock
    DIY 4x9 1.1 oz ripstop (5.3 oz)
    Tarp
    ZPack Cuben Hex
    Insulation
    DIY TQ, DIY 3/4 UQ
    Suspension
    DG UCRs, Mule Tape
    Posts
    226
    Images
    15
    Quote Originally Posted by Brute1100 View Post
    2 miles seems like a decent goal... Most people fluctuate back and forth, sometimes doing 8 miles a day other days covering 20-25 miles a day... Just depends on the terrain, and your exhaustion level...
    2 miles per hour Is good. Number of hours depends on feet and knees, not on exhaustion. I'd suggest not doing a lot more per day than you are actually doing on weekend days before your hike. I made that mistake on my first section hike, doing 20+ miles on my second day. It took 2 weeks for my knee to recover.

    I'm also a fan of at least an hour break in the middle of the day to let joints recover.

    If you work up to 15 mile Saturday hikes, doing 100 miles a week is achievable in a section hike.
    Rick (Risk) Website: http://www.imrisk.com
    I cook. I sew. I walk. I lead. I hang. I write. I play.
    Author of "A Wildly Successful 200-Mile Hike"
    http://www.amazon.com/Wildly-Success.../dp/B00COCI5HW

  4. #4
    Senior Member Downhill Trucker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Baltimore, MD
    Hammock
    DIY
    Tarp
    OES Spinn
    Insulation
    RAB & WM Blue CCF
    Suspension
    Many DIY
    Posts
    500
    If you're going to do 2-3 day backpacks in SNP, you can travel 2-4 mph no problem. The problem will be the side trails and great campsites that you will find! If you're willing to put in 8-10 hour days, you will see a lot. Just be sure to explore... SNP has a lot of trails.
    Zach Rohe Photography https://zachrohe.com

  5. #5
    Member ShortTripHome's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Ghent, VA
    Hammock
    WBBB Dbl 1.1
    Tarp
    Hex
    Insulation
    DIY underquilt
    Posts
    96
    Images
    3
    whatever you do, do not push yourself the first day, otherwise you will pay for it the rest of your trip.

    be sure to stop and have an overpriced meal too--they're great and usually worth every penny when you're on trail! the 'shennies will be busy that time of year, so you'll run into some northbound hikers.

    have fun!

  6. #6
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Northern VA
    Hammock
    Northwoods Wolf
    Tarp
    HH Hexfly
    Insulation
    Northface Bag
    Suspension
    Whoopie slings
    Posts
    82
    I am somewhat torn by whether or not to do some side trails on the way. I have never hiked on the AT but I have done a large number of the side trails in SNP over the years. When I went to JMU I used to drive up to the park all the time to go hiking (it was only 30 minutes to the entrance station from my house). I think initially I need to figure out my overall pace on the trail before I plan too many side trips, especially if I am arranging pickups on the trail as opposed to doing an out and back hike.

  7. #7
    Senior Member bear bag hanger's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Sanford, FL
    Hammock
    Dream Hammock ThunderBird
    Tarp
    Zpack Cuben 7X9
    Insulation
    JRBSierraSniveller
    Suspension
    ring buckle system
    Posts
    491
    Images
    4
    The couple times I've gone thru the Smoky National Park I was only able to go about 1 to 1.5 mph. I'm pretty slow, but at the time I was in good shape.

  8. #8
    Senior Member affreeman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Quincy, MA
    Hammock
    Darien UL 11'
    Tarp
    HG Cuben Fiber Hex
    Insulation
    JRB TQ & UQ
    Suspension
    Whoopie slings
    Posts
    209
    I went through SNP as a thru-hiker and I could count on 2.5 mph including all breaks (8 hours = 20 miles). But as a weekend section hiker I would expect to cover 1.5 - 2.0 mph.

    The trail and terrain look very different when hiking is no longer your full-time job!
    ~
    "Home is where I hang my food bag."

    Monkeywrench
    Allen Freeman
    [email protected]
    www.allenf.com
    blog.allenf.com

  9. #9
    PapaSmurf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Fredericksburg, Ohio
    Hammock
    Dream Hammock
    Tarp
    UGQ
    Insulation
    UGQ
    Posts
    2,530
    Last July, I lead a group of 7 from Front Royal to Big Meadows (46.2 miles) in 5 days.
    We averaged approx 1.5 - 2 mph & it made for a nice, enjoyable distance each day.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Rain Man's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Nashville, TN
    Hammock
    Hammeck Netty
    Tarp
    HG dyneema/MacCat
    Insulation
    DIY UQ and UGQ TQ
    Suspension
    whoopie slings
    Posts
    2,907
    Images
    8
    Quote Originally Posted by affreeman View Post
    I went through SNP as a thru-hiker and I could count on 2.5 mph including all breaks (8 hours = 20 miles). But as a weekend section hiker I would expect to cover 1.5 - 2.0 mph.
    I agree about the average speed for an average weekend hiker. I did the SNP about 5 or 6 years ago with my AT thru-hiker daughter (she thru'd a couple of years before). Our longest day was 20 miles, but that was slack-packed to Big Meadows Lodge.

    I don't see any way an average hiker could average 4 MPH or 25 MPD, but that's just me. I MIGHT start off a morning at 3 MPH, but breaks and lunch stops really eat into the effective rate, plus by the end of the day I'm going slow. At 15 miles late afternoon or early evening, I'm not really feeling like doing another 10 miles. At least, not if I want to enjoy the experience. I think we took 6.5 days to do the 108 miles or so (and 3 days were slack-packing), and we hiked into the evenings more than once. I'm just slow, I guess.

    Rain Man

    .
    "You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims." --Harriet Woods

    http://www.MeetUp.com/NashvilleBackpacker
    .

  • + New Posts
  • Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast

    Similar Threads

    1. average dangerbird?
      By yooz85 in forum Dream Hammock
      Replies: 7
      Last Post: 01-28-2013, 23:40
    2. Are you a hot, cold, or average sleeper?
      By USMCStang in forum General Hammock Talk
      Replies: 40
      Last Post: 01-29-2012, 17:38
    3. Average Pad Width?
      By CJK in forum Pads
      Replies: 10
      Last Post: 03-03-2011, 18:17
    4. Average UQ weight...
      By tiger1dd in forum Under Quilts
      Replies: 9
      Last Post: 09-08-2010, 16:15

    Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •