Can you imagine what it would be like to take that first step from Springer Mountain…the thoughts rattling inside your head…pure excitement, wonder and awe, lifting one foot at a time and placing it in front of the other…eager to see what’s around the next corner…but not too eager to miss what’s in front of you at the moment…every step laid out before you and waiting for you…on the continuous footpath that leads from Georgia to Maine…
When I first started this blog, all I could think about was thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, and to this day, I still find myself thinking about this, a lot… Also, this time of the year happens to be an inspiring time for any would-be thru~hiker. This is the time of the year that hikers begin their journey north, from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in Maine. So, for the would-be thru~hiker (me) this time of the year really gets our brain to itching…
My goal is to thru~hike this trail, from one end to the other, at one time in the year 2013. Last year, 1,460 people set out from Springer Mountain in Georgia to accomplish the same task I am planning to do, but only 349 people were able to complete the entire trail. This clearly shows that people get off the trail for many different reasons; some which cannot be helped (such as injury), but some that can be (such as ill-planning). For this reason, I am planning as much of my trip as I can now. I am getting prepared. (For more stats click here.)
By planning, I mean there are numerous things I am currently doing. For instance, I am following others hikes (such as Wallace & Annette Hunters current AT thru~ hike) and learning what works for them, and most importantly, why it works. I also study other people’s gear list which have already successfully hiked the trail. Of course I read books by people who have thru-hiked as well as stories and even other people’s blogs on the net. As well, Trailjournals offer some nice insights and offer nuggets that can make you aware of the simple things overlooked. I also enjoy hanging out in backpacking forums and asking questions and just reading everyone elses thoughts on everything from gear to, well… there are a lot of things discussed in the forums… 
Now I know that simply reading about it will not necessarily prepare me for the trail, so I like to take every opportunity I get to try out my gear. Also, testing my gear may not always be out on the trail somewhere…I have been known to sleep outside in my yard on many a night. But I get a feel, a personal understanding on how the actual gear works for me, which is very important. Finding out that a sleeping pad doesn’t keep my bum warm in the field is something that can easily be dealt with before I get on the trail. So, I try out my gear first, before I need to rely on it.
On another note, I have come across a lot of stories of how people simply packed a bag and headed out on the trail and some have made it. So, in this light, there is obviously a bit of luck that can go along with the journey… I am just hoping that I can use my share of luck on things that I really need it for, like finding that ride into town 5 miles away after hiking in the rain for 4 days, while everything I own is soaked and I’m cold… Just sayin’…
So, after all of that, what is the Appalachian Trail? As can be seen from the map below, it is a continuous footpath that leads from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mt Katahdin in Maine. The trail is, on average, 2,175 miles long, however, this figure is subject to change at any given time due to rerouting/maintenance of the trail. And if your curious, it takes approximately 5 million steps to complete the trail…
The trail winds through 14 different states :
- Maine (281.4 miles)
- New Hampshire (160.9 miles)
- Vermont (149.8 miles)
- Massachusetts (90.2 miles)
- Connecticut (51.6 miles)
- New York (88.4 miles)
- New Jersey (72.2 miles)
- Pennsylvania (229.6 miles)
- Maryland (40.9 miles)
- West Virginia (4 miles)
- Virginia (550.3 miles)
- Tennessee (287.9 miles)
- North Carolina (95.5 miles)
- Georgia (76.4 miles)
*Mileages taken from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy site.
Other than this, the trail also crosses through 6 National Park systems, 8 National Forests, and numerous other state and local forests and park systems.
Regardless of how unseemingly long this foot path is, following the trail is quite simple. There are some 165,000 (+/-) white blazes painted onto trees, rocks, roads, posts, and no telling what else along the entire trail. So, to get from one end to the other, all one has to do is to simply follow the white blazes… And if you need a break along the long, winding trail, there are 250+ shelters, lean-tos and huts along the trail, spaced out on average between 8 – 12 miles apart. These structures are generally open, three-walled structures with a wooden floor, although some shelters are much more complex in structure.
Cosby Knob Shelter on the AT in the Great Smoky Mountian National Park
As far as the trail itself, there are quite a few ups and downs along the entire trail (which does well to rival their bigger brothers in the west). It is said that the “hardest” sections of the AT are at each end of the trail, with the “easier” section being in between. The climb out of Georgia is quite tough (I have experienced this for myself) but they say that the trail leading out of Maine is a little tougher. There is some theory that this is one reason most hikers begin NOBO (North Bound) rather than SOBO (South Bound).
The net elevation gain and loss of the entire trail has been debated, but I have not found a source that is definite. In one thread on WhiteBlaze.net, one poster has stated this:
NOBO:
Total Ascent: 629899 ft
Total Descent: 628623 ftSOBO:
Total Ascent: 628546 ft
Total Descent: 629832 ft
As well, in that same thread another poster stated that according to a November 2008 edition of Backpacker magazine, the elevation change of the AT is 515,000 feet. Also, just reading though some of the other post in the same thread, others have said that it is “91 vertical miles” and even “14-17 Everest summits.” How true any of this is, I haven’t a clue. But what I do know is that the lowest elevation the AT reaches is 124 feet which is located at Bear Mountain Bridge which crosses the Hudson River in New York, and the highest is 6,625 feet which is when the trail crosses over Clingman’s Dome in the Great Smoky Mountain National park in Tennessee. And the AT bounces all over the place between these two elevations…
So, as you can see, the Appalachian Trail (or simply referred to as the “AT” by hikers) is a lot of trail! And this amount of trail, along with the estimated 2-3 million visitors which hike a portion (or all) of the Appalachian Trail each year, requires quite a bit of maintenance. So, to do this, the trail is maintained by a variety of citizen organizations, environmental advocacy groups, governmental agencies and individuals as well as 31 trail clubs. Annually, more than 4,000 volunteers contribute over 175,000 hours of effort on the Appalachian Trail, an effort coordinated largely by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) organization.
So, now that you know a little about the AT, you may or may not understand my desire to hike this trail. God has given us a beautiful world and the AT is a footpath which gives us a glimpse at a tiny portion of that gift, regardless of how long the actual trail measures. I want to spend time out in the mystery. I want to experience the joys of “sleeping with the trees” and then waking up with the smell of wildflowers in my nose and watching the sun light spill over the mountain crest. I want to look down at the top of the clouds as they are caught between ridge lines, and then to watch them as they gently flow over those ridge lines like waterfalls…
So, I am preparing. The biggest part of my preparation at this time is my gear. At this point there is no reason for me to prepare for my meal plans, and to plan an actual hiking itinerary would be futile (although some may disagree). I will begin planning my meal plan towards the end of next year since at this point I plan on using mail drops to replenish my food supplies. And as far as planning an itinerary, well, I will take it one day at a time.
But my gear selections, well I can start preparing this. Heading NOBO from Springer Mountain the first normal stopping point is about 30 miles up the trail, at an Outfitter called Mountain Crossings which is located at Neel’s Gap. (The trail actually goes right through this building, pretty cool!) The staff here “evaluates over 500 packs each year and ships back over 9000 lbs of gear from the store.” That’s a lot of gear, but it’s because many people begin with way too much gear. As well, the staff here will help to outfit hikers with more appropriate gear if needed/wanted. So, my goal at this time is to take the very long amount of time I have until my thru and properly evaluate my gear to begin with. By doing this, I will save myself time and money, as well as undue misery due to hiking with poor fitting gear, or gear that simply does not work, and not to mention from carrying a much too heavy load! Now this is not to say that I will eliminate every possible problem, there is always potential for gear failures, and especially on this long of a hike, but by doing this I will eliminate the obvious ones.
At this point, I have already upgraded much of my gear that I initially bought, however, there is still more that I plan on upgrading for use on my thru (about $1000 more). A great way to keep up with and to plan this is to simply use a Spreadsheet Document and lay it all out there. Using a Spreadsheet Document is nice because I am able to plug-in formulas to do all of my calculations for me. I had previously been using a simple Word Document and while it was simpler to use than the Spreadsheet Document, I quickly tired of the constant recalculations. So, last night I sat down and finally decided to tackle the Spreadsheet…
Gear List Excerpt ~ For Full Gear List Click On Picture Or On Link Below
So, I have finally gotten my gear list on a Spreadsheet Document that is simple for me and I can go thorough it rather quickly to evaluate many different aspects of my gear. Plus, since I am still testing out what gear works for me, I can very easily make changes and the formulas will take care of all the hard work! If you are interested, my full gear list can be viewed by clicking on the link below:
As for other details, my wife will drive me to the trail head near Springer Mountain sometime in April to begin my NOBO hike, although being the amount of time between now and then, the date is still not set in stone. And since my wife will not be joining me on the hike, she will be able to handle/ship all of my mail drops for resupply, so that will be a great help. As well, she will also be at the house to keep everything going smooth there too while I am away. Of course though, she and my children will drive up and meet me as much as possible, and she has agreed to even hike small sections of the trail with me so that will be nice. As far as time planned to hike the trail, I am estimating 4 1/2 months of actual hiking. However, I am going to request off 6 months from work so that I will have some time before I head out on my hike as well as a few weeks at the end before I have to go back.
So, anyway, I have been in deep-thought recently about my thru~hike and wanted to share my thoughts and my “progress” so far. If you have any questions please feel free to post them below and I will get back to you!
Thanks for reading…
~Stick~
Hi ya Stick,
Just an observation here by a fellow AT hopeful (currently planning to hike in 2012), but it seems that maybe you’re over compensating in some areas with your gear list, while not attending to other areas with as much care. What strikes the loudest cord is that you’re putting an awful lot of money into Cuben fiber gear, while still carrying a number of traditional “heavy” extras like 20 feet of duct tape, 24 feet of extra cord, and 3 different kinds of extra batteries, and a second 3oz. cup. You could save yourself a whole bunch of weight and space in the pack by tossing the extras in your bounce box just in case you need them along the way. In any case it seems like you’ll be well prepared for the journey, trust in yourself and your equipment. Feel free also to check out my gear list (http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=4498). I’d love to hear any comments or critique you may have.
Dave,
Thanks for checking out my list and commenting on it. To address the hike, unfortunately, it does not look like I will get to do the hike in 2013, so I am going to have to make other plans on when it will happen…
Concerning the list, if there is one thing I do know for sure about my list, and everyone’s list, is that it will change once the hike begins. That list is comprised of what works for me now, with a few items that I still need to get. However, I have not updated that list in a while, and to be honest I need to get back to it sometime and check it out again… You should have seen the one I updated it from…
Concerning the items you listed:
The duct tape is listed at 20 ft, however if I were to stretch it out, it would be more like 10 at the most. I listed 20 ft but when I started rolling it out I got tired of re-rolling it pretty quick. However, at less than 1 oz, I find that this is a great thing to have with me. Especially when you need it…
24 ft of extra cord. This is accurate, or at least it was when I listed it. Since then I have cut about 2 feet off of that for other things. However, here again, at less than 1 oz, I find that I would rather have it with me. Cord can be an invaluable thing and is can be used for a multitude of things.
(Mentioning these 2 things, we had a hiker hike in a shelter once and the sole on his boots were completely blown out. So, we used my duct tape and rope to secure the boot back on so that he could hike out. )
Concerning the extra batteries, I imagine that this would be something I may end up putting in a bounce box, but I am not so sure now. This is one of those things that I would figure out along the way. As can be seen by my blog, I like to take pictures and do videos, so the one extra battery for my camera is nice to have, but not necessary. IMO, the extra batteries for a headlamp is necessary. My son and I did a (unexpected) night hike a few weekends ago and I found myself wishing I had either changed the batteries before I left or had back-ups. As well, my wife has said that using the SPOT is an absolute if I plan to do this. So, again, the batteries would be a necessity there as well. I don’t think that these would end up in a bounce box because they hardly weigh anything and if the thing died on me I may be in a little trouble…
Concerning the cup, there is not a second cup listed on my list. Only the Kupilka 21 is listed, and yes, I know that it weighs 3 oz, but that is fine with me. I love my Kupilka and it goes with me on all hikes.
Then of course there is the cuben…yes, I like cuben and it is a great way to cut weight. And to be honest, especially now that my hike will be postponed a bit, I will probably end up hiking with a cuben shelter, as well as a few other major items… I am planning by next year to have a 5 pound summer pack, and a lighter winter pack, and I know that this will only carry over to when I do my thru.
Anyway, thanks again for the comment. I will be sure to check out your gear list as well sometime.
~Stick~
Stick,
Sorry that you won’t be hitting the trail as planned, but it is still nice to hear your level-headed reasoning for gear choices. Some people get so defensive that it becomes impossible to have a friendly discussion on the topic. If I may counter with a response, I absolutely agree with you; every gear list if fluid and dynamic. It is a delicate balance of cumber, comfort, and cost. And I wholeheartedly expect to make changes to my own gear before (and while) thru-hiking the trail next year. Plus, I’ve already heard of a number of exciting new products and revisions coming out in early 2012.
Concerning the classic, “but it weighs less than an ounce,” argument for carrying extra equipment, well that just tickles. It all adds up
I’ve found this to be especially true when we get down to the lower base weights. It suddenly becomes much harder to lighten the load.
On the Kupilka as an extra cup, I should have clarified that I meant in addition to the .9L Ti pot, which after all is smaller than a Nalgene and many soda bottles, and thus should be no more cumbersome to drink from. I realize that Kupilkas have become extremely popular as of late, and understandably so, as they fit our aesthetic perfectly. However, 3 oz. is quite a bit when it really only functions as a security blanket for us coffee/tea/cocoa drinkers. All the same, I respect your devotion to it, and enthusiastically support your attempt to fulfill the challenge of a 5 lb. summer pack that will include it.
As for the Cuben fiber, I’m not entirely innocent, myself. I’m hoping to acquire a 2012 Hyperlight Mountain Gear Windrider backpack. If you haven’t heard of HMG (the company is fairly new) I’d definitely recommend checking them out. The Windrider pack is made with a Cuben/rip-stop nylon hybrid material, which is waterproof – no need for a rain cover, hooray! Unfortunately, with the cost-to-weight ratio as it is, I don’t plan on carrying a Cuben shelter with me.
Looking forward to reading future posts. Happy trails,
Dave
Dave,
I hear ya, people do get quite defensive… Also, I figure that there will be quite a few differences to come about in the next couple of years, so I will just have to see how things go…I feel it is safe to say that I will probably try to keep up with some of it…
I figured you would have caught my “but it weighs less than an oz” comment… good catch! I actually talked about this kind of statement in a post a while back on my blog. And I hear ya on how it all adds up, cause it does…I have worked on some gear lists for getting my pack weight down and it is amazing at how I would go through and cut fractions of an oz and get excited (which is where a few of the cuben stuff sacks came into play.) But saying that, I have got to say, I have walked out with a 20 pound pack for 3 days and it was simply great! And truth be told, I could have shaved some weight off of that too, but at that weight I am fine carrying a few luxuries. I actually did the most mileage I have done in a day with this weight (20.2 miles on the AT in GA). So, to be honest, I am only wanting to get a 5 pound (summer) base weight just to do it. (Then again, it may grow on me…
)
I also assumed that you were referring to my cook pot as the 1st cup. And I agree with you that it is quite possible to use as a cup as well, but it is a shallower and wider pot rather than a taller narrower pot, and to be honest, I don’t really like using my taller/narrower 700 ml pot as both my cup and pot. And trust me, I have looked at the 3 oz on the Kupilka and debated it, but, I don’t know. I just want it. And like I mentioned, I am happy with the weight I am at now, but if I were trying to come off of say 50 pounds, then it would get the eyeball a little harder…
And yes, I know of HMG but I do not have any of their gear. I actually considered this Windrider a few months ago when I got my SMD Swift, and as sexy as the cuben/nylon hybrid pack was, I went with the Swift because of it’s overall lower weight. I also like some of their shelter systems too…but considering this, I have really come to like me some hammocks… so in the end, who knows?
And I agree, the cost of cuben shelters are quite expensive. However, for just a tarp, I think that they are pretty reasonable. Would you consider using a tarp only in cuben?
Anyway, thanks again Dave for stopping by and again for your comments. Great stuff!
~Stick~
Stick,
For some reason my reply isn’t fitting down below in chronological order, so here it is!
I think one of the best advantages of the HMG Windrider pack with its cuben/rip-stop material is that it’s waterproof, thus no need for carrying or hassling with a rain cover. This also saves me weight in that I don’t need all those cuben fiber stuff sacks to keep things dry. Instead I plan to simply use a clear plastic trash compactor bag as insurance for my sleeping bag, pad, and extra cold weather clothing (down sweater, long underwear, hat, gloves, and socks) in the bottom of my pack. On top of that will be my food and cook kit in an ultralight dry bag, surrounded by rain jacket and pants. The large exterior mesh pocket will carry Gossamer Gear Spinnaker tarp and Mtn. Laurel Designs bug bivy, allowing them to be carried while wet, although they could be packed interiorly if desired, as well. Alcohol stove fuel and U.L. umbrella will fit nicely into the side mesh pockets, while camera and ditties are placed in hip belt pockets – which on the Windrider are also waterproof, so no worries there either.
I think this also answers your question about going for a cuben tarp. I find that Spinnaker is a great compromise between cuben and sil-nylon. Like cuben it won’t stretch and sag when wet, and like sil-nylon it is more durable and less expensive. BTW have you heard of the wear and tear rate of cuben gear? I’ve heard that a Z-Pack will last 1 thru-hike, and is not necessarily expected to last any longer. I didn’t realize cuben was one-time use only! Have you heard anything similar? Apparently extended UV exposure can break down cuben, as well. Perhaps this is more of a worry for PCT hikers.
After chopping away at my pack list some, I’m at a starting cold weather base weight of 11.5 lbs., and a summer base weight as little as 8.5 lbs. Not bad! Cheers,
Dave
Dave,
One day I am sure that I will put my hands on a WindRider, but I am not sure if I will ever own one. Also, we pack much the same, with a few variances. My packs are not waterproof so I do use a full size cuben fiber dry sack pack liner. Inside that I stuff my sleeping bag/quilt in the very bottom (and I do use an oversized DIY stuff sack for this just to give me a second waterproof layer to help me rest assured my bag/quilt stays dry). Then on top of that is usually my food bag along with my kitchen set-up and then my sleeping pad, extra clothes and maybe a few other small items. Then I roll the dry sack closed. The stuff inside the dry sack are items I will not use until I am at camp so there is no need of me being in there. Other things such as my ditty bag, TP or other items that I may need during the day goes on top. Then the top of my pack is closed. On the outside is my shelter system, my rain gear and then my water system. All of these items are things that I want to get to first thing at camp, or in case it were to rain.
I do carry a rain cover. It is made of cuben and weighs 1.2 oz and I am happy with it. I can also use it for other things such as a place to bundle my stuff up and keep it separated from other peoples gear while I am at a shelter, or as just a little extra ground sheet under my tarp.
As far as Spinn is concerned, I have a single tent stake stuff sack made from Spinn, and another larger stuff sack made of Spinn. I don’t think that it is quite as durable as some of the cuben though, but I am not sure if Spinn only comes in one thickness. The nice thing about cuben is that it comes in multiple weights. My cuben dry sack pack liner is made from 1.26 oz/sqyd cuben which is much thicker than the Spinn that I have. As well, the dyneema strands sandwiched between the mylar sheets in cuben results in a very strong material.
And yes, it does say right on Joes site that the ZPacks Blast Packs are expected to last 1 thru hike, but reading through some of the reviews, even after a through it was still useable. But, that doesn’t change the fact that it is a lot of money for a pack that will only last about that long, but considering the weight savings, I think it is worth it. Saying this though, I am curious as to what kind of life span the HMG packs will also have considering that they too use some cuben in their construction. So you will have to be sure and share with us when you are done!
That sounds like you have got a very nice pack weight and I am sure that you will appreciate that. Although you may get some weird looks from the ones that start off with 50+ pounds… just how did you fit it all in that tiny pack…
Thanks again for the comments. Appreciate them!
~Stick~
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Tried posting this on the backpacker forums, but login is broken! Consider the NeoAir All Season for year round use. The weight penalty isn’t that big compared to the NeoAir and you get an r-value of 4.9. You also get the added bonus that the All Season will have an R-value of 1.5 even when flat. Worst case scenario you have a blow out, you’ll still have some residual heat retention.
Bryan,
I have thought of this, but at the moment I am happy with what I have (the regular Neo and the GG 1/8″ pad), and it has proven to be efficient (for me) well below freezing. Also, I have a lot to do before I am ready for my thru. I have most of my gear covered, but obviously there are a few other purchases, 2 of them being a little big (tent ~ $295 and the SPOT ~ $300 for unit, activation and tracking…my wife says I must carry it to go, so I said ok). However, we have to pay off the rest of our debt first (which will be done by the end of next year for sure, but shooting for sooner) as well as having an emergency fund plus an emergency living expenses fund, then I have to save the money for my thru hiking fund! So, I am not looking to replace my sleeping system at the moment since it works and I have grown quite fond of it. But if I should need to do so, then I will do so with my thru hike money… Although, if any doubt creeps in I will go with the 1/4″ GG pad rather than the 1/8″ pad. Sorry for the ramble and hope this makes sense!
Thanks for the suggestion though,
Chad
Two Questions,
1. What is an Instaflator?
2. What company makes your shelter you have listed?
Lynn,
The Instaflator is a piece of kit used to inflate my air pads. There are some videos out there that shows them off, and I am actually planning to do a video on mine soon. Was actually going to do one today, but I am uploading a video on my Ditty bag at the moment. I will do the Instaflator maybe tomorrow or Monday. It is nice for winter though because you do not have to use your breath to inflate your air pads which means the moisture from your breath does nit go into the pad and freeze in subfreezing temps. Also, when hiking at elevation it is good to have since the air is so thin and this way you don’t get ll light-headed blowing up your pad…
The LightHeart Solo shelter is made by LightHeart Gear. They are very light-weight double wall tents. I want the Cuben version because it weighs so little (14 oz) as compared to the already light-weight sil version (27 oz), however the cuben is a little $$$. $575 for the all cuben vs $245 for the sil…
Hope this helps,
Chad
Sure does! Thanks.
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Just for grings and giggles, I added up your weights in case you hadn’t yet. You’re currently at 23.3 lbs. I don’t think that sounds too bad. I have a lot of similar gear and would have a tough time leaving behind much more. I’m considering taking my water filter and using purification drops as a backup in case the filter fails. I’d love to hike the AT sometime too.
hi Stick,
you do have to seam seal your tarp tent. I have a Double Rainbow and seam sealed it for a West Highland Way (Scottland) thruhike this year. But…. not good enough! One night we had plenty of rain and it was dripping inside…. Was no problem because of Rab UltraBivys, so I have to seam seal it again. Used Silnet, great product!
I would love to thru hike the AT or PCT, but I’m from germany and so it is not easy to me. Looked over your gear list, why do you want to take a canister stove? You have to carry the canister, which is useless for itself. Thought about trying out a alcohol stove? They are great! And light, too! I love my Caldera Cone, but bought a Bushbuddy Ultra,too. Both great stoves, BB Ultra is heavier, but I don’t have to carry fuel. If I think there is not much wood on my trip I take a Supercat Stove as backup with me, which I made from a cat food can. But till today I found always some twigs to cook my food.
Are you sure that you will need a SPOT on the AT? There are rumors that a spot is sending false S.O.S messages sometimes, don’t know if it is true, but read it on some pages in www. Try to google, I think it was from guys hiking the PCT.
You have a really nice blog there, will read thru it the next days!
Greetings from Germany, and keep hiking!
Oh, and sorry for my bad english!
bye
I know some people worry about the weight that seam seals use, but I am not one of them. I have some tarps that are not one solid piece so I chose to seal them. Does your shelter have any seams other than the outside edges?
I am with you. I do not care that seam-sealing adds and extra 1.5 oz to the overall weight. After all, I have a “shelter” to stay dry in, and this is obviously part of the deal. However, I have read that if care is not taken, it is easy to get carried away with it and you will end up with quite a few oz of seam seal all over the place. If you are going to seam seal, I would practice on a scrap piece of something-or-another before going to the real deal.
My Kelty Grand Mesa 2 Tent came taped, and up to this point it has held well. Of course over time and use it will need to be retaped, so I just be sure to clean it after use and store it inside, and dry. My 8 x 10 sil tarp is two pieces which are sewn together down the middle, which creates the ridge line. This was sealed as well by Brian at OES (he seals all of his before shipping; the cost is already figured in). He also sealed around the reinforcements for the D loops.
Also, note that if sealing silnylon you need to use a product for use with silnylon, such as SilNet. For other materials with a PU coating, use something such as McNetts Seam Grip.
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