I'm planning on starting a through hike on the AT pretty

No need to on popular trails.

>stop at a shelter for lunch
>other people there
>some headed in the same direction
>walk along
>next shelter
>repeat

>>710984
thats honestly what i wanted to do. i would rather go alone but

>mummy says i need a walking pal

>>710985

Bring a dog. They are far better companions than humans. 2 humans vs 1 bear don't mean shit. You'll both be dead. But bears hardly ever attack dogs and dogs run them off pretty effectively. My 11 year old dachshund can scare off a 800lb mama bear.

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bump

I haven't gone on any extended hikes for a couple years and I have nothing but a sleeping bag and a pot to cook food in and a backpack I can carry whatever fits in it, but if your down, I'll go.

>>710983

Im pretty interested in trying the trail in the late spring early summer, and I also have no friends who are really into the idea

What time were you thinking of going, and how long did you want to be on the trail?

>>711436
>>711533
Im deadset on completing it so however long it takes to get from springer to katahdin it will take me more time because im a heavy bastard and hills make me all huffy.

I can't find much information on planning for this hike. How do people resupply on food? Do they just walk into a city? My goal is to complete the hike before I'm forced to settle down and have a kid with my wife. My trips will be severely limited after that. I currently go on 3 day 2 night backpacking trips once or twice a month around my state and the occasional out of state trip when I get holiday time. It's getting rather boring. I'm about to complete school so I will already have a transition period between jobs. Think it's now or never.

>>711751
there are places to resupply along the trail might be a hitchhike away but you def dont have to worry about starving. and you just have to carry enough food on you to get you to the next resupply point.
you can also have food sent to you

>>711752

Is there a map showing these places?

Also, I'm a pretty big guy. I starting getting into backpacking to lose weight when I was 350lb (should have saw the looks I got on trails) and I'm now down to 220lb after almost 3 years of enjoying trails in Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. I would like to say I have pretty good endurance. I typically hike 5-10 miles a day with a ~40lb pack but I've done up to 25 before (don't know if I could do that day in and day out). Also would you suggest bringing a dog? I have a 3 legged Boxer. He lost his leg fucking around with a bear cub about a year ago instead of fending off the mama bear. I still take him with me on day hikes but I'm scared to take him on long trips because of the strain it puts on his back walking on 3 legs. If not, I guess I would have to find a partner. I don't know anybody that hikes (my family is full of fatasses and hardly any friends).

>>711756
you should really research the AT alittle bit more if youre seriously considering a thru hike

>>711756
i wouldnt take your dog it could be pretty tiring for him imagine a leg amputee on the trail

im op so if things work out we could hike together if you dont mind associating with a shitpost on legs

Is there a lot of theft on the trail? I have a friend that started here in NY and planned on hiking down to Georgia and back. He was in Tennessee and got off the trail to go to a sporting goods store because his tarp ripped and they asked him to leave his bag at the door. When he came back out it was stolen. Everything but his wallet and cell phone he had on him. He said he lost over $3,000 in gear. He filed a police report but they didn't give a shit because he was a "Damn Yankee". His Dad had to buy him a plane ticket home.

>>711785
not gonna lie this got me pretty butthurt

>>711785
>>711789
pro-tip: ask to keep it behind the counter. 100% of the time they would be fine with it. the reason they tell you to not bring bags in is because of theft.

Don't fucking bring a dog like some anon said. Thru hiking=/ bushwacking. Go on Facebook and join the AT Class of '16, enjoy your treasure trove of knowledge. Or go on the AT website, they have the answer to all of your questions. Most people planning a thru hike spend about twice the amount of time planning as they do time on the trail. The season just started so you're kinda fucked on time. Theft is hardly an issue on the trail. Hopefully you have 2k to spend on the right gear and $10 a day for food. It's more efficient to mail yourself the food and have someone back home in charge of shipping and whatnot. The trail is straightforward as fuck, but bring maps. You can literally go into town every other day if you want on the AT, PCT not so much.

To fucking reiterate: /out/ doesn't know shit when it comes to thru-hiking. Most people here just like planning backpacks for a zombie apocalypse and having everything you'll ever need for years to come. This isn't that. Also, just go fucking do it. You won't die and you won't regret it.

Source: hiked the AT and PCT

>>711756
Get your pack down to sub 20. No matter fucking what. Shake down everything you don't need, and buy new, lighter gear if need be.
Also, dogs aren't meant to hike 2k miles in 4-5 months. They just aren't. Some people do take their dogs, most fail, some succeed. You need the right breed that's been actively hiking/walking for its entire life. Then it would work. If you bring your dog on the trail I guarantee you that your dog will be miserable and everyone will call you an asshole because that's exactly what you'd be.

From the looks of this thread, I'd honestly recommend going next year. It's entirely possible for you to go this season and succeed, but I personally just don't see it from what I've read here. If it makes you feel any better I became friends with this fatass Mexican who hiked 2/3 of the PCT in '12 on only $50. Go do it champ. It's easier than you think if it's honestly what your heart is set on.

>>711817
This.

Also show your mommy just how insanely crowded the AT really is and maybe then she will let you go /out/

>>711828

How crowded are shelters and camps near shelters? I have social anxiety and it's the reason I'm /out/. I want to camp near shelters but not around other people. Thinking of stealth camping. Thoughts?

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>>711851
>stealth camping
awesome idea, also consider traveling at night.

>>711851
>How crowded
AT is like a giant ongoing party of spoiled hipsters for the most part. Worst experience ever. I'd rather walk by myself across Canada than do that shit again.

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Not OP but also plan to do the AT this year. A one month long section hike. Hope to do a through hike next year, this year is a dry run I guess. Only pack I got is a Swedish milsurp LK-35. It's big enough to fit all my stuff if I strap junk on the outside but I'm wondering if it's too heavy. Would you recommend a better pack?

Also about sleeping bags, I understand down is preferred for weight:warmth but what temperature rating is needed? Is 45°+ good enough or something rated for below freezing?

>>712324
ULA circut

>>712302
It's the most sociable and popular of the three trails that make up the Triple Crown, but the whole trail isn't as you say. It's a frathouse party for the first month in the season then everyone gets pretty well dispersed. A lot of the party crowd drops out after a month or they basically bail on the hiking and hitch from town to town chasing the party.
Most of the people reporting that the AT is massively overcrowded are people who attempt to thru hike and fail, people who are just out day hiking and see a shitload of hikers passing them up, or outdoor wilderness patrol who stay in the same area all day so of course they think the trail is crowded when they see 200 pass a day. The reality is that most of these people rarely see each other nor are they constantly surrounded by other people. Everyone has their own pace over the duration of 2-5 months. I'm not saying the popularity of the trail didn't skyrocket, just that when thru hiking you aren't hiking back to back with other hikers which is the picture a lot of people tent to paint.

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>>712333
Seconding ULA.

Catalyst is fine, too.

>>712517
>>712302 is accurate

I live about a mile from the NF and always day hike the AT to my favorite stealth fishing spots. During the Spring it is nothing but spoiled people in their 20s thinking they can buy the outdoors experience with their expensive gear then quit after a few days because their feet hurt. They flood our towns sitting in front of stores gossiping and asking where the weed is. They are degenerate swine that should be allowed to be hunted with my favorite .22LR.

>>712570
Refer to
>people who are just out day hiking and see a shitload of hikers passing them up.

Those people in town are just being hiker trash who are stimulating your economy by buying food and the stores know that. The people that linger around each town don't finish the trail. If you go and actually thru hike the AT you leave those people in your dust. Yeah, there are some trustfund babies, and other kids who actually have money because they saved up for it (i.e. me and a lot of other people I know). Then there are those you mentioned, people with no money to support themselves that don't finish the trail and don't make that many friends. And yeah, the gear is expensive if you want to go ultralight which is ideal. The ULA Circuit which had been brought up (which I too also recommend) is $235 for the base model and worth every penny. Take a cheap $100 pack on a 2k mile hike for several and tell me how that works for yah.

How do people take off work for 4 months to do shit like this? Anon I'd go with you if i wasn't such a wagecuck

>>712690
This.

I'd die happy if I got to do a through hike

>>712690

They are mostly young adults transitioning between college and the work force. One last sense of freedom.

>>712814
Can confirm this. Not having a place plus easy storage of personal stuff with trusted folks makes AT overhead and cell-phone your only debits for the duration of the thru-hike.

>>712517
I go to woods to be alone. That 1 month kick off party and the last 3 weeks end all party are fucking stupid. Other anon is right, you should be allowed to hunt these spoiled fuckers.

>>712878

I work in pest control and live and work near the AT. I hunt in the NF year round killing nuisances like Coyote and the Forest Ranger is a good friend of mine and lives down the street. I sometimes hop on to the AT so I can stop at one of their shelters for lunch. I even help out my Ranger buddy sometimes taking care of wasp/hornet nests, clearing falling debris off trails, etc. I even help out the AOA store here that delivers packages to people at shelters. And then all of sudden hiking and backpacking became the new "lifestyle" for these hipsters who show up wearing golf pants and cotton t shirts thinking they're going to hike the whole trail with what they have in their cheap bags. And they have the fucking nerve to tell me I shouldn't have an assault rifle. I have a fucking Ruger 10/20 that you can buy at Dick's or Wal-Mart for $250 with a cheap scope, pistol grip, and sling. I stop going out more and more. These faggots need to go back to their state parks and petting zoos before some redneck that don't take no shit shoots them in their faggot faces.

Get
the
fuck
out

OP here is there anyway to avoid this faggotry?
what if i go during winter?
or carry a rebel flag with me?
that could scare em off.

>>713090
Considering how unprepared you are, you are part of that faggotry.
Go thru hike the CDT next year bruh.