Anyone here hiked the Appalachian Trail?

[Tekneek]

Anyone? Anyone?

If not the AT, anyone here do serious multiple day hikes?

[flere-imsaho]

Never hiked the whole thing, but have done parts.

I've done a multi-day winter hike over the Mt. Washington range in New Hampshire (brrrr....).

Why? Thinking of doing it?

[Bee]

I drove past an entrance to the AT once, does that count?

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Bee

I drove past an entrance to the AT once, does that count?

Lazy Bum. I sat on a boulder next to a parking lot for the AT.

[rkmsuf]

I've hiked the Oregon Trail.

sort of.

[cartman]

I used to work at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, and have been on many, many 14 day+ hiking trips. I've only done day hikes on the AT, but one of my life goals is to thru-hike it.

[HomerJSimpson]

I don't talk about it. All I can say is, if you hear banjo music, run! Either that or practice squealing like a pig.

[Bee]

Sorry...if I'd have known that was you, I'd have used WD40.

[HomerJSimpson]

Originally Posted by Bee

Sorry...if I'd have known that was you, I'd have used WD40.

I just wish you'd not have sent the pictures to my mother. That's messed up.

[Greyroofoo]

I've taken a 6 day hike up Mt. Washington and the Presidential range. No better feeling in the world than taking a leak off the side of a mountain.

My only advice is make sure you're in decent shape before you go. Don't wear anything cotton (due to the tendency that it gets really heavy when wet.) I had to hike through a couple streams and swampy areas where a couple people who were with me fell in.

I enjoyed the hike though.

PS I encountered some crazy ass chipmunks who ate through the side of somebodys backpack(it was pretty good material too) while we were playing cards. Don't say I didn't warn you.

[Raiders Army]

It runs through near where we live. My wife and I talked about it, but having three kids (one of them who's 4) doesn't really allow us to do it. Maybe in about 10 years when I retire.

[Blackadar]

Buy the book A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. It talks about hiking the AT and is funny as hell.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Blackadar

Buy the book A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. It talks about hiking the AT and is funny as hell.

Didn't they make a movie about that book which starred Hillary Duff?

Anyway the Pacific Crest Trail is better... http://www.pcta.org/

WEST SIDE!

[Tekneek]

Yes, it is something I recently started to read about again and regret not doing when I was younger. At this point, I will probably need to wait until my son is a lot older and can handle going with me. I wondered if anyone here had done a thru-hike, but it seems like nobody has...yet.

I did not know about that Pacific Crest Trail. That sounds like another thing that would be awesome to do.

[saldana]

i have done a couple multi day hikes on the AT, and a couple up in NY state near Hunter Mt. Ski area...that one i almost needed rappelling gear for a couple points.

[terpkristin]

I've done multi-day hikes on various parts of the AT, including parts in ME, MD, GA, TN, and Mt. Washington in winter multiple times (part of search and rescue training). Used to be an outdoor guide for (among other things) backpacking, so I've done a lot of that stuff, as well as with SAR. Was there a specific question about the AT or multi-day hiking? I'll gladly answer any questions you might have...

/tk

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Im thinking about doing The Bataan Death March in New Mexico next spring.

[Greyroofoo]

I heard that was a trip to die for

[Tekneek]

For those of you who have gone on multi-day hikes, what would you say were the most important things to bring? What kind of food did you eat? As far as the AT goes, did you bring a tent or gamble on being able to sleep in a shelter?

[Danny]

I have hiked a football.

[Greyroofoo]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

For those of you who have gone on multi-day hikes, what would you say were the most important things to bring? What kind of food did you eat? As far as the AT goes, did you bring a tent or gamble on being able to sleep in a shelter?

i think i had oatmeal everyday for breakfast (very small, very light). Lunch and dinner are more hazy to me since it was 6 years ago. We used tents, as I think we only stayed in one shelter in the six nights we hiked. And you should definitely bring deoderant.

[Tekneek]

Originally Posted by Greyroofoo

And you should definitely bring deoderant.

I've gathered that you may end up taking a few 'deodorant showers' from time to time while on the AT, particularly if you are thru-hiking.

[st.cronin]

baby wipes baby; the infantryman's hot shower

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

For those of you who have gone on multi-day hikes, what would you say were the most important things to bring? What kind of food did you eat? As far as the AT goes, did you bring a tent or gamble on being able to sleep in a shelter?

You realize pretty quickly that you can get by with a lot less than you expect. Especially since you have to carry all of the stuff around with you... I usually brought two changes of clothes, a rain jacket, a small medical kit (mainly stuff to treat blisters), Teva sandals, small stove, sleeping bag, tarp, therm-a-rest, eating utensils (a cool whip/margarine bowl plus plastic fork and spoon), plus food. I usually ate trail mix and/or oatmeal for breakfast, crackers with Spreadables for lunch, then various dehydrated meals for dinner.

As for the tent vs. shelter question, it's a good idea to bring some sort of tent or tarp with you. Even if there are shelters available along the way, a situation might come up while you are hiking between shelters when some sort of way to get out of the weather might arise.