Guns on the Appalachian Trail + Preppers v. Backpackers

[namedpipes]

...
I would like to try from Central Mass., going both North and South to the state borders, and eventually the entire New England length of it. This would be over many weekends in small pieces.
...

A lot of people hike the whole trail, but in sections, a weekend or a week at a time.

The "through" hikers sometimes make fun of them but IMO anyone with the gumption to do it, or even a part of it, should get some credit / respect.

 

[Mesatchornug]

The "through" hikers sometimes make fun of them

It's just another purity test.

Like you said, everyone should do what they can and be proud of what they've accomplished. Not all of us have the ability to take off several months to walk a mountain range.

 

[bejay]

Getting arrested and convicted for carrying a handgun in New York without a New York handgun license is a felony with a minimum mandatory 3.5 year prison sentence. Plus, you will lose your 2A rights nation-wide, forever. Think twice!

Almost sounds as serious as Massachusetts and Bartley-Fox...’)

 

[JBerry20]

As someone who completed the AT when I was much younger, a long distance hiker becomes so fixated on weight that the idea of carrying something as heavy as a pistol and ammo is out of the question. When I did it, the shelters within about a weeks hike from the start in GA had a large assortment of discarded gear - rope, knives, cooking pots/pans, clothing, etc. and the gear store at Neal's Gap was one of the busiest UPS pickup points for a few weeks after the season started. After you are out a while you become so attuned you can smell non-thru hikers on the trail before you see them. There is also a hiker 'grapevine' that spreads info up and down the trail so if there are issues someplace or creepy people on the trail, you know about it.

 

[Mountain]

It's just another purity test.

Like you said, everyone should do what they can and be proud of what they've accomplished. Not all of us have the ability to take off several months to walk a mountain range.

I've hit several sections of the AT and honestly don't think much of it really builds a lot of cred- through hike or not; EXCEPT for that nightmare on earth called the 100 Mile Wilderness. Anyone who makes it through that layer of hell has my respect. Laughed my ass off when reading Bill Bryson's Walk In The Woods when they quit a day and a half into it. I've done about half of it, leading Scouts from a logging road drop off point then north to Mt. Katahdin. It's pretty much a sadistic torture test even compared to 130 mile high altitude treks I've completed in the Rockies.

 

[Mesatchornug]

I've hit several sections of the AT and honestly don't think much of it really builds a lot of cred- through hike or not; EXCEPT for that nightmare on earth called the 100 Mile Wilderness. Anyone who makes it through that layer of hell has my respect. Laughed my ass off when reading Bill Bryson's Walk In The Woods when they quit a day and a half into it. I've done about half of it, leading Scouts from a logging road drop off point then north to Mt. Katahdin. It's pretty much a sadistic torture test even compared to 130 mile high altitude treks I've completed in the Rockies.

Cred is different.

Pride of personal accomplishment isn't about Facebook likes but looking back at the end of life and saying "I did that."

Someday, I want to SOBO the AT, so I can avoid the crowds. Seems like leaving in August/September would mean moving fast and chasing fall all the way down. (Also, high risk for misery from the start, but what's adventure without adversity, right?)

 

[BOOTKNIFEFAN]

Almost sounds as serious as Massachusetts and Bartley-Fox...’)

This is what I recommend for trail carry. A stout, hardwood walking stick is also useful. It has a distance advantage over a knife and its blows are felt immediately.

 

[FrugalFannie]

Anyone contemplating an AT hike or even interested in the subject should read “A Walk In The Woods” by Bill Bryson. It’s an amazing account of him and his almost equally out of shape buddy doing the trail on a whim one summer in their mid 40’s

read it carefully. things have changed a great deal and they didn't actually hike all of it. they got off trail for quite a while as well and went back to their "day jobs." I did like the book but it is very dated. And there are plenty of us "older hikers" who have or will attempt to thru hike the AT.

If you really want the straight dope on walking the AT I suggest you join the website whiteblaze.net

 

[FrugalFannie]

A lot of people hike the whole trail, but in sections, a weekend or a week at a time.

The "through" hikers sometimes make fun of them but IMO anyone with the gumption to do it, or even a part of it, should get some credit / respect.

honestly I think it's probably harder to carve out time every year, sometimes for 20 years or more, to complete the whole thing. especially as people age and work and life demands increase - kids, jobs, moving around the country possibly, etc.

 

[namedpipes]

honestly I think it's probably harder to carve out time every year, sometimes for 20 years or more, to complete the whole thing. especially as people age and work and life demands increase - kids, jobs, moving around the country possibly, etc.

For me, I had the freedom to do it in my 20's, but didn't. Since then it's been a grind of making house+car payments. A couple or three years from now I could viably take a few months off and my boy will be in HIS 20's, fresh out of the Marines. If a couple things come together, it could finally happen.

However, it's not inconceivable I'd be "that guy" conducting several Zoom meetings in the morning and hiking the rest of the day LOL

 

[PappyM3]

Great, now this thread has me looking into planning a hike through the 100 mile wilderness and finishing on Katahdin.

Thanks... my wife is going to be so happy with me wanting another adventure.

 

[Mesatchornug]

Great, now this thread has me looking into planning a hike through the 100 mile wilderness and finishing on Katahdan.

Thanks... my wife is going to be so happy with me wanting another adventure.

Want a buddy?

There's going to be an eclipse that passes directly over Katahdin in April '24. I want to get a small group together for that one, with the knowledge there's like a 50% chance we can't even see it.

 

[PappyM3]

Want a buddy?

There's going to be an eclipse that passes directly over Katahdin in April '24. I want to get a small group together for that one, with the knowledge there's like a 50% chance we can't even see it.

That’s cool. But for me it’ll entirely depend on mil reserve training schedules each year.

 

[Dante231]

1993 . . . quit my job flew to atlanta, hitched to the southern terminus and walked back. Weight: started with a 70+lb pack; by the Smokies, I had dumped extra clothes, books, a fishing rod (yup), and was down to about 35lbs with food. That was before FB and Insta, so no accolades except didn't have to carry all that shit. Dumped tent and stove and slept on tarp and in shelters and ate PB&honey and reconsitituted hummus until Manchester Center Vt. Now btw, there's all this ultra-light stuff. My pack alone weighed probably 6 or 7 lbs.

I would not have carried a gun because of the weight. Also, there's not much privacy, so good luck keeping your shelter-mates from becoming snitches. Only had one run-in with the law - in, I think, Chesire, MA. Buddy and I went into the local Y where we were supposed to be able to get a shower. It was Sunday - the door was unlocked and we went in. Alarm sounded and the local cops were there blaring in minutes. Funny to see me and my middle-aged hiking buddy covered in dirt and 5 months of beard growth. They did question us, took our info for their report and left us be. I would not want to have been carrying that day.

 

[AHM]

I've hit several sections of the AT and honestly don't think much of it really builds a lot of cred- through hike or not; EXCEPT for that nightmare on earth called the 100 Mile Wilderness.

Stop me if I'm wrong, but I hear drinking water is sparse down south.

By comparison, a college roommate told me that the advantage of
kayak camping is that you don't have to decide which bottle of wine
to bring for the weekend.

Only had one run-in with the law - in, I think, Chesire, MA. Buddy and I went into the local Y where we were supposed to be able to get a shower. It was Sunday - the door was unlocked and we went in. Alarm sounded and the local cops were there blaring in minutes. Funny to see me and my middle-aged hiking buddy covered in dirt and 5 months of beard growth. They did question us, took our info for their report and left us be.

Took me a while to realize you were talking about a YMCA
rather than some altruistic trailside Big Y supermarket's
employee locker room.

 

[Mountain]

Stop me if I'm wrong, but I hear drinking water is sparse down south.

By comparison, a college roommate told me that the advantage of
kayak camping is that you don't have to decide which bottle of wine
to bring for the weekend.


Took me a while to realize you were talking about a YMCA
rather than some altruistic trailside Big Y supermarket's
employee locker room.

Water certainly can be a challenge. Not so much at the northern end of the AT. I've only done short hikes in the south.

It was really tough out west a few years ago. Practically had to squeeze water out of cow patties and the water we did find might have been worse than that.

 

[FrugalFannie]

Stop me if I'm wrong, but I hear drinking water is sparse down south.

By comparison, a college roommate told me that the advantage of
kayak camping is that you don't have to decide which bottle of wine
to bring for the weekend.


Took me a while to realize you were talking about a YMCA
rather than some altruistic trailside Big Y supermarket's
employee locker room.

Full STOP. Depends on the year and time of year. Just like everywhere else. In GA I crossed as many if not more water sources then I ever did in NH and Maine.

 

[AHM]

Full STOP. Depends on the year and time of year. Just like everywhere else. In GA I crossed as many if not more water sources then I ever did in NH and Maine.

I still remember trying to hike the Big Brook Loop snowmobile trail
from Lake Eaton Public Campground one mid-70's August,
I would have been better off wearing scuba fins than sneakers.

Up some "Bald", maybe not so much.

 

[MisterHappy]

It's just another purity test.

Like you said, everyone should do what they can and be proud of what they've accomplished. Not all of us have the ability to take off several months to walk a mountain range.

15 years ago, I did Monadnock in 4 hours round trip. (That was the "average" I was told)

5 Years ago, I did Monadnock in 6-ish hour round trip ( I now have a bad ankle, and am 10 years older, and not skinnier).

My kid has done Monadnock in 2.5 hours round trip.

He and I did the 5-years ago trip together, with him going 20 yards ahead, waving a water bottle, and saying, "Come on old guy....you can do it!"

One of the best trips to Monadnock I've had. Even if I told him, when we got to the end of the trail in the parking lot, "You're driving the car to me. I'm done."

Don't know about proud, but satisfied.

 

[AHM]

15 years ago, I did Monadnock in 4 hours round trip. (That was the "average" I was told)

Fun factoid:
Hiking from AMC Pinkham Notch to the floor of Tuckerman Ravine
is almost precisely the same distance and Δh
as climbing Grand Monadnock.