[3/4 time]

I was recently going through some old maps and found some for the Appalachian Trail. Soon it will be that time of year again when hikers will set out from Georgia. At one time I thought thru hiking the AT was something I might like to do. But now, older and questionably wiser, I don’t think I’d do it. If you had the time and the money to thru hike the AT would you do it? If you had that kind of time and money, would you do something different? I’ve done a couple of small section hikes and that just may be as close as I’ll get. There are quite a few books out there about hiking the AT. I think I’ll settle for reading about it after a nice dinner while warm and dry at home.

[dudley]

Evey year I make plans to go.... I just never do

While most tru hikers are of college age, I understand that there's quite a few retirees also.
If you just want to day dream (like I do) or read along, there's a bunch of trail journals over on Whiteblaze

http://www.whiteblaze.net/

[Ben Smith]

I don't have the attention span for it. I heard the stretches through Pennsylvania and Virginia can be pretty dreary with nothing but miles of long flat trail with occasional views of mountains with their tops blasted off, not very exciting nor aesthetic. I'm also more the type to detour off into the woods when I see something interesting, so I doubt I'd stick with the trail all that long unless I was really bored and found nothing better to do. All the kudos to the through hikers, but I much prefer playing in the woods with no real objective in mind.

[Ben Smith]

How about all the grandeur of hiking the entire AT condensed down into 60 hours of total misery striving for an impossible goal only 8 people have ever achieved: http://blog.washingt...l?hpid=topnews/

[Andrew]

I talk about doing it all the time. One of these springs I will - I hope.

Every time I get on the "man, I should just do it" bandwagon I watch "Trek" and it gets me all fired up.

Of course I'm a little out of shape these days, but I honestly think I could do it. In fact, i reckon i would love it.

[fishmonger]

I also have thought about it for the last 6 or 7 years, and hope to section hike it at some point. Preaching to the choir here, but it is an EXTREMELY challenging endeavor. Most estimates have the dropout rate at 85-90% of those who leave from Springer. I got a taste of what it would be like doing the MS Greenway in July, which beat the hell out of me, but admittedly I was not in shape for a hike like that. It's very easy to sit in a warm, cozy house and dream about the views in the Smokies, but it is a serious grind over 4-6 months.

Ben Smith, right now I'm reading Born to Run, have you heard of it? It's a great book for anyone who's into trail running, or outside exercise in general. I think your post may have been mentioned in the early chapters

[Ben Smith]

I've heard of it but haven't read it (I'll see if the local library has it). Another one of my favorite insanities is the summer-time run across death valley up to the 8,000' mark on Mount Whitney (and to the summit if you have a pass). Although, each year an average of 80 people finish Badwater, compared to an average of 0.5 per year for the 100 mile Barkley Marathon. This is very understandable, considering the Badwater Ultramarathoners have a flat paved surface at a low altitude and a support crew that follows them the entire way, where the heat is their primary challenge to over-come; while the Barkley marathon doesn't even have a trail for a good chunk of the route, has 50% gradients, mountain weather, and severe sleep deprivation and no support crew other than two watering stations and the campsite at the start/finish line.

Then of course, I'm just an arm-chair athlete drawing these comparisons, and couldn't do either if my life depended on it. The best I've done so far is a solo day hike up Little Annapurna in Washington (trip report here) which is 15.5 miles round trip with 6,300' gain in elevation, including Aasgard Pass which climbs 2,360' in half a mile, in 89 F heat carrying 40 pounds worth of gear (1:30AM to 5:30PM 16 hours total), and the 18 summit challenge in Acadia (trip report here) with 23 miles hiking and 8,000' climbing (8:40AM to 8:10PM 11.5 hours). Both of these hikes I'd trained for and both were pretty grueling. I can't imagine finishing the 18 summit challenge, and then doing it four more times (which is equivalent to the Barkley Marathon).

Aasgard pass (on the left)

[Mewalkinwoods]

Ben Smith.

Wow was that a trip. I would love to go to Washington one day. Thanks for the Trip Reports.


AT

I would like to do the AT, but I would never fit it in my life. Kids, Career, Bills....

It would be a trip of a life time.

I had one friend who did it with his dog in the early 90's. He had lots of stories.

I guess I'll just keep on day tripping, and waiting for the spring to get back in the Whites.

[Majer:Danjer]

I'd be willing to do large sections in 1 to 2 week stints.....

Which raises a good question, since this is a New England hiking forum, how long would it take to hike the entire New England section of the AT?

[fishmonger]

Not sure, but plenty of thru hikers say that the stretch from the VT/NH border to Katahdin is by far the toughest, and can feel like 50% of the effort for all 2100 miles

[Ben Smith]

I'm sure it has to be demoralizing to have Mahoosuc Notch welcome you to the Maine portion of the AT. Then, of course, when Brian Robinson finished the AT as part of his "Triple Crown in one year" feat, he scaled Katahdin in winter. Now that is dedication!

Also, if you really want to mess with the head of a thru hiker celebrating on Katahdin, strike up a conversation about the International Appalachian Trail .

Mewalkinwoods:
For a little more Cascades "porn", here's another one of my favorite hikes: Vesper Peak. If you want in on all the best hikes out in Washington, invest in some crampons and an ice axe if you don't have them yet, and hook-up with a local mountaineering group. It will cost you little more than a flight out there and a round of beers for your climbing partners .

Morningstar Peak and Sperry Peak (Vesper is directly behind Sperry)

[NEPilgrim]

My section hike of the AT will take 3, maybe 4 yrs to complete. Looking back, I wish I'd been into backpacking in my twenties. Single, few obligations & responsibilites, etc. That would've been the time to do it. Having said that, I will sometime do a thru-hike, but it will be in my 40s when I do. It's something I'm really looking forward to. Sectioning for 5-6 weeks at a time gives you a good taste of it, but just isn't the same.

~Steve.

[Sparky]

Thru hiking the AT is my "retirement" present. I can't beigin to tell you how many "retirees" thru hiker I have come across. Who say you can't do this in your sixties? It may take me longer and spend a couple of nights in a hotel to recover but I will do it. The wife's not happy about it but she will get over it. I stick to bits and pieces right now. Hiking across Mass this June.

[NEPilgrim]

Hey Sparky, good for you! I've met plenty of thru-hikers over 60, so I dead sure won't say you can't do it . Good luck in June!

~Steve.

[Jamie C]

I've got thru hiking on the TO DO list and it looks like if it happens, its going to happen summer of 2011...I've got one year of college left and it will present the last opprotunity before the real responsibilities of life come upon me and don't allow me to go play in the woods for an entire summer.

The true test to see how much I enjoy taking a extended period of time walking through the woods will happen this coming june which is when I plan on thru hiking the LT (Long Trail) which goes from border to border through VT (Canada - MA borders)...so we'll see how that goes and if I love it, the AT will stay on the TO DO list...if I don't get such a good vibe from it, maybe I'll stick to section hikes.