# Hiking The AT



## country_guy9734 (May 31, 2011)

while i was in bryson city NC this weekend visiting family i decided to do a little hiking on the AT. i was a few miles in adn run into a couple "around there late 60's" she started the trail in GA 3 weeks ago and i happened to cross paths with them at nantahala gorge. it was very inspiring to see them. 

i have always been interested in hiking but this would be a spiritual,mental, physical endurance challange that i couldnt even imagine.

i am interested, and doing some research. through hiking wouldnt be possible with my job. but doing small gaps at a time could work for now.

has anybody on here gap or through hiked ther AT?


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## wilber85 (May 31, 2011)

I have hiked parts of it over the past 10 years.  Nothing longer than a weeks hike.  I wanted to through hike after college but money held me back.  Its an expensive endeavor for sure, and after I found a job to make the money, I dont have the courage to quit my job.  

Logistically its a very difficult thing to do.  How will I pay for my house? How will I explain to my lady friend that I am going to spend the majority of the year off in the woods (hard enough to get a weekend of hunting in)?  What will I do with my dogs?

I suppose there are answers to all of this but at my age its not worth a lot of sacrifices.  If I am still able to do this post retirement, it would be an amazing adventure to be able to experience.  I would absolutely encourage anyone who has the answers to the questions to do it!


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## ted_BSR (May 31, 2011)

I have a friend that did it straight through, and solo at that. She was 22 at the time. I worked with a fellow that did it too. He started out with a buddy, but they grew to hate each other and split up. He finished solo. His advice was to NOT do it with a good friend.


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## frogtoad (Jun 1, 2011)

Hiking the AT has always been a dream of mine.  Maybe someday I'll get in gear and do it!  I've been reading a lot about it too... I found a website that has a lot of info about it:  www.whiteblaze.net


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## country_guy9734 (Jun 1, 2011)

thanks frogtoad, i will check that out. i wish i could do it while im younger, im 23 now, maybe if i am blessed enough to live to retirement age or i get laid off. i will have a chance to do it.


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## FX Jenkins (Jun 2, 2011)

On my to do list when I can afford it....20 years from now..


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## gobbleinwoods (Jun 4, 2011)

I have piece together most of the trail in TN and on into VA.  Did the last 15 or so miles in ME.  Always wanted to hike more of it.


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## westcobbdog (Jun 18, 2011)

member Wade Chandler (i think ) hiked it completely and had a blog and posted pics,too, somewhere on Woody's.


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## Unicoidawg (Jun 18, 2011)

Here ya go......

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=243324&highlight=wade+chandler


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## huntmore (Jun 21, 2011)

The at was my first attempt at hiking. Remember the blizzard of the century 1993. I was one of the people stuck up in the mountains for days. I went back a few weeks later and it rained a mosoon on me so I though someone must be telling me something.


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## cheeber (Jun 21, 2011)

I'm just a weekend warrior (when allowed) and take a two or three nighter once a year or so.  If you have interest in the AT - I'd recommend a book called "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson.  It’s an autobiography by an out of shape writer that attempted to through hike but ended up gap hiking.  He talks allot about the challenges he and a friend faced in a humorous way.  I bought the audio book and listened to it while sitting in traffic on the way to work.  It’s worth a read / listen.


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## dadsbuckshot (Jun 22, 2011)

Bryson's book is a great read. I probably have  upward of 20 or so books dedicated to hiking the AT from others experiences. Bryson's is by far the most comical. Jan Curran also has acouple good reads IMO.


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## dadsbuckshot (Jun 22, 2011)

By the way another excellent read is a book called SkyWalker by Bill Walker.... Another autobiography from a thru hiker that is right up there with Bill Bryson's book. Both are must reads IMO. I actually have a signed copy of SkyWalker.


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## country_guy9734 (Jun 17, 2014)

I know this is very late but just a update. i Started the Appalachian Trail on February 17th of 2013. Throught 2 waist deep snow storms, 26 straight daysof rain, and intestinal parasites i completed my journey 6 months and 2 days later on August the 19th on Mt Katahdin Maine. It was by far the greatest thing that i have ever done. thanks      www.trailjournals.com/Rash


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## T-N-T (Jun 17, 2014)

Dude!  I commend you!  Absolutely awesome that you hiked The Trail.  Nice.  
I tip my hat to you.


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## BobSacamano (Jun 17, 2014)

Thru hiked it in 1992 as my senior trip after high school. Went south bound. Took right at 6 months and 2 days. Incredible journey and I can remember just about every section of the trip like it was yesterday.


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## The mtn man (Jun 18, 2014)

The AT runs by my house, there are some good short hikes around here, like from Unicoi gap-blueridge gap-deep gap-winding stair gap-wayah gap. Take a friend park a vehicle at one gap, drive around to the other, some are only a day, or you could make a couple days out of it. It is a dream of mine to through hike, but I know I will never get the oportunity. I have been to Baxter state park and walked around some, it sure is different than the southern trail.


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## jaylow (Jun 19, 2014)

country guy9734, I see you started this thread back in 2011 and just updated it with news of your thru-hike completion.  Congrats on the completion of your hike!

I thru-hiked the AT back in 2003 and had the time of my life!  Growing up in western NC near Asheville, it was a dream of mine since I was a kid.  Now I have my sites set on hiking the rest of the triple crown; the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail.  Hopefully I won't have to wait until I retire!  

Also, I have to contradict the poster that said not to hike the trail with a good friend.  I hiked with my college roommate and we are closer now than back then.  We still camp/hunt/fish together as much as life will allow.


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## GA_SPORSTMAN (Jun 22, 2014)

I read a great book called Hiking Through .It is written by a menonite who through hiked it after his wife died and then a couple years later he rode a bicycle across America .He wrote a book about that called Biking Across America .Both are really great books .


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## Geffellz18 (Jul 2, 2014)

Phenominal accomplishment. Way to set your goal and follow through on complting it. That's just awesome. Congrats.  I'd love to do it one day, but sure I'd have to stage/gap it until I reach retirement age.


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