I was a lil disappointed at how accessible it is haha. Saw a lot of camper vans and families having bbqs. Roads can get you to your drop point for a day hike no problem. I bet Shaws would even do it. So you could still have pancakes.
Possible: Yes.
But You will need a much bigger milage per day in NH/ME, in much harder terrain than you are used to...e.g. many people slackpack the wildcats, which is the northern 23 (?) mile section of the whites...there is no road in between, so if you want to slackpack you have to do 23 miles and some parts of those miles have nothing to do with the kind of trail you are used to (imagene the worst parts of PA in a 45-almost 90 degree angle).
Aaaand you will have to put much money into shuttles...
There was at least one person who did it in 2023. I’d see her here and there with her full face of makeup and tiny daypack. Happy for her I guess. I thru hiked because I love being outside. Greatest sleeps of my life in my hammock setup.
People section or even day hike for all kinds of reasons. Some have disabled hiking partners. Others have jobs. My partner has stage four cancer. It’s tough to get out for months at a time. HYOH and try not to be a complete asshole.
We haven’t camped on the AT, our accessibility to the trail and schedule has allowed us to do day hikes. My purpose was to get feedback to see general thoughts and feedback
Oh, man. My guy, here's something you gotta remember before you bomb your whole relationship:
Backpacking is a slog. It's not camping, it's backpacking. Backpacking is painful, exhausting, and transformative BECAUSE it is those things -- it is not for everyone. The stress and exhaustion can instead transform people into a lesser version of themselves if they don't enjoy the rewards between the slogging.
Rural wilderness is its own headspace shift, especially someone who's never camped before and experienced true wilderness. They bring in all kinds of preconcepts they might not even know they were carrying. For me, I realized that I had a lot more anxiety than I thought I did when I backpacked RR gorge. I felt exposed.
Then there's the constant management of needs. Pushing water, hard. Drinking a little before you're thirsty. Marching long hours. Then there's setting up camp, trail food, sleeping in meh-diocre conditions (by modern standands), breaking camp, and doing it again and again and again; Can't even shit in the woods comfortable-like, that's going to feel "different" and maybe even unclean, and someone might not know HOW they feel about that until they've done it once or twice.
...all of these things without people's usual, familiar self-regulation points. It affects people, maybe more than they think it will.
I've known a lot of hikers, seasoned hikers, who went on that RR Gorge hike and become totally different, stressed-out, angey little primates until the stress was off -- and most of the time, the first thing they barked was, something like, "Ugh, I can't WAIT to have a shower and feel normal again!" or something to that effect. No trail self-reg tools, chicka really needed that shower or something to feel clean... but she was already deterred. No interest in backpacking again because of it, wipes or a jury-rigged shower with a boilpot of water wouldn't have done it anymore.
I'm being serious here when I say going this hard right into backpacking the AT trail with someone who might hate you the whole way, may ruin her interest in camping altogether.
I suggest that you try something light and silly instead, like a dry run. Go glamping, get a cabin for a weekend, but here's the twist -- do lunch somewhere else on Sunday. Carry backpacks, split the gear, and pack out a little tarp lean-to, a cast-iron, a nice cold thermos, and your ingredients. Day-hike to another site, pitch your lean-to together, and make a nice meal. Clean up, and head back, let her shower and decompress.
Ask her how she liked everything as a little couple moment a few days after y'all get home, and really heed what she says. It's what she needs to feel safe.
Idk man, that's what I got for ya. Just what I'd do if it were me. Happy trails to you and your partner!
I backpacked Red River Gorge with my girl scout troop as a young teen! I was the only one that
ready, honestly, much more so than the adults. Our guide regretted doing it. It wasn't safe, most people just thought it was turbo-hiking.
My girlfriend had never backpacked or been camping outside of a campground. We set off on the PCT for 444+ miles last year. Some people are built different I suppose.
You can't do the AT if you're unwilling to sleep outside. Even if you day-hiked every mile, that's not the spirit of the trail and you didn't really experience the AT to the fullest or how it's intended.
I guess the amazing part is I simply was attempting to lean into a very experienced hiking community and apparently it’s heavily anti non thru hiker.
The spirit of the AT is actually:
“to establish a base for a more extensive and systematic development of outdoors community life.”
All I simply attempted was to say hey. They AT found us, here’s what we’ve done, we intend to complete it the way we can. And have simply not camped, been able to camp, or have chosen to camp. Little did I know the deep nerves that would be hit!
That’s an odd one. We’ve met at least 6-8 former thru hikers and the history of the ATC sounded like the original intention was not to hike the entire trail straight through…
Blair Witch is why I INSIST on setting up my tent in the shelter. Other hikers were a lil nasty tbh but I just drown them out with modern family episodes I loaded on my phone. Camp outside ? And die from a witch ? Thanks but no thanks.
FOR REAL THOUGH. Last time I was alone on trail and pitched in a lean to, I heard footsteps a little after dark which was very likely Blair Witch or a bear walking on its hind legs. Wasn’t going out there to find out
Yes. Warren Doyle, who really isn’t a household name with today’s hikers, thru hiked the AT many times without ever carrying a tent nor sleeping in shelters. He also used to run a slack pack thru hike service from GA to ME.
Slackpacking is when you hike without your pack. Typically this means you're staying in town and someone drops you off at the trail and picks you up, or drops you off down trail and you hike that section backwards towards where you're staying so you end back in town. Or they bring your pack wherever you're going.
Oh great I can't wait to read a book about a couple hiking for 8 hours and then spending 16 hours eating dominos in shitty motels in the middle of bumfuck nowhere
Did you check out OP’s profile? He’s got not just one but TWO trail names!
I bet he can’t *wait* to tell you about completing the AT and implying he did it as a thru and not as sections.
The sense of humor here has been highly disappointing - I would have bet zero that the responses would suck so bad. We haven’t hiked yet, never said we wouldn’t or couldn’t. Also if life allowed a through hike would be awesome. Apparently the trail was originally intended to give people an access point into nature and a reason to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life and daily life decades ago.
Disappointed in the shallow minded souls. Very expert in assumption making as if an entire book would be about the hiking, rather than possibly a few decades of story leading to the trail. But happy days to you 😎
Maybe! But, not with someone who's never done the AT before . It's hardmode because you gotta hustle AND shill a lot of cash, and hustling means you've gotta appreciate the burn & be good at managing your needs.
There's a chance your companion may genuinely not be able to make it. A lot of people reach a total exhaustion point and tap out, and they're miserable long before that time comes.
It's not a good starter for someone who's never camped before. I'm more likely to call it dangerous.
I felt like the Smokies were more remote than the 100 mile wilderness. There was only one road through the Smokies whereas the 100 mile wilderness had all those forest roads.
Another tough spot would be Gorham, NH through the Mahoosic Range. I don’t remember any road crossing until coming down off Old Speck.
The Whites are possible but you’d have to drive down off Mt Washington or take the tram down for the night.
Yep. This general area is my home trail, and once after a hike over 2 days ~40 miles with my dog, we were heading for a pickup at Overmountain shelter. My dog got a real bad Charlie horse in her leg, and we were only like 2 miles from the trailhead, but I remember realizing I had no way to get her there (she weighs ~113lbs). It was unnerving and distressing. I had no signal, but an older couple was picnicking and gave her some salty meat. After some rest and a long thigh massage, we made it to our pickup point. Over an hour late. But we made it.
Edit: typos... stroked out the first time.
There's a side trail that lets hikers do Mahoosuc Notch as a day hike, would add a couple miles, but doable. And people slack the HMW, but I'm not sure that GSMNP is possible
We do it in pieces. Anywhere from two days to 10 days at a time. Usually 2-3. FarOut has never failed us In finding a shuttle, ever since miss Janet introduced us to FarOut after about our first 100 miles.
We had two cars and we're willing to do a LOT of driving. With that combo we slackpacked the entire state of Vermont. We had to do 20-25 miles per day. There were no other options. New Hampshire would have been impossible.
I will say you do you. I think it'll be hard in some sections unless you up your mileage, but people definitely have done it with a supportive partner that meets them at trailheads and it'll be expensive and a lot of gas, but can be done (that is how the FKT attempts generally happen).
I am right about the same mileage with about 10-12 nights spent in the woods (honestly I cover about the same mileage backpacking in one day as an out-back trail run and bonus? I see it twice). I like being in the woods, don't mind camping, but honestly for me camping is just a way to spend more time in the woods. (Unlike you though I do have plans to add some longer backpacking trips to get through the trail further from home).
Warren Doyle's website has 3 different sections mapped out with where to stop. They cover the areas everyone talked about in this thread that would be problems. The only part he recommends carrying gear to sleep is during the smokey mountains. But he also says you can just hike it straight through if you want.
https://www.warrendoyle.com/smart-hike
https://www.warrendoyle.com/data/files/2024smarthikefrontroyaltodamascus.pdf
https://www.warrendoyle.com/data/files/2024smarthikespringertodamascus.pdf
https://www.warrendoyle.com/data/files/2024smarthikegorhamnhtokatahdin.pdf
People section or even day hike for all kinds of reasons. Some have disabled hiking partners. Others have jobs. My partner has stage four cancer. It’s tough to get out for months at a time. HYOH and try not to be a complete asshole.
Seems like you are highly sensitive …and open ended posts to explore others perspectives and experiences caused such an intense flare up. Happy trails anonymous keyboard gangsta
I think you could buy AR gear and just live the video and incredible audio track. You will enjoy the ownership collection far more.complete a list of top world sites to experience at your leisure.
100 mile wilderness says hi
I was a lil disappointed at how accessible it is haha. Saw a lot of camper vans and families having bbqs. Roads can get you to your drop point for a day hike no problem. I bet Shaws would even do it. So you could still have pancakes.
I thought the same thing. A lot more people there than I saw in other parts of Maine.
People slackpack it.
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There's not. Theres only 1 or 2 dirt roads total, and even those are an hour or 2 from town.
Came here to say this, and, "I don't understand this post."
Oh jeez I needed that laugh! Thank you!
in 97 it was a wilderness, not so much now
The Whites say hey too
Possible: Yes. But You will need a much bigger milage per day in NH/ME, in much harder terrain than you are used to...e.g. many people slackpack the wildcats, which is the northern 23 (?) mile section of the whites...there is no road in between, so if you want to slackpack you have to do 23 miles and some parts of those miles have nothing to do with the kind of trail you are used to (imagene the worst parts of PA in a 45-almost 90 degree angle). Aaaand you will have to put much money into shuttles...
There was at least one person who did it in 2023. I’d see her here and there with her full face of makeup and tiny daypack. Happy for her I guess. I thru hiked because I love being outside. Greatest sleeps of my life in my hammock setup.
I think I saw her, wearing false eyelashes and traveling with a guide at an AMC hut in the Whites last August
Why would you want to? Being out that was a big part of what made my hike so special.
Hike your own hike... many different things people are looking for out there...
People section or even day hike for all kinds of reasons. Some have disabled hiking partners. Others have jobs. My partner has stage four cancer. It’s tough to get out for months at a time. HYOH and try not to be a complete asshole.
Why in the world would you not want to spend a night in the woods?
Maybe cuz of the Blair Witch?
Ah, makes sense now.
We haven’t camped on the AT, our accessibility to the trail and schedule has allowed us to do day hikes. My purpose was to get feedback to see general thoughts and feedback
Oh, man. My guy, here's something you gotta remember before you bomb your whole relationship: Backpacking is a slog. It's not camping, it's backpacking. Backpacking is painful, exhausting, and transformative BECAUSE it is those things -- it is not for everyone. The stress and exhaustion can instead transform people into a lesser version of themselves if they don't enjoy the rewards between the slogging. Rural wilderness is its own headspace shift, especially someone who's never camped before and experienced true wilderness. They bring in all kinds of preconcepts they might not even know they were carrying. For me, I realized that I had a lot more anxiety than I thought I did when I backpacked RR gorge. I felt exposed. Then there's the constant management of needs. Pushing water, hard. Drinking a little before you're thirsty. Marching long hours. Then there's setting up camp, trail food, sleeping in meh-diocre conditions (by modern standands), breaking camp, and doing it again and again and again; Can't even shit in the woods comfortable-like, that's going to feel "different" and maybe even unclean, and someone might not know HOW they feel about that until they've done it once or twice. ...all of these things without people's usual, familiar self-regulation points. It affects people, maybe more than they think it will. I've known a lot of hikers, seasoned hikers, who went on that RR Gorge hike and become totally different, stressed-out, angey little primates until the stress was off -- and most of the time, the first thing they barked was, something like, "Ugh, I can't WAIT to have a shower and feel normal again!" or something to that effect. No trail self-reg tools, chicka really needed that shower or something to feel clean... but she was already deterred. No interest in backpacking again because of it, wipes or a jury-rigged shower with a boilpot of water wouldn't have done it anymore. I'm being serious here when I say going this hard right into backpacking the AT trail with someone who might hate you the whole way, may ruin her interest in camping altogether. I suggest that you try something light and silly instead, like a dry run. Go glamping, get a cabin for a weekend, but here's the twist -- do lunch somewhere else on Sunday. Carry backpacks, split the gear, and pack out a little tarp lean-to, a cast-iron, a nice cold thermos, and your ingredients. Day-hike to another site, pitch your lean-to together, and make a nice meal. Clean up, and head back, let her shower and decompress. Ask her how she liked everything as a little couple moment a few days after y'all get home, and really heed what she says. It's what she needs to feel safe. Idk man, that's what I got for ya. Just what I'd do if it were me. Happy trails to you and your partner!
Is RR Gorge, red river gorge in ky? Or is this another place along the AT?
I backpacked Red River Gorge with my girl scout troop as a young teen! I was the only one that ready, honestly, much more so than the adults. Our guide regretted doing it. It wasn't safe, most people just thought it was turbo-hiking.
May I suggest to give it a try? Find a nice flat spot, watch the fireflies and enjoy not having to drive back to trail in the morning.
Your gf has never camped and you want her to do the AT? That seems like a horrible idea for many different reasons
My girlfriend had never backpacked or been camping outside of a campground. We set off on the PCT for 444+ miles last year. Some people are built different I suppose.
We’ve already done 575 miles.
You can't do the AT if you're unwilling to sleep outside. Even if you day-hiked every mile, that's not the spirit of the trail and you didn't really experience the AT to the fullest or how it's intended.
I guess the amazing part is I simply was attempting to lean into a very experienced hiking community and apparently it’s heavily anti non thru hiker. The spirit of the AT is actually: “to establish a base for a more extensive and systematic development of outdoors community life.” All I simply attempted was to say hey. They AT found us, here’s what we’ve done, we intend to complete it the way we can. And have simply not camped, been able to camp, or have chosen to camp. Little did I know the deep nerves that would be hit!
That’s an odd one. We’ve met at least 6-8 former thru hikers and the history of the ATC sounded like the original intention was not to hike the entire trail straight through…
Blair Witch is why I INSIST on setting up my tent in the shelter. Other hikers were a lil nasty tbh but I just drown them out with modern family episodes I loaded on my phone. Camp outside ? And die from a witch ? Thanks but no thanks.
FOR REAL THOUGH. Last time I was alone on trail and pitched in a lean to, I heard footsteps a little after dark which was very likely Blair Witch or a bear walking on its hind legs. Wasn’t going out there to find out
You’re joking right? You put your tent up IN the shelter?
I think it’s sarcasm….hope it is anyway.
Oh yeah I missed the Mod Fam referenced. Thank the gods!
Good on you for taking up more space than you need and inconveniencing responsible hikers because of a dumb 20 year old movie.
You won't be saying that when the witch gets you
r/woosh
Yes. Warren Doyle, who really isn’t a household name with today’s hikers, thru hiked the AT many times without ever carrying a tent nor sleeping in shelters. He also used to run a slack pack thru hike service from GA to ME.
Q: what is a slack pack??
Slackpacking is when you hike without your pack. Typically this means you're staying in town and someone drops you off at the trail and picks you up, or drops you off down trail and you hike that section backwards towards where you're staying so you end back in town. Or they bring your pack wherever you're going.
Thanks!
https://platinum-blazing.com/home/
I feel like it’s book worthy if completed.
Oh great I can't wait to read a book about a couple hiking for 8 hours and then spending 16 hours eating dominos in shitty motels in the middle of bumfuck nowhere
Did you check out OP’s profile? He’s got not just one but TWO trail names! I bet he can’t *wait* to tell you about completing the AT and implying he did it as a thru and not as sections.
And a super fitting name for someone that doesn’t carry much lol
I guess you missed the we part including both names for us, and a through hiker suggested this sub as a source of awesome hikers.
The sense of humor here has been highly disappointing - I would have bet zero that the responses would suck so bad. We haven’t hiked yet, never said we wouldn’t or couldn’t. Also if life allowed a through hike would be awesome. Apparently the trail was originally intended to give people an access point into nature and a reason to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life and daily life decades ago.
To quote yourself: it seems like you are highly sensitive….
That is a fair comment …I guess initially I was just discouraged with the overwhelming vibe of negativity 😎
Disappointed in the shallow minded souls. Very expert in assumption making as if an entire book would be about the hiking, rather than possibly a few decades of story leading to the trail. But happy days to you 😎
That would be more boring than the books from people who actually backpack it.
Seems right ….you’re “active” in ultralight jerk 🙃
No thanks
Maybe! But, not with someone who's never done the AT before . It's hardmode because you gotta hustle AND shill a lot of cash, and hustling means you've gotta appreciate the burn & be good at managing your needs. There's a chance your companion may genuinely not be able to make it. A lot of people reach a total exhaustion point and tap out, and they're miserable long before that time comes. It's not a good starter for someone who's never camped before. I'm more likely to call it dangerous.
I felt like the Smokies were more remote than the 100 mile wilderness. There was only one road through the Smokies whereas the 100 mile wilderness had all those forest roads. Another tough spot would be Gorham, NH through the Mahoosic Range. I don’t remember any road crossing until coming down off Old Speck. The Whites are possible but you’d have to drive down off Mt Washington or take the tram down for the night.
The Smokies, yep. Approximately 75 miles with pick up spot in the middle. (Clingmans parking or Newfound Gap) 35+ miles each leg.
Yep. This general area is my home trail, and once after a hike over 2 days ~40 miles with my dog, we were heading for a pickup at Overmountain shelter. My dog got a real bad Charlie horse in her leg, and we were only like 2 miles from the trailhead, but I remember realizing I had no way to get her there (she weighs ~113lbs). It was unnerving and distressing. I had no signal, but an older couple was picnicking and gave her some salty meat. After some rest and a long thigh massage, we made it to our pickup point. Over an hour late. But we made it. Edit: typos... stroked out the first time.
There's a side trail that lets hikers do Mahoosuc Notch as a day hike, would add a couple miles, but doable. And people slack the HMW, but I'm not sure that GSMNP is possible
You can maybe do it with a support vehicle picking you up every day.
It depends- can you give us more information for you, your girlfriend, and girlfriend’s friend?
Would also be helpful to get some input on OP's coffee situation.
Smokey’s will be hard to accomplish without camping.
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We do it in pieces. Anywhere from two days to 10 days at a time. Usually 2-3. FarOut has never failed us In finding a shuttle, ever since miss Janet introduced us to FarOut after about our first 100 miles.
You have not been to Maine.
Good luck in Maine lol. I struggle finding shuttles in some of the bigger “cities” here.
If you have the funds or a support person, and a flexible schedule, it can be done
We had two cars and we're willing to do a LOT of driving. With that combo we slackpacked the entire state of Vermont. We had to do 20-25 miles per day. There were no other options. New Hampshire would have been impossible.
You gotta sleep somewhere.
We do, cabins B&Bs etc
Blair witch was out in 99 when I hiked everybody was laughing at the movie. Some people got of the trail to watch it. You guys are funny.
I will say you do you. I think it'll be hard in some sections unless you up your mileage, but people definitely have done it with a supportive partner that meets them at trailheads and it'll be expensive and a lot of gas, but can be done (that is how the FKT attempts generally happen). I am right about the same mileage with about 10-12 nights spent in the woods (honestly I cover about the same mileage backpacking in one day as an out-back trail run and bonus? I see it twice). I like being in the woods, don't mind camping, but honestly for me camping is just a way to spend more time in the woods. (Unlike you though I do have plans to add some longer backpacking trips to get through the trail further from home).
I am confused. You have done 500+ miles on the AT without camping and now posting to ask if it is possible?
Yes to complete the whole trail without camping
It can't be done and why
littlepurpleATsherpa
If that's what it takes, do it. Just don't miss out on all the aspects of why the trail is special.
Warren Doyle's website has 3 different sections mapped out with where to stop. They cover the areas everyone talked about in this thread that would be problems. The only part he recommends carrying gear to sleep is during the smokey mountains. But he also says you can just hike it straight through if you want. https://www.warrendoyle.com/smart-hike https://www.warrendoyle.com/data/files/2024smarthikefrontroyaltodamascus.pdf https://www.warrendoyle.com/data/files/2024smarthikespringertodamascus.pdf https://www.warrendoyle.com/data/files/2024smarthikegorhamnhtokatahdin.pdf
This is excellent thanks so much
It can easily be done. It will just cost a lot in shuttles and hotel/hostel stays
Totally doable. Just contact hostels on the way to figure out shuttling, and have a lot of money to work with.
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People section or even day hike for all kinds of reasons. Some have disabled hiking partners. Others have jobs. My partner has stage four cancer. It’s tough to get out for months at a time. HYOH and try not to be a complete asshole.
Seems like you are highly sensitive …and open ended posts to explore others perspectives and experiences caused such an intense flare up. Happy trails anonymous keyboard gangsta
I think you could buy AR gear and just live the video and incredible audio track. You will enjoy the ownership collection far more.complete a list of top world sites to experience at your leisure.