Im going to section hike the AT this spring with some fiends.does anyone have any knowledge warnings,gear advice anything that can help..........THANKS <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

First off I half to admit I googled to figure out what the "AT" was, and I found that for those of us not in with the hip language "AT" refers to the mighty Appalachian Trail.

I would say bring a knife but not necesseraly a huge heavy chopper. Rember ounces add up fast to make pounds, and pounds add up just as fast as ounces only they weigh more.

Depends on how far you decide to travel, but going lighter is better. It let's you enjoy the hike/scenery alot more. I would bring a knive or two.

I read this book and liked it: A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

every thing ive read agrees that weight is very important..Andy thats the book that started all this <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

When I,m on my deck I can look right at the AT! It runs right past my house. I meet people all the time who come off the trail to stock up on supplies, and clean up at places in town. I would say travel light, and carry a Scrap Yard knife! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> Good luck out there.

i new a black kid that did it once and he said he got pretty spooked in some of the more rural areas of the trail down south.

something about signs with racial slurs that came with warnings and where covered in some type of blood,probably pigs.

he just said it freaked him out.

The best place for me to shave ounces is not out of my pack but off of my gut!

I've got a friend that through hiked the AT this past spring/summer leaving on March 24th and finishing on July 6th. When he finished he had the fastest hike of the year and from what he said it ended up being one of the fastest hikes of the season.

He kept a journal that documents his preperations and the trip itself very well, this can be seen here: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=207796

As for gear, his focus was on weight, the day he left his pack weighed around 15 pounds. As for a knife (since this is a knife forum after all...) he didn't have anything big, just the CRKT P.E.C.K. that I had been carrying on my keychain up until the week before he left when he realized that I gave him when he realized that the knife he had was bigger than he wanted.

I highly recommend reading his journal, in addition to being full of information it's a good read.

I've always wanted to hike the AT or maybe even the newer Cumberland Trail... I don't see it happening any time soon though. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

My only advice would be that you might want to seriously consider taking a good wilderness survival course before you go. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />


I hope you have a great time!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Years ago, a work colleague quit his job to do something amazing... He did a great job of documenting his adventure through his father's transcriptions. He started on the AT on January 1st at its southern terminus. You can find gear lists, pictures, the 'cat stove', etc here...

Flyin' Brian's Triple Crown

thanks to everyone for the links and the advise......lots of planing ahead <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />