Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with AppalachianTrail

Planning a 100 Mile Hike

MorningPerson — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:07:14 -0800

We want to do a 100 mile backpack trip over a week next spring. What do we need to know? A group of 4-5 friends wants to hike the 105 miles of the Appalachian Trail that run through Shenandoah National Park. We're tentatively planning the trip for late May or early June. All of us live within 20 minutes of the park, so it's terrain we already know pretty well.

All of us have plenty of hiking experience, but only some of us have extensive backcountry camping experience. We'll be doing some shorter 2-3 trips over the fall/winter/spring to "practice" and test out the gear/distances.

But aside from that, what should we do to plan? Are there books you'd recommend? Tips? Trail Wisdom? I'd love to hear anything and everything you think we should know to make this trip amazing.

How bad can an insect bite be?

godawful — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 13:06:23 -0800

I was thinking of hiking in New England for three weeks this May. Was that is, until everyone started pitching in with scare stories of blackflies and other insects. Am I going to die? I have three weeks to play with in May. My plan was to try some of the Appalachian trail through Massachusetts and Vermont, maybe taking in some of the Long Trail in Vermont.

Only now I'm encountering stories about plagues of insects. How bad will it be? Even if they're everywhere, are their attacks really that bad?

Can one make this a mere inconvenience with suitable precautions?

Thanks everyone!

Novice Backpacking in Maine in September

nnk — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 13:07:19 -0800

Backpacking in Maine In September: What do I absolutely have to bring? And what should I expect? With any luck I will be hiking a portion of the Appalachian Trail for 4 days in September. I've done some day hiking but never any backpacking. I will be going with someone who has some experience backpacking, but never in Maine on the AT. What can I expect and what should I bring (or leave behind), particularly things that might not be obvious to a novice?

Also, as an aside, I probably have most of the gear I need except a pack -- any pack recommendations from women would be appreciated.

When(ish) do Appalachian Trail walkers pass through New Jersey?

John Kenneth Fisher — Sun, 24 Apr 2005 10:01:59 -0800

When(ish) do Appalachian Trail walkers pass through New Jersey? Being a novice hiker myself, and having heard of the concept of "Trail Magic", I'd like to dayhike on the NJ portion of the AT at some point, timing it to be able to give out sandwiches, sodas, to thru-hikers I meet, in exchange for a few minutes of conversation about their experiences thus far.

It seems people leave Georgia mind-March to mid-April, and reach Maine Septemberish(?), but I'm having trouble finding non-contradictory info on when the average NJ pass through time is.