THE AT... aka the Appalachian trail. A behemoth of a four month long hike from the base of Springer Mountain, Georgia to Katahdin, Maine. It stretches 2,175 miles and the elevation spans from as low as 124ft to well over 6,000 ft above sea level. It has been a historic national attraction and well over 9,000 people have hiked the entire length of the trail.I became fascinated with the idea of backpacking the AT when one of my friends in high school hiked the whole thing in one summer. Seeing pictures of it put day dreams into my mind. I wish I would have gone then, because now some things have changed. Family. I have a wife and child and I don't want to be away from them for months on end. So what do you do?
You hike part of it!!! For me I would like to hike a Tennessee portion of the trail. I am thinking 5-7 days depending on how much work will let me off. If I could average 15 miles a day that would equate to 75 miles in five days, or 105 in seven days.
There are a few people that I will be inviting. Matt Wilkerson and my father in law Tom Reneau. I have always wanted to do something with the three of us, and I think that if jobs will allow we could all hike it together. Here are some benefits that I see in this threesome:
1. Familial bonding (nothing like sleeping in the woods and snoring in each others face to bring a family closer)
2. Protection - this is pretty obvious. Bears and people are at their peak in the season we would want to go.
3. Company - I have done some three day campouts and about the third night in the woods by yourself gets pretty scary and lonesome.
4. Second Opinion - this could also be listed under "accountability." Not moral accountability, but common sense accountability. When your tired and lonely you can make some really dumb decisions, get lost, or get hurt trying to get somewhere or get something that is beyond your limits.
5. Adventure Ideas - A group always makes for a good time.
6. Photo shots - People see different photographic moments and being by yourself you could miss one that another person sees.
7. Share the Load - This one is definitely underrated. A single hiker must carry food, water, shelter, clothing, toiletries, protection, medical, and sleep gear. This all adds up to a considerable amount of weight. However, with multiples one can distribute weight. Somethings such as water, and sleep gear are normally taken individually in any case, but things such as shelter, medical, and food can be split. There is no need for all three to have three tents, or three medical packs. What would be 50lbs of gear is now 35lbs per person. This is where smart packing plays a huge role.
So there is the blessed 7 reasons why I will be inviting my brother and father in law.
That answered the who, now here is the when.
Hopefully sometime in May. I will have to ask Matt when his spring semester ends and when his summer classes begin. Tom should be able to ask off as I should, when he needs to.
Now as to the what. What will we need to take with us? Preparation is the mother of survival. And we will need to be prepared. Here is a list I have compiled of some of the necessary gear. Some have and some I don't.
GEAR LIST
1. Back Pack: You got to have something to carry all that junk. My choice is a Kifaru ZXR in black. I chose this pack for it's versatility and because it is made like a tank. Every stitch is made in the USA and it is made to fit my specs. It is an internal frame pack. Let me say that I will never again use an external frame. I went on a 16 mile hike in Red River Gorge in Ky three years ago and about left my backpack there. It was a wretched experience. Your back pack makes all the difference. It is not the cheapest pack but it is made to last a lifetime. I want to be able to use this pack in other situations such as missions work and going on more long range hikes as Josiah gets older.
The one listed here is in Multi Cam cammo. Mine will be black because many foreign missions agencies will not allow the use of a cammo colored pack. $574
2. Shelter/Tent: This has been a huge debate in my mind if I want to buy a tent or just rent one. The Seminary rents out very nice tents for just dollars a day. They are four man tents and weigh about 6lbs. It is a great deal. However, I would like to do the same as my back pack and invest in one. I could see myself using the tent in the future more than any other item on this trip. I plan on trying to go camping a good deal when Josiah is a little older. So if I had to choose a tent here is what I would choose. It would be an MSR Hubba Hubba. $299
UPDATE 12.2.07: I found this website http://www.tarptent.com/products.html
I think I will go ahead and invest in a three man tent and this one by far surpasses all I have seen in quality, weight, roominess, simplicity, and cost. $255 (much better cost) This one is the Rainshadow 2 w/floor
3.Water/Food: The varieties of food available are immense. However in my experience I have found that MRE's work great for main meal. Beef Jerky is one of the best snacks along with granola bars. Breakfast is usually prepackaged oatmeal. Oatmeal is quick and nutritious.
Water purification is important. The AT has many stopping points for camp sites that have running water but I will be carrying a water purifier. It will be an MSR Mini-Works EX. $90
Cookware if not chosen correctly can be heavy and bulky. The system I own is MSR Blacklite. Kathy and I have used this on some trails before and is operationally one of the best. Also, I use the MSR PocketRocket for heating on the fly. Will boil in 3 minutes or less.
4. Clothing: Cargo shorts, short sleeve shirts, good hiking shoes, underwear, and extra socks. Water Proof wind breaker and long pants. Cotton is the best for warm climates. Shoes need to be breathable and light yet waterproof and tough. The Keen Targhee II's are some of the best when it comes to breathability, waterproof, and bombproof. I went with a low cut heel because is gives the best mobility and cuts down on weight. $120
5. Medical/Protection/Survival: I already have a medical kit setup. It is made by Adventure Medical Kits. It is the Adventurer Series. $40
Medical Information / Instrument / Medication
- 1..... Comp. Guide to Wilderness & Travel Medicine
- 1..... Instructions, Easy Care™, Medications
- 2..... Diamode (Loperamide HCI 2 mg), Pkg./1
- 4..... Ibuprofen (200 mg), Pkg./2
- 2..... Antihistamine (Diphenhydramine 25 mg)
- 2..... Aspirin (325 mg), Pkg./2
- 2..... After Bite® Sting and Itch Relief Wipe
- 1..... Splinter Picker/Tick Remover Forceps
- 3..... Safety Pins
Bleeding / CPR
- 1..... Instructions, Easy Care™, Bleeding
- 1..... Trauma Pad, 5" x 9"
- 1..... Gloves, Nitrile (Pair)
Wound Care / Burn / Blister
- 1..... Instructions, Easy Care™, Wound
- 1..... Syringe, Irrigation, 10 cc, 18 Gauge Tip
- 4..... After Cuts & Scrapes® Wipe
- 4..... Bandage, Butterfly Closure
- 1..... Tincture of Benzoin Topical Adhesive, Swab
- 2..... Triple Antibiotic Ointment, 1/32 oz
- 2..... Dressing, Non-Adherent, Sterile, 3" x 4"
- 3..... Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 3" x 3", Pkg./2
- 2..... Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 2" x 2", Pkg./2
- 5..... Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, 1" x 3"
- 3..... Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, Knuckle
- 1..... Bandage, Elastic, Co-hesive, Self Adhering, 2"
- 2..... Cotton Tip Applicator, Pkg./2
- 1..... Tape, 1/2" x 10 Yards
- 1..... Moleskin, 4" x 7"
- 2..... Blist-O-Ban, Bulk
As for protection, I will by then be licensed for concealed carry. I have heard too many stories of maulings and murders while hiking. No chances here. I will be taking my Springfeild XD .45
As for Survival at its most basic level the best product I have ever used is the Adventure Medical Pocket Survival Kit. It has everything you would need for three days if you were to get separated from your gear or you were to have to ditch your gear for some reason. It is small enough to keep in a cargo pants pocket. It is a little bigger than a wallet.
Survival Kit
- 1..... Signal Mirror, Rescue Flash™
- 1..... Spark-Lite™ Fire Starter
- 4..... Tinder Quick™ Firestarter
- 1..... Whistle, Rescue Howler™
- 1..... Waterproof Survival Instructions
- 1..... Duct Tape, 2" x 26"
- 1..... Scalpel with Handle, Sterile, Disposable, #22 Blade
- 1..... Compass, Button, Liquid Filled
- 1..... Aluminum Foil, Heavy Duty, 3 Sq. Ft.
- 1..... Waterproof Paper
- 1..... Fresnel Magnifier
- 6..... Safety Wire, Stainless Steel, (6 ft of 0.020")
- 1..... Sewing Thread, Bobbin #69, Nylon
- 10.... Nylon Cord, #18, Braided, (10 ft. 100lb test)
- 1..... Sewing Needle, #18, Chenille
- 4..... Fish Hook, #10
- 2..... Split Shot, Lead B
- 1..... Snap Swivel, Size 12
- 1..... Pencil
- 1..... Pocket Survival Pak Contents List
- 4..... Safety Pins
6. Sleep Gear: Good sleep is the most important thing while on trail. Lack of sleep can compromise your thoughts, physical ability, and personal safety. The time that we will be going will be late spring to early summer. A heavyweight sleeping bag will not be necessary. However, nights can get cool. I will be using my fleece bag in conjunction with my clothes. This should keep me warm enough. Tent will keep off condensation. I may possibly invest in an overbag that will make the fleece bag waterproof just in case. The fleece I got at Walmart for $9. Also a good sleeping pad is a must. Many sleeping pads come with a head pillow and this can be a life saver lest you hike with a crick in your neck. Thermarest makes some of the best I have seen. Mine is the Toughskin with Pillow. $120
7. Lighting: Light is essential. Both fire and navigation light. Each person will have two lighters and waterproof matches. Flashlights will be individual. Two per person. LED head lamps are so awesome that they are a must. Mine is a Walmart Rayovac LED/Xenon Head lamp. The other light for long range spotting will be Surefire G2 Nitrolon. $50 total for both.
8. Knife: Hands down. Mulitool. I got a really good one for Christmas last year and will carry it. Gerber Suspension. Also in this category is an Axe. Gerber makes an awesome one that is light and sharp. It has an excellent blade and makes quick work of deadwood. I have been on many trips where precious energy was lost trying to break dead logs into firewood size pieces. $50 total.
9. Extras: These above are pretty much the essentials needed for backpacking. Other things that are nice and some needed (but not necessarily life or death): Hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, deo, contacts and solution), Poncho, inactive and active cell phone, 550 parachute cord, Camp Lantern, napkins and extra Packtowl (these are the best).
This is a start to building a backpacking pack. I will post more on other things than gear. Things such as fitness, maps and trail movement, and pickup and drop off points for the end and beginning of the trip. Also the exact date we will be leaving.
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