Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Planner
by David Lauterborn
Our Price: $190.94
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $7.00 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: David LauterbornEditor: David Lauterborn
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-07-13
ISBN: 1889386510
Number of pages: 96
Publisher: Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Book Reviews of Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Planner
Book Review: Don't waste your time/money.
Summary: 1 Stars
In trying to pinpoint the audience for this book, I'd say its for novice backpackers who over plan. There are more than a few people on the Trail that have never backpacked overnight in their life, and I know several who made it the whole way this season ('09)! I don't think they ever saw this book, either.
If you've backpacked for more than 3 or 4 days before, you don't need this advice/instruction book. When I was trying to get the ball rolling on my thruhike, I bought it, but already knew about everything it had to say about gear, how strenuous it was going to be, how much food to bring for 30 miles.
This book tries to get you to plan where you're going to be every day of your hike. It does disclaim that it should be considered a guideline and not carved in stone. Think about it. You're going to be walking for six months through the forest. (Sounds awesome, right?) Well, don't ruin it with over planning! Stop wasting your time writing down how many honey buns you're going to buy in Duncannon, PA. By the time you get there, you'll have it down.
Here's my "planner"- I'll save you the purchase:
#1: FOOD: Always plan only up until your next resupply. Keep it simple.
You might want to google up some research on food shipping options like the "bounce box" phenomenon and mail drop yourself stuff that is hard to find in your truck stop convenience stores and dollar store resupply locations. If you're going nuts with food dehydration, plan out where that's going to be sent, but don't send yourself more than 6 days worth, because the HEAVIEST THING IN YOUR PACK IS FOOD. Do you really want to carry a week's supply when you're passing all these resupply opportunities?
If you're going NORTHBOUND (GA>ME ON!) and you start at the terminus (the approach trail adds 8 miles), your first resupply opportunity is in 30 miles at Neel's Gap - a small, knowledgeable and slightly expensive outdoor gear/food retailer. You can resupply there or hitch into town for a cheaper convenience store/grocer. Can you hike 10 miles a day over rolling hills? If yes, plan for three days of food.
While resupplying, consider that your second stop will be in another 35 miles. By then you're ready to do 11-12 mile days, so buy another 3 days worth. Three days later in Hiawassee, Ga, you're doing your second resupply (at the best grocery store you'll see in a while), throwing back a brew at a cheap motel with your new trail friends and eating like a champ at an AYCE buffet. Your next stop will be Franklin, NC... See the pattern? You'll have a tendency to over pack on food the first few resupply missions, but you'll be able to whittle it down after a week or two.
#2: GEAR: If you already have one, don't buy another before for your trek; buy it during your trek. (Expect stuff to break, by the way.)
I'm pretty proud of myself, on this one. I had a bunch of backpacking gear that wasn't very "ultralight", but I started with that stuff, anyway. I walked 500 miles before reconfiguring my setup. I went with a pack that was 3lbs lighter (dead load), new trail runners because my old boots from three seasons of use were finally dead and a 2lb tent which was easier to set up than my hammock (which weighed 1.5lbs more than the tent and didn't keep my gear dry while I slept). Learn first hand about your personal needs and specific likes and dislikes when it comes to gear, and you can make a sound decision. The way I learned about each of these new purchases was because thruhikers talk about gear CONSTANTLY.
You're going to learn more about gear than you care to. By the time you've made it to the Whites, every weekend warrior at Lake of the Crowds will be asking you about your gear, but if you hear one more cranky old guy preach to you about the proper wind screen for that stove, your ears will begin to bleed and/or your head might explode. That's how much you'll hear about gear.
Concerning gear replacement: Always buy from a vendor or brand name that will give you a warranty. ASK about what kind of guarantee you can get on new gear before you buy it. The guy/gal selling it to you knows you're going to put it to the test. Take down the phone number of the place you bought it from in the margin of your guidebook. When stuff breaks, manufacturers will only kiss your thruhiking ass if you contact them through a vendor. It doesn't have to be the vendor you bought it from, but if you're having a really hard time getting through to the manufacturer, the person who sold it to you is going to feel obligated to help patch you through.
#3: BALTIMORE JACK is the answer.
Still want a second opinion? There's a lot of "trail angels" (google that one) and people out there with a profound connection to the Trail and the thruhiking community. In many cases, their reputations precede them. I met the famous Baltimore Jack before I ever heard of him. I think it threw him off. Jack's a bit of a narcissist and a cranky trail dude, but he knows his s*&+, for sure. Go to whiteblaze (dot) net and search for "Baltimore Jack" and "re-supply information". That is the most unbiased and knowledgeable source for resupply guides out there and I wish I knew about it before I hiked... and its free.
Summary of Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Planner
Formerly known as The Appalachian Trail Workbook for Planning Thru-hikes, this is still the basic rip-out-the-pages-and-really-plan-your-adventure book--but thoroughly updated in 2005 to cover new trends in the fine fun of walking almost 2,175 miles from Georgia to Maine or vice versa. This book will help you chart your course, work out a budget, choose gear, plan meals, get in shape, and otherwise inspire you.Excursion Guides Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Excursion Guides Books
The Backcountry Classroom: Lessons, Tools, and Activities for Teaching Outdoor Leadersby Jack Drury, Bruce Bonney, Dene Berman, Mark Wagstaff
Falcon; Published: 2005-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $18.02
Price in other shops:
Best Backpacking Vacations Northern Rockies (Best Backpack Vacations Series)by Bill Schneider
FalconGuides; Published: 2002-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.02
Price in other shops:
Best Easy Day Hikes Shanadoahby Bert Gildart
Falcon Publishing; Published: 2001-04; Unbound; Book
Short Nature Walks on Cape Cod, Nantucket, and the Vineyard, 7th (Short Nature Walks Series)by Hugh Sadlier, Heather Sadlier
Globe Pequot; Published: 2001-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.43
Price in other shops:
Basic Essentials Solo Hiking (Basic Essentials Series)by Adrienne Hall
Falcon; Published: 2001-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.66
Rails-to-Trails New York: The Official Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Guidebookby Craig Della Penna, Tom Sexton
Globe Pequot; Published: 2002-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $29.99
Discovering The Ridgeway (Shire Discovering)by Vera Burden
Shire; Published: 2008-03-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.14
Price in other shops:
Exploring Woodland: Peak District & Central England: The Woodland Trust (Bk. 4)by The Woodland Trust
Frances Lincoln; Published: 2007-04-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $31.45
Collins Complete Hiking and Camping Manualby Rick Curtis
Harper Collins Publ. UK; Published: 2007-06-30; Paperback; Book
Collins Gem Hillwalker's Survival Guideby Barry Davies
HarperCollins Publishers; Published: 1999-03; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Trail Food: Drying and Cooking Food for Backpacking and Paddlingby Alan Kesselheim
Kesselheim; International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; Published: 1998-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.73
Price in other shops:
Appalachian Trail Data Book - 2010Ap Trail Conservancy; Appalachian Trail Conservancy; Published: 2009-11-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.80
Price in other shops:
The Appalachian Trail : How to Prepare for & Hike Itby Jan D. Curran
Rainbow Books; Published: 1995-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
The Appalachian Trail Food Planner: Recipes and Menus for a 2,000-Mile Hikeby Lou Adsmond
Appalachian Trail; Appalachian Trail Conservancy; Published: 2009-03-31; Spiral-bound; Book
Best price: $12.44
Price in other shops:
Appalachian Trail Data Book - 2011by Daniel D. Chazin, editor
Appalachian Trail Conservancy; Published: 2010-12-08; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.95
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion-2010 (Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association)by Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association
Ap Trail Conservancy; Appalachian Trail Conservancy; Published: 2009-12-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $81.06
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion - 2011by Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association, Ed., Robert Sylvester
Book:; Appalachian Trail Conservancy; Published: 2011-01-19; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1,124.22
How to Hike the A.T.: The Nitty-Gritty Details of a Long-Distance Trekby Michelle Ray
Stackpole Books; Stackpole Books; Published: 2009-01-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.73
Price in other shops: