Long distance hiking

[GeraldParticipant 3620]

Have any of you participated in long distance hiking?

Recently I have become fascinated with the long distance trails here in the US. I have had this thought of disconnecting for a couple of months once I get prepared for it, and doing one of the 1000 mile plus trails.

Kind of a vision quest thing though I am well past the age of maturity, but I think it would be a solid way to prove to myself I can rely solely on myself.

I would need a little over a year to prepare, working out with my expected pack load, prep with food stores and having them sent to way stations on the route, save for stops along the way (the Appalachian Trail has many hostels along it where you can reload food, stay the night, catch a shower and laundry, etc…

Just wondering if any members have done any long distance hiking and might be willing to share their experience?

No longer can we walk away, we must run. Remove the motive power.

[Soldier-MedicParticipant 2566]

I did in the Army. Long walks with large ruck sack and all that.

Thick wool socks with a thin under sock saves on blisters. Be sure that the sock is thick enough so that your feet don’t slide back and forth in the boot.

Bring plenty of extra socks.

Be sure that you can call for help in an emergency. Satellite phone?

Take a gun for snakes of all varieties.

Rout plan, rout plan, rout plan. Prior planning prevents getting your ass stuck in a swamp or ravine.

First aid kit.

Foot powder. Not the B.S. they sell now but real anti-fungal foot powder. This helps to keep your feet dry and reduces the risk of a fungal infection.

Vitamin supplements.

Know how to walk with a back pack. If you do it incorrectly you will cause back problems among a host of other things. Information is just a Google search away. Such as…. https://www.backpacker.com/skills/how-to-walk

Food. Have an idea as to how many calories per day you will need given your BMI.

Water. Water filter/purifier and water purification tablets. Don’t trust any water source that hasn’t been treated. Even clear streams. You never know what some asshole has dumped upstream. Feces, dead animals, etc.

Emergency signalling. Reflective panel, chemlight, flash light, etc.

Learn how to read and use a map and a compass. GPS can fail.

Take pictures and share when you get back.

"I asked you a question. I didn't ask you to repeat what the voices in you head are telling you" ~ Me. ........Yes I'm still angry.

[Anonymous 18]

I would also be quite interested in reading about some brother(s)’ experience doing long-distance hiking.

Its been in my to-do list for a while.

Please share 🙂

[CarnageParticipant 22113]

I did camino De Santiago in 2016. 343 km. Was cool, gonna do it again.

To those following me, be careful, I just farted. Men those beans are killers.

[Anonymous 7]

Food: Bring only what you have planned for plus one day’s extra. I usually take Mountain House meal kits. You only need boiled water. Small snack stuff is good to have handy too. Depending on location, you may be required, and is highly recommended, to have a bear proof canister. I would also invest in a stove. MSR makes good stuff. You can get away with any cooking pot, but I would recommend a made for kit because you can nest most things together for a smaller profile in your pack. A water filtration system such as an MSR Sweet~~~er system can be very handy. Tablets work, but I don’t like them. Water is heavy, so refilling is preferable.

Shelter: there are plenty of backpackers tents to choose from and you can decide which season type you want depending on your hiking local, but I have swtiched to hammocks when I can. Quick easy setup and packs very small. It keeps me off the ground, and accessories are easy to come by or make. If you get a tent I would recommend it have a nice vestibule and footprint – you will thank yourself.

Clothes: Good boots/shoes that fit correctly, two pair of clothes, two pair of socks, weather shell to keep the wet off, and a hat for the sun. I would recommend a dry bag for these items.

First aid: This can be a life saver, and/or keep a trip from being too horrible. Get some moleskin and take care of “hot spots” as soon as you notice them. Bug spray and sunscreen are welcome in this kit too.

Extras: Guide book, if available. Bring your phone and battery packs and/or solar panel. Headlamp with extra batteries (I actually carry two lamps). Compass, and notebook with pen. Good knives, duct tape, and cord. Lighter/fire starter.

Packing it all: think about where your center of gravity is. Pack heavy on bottom and as close to your back as possible. Put most urgently needed on top (head cover, jacket, tarp, etcetera. Get the pack that fits you right – adjust as needed. Practice/workout carrying it around to get your body used to the extra weight and the way your body needs to adjust carrying it. Waking up the second day sore and tired sucks.

Depending on length of trip you can get away from carrying all this, but if it is two days or more it would be prudent. I can do a two or three day trip with a 50 Ltr. pack. Anything longer I use a 70 Ltr.

Usually a good guidebook will fill you in on stop stations, locations of overnight shelters/camping areas, resupply, etcetera.

A lot of trial and error went into how I decided what to pack, but the basics are listed above.

Save as much weight as you can. I cut my toothbrush in half. All clothing and gear tags are cut off. No extras for just in case. Try to bring items that can serve more than one purpose.

Take your time and enjoy it. The worst trips are rushed because mistakes happen, you miss stuff, you work harder than needed.

Some of my long distance hiking is due to alpine climbing, so I also pack climbing gear and work through higher elevation. From experience, I can honestly say, most people way over pack. Be mindful of the necessities over discretionary.

Don’t try to “climb Everest” if this is your first outing. Start smaller and work on what works for you.

So far I’ve logged over 900 miles in 14 different states.

[KevinStylesParticipant 2580]

Weight, only take the absolute bare essentials and of thsoe things make sure they’re as light as possible. I’ve read many accounts of people hiking the Appalachian trail and the first city stop, the post office is full of backpackers boxing/shipping unnecessary things that are weighing them down. Also if you properly map out your progress give or take a day or so, you can make up re-supply boxes and ask a buddy to drop them at the local post office to send to the post office next on your route. This will cut down weight tremendously as you’re just carrying what you need to get from this post office to the next post office which is usually a weeks worth give or take a few days I think.

others have mentioned really good shoes pre-broken in, lots of extra socks, foot powder, first aid, light camping gear, head mounted light, weapon.

One thing people haven’t said is the constant rubbing of your back pack straps on your shoulders and in your back is going to cause blisters and sores so go with a plan for that, similar to your feet your shoulders are going to take a lot of wear. Maybe you can find an underarmor layer that has padding in the shoulders to take some of that wear.

[GregB0Participant]

My hiking days are long over, but like Combat Medic were all necessitated by Army duties.

Let me know if you decided on the Southern AT area and I will be happy to help with connecting you with hikers who have done both local, as well as through hiking. Will also be happy to help with resupply efforts.

A great idea but working up to the challenge is the only way to handle it. If you are not doing it now, you can’t do it tomorrow.

​"​My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.​" - Clarence Buddinton Kelland

[Anonymous 7]

Forgot to mention sleeping bag.

Down filled bags are warm and toasty. They also pack smaller. The problem with down bags is if it gets wet… you will be miserable.

Synthetic bags are the way to go if you expect wetness being a part of your life on your trip. Even wet they will have better insulation properties than a down.

I found this out the hard way. If you are making a creek, river, water crossing make sure to not fall in.

On another note, if you are hiking with someone else, or a group, share the load across everyone. There is no need for everyone to have a cook pot, stove, tent, etcetera. The only reason would be if you are expecting to lose half your pack contents because it fell into a very large and deep rock flake and the side of your pack rips open. Then you will not have to cuss out your friend for lossing both fuel canisters.

[GeraldParticipant 3620]

Thanks all, this is right in line with whay I am reading. Currently my plan is to begin short, start acquiring the next 4 months then start short 50-75 mile hikes early next year. Continue to train for a year then do the southern half of the AT in 2019. Then if that works, hike thru the AT in 2021.

I plan on a s~~~ ton of prep, including stairmaster with full pack weight… for months prior to the attempt.

No longer can we walk away, we must run. Remove the motive power.

[Terminus EstParticipant 145]

I do long distance lightweight thru hiking. Have done about 2000 miles including the John Muir Trail, West Coast trail, sections of the Pacific Crest trail in the North Cascades. Just got back from the 110 mile K section of the PCT.

The key is going light weight and learning to dehydrate your own meals. Don’t buy gear until you’ve done some research. I recommend the backpacking lightweight site and these books will get your train of thought started in the right direction. Thru hiking the right way is all about what you don’t need vs. what you think you need.

https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Backpackin-Tips-Inexpensive-Lightweight/dp/0762763841

https://www.amazon.com/Lighten-Up-Complete-Ultralight-Backpacking/dp/0762737344/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&ppw=fresh&psc=1&refRID=KFV61B0777XWDETZ9QZ4

Have fun thru hiking. It clears your mind and soul and it’s the most amazing adventure!

[XackStrykerParticipant 239]

Prepare, prepare, prepare!

Just remember though you are never truly prepared, expect s~~~ to go awry. Just remember to enjoy the experience, sights and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Also very important make sure you have check ins with loved ones on a somewhat time schedule and at least a GPS marker of some sort.

Long distance hiking is a great way to disconnect from reality and relax.

*Never done thousand milers (AT or PCT) but have done a few 100 mile give or take trips

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