Ventured out on my first backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail, or AT as its known in the hiking community. I hadn't been backpacking since I was in the Scouts, when we did a 10-miler at Kennesaw Mountain.
My wife Renee had never been backpacking although we had both been primitive car-camping before and we each share a love of the outdoors. This trip had been in the making for a few years with us sharing a "Wouldn't that be awesome," conversation or two. I also recall my dad saying how neat it would be to hike the entire AT when I was a kid, a lofty goal to be sure.
Renee and I are both in pretty good shape from running and bicycling so we figured that a 2-night trip on the AT would be feasible. We were right...mostly.
We purchased our backpacking and camping gear the week before and took a practice hike at a local trail. We did a trial run at Sutallee Trace in Canton to test the waters and get the packs dialed in. I felt some new muscles being worked during the hike. Hooray for cross-training! Hiking with 35 lbs. on my back was different for sure! Speaking of gear, it's mind-boggling how much time and money one can spend on "ultra-light" gear, all in an effort to save precious weight and space in one's pack. For my backpack, I opted for the Deuter Actlite 65+10 (liters.) It's a good pack with plenty of storage, pockets,and adjusting straps. I don't feel like I have it quite dialed in yet because my neck and shoulders are strained too much for my liking. I think fully loaded I was between 35 and 40 lbs. Renee settled on an Osprey pack with 50 L storage and really liked it. Our tent is an REI Half Dome Plus, and is a real winner. It packs up relatively small but is big enough to sleep 2 comfortably with nice storage and ventilation and is a breeze to set up. I think we could take this tent anywhere in the U.S. and camp comfortably. We had a MSR camp stove already that is small and pretty nifty so know need to wait on starting a fire for cooking. That stove is a no-brainer for quick camp meals. We bought a MicroDualist cook kit that has 2 "foons" (fork and spoon), 2 cups, 2 bowls, and a boiling pot. It's so compact, light, and functional... truly a technological wonder. Renee completely geeked out on the cook kit. It's a neat piece of gear. Purchased a few warm-weather sleeping bags, a few water-filtration devices, survival kit and we were all set. One of the most impressive pieces of gear was the Sawyer water filtration device as it will filter water from a any source and has a 16 oz. pouch. This came in extremely handy at camp since most campsites on the AT have no running water and one has to rely on nearby creeks or streams for it.
On Wednesday morning, we had Renee's dad Larry drop us off at Three Forks on GA FS58, which is a few miles northeast of Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the AT. We decided to put in here to avoid the crowds at Springer as the only real access point to it was to hike through the Amicalola Falls access trail. After a harrowing drive up Winding Stair Gap we arrived at Three Forks just after 12pm and set off in an eastward direction. It was really exciting to see the rectangular white blaze on the tree marking the AT. The hike started off pretty mellow and we soon came upon Long Creek Falls. We had passed Hightower Falls prior but it wasn't really that visible. Both falls were fairly active and I'd guess that the area had seen quite a bit of rain. We came across our first few hills and there were some pretty decent climbs with plenty of rocks and roots. (I had read that this section from Springer to Woody Gap was some of the most technical in the entire AT.) After a few miles, we came upon Hickory Flat Church and Cemetery, which was an old church site that was converted into a hiker shelter with picnic tables and places to kick up your feet. We stopped for a short break and could hear thunder in the distance. There were some jugs of water sitting out, otherwise known as "trail magic." Trail magic is anything that hikers or trail stewards leave for other hikers in the form of water and extra supplies, usually boosting hikers' spirits and lending a sense of giving and benevolence to the trail.
As for mileage, one seemingly obvious point I'd like to make is that hiking a mile with a loaded pack is a much longer experience than running or bicycling a mile, to which Renee and I are each accustomed with our normal training. My GPS watch had us averaging about a 24-minute mile for our entire journey, not much over 2 miles an hour! I think that it's best not to be in a rush and try to hurry the miles along when one is out there on the trail as this is definitely not a race. After about 3 miles, we came to Hawk Mountain Shelter, the first real shelter that we came across, complete with places to sleep, a privy, and water source. People had left some first aid items, extra solar blankets, tent stakes, and a compass. We pressed on after a short break and spent the next few hours climbing mountains and descending into gaps with a few flat sections interspersed.
The toughest part of our hike on Wednesday was the 700 foot climb up Sassafras Mountain. We were several hours in to the hike and this was just a punishing slap in the face, as the climb and terrain were both relentless. It also started to rain but thankfully it was very light and there was plenty of tree cover. Unfortunately, most of the views of the mountains to the south were blocked by all the foliage, a disadvantage to hiking in August. We descended into Cooper Gap at FS42. As we were coming down to the road we heard thunder in the distance and it began to rain much harder. At the road were several water jugs and a campsite in addition to an Army water tank. The water was excellent trail magic as we were running dry and hadn't seen a water source in several miles. We had our fill to drink and contemplated the previous 8 miles. It was only 2 more miles to our campsite at Justus Creek. At this point, we thought the storm would be just another passing thundershower typical for a Georgia summer but no, this was going to be different. The rain picked up as we pulled out our raincovers for our backpacks and stood around hoping to wait it out. In hindsight, we should have immediately put on some sort of rain jacket or poncho (which we didn't actually have with us for this trip), rather than standing there getting soaked. The temperature was also dropping and the wind was picking up. This wasn't just going to be a passing shower. We finally decided that we needed to quickly set up camp. Then the bottom fell out.. In a panic we tried to set up the tent and rainfly but for some reason forgot how to do so! We had put the tent up several times before. We each proceeded to get even more drenched from the downpour and chilled from the wind, not to mention the lightning. All of our shelter was wet now and we had nowhere to go. Eventually we huddled under the rainfly for an hour or contemplating what to do next and trying to to warm up. We were each shivering. Luckily Renee's phone had signal so she called her dad to come get us. We waited under the rainfly some more then I got out to go see if he was driving up but it was an older couple that happened to live down the road off of FS42. They were from Michigan and saw how cold I was and offered for me to sit in their car to warm up. They also offered me a rain jacket. Renee came out of the cover and we explained that here dad was on the way. They let Renee borrow a hoody so she could warm up also. Eventually Larry showed up and the nice couple had brought us coffee and sandwiches . They were truly trail angels. Also a HUGE thanks to Larry for coming to pick us up then bring us back the next then pick us up again on Friday! He also made 3 meals for us!
The next day and after one of the best night's sleep in recent memory, Larry brought us back to the same spot with a beautiful sunny day ahead of us.
We hiked up Justus Mountain for a mile or so then down to Justus Creek, which was really nice and had a nice break there. This was supposed to be our original campsite to stop at after the first day's hike. After the break,we hiked a few more miles to Gooch Mountain Shelter, where we would stay for the night. Total hike for today was a relatively short 4 miles, compared to 8+ on the first day. My knees and ankles were feeling twingy.
The shelter was empty and we were the only people around apparently. I signed the log book and we set up camp, this time without incident. We were setup in a pretty dense forest so not much of a view of the sky. Bug spray was essential. Renee made a comment about how there was a "thundering silence" and I thought it was an apt description. In modern society, we are so used to noise and distractions that I must say being out in the wilderness felt really foreign and unsettling. However, I do think that after a while it would lend to a more preferable existence.
Around the edges of camp there was a privy and a spring water source so we were all set. Renee saw a huge spider in the privy but I never saw it thankfully. Dinner was a few re-hydrated dishes, some sort of chicken, rice and bean mix that was mildly spicy. Filtered water to drink. I read Renee a story from a book I had when I was a kid called "Strange Stories of the Supernatural." The story was about a ghost ship and was more funny than scary. We finished up dinner then washed our dishes and hung our remaining food on the bear cables in front of the shelter. We then went back to the tent and tried unsuccessfully to start a fire with damp wood. Boooooooo! Ended up settling on lighting a candle then Renee read "To Kill a Mockingbird" to me as I fell asleep.
Slept surprisingly well despite having no sleeping pad and a rock underneath which still has my hip bruised. I woke up numerous times and spun around like a chicken on a rotisserie but still managed to wake refreshed. We both heard barred owls calling to each other. This was really our only wildlife encounter. We also heard Rangers off in the distance firing their guns for training maneuvers. A few hours before dawn I woke and there was this blissful silence in the woods, except for a few crickets. So incredibly tranquil.
Woke at around 8am and began boiling water for coffee. Sadly our egg breakfast couldn't just be re-hydrated, it also required a skillet! So we ate a few energy bars and trail mix for a light breakfast.
Packed up camp then headed out around 1030am eastward.
Our hike on Friday was only 5 miles and appeared to be easy on the map but that was a miscalculation since we encountered several mountains with numerous technical trail features and a yellow jacket nest. We climbed up Gooch Mountain then Ramrock Mountain and a few other mountains. There were a few great views, the best of the hike. This was the most challenging trail we walked on with narrow singletrack and sheer dropoffs all around, not to mention rocks! Did I mention there were rocks? We passed a southbound hiker who had a long beard and we exchanged friendly hellos. He was only the 2nd person we saw on the entire trail, the other being Kenny, who had pitched an early camp back at Cooper Gap. Kenny was lucky enough to wait out the storm at Springer Mountain shelter the night before. We both figured that all the Maine-bound hikers had left back in March and it was just too hot for a section hike anyways.
We strolled into Woody Gap parking lot off Hwy. 60 around 1pm or so, pretty tired from a surprisingly strenuous 5-mile hike. Larry was waiting for us in the parking lot. Took a few photos to mark the occasion then we were off to eat a lackluster BBQ lunch.
Observations:
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My wife Renee had never been backpacking although we had both been primitive car-camping before and we each share a love of the outdoors. This trip had been in the making for a few years with us sharing a "Wouldn't that be awesome," conversation or two. I also recall my dad saying how neat it would be to hike the entire AT when I was a kid, a lofty goal to be sure.
Renee and I are both in pretty good shape from running and bicycling so we figured that a 2-night trip on the AT would be feasible. We were right...mostly.
We purchased our backpacking and camping gear the week before and took a practice hike at a local trail. We did a trial run at Sutallee Trace in Canton to test the waters and get the packs dialed in. I felt some new muscles being worked during the hike. Hooray for cross-training! Hiking with 35 lbs. on my back was different for sure! Speaking of gear, it's mind-boggling how much time and money one can spend on "ultra-light" gear, all in an effort to save precious weight and space in one's pack. For my backpack, I opted for the Deuter Actlite 65+10 (liters.) It's a good pack with plenty of storage, pockets,and adjusting straps. I don't feel like I have it quite dialed in yet because my neck and shoulders are strained too much for my liking. I think fully loaded I was between 35 and 40 lbs. Renee settled on an Osprey pack with 50 L storage and really liked it. Our tent is an REI Half Dome Plus, and is a real winner. It packs up relatively small but is big enough to sleep 2 comfortably with nice storage and ventilation and is a breeze to set up. I think we could take this tent anywhere in the U.S. and camp comfortably. We had a MSR camp stove already that is small and pretty nifty so know need to wait on starting a fire for cooking. That stove is a no-brainer for quick camp meals. We bought a MicroDualist cook kit that has 2 "foons" (fork and spoon), 2 cups, 2 bowls, and a boiling pot. It's so compact, light, and functional... truly a technological wonder. Renee completely geeked out on the cook kit. It's a neat piece of gear. Purchased a few warm-weather sleeping bags, a few water-filtration devices, survival kit and we were all set. One of the most impressive pieces of gear was the Sawyer water filtration device as it will filter water from a any source and has a 16 oz. pouch. This came in extremely handy at camp since most campsites on the AT have no running water and one has to rely on nearby creeks or streams for it.
On Wednesday morning, we had Renee's dad Larry drop us off at Three Forks on GA FS58, which is a few miles northeast of Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the AT. We decided to put in here to avoid the crowds at Springer as the only real access point to it was to hike through the Amicalola Falls access trail. After a harrowing drive up Winding Stair Gap we arrived at Three Forks just after 12pm and set off in an eastward direction. It was really exciting to see the rectangular white blaze on the tree marking the AT. The hike started off pretty mellow and we soon came upon Long Creek Falls. We had passed Hightower Falls prior but it wasn't really that visible. Both falls were fairly active and I'd guess that the area had seen quite a bit of rain. We came across our first few hills and there were some pretty decent climbs with plenty of rocks and roots. (I had read that this section from Springer to Woody Gap was some of the most technical in the entire AT.) After a few miles, we came upon Hickory Flat Church and Cemetery, which was an old church site that was converted into a hiker shelter with picnic tables and places to kick up your feet. We stopped for a short break and could hear thunder in the distance. There were some jugs of water sitting out, otherwise known as "trail magic." Trail magic is anything that hikers or trail stewards leave for other hikers in the form of water and extra supplies, usually boosting hikers' spirits and lending a sense of giving and benevolence to the trail.
As for mileage, one seemingly obvious point I'd like to make is that hiking a mile with a loaded pack is a much longer experience than running or bicycling a mile, to which Renee and I are each accustomed with our normal training. My GPS watch had us averaging about a 24-minute mile for our entire journey, not much over 2 miles an hour! I think that it's best not to be in a rush and try to hurry the miles along when one is out there on the trail as this is definitely not a race. After about 3 miles, we came to Hawk Mountain Shelter, the first real shelter that we came across, complete with places to sleep, a privy, and water source. People had left some first aid items, extra solar blankets, tent stakes, and a compass. We pressed on after a short break and spent the next few hours climbing mountains and descending into gaps with a few flat sections interspersed.
The toughest part of our hike on Wednesday was the 700 foot climb up Sassafras Mountain. We were several hours in to the hike and this was just a punishing slap in the face, as the climb and terrain were both relentless. It also started to rain but thankfully it was very light and there was plenty of tree cover. Unfortunately, most of the views of the mountains to the south were blocked by all the foliage, a disadvantage to hiking in August. We descended into Cooper Gap at FS42. As we were coming down to the road we heard thunder in the distance and it began to rain much harder. At the road were several water jugs and a campsite in addition to an Army water tank. The water was excellent trail magic as we were running dry and hadn't seen a water source in several miles. We had our fill to drink and contemplated the previous 8 miles. It was only 2 more miles to our campsite at Justus Creek. At this point, we thought the storm would be just another passing thundershower typical for a Georgia summer but no, this was going to be different. The rain picked up as we pulled out our raincovers for our backpacks and stood around hoping to wait it out. In hindsight, we should have immediately put on some sort of rain jacket or poncho (which we didn't actually have with us for this trip), rather than standing there getting soaked. The temperature was also dropping and the wind was picking up. This wasn't just going to be a passing shower. We finally decided that we needed to quickly set up camp. Then the bottom fell out.. In a panic we tried to set up the tent and rainfly but for some reason forgot how to do so! We had put the tent up several times before. We each proceeded to get even more drenched from the downpour and chilled from the wind, not to mention the lightning. All of our shelter was wet now and we had nowhere to go. Eventually we huddled under the rainfly for an hour or contemplating what to do next and trying to to warm up. We were each shivering. Luckily Renee's phone had signal so she called her dad to come get us. We waited under the rainfly some more then I got out to go see if he was driving up but it was an older couple that happened to live down the road off of FS42. They were from Michigan and saw how cold I was and offered for me to sit in their car to warm up. They also offered me a rain jacket. Renee came out of the cover and we explained that here dad was on the way. They let Renee borrow a hoody so she could warm up also. Eventually Larry showed up and the nice couple had brought us coffee and sandwiches . They were truly trail angels. Also a HUGE thanks to Larry for coming to pick us up then bring us back the next then pick us up again on Friday! He also made 3 meals for us!
The next day and after one of the best night's sleep in recent memory, Larry brought us back to the same spot with a beautiful sunny day ahead of us.
We hiked up Justus Mountain for a mile or so then down to Justus Creek, which was really nice and had a nice break there. This was supposed to be our original campsite to stop at after the first day's hike. After the break,we hiked a few more miles to Gooch Mountain Shelter, where we would stay for the night. Total hike for today was a relatively short 4 miles, compared to 8+ on the first day. My knees and ankles were feeling twingy.
The shelter was empty and we were the only people around apparently. I signed the log book and we set up camp, this time without incident. We were setup in a pretty dense forest so not much of a view of the sky. Bug spray was essential. Renee made a comment about how there was a "thundering silence" and I thought it was an apt description. In modern society, we are so used to noise and distractions that I must say being out in the wilderness felt really foreign and unsettling. However, I do think that after a while it would lend to a more preferable existence.
Around the edges of camp there was a privy and a spring water source so we were all set. Renee saw a huge spider in the privy but I never saw it thankfully. Dinner was a few re-hydrated dishes, some sort of chicken, rice and bean mix that was mildly spicy. Filtered water to drink. I read Renee a story from a book I had when I was a kid called "Strange Stories of the Supernatural." The story was about a ghost ship and was more funny than scary. We finished up dinner then washed our dishes and hung our remaining food on the bear cables in front of the shelter. We then went back to the tent and tried unsuccessfully to start a fire with damp wood. Boooooooo! Ended up settling on lighting a candle then Renee read "To Kill a Mockingbird" to me as I fell asleep.
Slept surprisingly well despite having no sleeping pad and a rock underneath which still has my hip bruised. I woke up numerous times and spun around like a chicken on a rotisserie but still managed to wake refreshed. We both heard barred owls calling to each other. This was really our only wildlife encounter. We also heard Rangers off in the distance firing their guns for training maneuvers. A few hours before dawn I woke and there was this blissful silence in the woods, except for a few crickets. So incredibly tranquil.
Woke at around 8am and began boiling water for coffee. Sadly our egg breakfast couldn't just be re-hydrated, it also required a skillet! So we ate a few energy bars and trail mix for a light breakfast.
Packed up camp then headed out around 1030am eastward.
Our hike on Friday was only 5 miles and appeared to be easy on the map but that was a miscalculation since we encountered several mountains with numerous technical trail features and a yellow jacket nest. We climbed up Gooch Mountain then Ramrock Mountain and a few other mountains. There were a few great views, the best of the hike. This was the most challenging trail we walked on with narrow singletrack and sheer dropoffs all around, not to mention rocks! Did I mention there were rocks? We passed a southbound hiker who had a long beard and we exchanged friendly hellos. He was only the 2nd person we saw on the entire trail, the other being Kenny, who had pitched an early camp back at Cooper Gap. Kenny was lucky enough to wait out the storm at Springer Mountain shelter the night before. We both figured that all the Maine-bound hikers had left back in March and it was just too hot for a section hike anyways.
We strolled into Woody Gap parking lot off Hwy. 60 around 1pm or so, pretty tired from a surprisingly strenuous 5-mile hike. Larry was waiting for us in the parking lot. Took a few photos to mark the occasion then we were off to eat a lackluster BBQ lunch.
Observations:
- The hiking was about as strenuous as expected.
- Our brief time on the AT was a real eye-opener and a great time to boot.
- There is no tired quite like 6 hours and 8 miles of hiking then 4 hours of rain dodging.
- You are probably the most dangerous creature in the woods
- Carrying a heavy backpack is no joke at all!
- Always be prepared for and pack clothes for cold,wet weather, even in summer!
- Don't be in a rush, stop and smell the roses
- You'll probably pack more clothes than you need
- Spring and fall would be nicer but more crowded
- Walking sticks are a plus
- A good pair of trail running shoes and wicking socks beat hiking boots
- Bring bugspray in summer
- How much further? About a mile, mile and a half.
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| Renee at Justus Creek |
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| Loaded up |
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| Muggin' at Woody Gap |
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| Maybe this sign will hold me up |
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| Beauty |
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| Goofy |
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| Familiar white blaze |
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| Our house is over there |
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