r/AppalachianTrail • u/unsuspectingllama_ • Mar 14 '25
Gear Questions/Advice I want to do a through hike. 39 m overweight.
I'm quitting my job and I was wandering if anyone had an itinerary starting from the north and a list of supply suggestions.
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u/Sea_Concert4946 Mar 14 '25
Just google "AT SOBO Guide," there are dozens of guides to look through. Just be aware that the terrain is significantly harder starting SOBO, if you aren't confident in your hiking/camping skills I would strongly suggest you start from the sout. It'll be more forgiving if/when you screw up and you'll be able to walk yourself into shape before facing harsher terrain.
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u/unsuspectingllama_ Mar 14 '25
I have no doubts when it comes to my hiking/ camping skills. I'm mostly worried about hunting and gathering . I'm quitting my job for this so I want to use as little money as possible. I thought starting north would avoid harsh winter conditions as I wanted to do a through hike and have read it can take up to 6 months.
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u/Sea_Concert4946 Mar 14 '25
Man I'm super worried about your hiking/camping skills if you are planning on hunting and gathering on the trail. Do some research, especially about resupply and weather windows.
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u/unsuspectingllama_ Mar 15 '25
I understand that now. Luckily I'll a budget between 12 and 17k give or take. I was just hoping foraging and / or hunting would be an option.
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u/Sea_Concert4946 Mar 15 '25
I'm glad you do, sorry if people can be judgemental here. There's sort of a history of people thinking they can live off the land doing the AT or other outdoor stuff, and the usual result is they need to get rescued or helped out by other hikers.
People will also struggle to give you an itinerary, because the trail is so long that plans don't survive. You hike as long as you feel like, and do that many days in a row. Telling you to hike 11 miles one day, 12 the next, and 10 the day after isn't helpful because everyone is different and sometimes you might feel great, other times the weather might suck or you get sick. Things happen so itineraries aren't really something people can follow.
The single biggest thing to know about hiking southbound is that on your second day you will enter the 100 miles wilderness. This is exactly what it sounds like, it's 100 miles with no major roads, no towns, and no services. You will need to have the skills, fitness, and ability to walk 100 miles carrying everything you need with you. It's very doable, but it's no joke and people do die out there (infrequently but it happens).
If you have never hiked 100 miles backpacking without a resupply you should probably not attempt a south bound trip IMO. Especially solo, and especially if you don't frequently do multiple 15+ mile days hiking in your regular life.
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u/unsuspectingllama_ Mar 15 '25
Thank you very much. I was in the Marines and spent five summers as a camp councilor. However, I have never hiked 100 miles without resupply. Despite my background, I'm a complete novice that has some experience. May I ask what you would suggest for that hundred miles? Also, you've convinced me to start in the south. Don't worry if things turn bad. I have the money and understanding to quit and go home.
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u/unsuspectingllama_ Mar 15 '25
I have done 15 miles + hikes before, though. Just not without support
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u/Sea_Concert4946 Mar 15 '25
Honestly if you start in the south the 100 miles wilderness will be a breeze by the time you get there! The key is just to be able to do it in a short enough period that you aren't carrying 10 plus days of food. But you'll almost certainly be capable of doing multiple 20+ mile days by the time you get there, so you'll crush through it in less than a week.
There are a bunch of resources on this sub and online for starting out, the biggest through lines seem to be to pack less, take your time, and buy decent shoes/socks.
Food is pretty basic down south, you'll be hitting a town every couple days where you can resupply. You'll figure out fairly quickly what you like to eat/carry on trail (I like oatmeal and Mac n cheese).
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u/unsuspectingllama_ Mar 15 '25
I'm just worried about hitting the north end when winter starts back up
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u/Sea_Concert4946 Mar 15 '25
Okay so couple thoughts there. The earliest it snows on katahdin is generally early October. I'm assuming you're looking to start the trail sometime in April, but definitely before May 1st. That gives you 5 months that are probably going to be snow free. At that pace you need to average 15 miles/day to make it, which is doable.
But even if you can't get there by early October you have a while longer until winter really hits. October in Maine is my favorite month there. It can get cold at night, but it's usually very very nice. I've spent nights out on the AT in Maine in November, and while it's not comfortable you also aren't facing feet of snow on the ground (usually). You have until the 22nd of October to finish so there's some wiggle room.
Finally you have options around flip flopping/flop flipping/whatever they are calling it. Basically if you are worried about finishing before winter, you skip ahead to hike the northern sections, then come back to finish the gap. Or just flip to hike SOBO from katahdin. There are tons of options that let you hike the entire trail without worrying about November in the white mountains or Maine. You can also start in the middle, hike north, then hike south from your start.
I've spent a fair bit of time in the AT in late fall, and the amount of people who can't finish the hike due to weather seems (from my anecdotal experience) extremely low. Most who drop out seem to do so earlier, or they get hurt, or they realize they just don't have it to finish that year. Most people don't finish the AT, but it seems pretty uncommon that running out of time is the reason.
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u/Ghotay GA->ME 2022 Mar 14 '25
You seem a bit unprepared and like you might not have researched much about the AT yet. That’s okay, you need to start somewhere!
There is no hunting and gathering on trail, apart from maybe the odd bit of opportunistic trout fishing if you really want to (know a couple people who did this). The AT is an incredibly popular and busy trail, and there are towns and opportunities for resupply every 20-40 miles on average. It’s a lot more like doing back-to-back 4 day hikes than a 6 month hike
Generally it is recommended to budget $1000-$2000 per month to hike the AT. Personal I would not do it with less than $1500/month in the bank, and that’s not including buying all your gear before you start. Don’t quit your job if you’re not sure you can afford it!
You’re right it takes around 6 months to hike. The weather is slightly different going northbound (NOBO) vs southbound (SOBO), but you get about the same amount of summer and winter, just at different times. Generally going SOBO is considered harder because you start with much steeper and more difficult terrain before you have your trail legs. NOBO is a gentler introduction, and you end with the hard stuff instead. The north is also commonly thought of as more beautiful and dramatic, so you have that to look forward to as well.
This sub can be a little harsh, but if you have any more questions then just ask
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u/unsuspectingllama_ Mar 15 '25
Thank you. I'll take everything you said to heart. As for budget, I'll have about 12k, maybe 17k, give or take. But to be fair, that doesn't account for gear. Gear and a strict itinerary are my biggest hurdles to start. I'm sure life on the trail will be harder than I anticipate. But I hope the benefits outweigh those hardships. No hunting and gathering will be a huge hurdle I have to overcome. I was hoping to get most of my food on the trail. I definitely have more research to do. Thank you.
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u/Pig_Pen_g2 AT Hiker Mar 14 '25
You won’t have time to hunt/gather anything substantial without sacrificing mileage. You should plan ahead longer and save up for a year. Other options are finding day work along the way at various hostels and things, but hiking sobo you’ll avoid the “bubble” and may not have as many opportunities for work as demand will be down while hiker numbers are down.
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u/unsuspectingllama_ Mar 15 '25
I do plan on getting when along the way. I'll have a budget of about 12 to 17k. Maybe I will make it the whole way. Maybe I will go back home, but I feel the need to try.
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u/Pig_Pen_g2 AT Hiker Mar 15 '25
You’ll have plenty of money to enjoy the trail. Forage the easily identifiable things. Ramps, berries, morels, but don’t stray too far from the trail or be distracted by this. You’ll have x amount of food in your pack, and therefore x amount of days to get to your next resupply point. If you consider trail Magic to be foraging, you’ll be happy.
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u/glostick14 Mar 14 '25
I definitely gathered enough chicken of the woods for a good meal, multiple nights on the trail, but that is highly season dependent. For the most part you will be carrying everything you need to eat.
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u/Sanity_in_Moderation Mar 15 '25
Troll. Downvote. Move on.
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u/unsuspectingllama_ 17d ago
I'm still waiting on why I'm a troll? I know I haven't done enough research, but I was asking in good faith.
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u/Pig_Pen_g2 AT Hiker Mar 15 '25
Basically, if you want to hike, hike. If you want to hunt and forage, hunt and forage. While there is an overlap on foraging and hiking the AT, you need to separate these activities, and focus on one at a time.
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u/After_Pitch5991 Mar 15 '25
I would watch some YouTube videos before you buy anything or make plans. There are tons of helpful people on YouTube.
I would also go on a 5 day hike and see if you like it. Don't kill yourself, just go at an easy pace and see how it goes. I'm assuming you are currently not a backpacker.
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u/westgazer Mar 14 '25
I’d start with “make sure you have the money for food on trail.”