Asked /fit/ about this subject this morning and learned that this board exists, so:
Has anyone here ever go on any long distance hikes/walks (like a week or longer)? I'd like to do one in a year or two and am looking for tips and advice that isn't from an article. How was training for it? What do you wish you would've brought? Which trail is best?
Te Araroa (pic related) looks amazing, but I definitely wouldn't do that for my first time.
>all those fuckfaces wandering around the background
Disgusting
I thruhiked the PCT last year. Mostly solo. It was my third backpacking trip and first longer than 40 miles.
The best way to prepare physically is to walk uphill and downhill with your pack. But walking and running in general are good. The more physical prep you do the easier it is in the beginning. But your feet will probably hurt no matter what you do for the first couple of weeks.
I spent 4 months on the PCT. Its a good first trail because there is a lot of hiker infrastructure and great scenery (high sierras, goat rocks, north cascades). If you want to try a shorter trail, the long trail or Colorado trail are options.
I started out carrying about 14lbs of gear and ended my hike with 10-11lbs. The one thing I wish I had during the hike was a pair of cheap gloves to keep my hands warmer in the morning and at night in camp or getting water.
Gear choice has a lot of compromise. The only advice I'd really give is to not cheap out on your shelter, sleep system and pack. Getting lightweight, quality gear up front will save you hassle and money later.
Getting through a long hike comes down to dealing with being uncomfortable. Walking with lots of blisters or an injury, days of being soaked and cold, etc... You never know what the trail will throw at you.
>>481921
Make sure to bring carabiners with you.
>>481921
hiked in the Himalayas for 9 days doing the annapurna loop & i loved it. no training for it just dont be a fat pussy. hiked over 2500meters up and down continuously for 9 days. no day was flat or flatish. got food poisoning on the 2nd last day. ended up vomiting all the way down the mountain
>>481946
I've been thinking about a thruhike but pretty much my only hang up is loneliness. I love having someone to talk to one the trail, and I know nobody I know would want to hike 2700 miles. How do you overcome that?
>>481969
On the PCT you're only alone if you want to be. Since I hiked northbound April to August, there were only a couple of days on the trail when I didn't see anybody. I made some good friends out there. The way I did it is I would hike with a group for a little bit then we would go our own ways and maybe see each other hundreds of miles later. If you're looking it won't be too hard to find people who hike at your pace on the trail. Starting out solo is not a problem.
>>481982
How long did it take you to hike the trail? In theory I'd like to be able to start one summer when school gets out (generally May 1st) and be back at school before it starts (generally Aug 20th).
Also, what'd you do meal wise?
>>481984
I was on trail April 21 to August 22.
You could try and do a ~100 day hike. That means averaging 25-27 miles a day, which is difficult if you aren't in good shape and disciplined. I met some people who did it. The only thing to watch out for is the snowpack in the sierras. If there is a lot of snow it may be hard to get through before the middle of june. You could also hike a big section of the trail in that time like California or maybe try the AT which is about 500 miles shorter.
I went stoveless and ate peanut butter, tortillas, tuna in olive oil, snickers bars, oatmeal, whole powdered milk, honey buns, grapenuts, granola, Frito's, cheese blocks, and poptarts a lot. Sometimes I'd find some dehydrated beans in a hiker box and would let them soak for an hour or so and eat that. I'd try and get vegetables and fruits when I resupplied. Also used emergen-c to replenish electrolytes in the hotter areas.
>>481946
How was the JMT segment of the trail? I've thought about doing that.
Been thinking of starting out with the Long Trail as I'm from New England and getting there would be cheap.
>>482019
JMT section is awesome. I went through in late may/early june, and had to deal with some nervewracking snow on glen and Mather pass. It was good type 2 fun without an ice axe. Its getting hard to get a permit for the JMT now from what I've heard. Vvr had some pretty well priced food in its little store and was pretty hiker. Restaurant was a bit expensive. I'd like to do the LT sometime too
>>482047
Pretty hiker friendly*
>>482047
Different Anon here. I'm thinking of starting a section hike in early-mid August through Septemberish. Any suggestions besides the JMT?
>>482052
August to early September is a good time for Washington. The goat rocks section before white pass and the trail from snoqualmie to the border were my favorite part of the pct.
In Oregon the trail around the sisters up to cascade locks is really awesome. You pass by timberline lodge and there are cool waterfalls and volcanic terrain.
In California, the section from tuolumne up to the highway that leads to Truckee was pretty great but physically exhausting. The lake Tahoe area is pretty gorgeous.
>>481921
Been on three, each about 100 miles and done over the course of a week. Had a great time on all of them, though undoubtedly some of that enjoyment is attributable to having great company. I'm pretty unfit (not fat though), and I never do any training for them, but we don't walk particularly far each day, and it's only for a week. I can't think of anything particularly unusual I wish I'd taken on any of them, and nor is there anything I regret taking. Perhaps the only kit recommendation I'd make is try your best (within reason) to make sure you have some dryish socks to put on in the morning. Having to put wet ones on and start the day with cold, squelchy feet is really demoralising.
>>481921
Hiked through atlas mountains for 5 days to Mount toubkal, some bits were dead quite n others full of tourists, especially near the top. Lots of interesting villages too.
Last November I went to eastern desert on the red sea mountain range. Literally deserted. Just us and our Bedouin guides and the occasional Bedouin smashing it through the desert in his jeep. We climbed a unamed 2000m peak in 2, was quite exposed at the top, scary and thrilling. The Bedouin called it man with the long grey beard- or something along those lines. There was a small pile of stones at the top with boxes of maybe 60+ teams shoved climbed it since 1992. The next 3 days weren't climbing smaller faces and visiting some abandoned mines.
Pack weight. Keep it low as possible. You may put on a 50lbs pack and think it feels fine. After a couple of mikes though your going to wish it was lighter. Im no ultralighter but with food and water my 7 day pack is under 28lbs.
Also, i know they get tons of hate on /out/ but if you are doing elevation changes on your hike trekking poles are a god send.
Research where your hiking and locate water sources. Water is heavy and carrying a lot of it sucks. I only carry 2 liters on me at a time. When I find a water source I drink as much of my water as I can then filter till my nalgenes are full.(DISCLAIMER: if you are going somewhere like a desert or where there is not abundant water sources then carry as much H2O as you can).
Camp shoes, light trainers or sandals, was one of the first things I added to my bring with me next time list. Also an air mattress. If you're not used to sleeping on hard surfaces you'll be sore from that on top of being sore from all the walking and carrying.
>>482072
I live in WA and have done bits and pieces of it up, but I'm going to visit my sister in UT at the end of September and thought some Cali stretches before would be nice.
A friend of mine who thru hiked last year suggested Quincy to Kennedy Meadows.
I've never been outdoors before :(
>>482298
That's a good section. Its over 500 miles so you can get a long distance permit and not have to worry about the JMT stuff. You get to do the Tahoe area and and the high sierras
>>482341
Yeah, but I'd have to either start in late July to finish before going to Utah (I'm visiting for SLC comicon, so that's a fixed date) or hike for 45 straight days with no zeroes if I started at the beginning of August.
I looked at starting in Sierra City instead of Quincy, but that route is 496ish miles, so I'd be just short of a long distance permit.
>>482312
>then how do u know outdoor exist
>>482458
You can always"quit early" or "sprain your ankle".
;) ;) ;)
>>481921
I have hiked a 1,000 mile long section of the Appalachian Trail in spring of 2014. I did train to some extent before going, but not too much. It worked out all right, I was one of the medium to fast hikers. I started out with a little too much (for me) gear (total pack weight on day 1: 35 pounds), but reduced that over the course of the hike (bounce box etc) to 26 pounds. One of my best buddies who was around the same speed as me had a pack of no less than 45 pounds at any given time. Lesson: Carry whatever you want to carry. High comfort level? Carry much. Low comfort level? Don't carry much. In the 70s and 80s, thru-hikers had to carry 60-70 pounds, and they too could do it.
Most important gear: Shelter, sleeping stuff and an emergency whistle. And obviously your shoes. They must fit you, you must love them. You can go trail runner, you can go hiking boots, whatever you like - it's all a matter of preference. You're the boss of your hike, no one else is.
How to train: Do a hike of 3-5 days. Test your gear: Does everything work as intended? Test with rain and light snow: Still everything ok? Then, do a few of those 3-5 day hikes with only restocking food and fuel. Still everything ok? Then you can do any long distance trail of your choice.
Advice not from article: You can take a pair of woolen socks and use them as gloves. It's enough for gripping your trekking poles. Though it's certainly nicer to have gloves when you cook and stuff because you can't grip your mug with socks!
Also: Take pictures of the people you meet. Especially the AT is a quite social experience (if you want it to be) and the people are usually very awesome. You will want to remember them.
What do you guys have to say about my gear list? Currently in the hunt for a replacement backpack which is why it's missing, and that tent will pretty much always be split between 2 people so it's more like 14lbs
>>482790
You don't need a folding saw. Also, what's a poop kit? You just need TP, you can dig a hole with a trekking pole or your feet.
>>482790
>tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, hammock and hammock straps
Pick either a tent or a hammock mate, not both.
>>482790
Also: You don't need matches. Just pack two lighters and be sure to store them in different places in your pack - if one gets lost or goes dry, you still have the other one. Sawyer Squeeze is a good thing, just be aware that their water pouches may fail after some use.
>>483036
Sawyers can also be fitted in-line with a pack bladder. Which could be useful if you're on a long-mileage day and want to minimize stop time.
Does anyone ever hunt for food while thru hiking? Like squirrels, rabbits, etc.
>>482790
The fuck is a cookset? Get a 4 oz. titanium pot, it's all you'll use.
>>482790
>Tent and hammock
Why both?
>poop set
What is this? All you need is toilet paper. And even then, depending on the environment there are natural replacements.
>Toiletries
...Why? I've never seen the point of showering, brushing teeth, etc. unless its a serious long term journey, like 2-4 weeks or more.
>Folding saw
Almost definitely not necessary
>utensils/bowls
>REI cookset
Eat out of the pot you cook in. Bring a single spoon to eat with, you can use your knife as a fork.
I don't know what all comes with the cookset, but I find that more than 1 small pot is wasted weight.
>American flag
The only necessary part of this list.
>>483203
That's badass, thanks for opening my eyes friend.
Not OP btw
>>481946
11 lbs without food, right? I'm no ultralighter, so I'll be lucky to reach 19-20 lbs base weight. I'm gonna be attempting a through hike starting on April 3rd. Previous experience with hiking the JMT.
>>481997
How often did you need to prepare a bounce box? I'm hearing that it makes sense to stock up on lightweight foods in towns where you can, and mail it ahead to places that are less hiker friendly. Trying to minimize resupplies, is it reasonable to think that I can get by without mailing anything beforehand?
>>483768
11lbs without food and water. 19-20lbs is solid if it works for you. Once you get on trail you can make adjustments as you go.
I'd skip the bounce box unless you need to mail yourself things like gear. In California its mostly easy to resupply on or near the trail. A bit expensive in a few areas.
In Oregon you can stop in Ashland and get a ride to Walmart or something and then mail some resupply boxes ahead throughout Oregon.
You can do the same thing in Cascade Locks for Washington.
M8 if you're in NZ get into hunting, everything is open season. Tonnes of hiking around central north but hunting gives you an excuse to stay for ages. chur
>>482790
>American flag
honestly, is this an American inside joke? I see American shows on TV and they nearly always incorporate the American flag into the title art. Patriotism yeah, but why? Asking honestly here, not a shitpost
>>482945
You don't know the joy of relaxing in a hammock in camp, rather than sitting on a log. Versus carrying the weight of a folding stool.
>>482790
Cookset could be lightened. Get a small pot, a sierra cup, and a spoon.
OP you timing might be perfect for a new trail they are about to make along the Rio grande connecting mexico to Colorado.
You could be one of the first .
>>483945
A lot of people like to tie flags to their packs so that it drapes down the back. I've seen flags of multiple US states and several countries on different trails.
Done a bunch of hikes between 5-10 days in various conditions - some mountaineering - Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Kazbek, Wicklow Way, other random hikes. Did the Tongariro Alpine Crossing from your pic as well - pic related - only the day walk though. Amazing scenery, but luck with weather required, and packed with tourists.
>didn't train, but I do lift/do martial arts 9 times a week and bike ~200km a week, so I'm in excellent shape year round
>trekking poles are really neat - or rather, a must - for hilly/mountainous terrain
>get the best fitting backpack you can find, and adjust it to your personal build - vital!
>break in your shoes, learn to pitch your tent efficiently, bring waterproof jacket and pants (goretex/event/hyvent/other similar fabric)
>pack light
>if you're the toughest one of the bunch, expect/be prepared to be the pack mule
Also, this >>482239.
>>484185
>martial arts 9 times a week
Jesus Christ what a fucking man baby.
Grow the fuck up already.
You realize that other adults snicker when you head off to mma class right?
What a mong.
>>484257
I profusely apologize for having goals in my life and trying to improve myself. From now on, I shall indulge in doing things I dislike for a living, laziness in all things as opposed to having a strong work ethic obtained through physical hardship, rowdy behaviour as opposed to restraint honed through responsibly using acquired skills, and generally making a mess of things while pretending to know exactly what I'm doing like a proper, decent adult.
So if I did a 500ish mile section of PCT, say Quincy to KM, what would be a reasonable number of supply stop over?
I don't want to rely heavily on bounce boxes, but I might put a couple together just so I've always got the basic staples in my bear can.
>>484297
This is now a new copypasta. Fresh from the ovens.
Thanks faggot. So cringe worthy.
>>484257
Fighting sports are up there with upland hunting and sailing as the pastime of the elite, prole, Back to your potato chips and football.
Anyone know of any good trails in the Ottawa, Canada, area?
>>484163
>A lot of people like to tie flags to their packs so that it drapes down the back
absolutely disgusting
>>486635
You can buy food in Sierra City, South Lake Tahoe, Tuolumne(if store is open), Mammoth, and VVR pretty easy. You dont need to send any boxes unless you want to change gear. I did the stretch from KM to VVR with no resupply but many people go over Kearsarge and hitch to get food.
The number of resupplies depends on how much food you want to carry and your mileage per day.
planyourhike.com has a good list of resupply points.
>>484257
You can just tell this guy says "We won!" like he did some of the work after he watches a football match on TV
>>483945
> nearly always
Not even close.
>>483945
>I see American shows on TV and they nearly always incorporate the American flag into the title art
Can you give some examples? Because I can only think of American Dad and House of Cards...
>>481950
>annapurna circuit
>9 days
Did you take a jeep part way? The normal time for the loop is 20 days.
Has anyone done any week or longer hikes in Europe? I'm kinda looking for something where it won't be too busy, though I fear that might be straight up fantasy in this glorious continent.
>>482790
Good man.
>>486636
but, you are the man baby anon.
Stay salty
>>484257
Nah bro you're a faggot.
