The Appalachian Trail, while often rugged and remote, is designed to accommodate both people who want to hike the entire trail and those who choose to section hike it; that is, hike a new section every year. This year we continue our tradition of offering a new section hike. We will be backpacking in southern North Carolina winding through the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain range and the remote Nantahala Wilderness area. The terrain is a wonderful mix of rugged, rocky hiking, climbing summits and balds, beautiful vistas, ridge walking, rolling forest trails, and cool spring fed streams and rivers. Come join us for another great section of wilderness backpacking on this historic trail.
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This trip is rated a 4 as it involves early mornings, strenuous hiking, and elevation gain and loss with a backpack on that weighs 30 pounds. The difficulty of the hiking is greater than the mileage indicates. It requires that you be in very good physical condition and have wilderness backpacking experience. If you have never backpacked or if it has been a long time since you did, please consider our June trip: Intro to Lightweight Backpacking. Rating: 1 2 3 [4] 5
This trip is recommended for experienced backpackers. Our preference is that you have participated in the Introduction to Lightweight Backpacking offered each year by AGC in June or have equivalent lightweight backpacking experience. If this trip is the one that fits your schedule but you have never backpacked or if it has been a long time since you have backpacked, you will need to plan on arriving 1 day early to participant in an instruction day and to have adequate time for preparation. This option is available on the Registration Page. If you have any questions, please contact the office.
We will stay the first and last night in a hotel in Dahlonega, GA. There are 4 single supplements available for these two night for an additional $200. In between there are seven nights of camping. Most nights we stay in or near a shelter with varying amenities (e.g. fire pit, composting outhouses) depending on whether we are in designated wilderness or state park lands. All our camping sites have water nearby. Bringing your own tent (single tent) is an option. Please contact the office with the specs of your personal tent.
Below is the proposed itinerary for the trip. As is true on any adventure travel trip, plans for any specific day may be modified due to weather considerations, unforeseen circumstances, new opportunities, and group interests.
Meeting new friends & guides although I missed Jan & Karen!
The exhaustion and the exhilaration, ha!
This trip was special for me as it was a lot of "mosts": My most continuous days on trail, my most continuous mileage, my most overall elevation gain and lost., AND meeting the most new friends also interested in hiking along the Appalachian Trail.
My daughter's quote....."I am proud of you Mom, recognizing the line between pushing yourself and hurting yourself." I left after four days.
The women on the trip!