Hello Bret Things are not as bad as you seem to portray. I will use myself as an example. First of all, I am not a backwoods hiker. My adventures stay confined to riding my bicycle and trailer loaded with gear. I am quite used to carrying 250 lbs. of gear/bike/trailer/supplies/food/water, so I am never in a situation where I am in need of anything truly important which I am not carrying Also, I do not venture into the wilderness. I stay on known routes, not the ones with the most car traffic, but bike trails and reasonable alternate roads, with far less traffic and only slightly more climbing. I stay in State Park campgrounds, almost exclusively those with flush toilets and hot showers. Out here on the West Coast, they'll typically cost between $5 and $10 per person per night I realize that this is not a wilderness adventure, but it suffices in satisfying my need for fresh air and sunshine. And if I want to be mostly alone, I can find appropriate places. The important factor is that I am not in danger due to total isolation from any civilization One thing I've learned from years of cyclotouring (that's what it's called) is that there are many situations no amount of planning will allow you to avoid. I'll describe one of my favorite examples. Years ago, I was on a tour on the coast of So CA, from SF to LA. I started riding from the campground in which I stayed one morning, and about 20 miles into my trip, my seatpost broke - I'm going to assume you know what that is. I stood there looking at this thing which was broken in such a way that it was clearly a manufacturing defect. In other words, I had no idea why it happened, and there were no tools or other supplies I was carrying which could have been used to fix my seatpost So, what I ended up doing was standing up to pedal, and after a minute or two, I would gingerly sit on top of my rear rack to coast for a bit - the rear rack being a metal rack sitting on top of the rear wheel and connected to the bike frame under the seat and near the rear axle - careful not to put my full weight on the rack. Then I repeated the process for the next hour. I was on flat ground, but if I had been faced with some steep climbing, walking the bike up the hill would have presented no problem Fortunately, I was within 10 miles of a small bike shop, and I was able to purchase a new seatpost. The bike shop owner was there and looked at my bike in amazement. He said in 30 years he had never seen a seatpost break in that way So, bottom line is don't over pack, because it will weigh you down and, besides, there's no way you can be ready for everything that might happen. The other thing I strongly suggest for the novice is to hook up with an expert, for example, myself in the cyclotouring format. However, despite the decades of doing what I do, I am not fool enough to consider myself anywhere close to an expert in wilderness backpacking One story mentioned in this video was about the woman who was lost for 26 days, and was found dead 2 miles from the trail she had been on. Again, I strongly urge you to hook up with an appropriate expert. And again, I am that very type of expert given my extensive knowledge of astronomy, especially the observation variety If, during any time of the year, I were capable of seeing the stars in the night sky, I would be able to navigate out of pretty much any situation, even if I was not in possession of a working compass. Besides the moon, and the sun for that matter, the knowledge of whose positions I possess, I am capable of identifying the planets (Jupiter, Mars and Venus in order of importance) and thereby use their positions to navigate I hope the preceding essay was helpful to you and anyone else interested. Because despite how I have portrayed my level of expertise, which was truthful, I have an extremely bad sense of direction. But I have learned precisely how to compensate for this limitation through years of effort and experience Bottom line - know your capabilities and NEVER overestimate your skills/abilities
I used to do that kind of stuff in my twenties (in Brazil where I’m from)😂. Now, I’m 47 years old and not so adventurous. The United States have one of the most beautiful forests and mountains that I have even seen, but nowadays I just take short hikes😂(one day hike).
They’ve destroyed my ankles once i was just beginning my first hikes. I would’ve preferred to dip my feet in fire. Insect repellents, boot gaiters, duct tape and the colder seasons are my friends now
Or maybe you just got lucky abd neber ran into any dangerous wildlife and or knew wat you're doing? If you don't mind me asking, did you hike it by yourself?
This is a very good video and very important information . REMEMBER the unexpected can happen to anyone at anytime and at anyplace Good luck and bravely we continue on .
@@trekquest_ absolutely no reason to be over prepared. That adds weight. The trail is so crowded that you really have to go out of your way to be alone. If you carry a small tent or tarp, a sleeping mat and a good sleeping bag or quilt and stay on the trail, not only can you survive almost any weather the A.T. can throw at you but, you will run into another person within not a day or two but within hours.
I offer two suggestions that I believe can improve this video. First, I suggest not talking about the same basic things over and over. Just state those basic principles once. Second, go more in depth about preparing for different things on the trail, such as gear, weather, food, navigation and so on.
Be ware of rattle snakes & copper head snakes!! The bears, if you see young baby bears, be very carful Cause there is alwayse " BIG MOMA " some where near by!!!! She is very dangerous!!!! And, watch where you step brothers & sisters!!!! ~~ I KNOW THESE THINGS, CAUSE I WAS BORN & RAISED IN THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS OF VIRGINIA! THESE MOUNTAINS ARE " BEAUTIFUL " ITS " GODS COUNTRY "😊❤🤍💙🤟🤘👍💪🙏🧙♂🌋 H.L.M. 8/30/2024
Why? The bears are not a problem at all. The bears don't want people, they want food and as long as you keep a clean camp, hang or protect your food and DON'T FEED THE BEARS!, you will never have a problem. Ticks are the most dangerous things on the Appalachian Trail.
It is nearly impossible to get lost on the A.T. It may be the most well marked trail in the world. The foot path is also so worn that it is easy to follow. It is also not isolated. A common saying of the Appalachian Trail is: If you get lost, don't panic. Sit down, cook some food, relax and wait for dark, then walt to the porch light. The 100 Mile Wilderness used to be isolated but even that is no longer. People slack pack it all the time. There is also absolutely no reason to get that far off trail. In a nutshell, the A.T. is safer than being home.
HAHAHAHA.......NOBODY carries on the A.T. Each year there are maybe 1 or 2 hikers that carry but there is absolutely no need for it. I carry every day at home, but I have thru hiked the Appalachian Trail twice and not only have I not carried a firearm, I also didn't carry bear spray, and both of my hikes were before cell phones. The trail is safer than your hometown. Guns and ammo are both too heavy to carry. You may say that it's better to carry the weight than be killed or need a gun and not have it, but the truth is, the threat just isn't there.
This guy doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. Starting with shoes. Hiking boots are heavy and the LAST thing you want is water proof. You want lite shoes that breathe. They’re called trail runners. I stopped the video right after he said waterproof.
I would be lost out there. I have to concentrate when I go to the grocery store.
Hello Bret
Things are not as bad as you seem to portray. I will use myself as an example.
First of all, I am not a backwoods hiker. My adventures stay confined to riding my bicycle and trailer loaded with gear. I am quite used to carrying 250 lbs. of gear/bike/trailer/supplies/food/water, so I am never in a situation where I am in need of anything truly important which I am not carrying
Also, I do not venture into the wilderness. I stay on known routes, not the ones with the most car traffic, but bike trails and reasonable alternate roads, with far less traffic and only slightly more climbing.
I stay in State Park campgrounds, almost exclusively those with flush toilets and hot showers. Out here on the West Coast, they'll typically cost between $5 and $10 per person per night
I realize that this is not a wilderness adventure, but it suffices in satisfying my need for fresh air and sunshine. And if I want to be mostly alone, I can find appropriate places. The important factor is that I am not in danger due to total isolation from any civilization
One thing I've learned from years of cyclotouring (that's what it's called) is that there are many situations no amount of planning will allow you to avoid. I'll describe one of my favorite examples.
Years ago, I was on a tour on the coast of So CA, from SF to LA. I started riding from the campground in which I stayed one morning, and about 20 miles into my trip, my seatpost broke - I'm going to assume you know what that is. I stood there looking at this thing which was broken in such a way that it was clearly a manufacturing defect. In other words, I had no idea why it happened, and there were no tools or other supplies I was carrying which could have been used to fix my seatpost
So, what I ended up doing was standing up to pedal, and after a minute or two, I would gingerly sit on top of my rear rack to coast for a bit - the rear rack being a metal rack sitting on top of the rear wheel and connected to the bike frame under the seat and near the rear axle - careful not to put my full weight on the rack. Then I repeated the process for the next hour. I was on flat ground, but if I had been faced with some steep climbing, walking the bike up the hill would have presented no problem
Fortunately, I was within 10 miles of a small bike shop, and I was able to purchase a new seatpost. The bike shop owner was there and looked at my bike in amazement. He said in 30 years he had never seen a seatpost break in that way
So, bottom line is don't over pack, because it will weigh you down and, besides, there's no way you can be ready for everything that might happen.
The other thing I strongly suggest for the novice is to hook up with an expert, for example, myself in the cyclotouring format. However, despite the decades of doing what I do, I am not fool enough to consider myself anywhere close to an expert in wilderness backpacking
One story mentioned in this video was about the woman who was lost for 26 days, and was found dead 2 miles from the trail she had been on. Again, I strongly urge you to hook up with an appropriate expert. And again, I am that very type of expert given my extensive knowledge of astronomy, especially the observation variety
If, during any time of the year, I were capable of seeing the stars in the night sky, I would be able to navigate out of pretty much any situation, even if I was not in possession of a working compass. Besides the moon, and the sun for that matter, the knowledge of whose positions I possess, I am capable of identifying the planets (Jupiter, Mars and Venus in order of importance) and thereby use their positions to navigate
I hope the preceding essay was helpful to you and anyone else interested. Because despite how I have portrayed my level of expertise, which was truthful, I have an extremely bad sense of direction. But I have learned precisely how to compensate for this limitation through years of effort and experience
Bottom line - know your capabilities and NEVER overestimate your skills/abilities
I used to do that kind of stuff in my twenties (in Brazil where I’m from)😂. Now, I’m 47 years old and not so adventurous. The United States have one of the most beautiful forests and mountains that I have even seen, but nowadays I just take short hikes😂(one day hike).
I would worry about infectious diseases from ticks.
They’ve destroyed my ankles once i was just beginning my first hikes. I would’ve preferred to dip my feet in fire. Insect repellents, boot gaiters, duct tape and the colder seasons are my friends now
Ticks are the most dangerous thing on the A.T.
@@jamesadams2334 even mor dangerous than black bears, venomous rattlesnakes or a wendigo, come on man! Let's be real here!
Interesting video. I love your script! It's well written. This trail is so beautiful
Thank you very much!
Thx for sharing but why the title? It was about several trails
It's not really though. As a thru-hiker I can tell you it wasn't very dangerous. It's statistically much safer than most big or even small cities.
Or maybe you just got lucky abd neber ran into any dangerous wildlife and or knew wat you're doing? If you don't mind me asking, did you hike it by yourself?
This is a very good video and very important information . REMEMBER the unexpected can happen to anyone at anytime and at anyplace Good luck and bravely we continue on .
So true, that's why one should always be over-prepared when going into the woods
@@trekquest_ absolutely no reason to be over prepared. That adds weight. The trail is so crowded that you really have to go out of your way to be alone. If you carry a small tent or tarp, a sleeping mat and a good sleeping bag or quilt and stay on the trail, not only can you survive almost any weather the A.T. can throw at you but, you will run into another person within not a day or two but within hours.
i hiked mt. renier,mt. st helens, and a 10 day hike on one of the inca trails in peru, but LOVE the appalachian trail!
I offer two suggestions that I believe can improve this video.
First, I suggest not talking about the same basic things over and over. Just state those basic principles once.
Second, go more in depth about preparing for different things on the trail, such as gear, weather, food, navigation and so on.
I usually go for short (one day) hikes here in CA, so I wouldn’t go in the wilderness alone, only with someone very experienced.
Nature is beautiful, and ruthless. Nature lovers should enjoy hiking, but always be aware of potential dangers. Always carry a gun where legal.
I worry about the bears!!!!!!
Be ware of rattle snakes & copper head snakes!! The bears, if you see young baby bears, be very carful Cause there is alwayse " BIG MOMA " some where near by!!!! She is very dangerous!!!! And, watch where you step brothers & sisters!!!! ~~ I KNOW THESE THINGS, CAUSE I WAS BORN & RAISED IN THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS OF VIRGINIA! THESE MOUNTAINS ARE " BEAUTIFUL " ITS " GODS COUNTRY "😊❤🤍💙🤟🤘👍💪🙏🧙♂🌋 H.L.M. 8/30/2024
Why? The bears are not a problem at all. The bears don't want people, they want food and as long as you keep a clean camp, hang or protect your food and DON'T FEED THE BEARS!, you will never have a problem. Ticks are the most dangerous things on the Appalachian Trail.
@@janemarkham4133 snakes aren't really a problem either. Yes, they are out there but you can see them far in advance and they are not aggressive.
The trail will test your mettle. When you arrive at your final destination, I guarantee that you will have learned things about yourself.
It is nearly impossible to get lost on the A.T. It may be the most well marked trail in the world. The foot path is also so worn that it is easy to follow. It is also not isolated. A common saying of the Appalachian Trail is: If you get lost, don't panic. Sit down, cook some food, relax and wait for dark, then walt to the porch light. The 100 Mile Wilderness used to be isolated but even that is no longer. People slack pack it all the time. There is also absolutely no reason to get that far off trail. In a nutshell, the A.T. is safer than being home.
too much jibber jabba!!!
and remember a gun is better than bear spray!especially against humans!!!go out there without a weapon is ignorant!!!!don't be ignorant!!!
HAHAHAHA.......NOBODY carries on the A.T. Each year there are maybe 1 or 2 hikers that carry but there is absolutely no need for it. I carry every day at home, but I have thru hiked the Appalachian Trail twice and not only have I not carried a firearm, I also didn't carry bear spray, and both of my hikes were before cell phones. The trail is safer than your hometown. Guns and ammo are both too heavy to carry. You may say that it's better to carry the weight than be killed or need a gun and not have it, but the truth is, the threat just isn't there.
Idiotic fear based comment yeah sure I'm gonna hump 5 extra kilos of dead weight 1000 klicks down trail
This guy doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. Starting with shoes. Hiking boots are heavy and the LAST thing you want is water proof. You want lite shoes that breathe. They’re called trail runners. I stopped the video right after he said waterproof.