Women’s Appalachian Trail Backpacking Trip: Extended Cut
June 9th-14th, 2019
Created by popular demand! Have you joined us for a Women’s trip in the past or have some backpacking experience under your belt and are looking for more?
A great option for spending more time on trail and be on your way to becoming an Appalachian Trail section hiker by completing an entire section with us.
Cost:
$960/person.
Sign-up details:
In order to sign up for this trip, please go to our Day Hikes calendar and select the date of the first day of the trip (June 9th). You will find the trip listed there. Once you have signed up for the trip, we will be emailing you with a form to fill out which includes a waiver, health form, and information about gear needs and dietary restrictions. We will need to get this form back from you at least 1 week before the trip.
You may also sign up by giving us a call at 828-713-5451. Also feel free to give us a call or email us if you have questions regarding the trip. We can be reached by email at [email protected].
Itinerary:
The hike will meet at our new location in Hot Springs, the “Appalachian Trail-er”. The address is 200 Lance Ave, Hot Springs, NC. Feel free to book accommodation here the night before your trip by giving us a call, or choose somewhere else nearby.
You will park your vehicle in Hot Springs and then take a shuttle around 11am to Davenport Gap (1975′) where you will start your hike. On day 3, your group will hike through and camp in Hot Springs in order to resupply, shower, let go of any unwanted gear and regroup for more trail on day 4 and 5.
We will be ascending and descending over mountains up to 5000′, so daily mileage needs to be considered with an elevation gain and loss of up to 2000-4000′ per day.
Approximate Daily Mileage (guide can always alter to work with group):
Monday: 7.1 miles: Davenport Gap to Snowbird Mountain (4263′)
Tuesday: 9.4 miles: Snowbird to Max Patch campsite (4291′)
Wednesday: 9.1 miles: Max Patch to Bluff Mountain (4686′)
Thursday: 10.7 miles: Bluff Mountain to Hot Springs (1326′)
Friday: 8.3 miles: Hot Springs to Rich Mountain (3543′)
Saturday: 6.5 miles: Rich Mountain to Allen Gap (2246′)
After reaching Allen Gap, a shuttle will pick you up and take you back to your car to finish up the trip. For planning purposes and taking into account the lenght of the trip, you may want to plan for accommodations either in Hot Springs or head towards Asheville prior to returning home; trip typically ends in the early to late afternoon on the last day.
Cancellation Policy:
Payment in full is required to hold your spot with 15% of the total cost non-refundable ($105). Refunds (minus the 15 percent) can be issued up until 2 weeks prior to departure time.
Within 2 weeks, a refund will be issued if Blue Ridge Hiking Company decides to cancel the hike due to severe weather. Remember, we hike rain or shine. :)
What to bring:
Food: BRHC provides all on-trail food for the trip. When your guides arrive, they will pass out your food for the weekend. You will be expected to carry your own individually packaged food (such as oatmeal packets) as well as some shared community items (such as a jar of peanut butter or a block of cheese).
Community Gear: BRHC provides all community gear for the trip, including water filters and back-up chemical treatment, camping stoves and fuel, bowls/spoons/cups, trowels/toilet paper/hand-sanitizer, first aid kit, and map/compass. While we do cater to dietary requests within reason, please keep in mind fresh food options are limited due to trying to keep food lightweight; we are only out for a short time.
Gear Rentals: BRHC offers the following 4 main pieces of gear for rent for no extra cost:
1. Backpacks – We ask for your torso measurements in order to fit the pack appropriately to you; male and female specific packs available.
2. Tents – We have single-person tents and two-person tents. Let us know if you’d like to share with a friend or are willing to share with another hiker. We will do our best to accommodate these requests.
3. Sleeping bags – We strongly encourage you to provide your own sleeping bag if possible, but we do have sleeping bags for rent if necessary.
4. Sleeping pads – These will insulate you from the ground and provide some cushion and comfort.
Personal Items: You are expected to bring your own clothing, personal gear (such as headlamps and water-bottles), medications, and approved optional items. Generally, comfortable walking shoes are better than heavy hiking boots. Please do not pack any cotton – if it gets wet, it does not dry quickly and will not keep you warm. Athletic clothes are a good option. You will need only ONE outfit to hike in and ONE outfit to sleep in, plus a rain coat, and a warm layer. You will NOT need a new set of clean clothes each day. You will NOT need any make-up, hair products, scented products or deodorant. Just a toothbrush! Your guide will teach you how to brush your teeth in the woods and enjoy going all natural :)
If your guide does an exceptional job, you may show your appreciation with a tip.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2133032173588333/