Day Hike & Bunkhouse Trip

September 10-12, 2021

Trip includes lodging at the Appalachian Trail-er on September 9, 2021

Want to spend a few days on the Appalachian Trail without camping?  This trip is for you!  Join us as we complete day hikes on some of our favorite sections of the Appalchian Trail, and sleep in the comfort of our bunkhouse in Hot Springs, the Appalachian Trail-er.  This trip is open to any skill or experience level.  Participants should be comfortable hiking up to 8 hours each day.  Hikes will be a moderate skill level, and will be around 6-10 miles. 

"Each guide was experienced and professional and made me feel completely safe/at ease on the trails. 
They also brought an overabundance of tasty food!" - C.B., Private Hiking Getaway, October 2020

Cost:

$525 per person
Scholarships and Sliding Scale Fees are available for this trip.  Please reach out to us at trips@blueridgehikingco.com for more information.

This trip will run if there are a minimum of 2 participants signed up.  The maximum group size is 5 hikers.  If the minimum has not yet been met, we'll contact participants two weeks before the trip (April 9) to discuss options.  If you are traveling in a party of 4 or more hikers, we encourage you to consider booking a private trip.  You can find more information abour our private trip offerings by sending us an email.

In addition to your fantastic guide, the price includes lodging Thursday evening through Sunday morning, meals Friday breakfast through Sunday lunch, 3 guided day hikes, and transportation to and from the trailhead each day.  It also includes a neck gaiter and Nalgene water bottle for each hiker.  Price does not include gratuity for your guide.

Sign-Up Details:

In order to sign up for this trip, please go to our trip calendar and select the trip start date (September 10th).  You will find the trip listed there. 

Before the start of the trip, we will be in contact via email with an information packet and a form for you to fill out.  This form includes a waiver, health form, and information about gear needs and dietary restrictions.  Please complete and return this form at your earliest convenience.  The information packet also includes an itinerary of your trip and a packing list.

Itinerary:

This trip inlcudes a stay at our bunkhouse in Hot Springs, the "Appalachian Trail-er", on Thursday September 9.  The address is 200 Lance Ave, Hot Springs, NC 28743.  You can check in after 3pm.

Meet-up: Trip meets at 9am on Friday September 10 in Hot Springs, NC.

You will meet your guide at the Appalachian Trail-er for breakfast before hitting the trail. During breakfast, your guide will discuss the hikes for each day, then you'll take a shuttle to the trailhead to begin your hike. Each day, you will return to the bunkhouse in Hot Springs to spend the night.  Friday and Saturday will be full day hikes (7-10 miles), with the hike on Sunday ending around lunchtime (5-6 miles).  Each hike will be in the Davenport Gap to Allen Gap section of the AT along the North Carolina/Tennessee Border.  Hike locations may include Max Patch, Lovers Leap, Rich Mountain Firetower, among others!

The itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factory, including weather, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities.  Please inform your guide or our admin team ahead of time if you have time constraints the last day of your trip.

Guide:

Your guide for this trip will be Mindy "Hotpants" Hansel. Mindy grew up in a small town outside of Greenville, SC and went on to attend the University of South Carolina. In 2010, her pursuit of a marketing career took her to beautiful Charleston, SC but eventually she realized life behind a computer was not for her. She closed her laptop for good to hike the 2,193 mile Appalachian Trail and has not looked back. She plans to hike many long distance trails throughout the US, as well as abroad. Mindy also manages Blue Ridge Hiking Company's Appalachian Trail-er bunkhouse in Hot Springs, NC.

What we Provide:

Food: BRHC provides all food from Friday breakfast through Sunday lunch. Your guide will pass out food for the day each morning. We'll cook dinner and breakfast at the bunkhouse each day, and will have lunch and snacks on the trail. We try to cater to dietary requests, but options are limited because it is important to keep food lightweight. If you have food allergies or sensitivities, please notify your guide ahead of time. 

Individual Use Gear: BRHC provides the following pieces of gear at no additional cost:

• Daypacks - We have a variety of daypacks available for your use each day.
• Trekking Poles - These will provide you with some added stability while hiking, especially up and down hills.
• Headlamps - We recommend that everyone carry a headlamp, even if we don't plan to hike at night.
• Umbrellas - We love hiking with trekking umbrellas!  We'll provide these for your use to make hiking in the rain more enjoyable.

Community Gear: BRHC provides all community gear for the trip, including water filters and back-up chemical treatment; map and compass; and a fully stocked first aid kit.

What to Bring:

You are expected to bring your own clothing, personal gear (such as water bottles), medications, and approved optional items. We will send a detailed packing list with your trip information packet after you book. In late November, the weather is widely varied. Our average temps are in the 50s during the day and in the 30s at night in town, but could be around 15 degrees cooler at higher elevations. We'll send out more detailed weather information closer to the trip. Generally, comfortable trail 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 for town, plus a raincoat, and a warm layer. Because the temps are likely to be cooler, a warm hat and gloves are a must! You will not need a new set of clean clothes each day. You will not need any make-up, hair products, or scented products.

COVID Safety Information:

All hikers will be expected to show proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID -or- a 7-day health log and a negative COVID test within 72 hours of when they arrive for their trip.  Masks will be required during pack shakedown and in our shuttle vehicle. 

If you have questions about our prodecures or would like specific precautions to be taken, please contact our office at 828-713-5451 or trips@blueridgehikingco.com.

Cancellation Policy:

Payment in full is required to register. Trip cost includes a 15% non-refundable administrative fee. Hike may be cancelled up to 2 weeks before the trip for a refund (minus the 15% fee). Within 2 weeks, a 50% refund will be offered. Within 48 hours, a refund will only be offered if Blue Ridge Hiking Company cancels the trip due to severe weather.

We hike rain or shine!  While it is incredibly rewarding, backpacking is an endurance sport, and it can be challenging and/or uncomfortable at times.  Maintaining a positive mindset, even when it is uncomfortable, is key to enjoying your time in the wilderness.  With our focus on lightweight gear, our goal is for your pack to weigh around 25lbs (or no more than 25% of your body weight).

If your guide does an exceptional job, please show your appreciation with a tip.  Our team of highly trained professional guides never expects but always appreciates a tip.  Industry standard gratuity for a guided backpacking trip is 15-20% of trip price.

If you have any questions regarding this trip, you can reach us by phone at 828-713-5451 or by email at trips@blueridgehikingco.com.