Women's Appalachian Trail Backpacking Trip

March 27-29, 2020

Enjoy one of our favorite sections of the AT on this 3 Day, 2 Night backpacking trip. The goal of this trip is to provide a supportive environment for anyone who identifies as female to experience backpacking. Participants will learn all necessary skills to complete a backpacking trip, and will leave empowered to hit the trail again soon. It will be a total of 20 miles of backpacking over rolling terrain, with 3200' of elevation gain. This trip is a great first backpacking trip for people with some hiking experience or a regular fitness routine. It is also tons of fun for people with backpacking experience to share their love of the trail with others. This is a great way to test out your trail legs and make new friends in the process!

"The entire trip was a learning experience, and I became a confident backpacker as the guide showed us all the ropes. She was positive,
encouraging, and patient as we practiced our new skills." - J.O., Women's Appalachian Trail Backpacking Trip, July 2019

Cost:

$520 per person

This trip will run if there are a minimum of 2 participants signed up. The maximum group size is 6 participants. If minimum group size has not yet been met, we'll reach out to participants 2 weeks before the trip date (March 13) to discuss options.

Price includes gear for the trip, all on-trail food (Friday lunch through Sunday lunch), lodging Thursday night, guide, and transportation from the meet-up location to the trailhead. Price does not include meals for Thursday night or Friday morning, personal items (clothing, medication, etc), or 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 (March 27th). 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", the night before the trip begins. The address is 200 Lance Ave, Hot Springs, NC 28743. You can check in after 3pm on Thursday March 26.

You will meet your guide at 9am on Friday March 27 at the Appalachian Trail-er for a pack shakedown. Your guide will hand out your gear, go over necessary packing items, and discuss safety, weather, and logistics for the trip. They'll walk you through how to properly pack your pack, and may look in detail at the items you've packed to make sure you're not carrying too many extra items.

You will park your vehicle in Hot Springs and then take a shuttle around 11am to Max Patch, where you will start your hike. After 3 days of hiking, you will make it all the way into Hot Springs where you parked your car! Your hike generally finishes around lunchtime on the last day.

Friday: You will start on Max Patch (4629'), descend to Lemon Gap (3550'), and climb to Walnut Mountain Shelter (4293') to camp for the night, approximately 7 miles
Saturday: Starting from Walnut Mountain, climb Bluff Mountain (4686') then descend over rolling terrain to camp at Deer Park Mountain Shelter (2339'), approximately 10 miles
Sunday: From the shelter at Deer Park Mountain, you will hike down into Hot Springs (1326'), approximately 3 miles

Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities.

Guide:

Your guide for this trip has not yet been selected. This trip will have a female guide. All of our guides have extensive hiking and backpacking experience, and all hold CPR and Wilderness First Aid or higher medical certifications.

What we Provide:

Food: BRHC provides all on-trail food. Your guide will pass out the food for your trip on the first morning. You will be expected to carry your own individually packaged food (such as oatmeal packets) and some shared community items (such as a jar of peanut butter or a block of cheese). 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 high quality, ultralight, cottage industry backpacking gear to make your exerience as comfortable as possible. We offer the following five pieces of gear at no additional cost:

Backpacks - We use a lightweight 60L pack. We will ask for your height and weight in order to fit the pack appropriately to you.
Tents - We have one-person tents and two-person tents available. Please let us know if you would like to share with a friend or if you are willing to share with another hiker, and we will do our best to accommodate these requests.
Sleeping Bags - We use a 20 degree synthetic sleeping bag. We also have liners available.
Sleeping Pads - These will insulate you from the ground and provide some cushion and comfort.
Trekking Poles - These will provide you with some added stability while hiking, and may be used to set up your tent.

Community Gear: BRHC provides all community gear for the trip, including water filters and back-up chemical treatment; camping stoves and fuel; bowls, spoons, and cups; trowels, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer; first aid kit; and map and compass.

What to Bring:

We will send all participants a detailed packing list before the trip. You are expected to bring your own clothing, personal gear (such as headlamps and water bottles), medications, and approved optional items. We will send a detailed packing list with your trip information packet after you book. 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 raincoat, 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 bring a toothbrush and toothpaste and enjoy going all natural for the trip!

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.

If your guide does an exceptional job, please show your appreciation with a tip.

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.