Food Drops on an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike
How to Resupply When Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Mar 4, 2009
The most common Appalachian Trail resupply strategy is to stop along the trail every so often to pick up more food, replace consumable items such as sunscreen and bug repellent, and, sometimes, send worn or broken gear home or buy or have new gear sent.. Most hikers take a day off about every week or so in order to rest, get clean, and attend to these chores.
Resupplying on the Appalachian Trail is easier than on many other long-distance hiking paths for three reasons:
- The A.T. runs through the more populated eastern states. Towns are fairly close together and are also fairly close to the trail, so hikers have lots of choice when it comes to where to resupply. A.T. hikers rarely need to carry more than four or five day's worth of food..
- Resources such as the Thru-Hikers' Companion and the Data Book, along with the Appalachian Trail guidebooks contain detailed information about towns near the trail and mileages between various points.
- There is a strong relationship between trail towns and hikers. Post offices are used to handling food resupply boxes, and many businesses along the trail will accept resupply boxes sent via UPS, or carry supplies they know hikers need (such as stove fuel sold by the ounce, propane cartridges, hiking socks, and freeze-dried food.).
Guidebooks (available from the non-profit Appalachian Trail Conservancy) provide detailed information, including zip codes for post offices near the route, distances between road crossings, and distances from where the road crosses the trail to where the post office or town is actually located.
Food Drop Strategies for Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers
Strategies for resupply vary. Some hikers work out itiineraries for every day of the hike. For most people, that amount of detailed planning is counterproductive because the best-laid plans invariably change on a long-distance hike.
On the other end of the spectrum, some hikers simply throw some supplies in a bunch of boxes and send them to the smaller towns along the trail, figuring that they’ll make adjustments en route.
A small number of hikers don't use food drops at all. Resupplying along the trail puts them at the mercy of very small stores, which may not have suitable foods. This strategy is easier up front but more difficult on the trail.
Packing Food Drops for the Appalachian Trail
Using the data book, figure out a basic itinerary, based on anticipated mileage. If, for example, two trail towns are located about 60 miles apart, figure about 3 to 5 days to get from one to the next. Note that mileage (and therefore the number of days) will depend on whether it is the beginning of the hike, or the end (when hikers are faster and stronger), and where on the trial the section is (Hikers do bigger mileages in gentle Virginia than in tough and rocky Maine).
Then make a list on a piece of paper for each box, including: The name of the town where the box will be sent, the zip code, the anticipated arrival date, the number of days worth of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks to send. Then check off the items as the box is filled.
Don't worry about being too exact. The Appalachian Trail is located close enough to civilization that it is usually possibly to buy an extra box of macaroni and cheese or a jar of peanut butter. But having the majority of food items pre-packed means that time in town can be spent resting up for the next stretch of trail.
More Resources for Hiking the Appalachian Trail
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