Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion

Great bk filled to the brim with information. This one will undoubtably be wrapped in a ziploc and carried on my trip on the AT!!!

I did a southbound A.T. thru-hike this year (trail name "Mercury", if you were wondering), and I carried the 2007 edition of the Thru-Hiker's Companion with me (having received it as a Christmas present last year). With its detailed listings of trail features (shelters, campsites, water, road crossings, locations of grocery stores and towns, among others), this book was easily the most useful item of non-gear I carried. It's small and compact enough that it's not unreasonable to carry the entire thing, but it's also designed to be ripped into sections if you'd rather carry less weight. It's clear and concise, with a minimum of unnecessary detail -- what you need plus the occasional cultural note, and nothing more. The details it gives will be extremely important in resupplying, determining how much water must be carried (excepting summertime when sources begin to dry up) and where to stop each day, and just stopping off the trail for a good meal or a place to stay. The trail's well-marked enough that you don't need a map, so you'll need an idea of where things are along it, and this book does the job superbly. Beware: this isn't an A.T. how-to; get this book, but if you're a relative backpacking novice, get another book designed for that purpose too. I concur with the previous commenter who said to get the most recent edition. My 2007 edition was usable, but I found a number of places where businesses (and occasionally shelters) along the trail no longer existed, including once when I discovered such a closure after an extra mile of walking at the end of the day. There's no reason to get an older version when a newer version is just as easy to get and will be more accurate.

If I had to cut my gear for an Appalachian Trail hike down to two items, I would carry water and the Companion. Seriously, I would take the Companion with me even on section hikes, and possibly even on a day hike. After a long week of hiking up and down mountains and seeing nothing but trees, leaves, mud, rain, snow and the occasional deer, the Companion will keep you motivated by telling you just how far you have left to go before you can get a pizza or an all you can eat buffet. (After your first few weeks out, you'll really begin to appreciate the importance of a good all you can eat buffet!) Or a shower. And you probably need one by now. After spending four months out on the A.T. this year and comparing notes with other hikers, I found that the Companion was the most accurate guide of its kind. The ATC even posts updates on its Web site, which you can check when you get to a town. But be warned, you're best off to take the current year's Companion. Many things change along the Trail from one year to the next, and people who carried previous years' editions sometimes got confused by the changes. Also bring a plastic bag to keep it in. Mine got wet several times and while it's worse for wear (and lost the front cover) it's still serviceable. Though I would rather have kept it dry.

This slender little tome (along with the slimmer and somewhat less informative Appalachian Trail Data Book 2008) are absolute essentials for those considering the thru hike, or even a shorter hike. Chock full of essential information such as issues on the trail, post offices, hotels, etc. There is a trail description with features and services by state, miles from Springer and from Katahdin and elevations in readily available grid form, followed by a more detailed, really useful description of each feature listed. Invaluable. My advice to you: don't leave home without it!