Slackpack the Entire Georgia AT - Fri, Oct 10 2014

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page. This is a paid event with payment managed through the AOC. Please read the event description carefully for details; you will be given payment instructions after you sign up. Late payments are NOT accepted for this event, in any circumstance.



Slackpack the Entire Georgia AT


The Basics:
Event Type:Adventure
Event Location: Georgia Appalachian Trail   Adventure: Slackpack the Entire Georgia AT  National Weather Service Forecast
Date(s) & Time:Fri, Oct 10 2014  6:00 pm >> Sat, Oct 18 2014 10:00 am  (Carpool Departure: 3:00 pm   *log in for location*)
Registration Opens: Mon, Mar 17 2014 8:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Tue, Jul 1 2014 6:00 pm
Event Duration:7 Days 16 Hours
Difficulty Rating:D5: Difficult (Exploratory)
Distance:82.3 Miles
Pace:Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
John Stirman
Kevin
Email Trip Leader(s)
You must be logged in to get the Trip Leader contact information.
Member Cost:$280.00/Person (See Detailed Cost Info Below)

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:15
Minimum Group Size:4
Number Registered So Far: 16 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Note: This is an "EXPLORATORY" trip. This means that there are parts of this trip, or perhaps the whole trip, that is new to your Trip Leader(s). However, they are confident that this will not be an issue.
This note is here so that you can make an informed decision. When a Trip Leader isn't personally familiar with a trip, there is an increased chance of things not going as planned and you need to be prepared. The Trip Leader may have additional details in the itinerary.

Itinerary:

     Ever dreamed of hiking the entire 78+ miles of the Georgia portion of the Appalachian Trail (GA AT)?  Perhaps (like me) you don’t have the backpacking gear yet and want to look at other options. Come join Kevin Berger and myself as we Slackpack the GA AT.  Slackpack? What is slackpacking? Simply defined, it is hiking a section of a trail without a fully loaded backpack, i.e. just using a daypack. It gives you the option to carry only what you need for a typical day hike.  We’ll be staying each night in bunk rooms at the wonderful Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega, GA.  Each morning they’ll cook us a hearty breakfast and then transport us to the trailhead – later that evening, they’ll pick us up and return to the Hostel.  Tripadvisor.com gives the Hiker Hostel an incredible 5 out of 5 stars with perfect marks in every category – and this from 20 reviewers!  

We have secured lodging for a total of 15 AOC members and hope you'll join us for this wonderful adventure!

     The daily hikes are individually listed as Moderate to Difficult with steep elevation gains on some days.  Including breaks; our pace will be 1.5 MPH and we’ll keep our group together while hiking.

NOTE: We will schedule several meetings to answer questions and organize ourselves for this event.  

Here is the basic itinerary for our GA AT adventure…

Check in by 6 PM on Friday October 10th

Day 1 (Oct. 11th) Springer to Hightower Gap:  9.5 miles (included backtracking the 0.9 miles to the official start blaze from the Springer parking lot) *We may also take a short side trail (Blue Blaze) to Long Creek Falls midway through this hike

Day 2 Hightower Gap to Woody Gap:  12.4 miles

Day 3 Woody Gap to Neel Gap:  10.7 miles *Includes a visit to Mountain Crossings Outfitter

Day 4 Neel Gap to Hogpen Gap:  6.9 miles

Day 5 Hogpen Gap to Unicoi Gap:  14.3 miles

Day 6 Unicoi Gap to Dicks Creek Gap:  16.7 miles *Blue Blaze to a wonderful vista near the end of the hike

Day 7 Dicks Creek Gap to NC and back to Blue Ridge Gap:  11.8 miles *Celebration dinner and presentation of the Georgia Thru-Hiker Patch at Pueblos Mexican Cuisine later that evening

Check out by 10 AM on Saturday Oct. 18th

These are rain or shine hikes with the only exception being taken for extreme weather (heavy rain is not considered extreme, strong lightening storms are).  In that case, we'll make up the additional miles over the next few days.


Required Items to Bring:

Proper Hiking Shoes

A good Day Pack

Refillable Water Containers (if you do not have a hydration system with your day pack)

Daily lunch or snack

Emergency Rain/Cold weather gear

A great attitude and ability to expect the unexpected.

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

Trekking Poles

Camera

Headlamp

Inexpensive Trail Magic items to hand out to AT SOBO thru-hikers we may meet along the way. (I'll explain more about this during our planning meetings.)

Comfortable casual clothes for evenings

Toiletries and other items you'd normally bring for a multi-night stay at a B&B


How to Get There:
Event Directions:

Directions to the Hiker Hostel

Located about 6 miles north of the metropolis of Dahlonega, GA, which is the closest town to the Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Head north on Highway 19/60.  They are the first paved drive on the left after Mile Marker 18 (just past McDonald Road). Look for the Hiker Hostel sign at 7693 Hwy 19N.

If you use GPS, you can also put in 34.61362374291087, -83.96459638362806 and it will direct you right to the Hiker Hostel!

Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):100Mile(s)
Carpool Departure Time: 3:00 pm
Carpool Location:   Log in for location
Carpool Directions:   Log in for directions
Carpool Cost: Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $40.00 using a reimbursement rate guideline of $0.400 per mile. The total amount should be divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver. This is a guideline, not a rule, for drivers but the cost should not be higher unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Notes:

Registration Requirements to Participate in this Event:

1. You must be either an AOC Trip Leader, be recommended by an AOC Trip Leader, or personally be known by me.  This requirement is in place to verify that you have the necessary level of fitness and, most important, that you are a sociable person who will get along with the rest of the group and will not engage in disruptive behavior.  Please put yourself on the waiting list.  I (John) will check whether you qualify, and, if you do, will move you to the list of participants on March 31st, provided the maximum number of participants has not been reached.  People that put themselves on the waiting list before you will have precedence.

2. After I move you to the list of participants, and only then, should payment be made to the AOC. If your payment has not been received by July 5th, I will move you back to the waiting list. 


Important information for paid events in which payment is managed through the AOC:

     - Payment must be received by the payment due date and prior to participation in the event.

     - Some paid events require a minimum number of registered participants. If that number is not met, the event will be canceled and refunds will be issued to those who have already paid.

     - Third-party vendors often require damage deposits. Each registrant agrees to be liable for and required to reimburse the Atlanta Outdoor Club for any withheld deposits due to the actions of or damages caused by that registrant.

     - No partial payments. All registrants must pay the posted Member Cost regardless of any agreement you may have with any party involved in the event.

     - Read the event description carefully for additional information, and contact the trip leader(s) with any questions.

* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cost & Payment:
Member Cost:$280.00/Person
Cost Includes:

8 nights at the Hiker Hostel

Breakfast each morning we hike

Shuttle Service to and from our trailheads each day

Tips for our hosts

80 Miler GA AT Patch (for those successfully completing all the hikes).

Payment Cut Off:Payment must be received by the AOC on Tue, Jul 1 2014.
Make a Payment:Click here for the details. PLEASE PAY AFTER YOU HAVE SIGNED UP BELOW.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.
*Note:

The cost of $280.00 is fully refundable until July 31st, 2014.

Refunds after the July 31st, 2014 are only possible if a (suitable) replacement person will take your place.

The deadline for replacing participants is August 15th, 2014; i.e. someone (approved by the trip leader) replaces you from the wait list and pays in full. If you are replaced, you will receive a full refund.

To implement the change both the old and the new participant must send me (John) an email confirming the change.

No refunds will be issued for cancellations after September 1, 2014.