First time doing a solo trip traveling from Wisconsin and after getting my Wilderness First Responder last month! Super excited to do another section next summer, hopefully Grayson Highlands. Huge shoutout to the Four pines Hostel for the amazing hospitality off trail!
Hello! I am going on a trip to NC to get my Wilderness First Responder for my college outdoor program. A friend and I will be going from there to VA to do this hike and I was looking for tips and conditions as I know this hike is in july and was wondering about info regarding weather and other issues that may arise. We are experienced backpackers, getting our gear treated with permethrin, have filters, rain gear, plan on tenting/hammocking, bear bagging, using Inreach mini 2 (I am not planning on bringing a sleeping bag due to heat is this a mistake as mine is 20 degrees?) also can carry each up to 5 L of water. I have done four AT sections, with my late grandfather as a teen a few years ago only in NC SC TN and GA, he had a picture on McAfee knob, this is part of why I am so driven to going through this in late July as I am from Wisconsin so being in the area helps.
My current plan is doing a 4 day trip as the first day we can do after leaving NC in the morning and buying food and supplies at REI on the way.
This would be 3 miles parking at dragons tooth trailhead, hike to lost spectacles gap from the side trail starting at the lot going and seeing dragons tooth in the late afternoon. Camping at Lost as well.
I planned 12 miles starting with connecting trails from Dragons tooth trail to AT at 8am and getting water at the creek near Newport road and the Four Pines Hostel, going through Catawba Mt shelter or John Spring for water later on, onwards over the knob and down to Campbell shelter for the night.
10 mile day with tinker cliffs, filling in the morning, if running low mid day we have Lamberts meadow water, otherwise filling at either Catawba little or regular creek as from my understanding the next 10? miles from Catawba to Tooth Trailhead is dry. Taking Andy Layne trail to North Mt We will then camp before N Mt trail 263 at either two campgrounds before the intersect.
I looked into Turkey trail but was unclear to see any water sources as I see a creek run through it. Otherwise 11 miles no water on N Mt trail to the trailhead after a walk down VA 311.
Thanks for reading and any tips given!