Hey friends! Long distance hikes can be an incredible adventure, but sometimes it's hard to know where to start. So I wanted to share some of the things I did to prepare for my FHT thru-hike. I hope you find this helpful! Especially if you've been dying to hike this trail, but a little overwhelmed by all the planning.
In Summary:
Getting Experience - familiarizing myself with the trail and surrounding area. Short trips at first that turned into longer stays in the backcountry.
Pros vs. Cons - considering factors like weather and which season would give me the best advantage to successfully complete the hike.
East or West? - deciding if I was going to start in Oconee and work my way up to the tougher sections OR start in Table Rock and tackle Pinnacle Mt. and Sassafras Mt. in the first days.
Planning the Actual Route - coming up with a rough plan. About how far I wanted to go each day and what my camping options were for each section. I used the guidebook to mark a route and important waypoints on GAIA GPS.
Logistics - scheduling a shuttle to get from point A to point B. Deciding if I wanted to leave my car at the end and get a ride to the start OR getting a shuttle at the end and driving my car to the start having it there just in case I need to turn around.
You can find videos of my thru-hike, pictures, and extra details from my trail journal HERE on my website and blog: https://www.seagrasstosassafras.com/blog/categories/foothills
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