The Thru-hiker's Handbook (Georgia to Maine 2001): #1 Guide for Long-Distance Hikes on the Appalachian Trail [Paperback]

Dan Bruce (Author), Dan 'Wingfoot' Bruce (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: Center for Appalachian Trail Studies; 11th edition (January 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963634291
• ISBN-13: 978-0963634290
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,660,560 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better Than The Data Book, April 6, 2001

By 

Randy Given (Manchester, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Thru-hiker's Handbook (Georgia to Maine 2001): #1 Guide for Long-Distance Hikes on the Appalachian Trail (Paperback)

This book is about the same size as the "AT Data Book" but has a lot more information. Has the usual information like mountains, shelters, mail drops, but includes small maps of towns with places to eat, get food, sleep, etc. Also, instead of just saying "w" for water-is-available, usually indicates where it is. For example, it might be 1) "to the left 150 feet"; 2) "off the AT about 0.1 mile, not visible from Trail; watch for tiny sign on a tree. Water is quite a way down from the shelter, but cold and dependable" or 3) "off the AT on 0.3 side trail to the left, tent platforms nearby, water source is spring". That kind of detail can make a difference when you are planning your hike for the next day.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As essential as breathing and sleeping, October 28, 2001

By 

Brooks Kelley (Euless, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Thru-hiker's Handbook (Georgia to Maine 2001): #1 Guide for Long-Distance Hikes on the Appalachian Trail (Paperback)

I used it for a successful thru-hike of the AT. Maybe thousands by now. I think that about says it all.

Only about 7,000 people have completed this awesome task. Wingfoot did it many times. He knows the trail and what it takes to do it. He goes to great pains to update it every year with the latest trail information, hostels, town maps, equipment suggestions, and more.

Those who used the book had a higher success rate than the approx. 4,000+ people who attempt it each year. Out of those 4,000+, only about 500 will make it. I was one of those. Of those who finished with me, about 90% carried Wingfoots book and used it all the time. It was as essential to us as breathing and sleeping...

Mr. Boo AT GA --> ME 1999 6 months 7 Days
...

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only guidebook you need for the Appalachian Trail!, December 23, 2001

By 

Bruce L. Nelson "'Alone Across Alaska' and '7... (Fairbanks, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Thru-hiker's Handbook (Georgia to Maine 2001): #1 Guide for Long-Distance Hikes on the Appalachian Trail (Paperback)

I am one of the happy thru-hikers who used Wingfoot's book in the summer of 2001. My
dog-eared copy was consulted several times a day for 17 weeks.

Most folks hiking the trail are especially interested to learn certain things; where can I:
eat, sleep, eat, do laundry, eat, find water, find the next shelter, call home, buy some more
Advil, get a motel room, pick up my mail, eat, find stove fuel, buy a new pair of shoes,
and eat. Running mileages make it easy to figure out how far it is, or was, to any
important point along the trail. There are maps of the most important trail towns.

This book covers all those basics. I think it strikes a nearly perfect balance between
covering enough, and covering too much. A smaller, lighter book is important to most
hikers, at least at the end of their hikes!

In addition to the basic information outlined above there are interesting facts on wildlife,
flowers, and history.

I used my copy of The Thru-Hiker's Handbook as a journal, as I found plenty of space to
write the events of the day along the margins, thus saving me additional weight and
making it easy to reference my entries to where I was along the trail at the time.

If you're going to make a long hike on the AT, you're going to want this book. If I give it
5 stars, I mean it! Enjoy your hike.

Colter