Re: Attempt at AT without resupply!

Anyone following this story. Demetri Coupounas, the owner of Go-Lite tried to do the AT without resupply. He had done the LT and some other trails without resupply - but the AT attempt sounded poorly thought out. Apparently he had a change of plan by the time he got to Neel's Gap. (Interesting side story is how after the nasty split with Ray Jardine, Coupounas and Go-Lite have continued to grow and stay in the news and Jardine has faded).

[outside-blog.away.com]

OMG...I can't even imagine.

I just don't know how that is possible. I'll read the blog but I assume he was planting caches along the way?

I don't think he planned to do the whole trail. His goal was to go over 600 miles without resupply. 600 miles was the current record for a non-resupplied hike.

You're right Matt. He was going to go as far as he could get in 40 days. He says he had maps for 1100 miles, but would be happy with 621.

My bad for not being clear. I think his experience underlines the need to be weight efficient with food. He says he took 112 pounds of food and consumables. I think I'd try to take less food weight.

Also, I wonder what the rules are for hiking without resupply. Does it mean no picking berries on the trail? I assume it means not accepting food from anyone.

I'd give him major props for just hiking the entire trail w/ re-supplies...but this attempt just seems dumb to me.

on another note: in the blog there was a question about unusual items packed. 3 lubrications? wtf is THAT about?

I'm assuming that light hikers tend to go faster maybe?, so he might chafe a bit. But the quote about his needing a stick to reach a certain area to apply one of those lubricants brought up all types of bad visual images.

figured it was just me. Jeezuz...shoulder blades are kinda hard to reach and may require a stick....112+ lbs in a golite pack bound to leave some serious strap irritation.

Sticks should be OFF LIMITS anywhere else. Weirdness.

Hahahaha.

Still, 40 days. I don't know how you can carry that much food. His pack must be nuts.

Quote:

roseymonster
His pack must be nuts.

Sometimes backpacking is not fun. That seems like making it not fun on purpose.

Oh well, different folks have different motivations.

I have a pack that has done gear and food for two weeks without resupply. It was reeeeeeally heavy. This is a 7000ci+ Dana. I don't know how you could do enough food 40 days.

While 127 pounds (eight of them are chocolate!) is, to most, not a particularly light cargo, his journey is meant to affirm the company’s core values—that the outdoors is a lot more fun once you take a load off. uhhh, OK! yeah, the lubrication thing does conjure freaky images, especially if you saw the "Nat Geo" episode of what prison inmates do with saved up pads of butter! and a 1000 miles of maps... on the AT? I dunno, maybe I'd forgoe all those maps for a can of smoked oysters?!?
~ Good Luck, Dude!!!

I once met a thruhiker with a dog. His doggie carried his own kibble and all the thru hiker was carrying for food was a sack of bulgar.

Yeah, I think I'd do the GPS with Topos and a solar recharger.

I've done 100lbs+ pack, cross country with mud up to my knee and in the pouring rain. It sucked.

That's just insane. I think the man's going to be wishing he had at least two more lubricants before the first four days are through.

Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.

Yeah for real.. if i was to ever attempt to the the AT I'd have me a road crew.

I mean, WHY?!? you'd think someone from Golite would have more sense...

He prolly culd do it if he used my pakpak. (it is a verry good pakpak bwt)