Other Trail Angels - Hostel Owners

The Greene Mountain House Hostel in Vermont

I've had the privilege of staying at many of the hostels along the Appalachian Trail (AT) during the course of both my northbound and southbound hikes, as well as now on my section hikes. Hostels provide a unique opportunities for hikers to get off the trail and to a real bed while showering, resupplying, doing laundry, and catching up with loved ones and friends. They are like homes away from home, and for the hostel owners, they are a real labor of love in serving the hiker community.

For this blog, I interviewed two hostel owners who provide fantastic services for hikers along the AT.

The first is Jeff, Owner of the Green Mountain House Hostel in Manchester Center, Vermont. I had the opportunity to stay at his hostel during my southbound hike in 2010, and the accommodations and friendliness are beyond words. Jeff makes you feel right at home.

So tell us, Jeff, why you decided to become a hostel owner.

After an early retirement opportunity, I section hiked the AT over a six year

period. Trail hostels intrigued me because no two are alike. When you decide to stay at an AT hostel you never quite know what you are getting yourself into. After an outstanding hiking experience, my wife and I decided to look throughout New England for a trail town in need of reasonably priced accommodations. Manchester Vermont fit the bill and to top it off, has close access to skiing, something my daughters and their families love to do.

 

Owning a hostel is an opportunity to create the perfect hiker service. However, managing a hostel is a completely different experience from hiking the trail. For example, there are no zeros, no days off during the hiking season. You are on duty 24/7 for months at a time. That is usually not a problem because your guests are almost always folks you like to be around, have similar interests and tell great stories of their grand adventure.

 

What are some unique aspects of your particular hostel? 

Our hostel is unique because our town is along the section of the AT that is also a part of the Long Trail running the length of Vermont. Manchester is usually the first town stop for the northbound Long Trail hiker. They come in the door tired and beat up by the trail. Some talk about finding a ride home. It is so exciting to listen to our AT hiker guests offer ideas and encouragement to these first timers.  Usually the conversations work their magic and very few hikers end up quitting the trail. 

I hear it's made some changes in you too! 

 

My wife loves to tell her friends about my hostel housekeeping duties like cleaning toilets, washing sheets and scrubbing floors. For the first 30 years of our marriage, I rarely took on those responsibilities. Now, I spend free time asking friends about housecleaning tips, cleansers and the best fabric softener. 

What do you offer hikers?  

 

Since we have a strict no alcohol policy, we don't attract the party crowd. Most hikers are looking for clean, comfortable accommodations, a chance to shower, rest and recharge. Our place does not provide meals to guests. What we do offer is the use of a large, well equipped kitchen. Hikers love this feature and take full advantage. Most evenings I see group dinners prepared for all the guests. I am usually invited to eat, but discovered long ago that if I do not hike like a thruhiker, I cannot eat like a thruhiker.

 

On most sunny days I wish I could hike out of town with my guests. Of course, on those rainy days I am happy to wish them well and look forward to their summit photo on Katahdin, Springer or the Canadian border.

 
Next I want to introduce Laurel, the owner of the Teahorse Hostel in the famous town of Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. Laurel loves hikers and provides some great services for both thru and section hikers, as well

Laurel makes waffles each morning for hikers

as an active shuttle service.

Why did you decide to become a hostel owner? 
I have traveled a fair amount and stayed in a lot of hostels. When I decided to open a business, I wanted to open a hostel because I have enjoyed them so much.

What are some of the pluses and minuses to it?

Plus: I meet people from all walks of life - and from different countries of the world.
Minus: My pet peeve is people doing stuff they wouldn't do in their own home: like a super-glue project with no protection for the table or floor. This is why you can see super glue on the table and on the floor.

What does your hostel provide?

The Teahorse provides for each person a bunk, shower and waffle breakfast for $33 plus tax. We have a common area and full kitchen and a guitar!

Any interesting guest stories to tell? 

Recently a young man with a 90-pound pack arrived at the hostel, having spent the previous week hiking the Maryland AT. On hand were five veteran hikers from Vermont, two southbound thruhikers, and 2 bicyclists, one of whom had thruhiked the AT 2 years before. They did an "intervention" on him: one person advised him that anything he hadn't used in the previous week of hiking he should get rid of. They managed to convince him to take out 15 pounds of gear, including an 18" machete. He continued south a little lighter.


Green Mountain House Hiker Hostel - Manchester Center, Vermont
Teahorse Hostel - Harpers Ferry, WV - owner:  Laurel Drake


For other great hostels - see your guidebook! And check out the new AT Passport System that allows you to get your passport stamped each time you stay at a hostel. Makes a great memory of your trail adventure.  

Related Blogs:
Town Etiquette for Hikers
Northbound vs Southbound: Outfitters and Resupply

Thru Hiking the Appalachian Trail on a Budget

Blissful Hiking welcomes a guest blog post by "Biscuits" who just completed his thru hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2012. He offers advice on how to have a cheap but memorable thru hike.

I completed the trail this year 2012 northbound from 3/22-7/23 (4 months 1 day with 10 zeros). Yes, I went kind of fast. Not because I had to, but because that was my pace. I spent under $2600. This $2600 includes everything from getting off the plane in Atlanta to stepping off the plane in Dallas. This was done with zero maildrops. I purchased all my food on the trail. I recommend starting the trail with $4000+ but that does not mean you have to spend it all.
Hiker hostel in Georgia ($80), includes dinner, breakfast, pickup from airport, drop of at Amicalola State Park

First, What the $2600 does not include: starting gear, plane ticket to Atlanta, first 4 days of food.

What $2600 bought me:
$150 spent on 2 pairs of new shoes, $50 on 3 new pairs of socks, $40 for superfeet, $35 raft at NOC, other on trail gear purchases (aqua mira, etc.), and around $300 for bus/plane ticket home from Boston.
~$575 on gear/trip home

I stayed in hostels all the time and a few hotels which I always shared (all prices subject to change for 2013): Bold - likely to be around in 2013 Non-bold - unlikely to be available in 2013 ? - unsure of price

Green Mountain Hostel in Vermont

1. Ron Haven's Budget Inn Hiawassee (split 4 ways, my share $16), a cheap rundown hotel
2. Elmers in Hot Springs ($36), beautiful 1800's Victorian Mansion, $20 bed 2x per room, $10 dinner, $6 breakfast
3. Uncle Johnnys Erwin ($8), $8 to tent, Not worth it in my opinion. Included shower and towel. Should have swam in the river 10 feet outside of the hostel and tented out of town
4. Kincora x3 ($15 total), Donation based, lots of AT heritage, bed, shower, laundry
5. The Place Damascus, VA x2 ($12 total), Donation based, bed/shower
6. Vicar's House (free)
7. Holy Family Church Hostel Pearisburg, VA ($5?), Donation based, bed (note - this will be closing in September)
8. 4 Pines Hostel ($5), Donation based
9. Trail Angel's house in Daleville, VA (free)
10. friends house Waynesboro VA (free)
11. Trail Days tent city Damascus x2 ($5 total)
12. Front Royal Terrapin Station Hostel ($20?) bed, shower, laundry
13. Trail Angels House D.C. from Harpers Ferry x2 (free)
14. Ironmasters Mansion Hostel Pine Grove Furnace State Park, PA ($20?) bed, shower, dinner
15. Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse Boiling Springs, PA (split 2 ways, my share $20) $40 room is thru hiker rate includes bed and shower. Is a ritzy upscale penthouse for the retired rich. Food is extra but sooooo worth it. AYCE seafood was amazing for $13. Breakfast was also AYCE.
16. Jail House Hostel Palmerton, PA (free) Bed
17. Red Carpet Inn Wind Gap, PA (split 3 ways, my share $20) bed/shower
18. Church of the Mountain Delware Water Gap x2 ($10 total) Bed/shower, donation based
19. High Point Country Inn (split 2 ways, my share $20) Nice hotel. bed/shower. $7 laundry.
20. Clarence Fahnestock State Park, NY (tented free with showers etc.)
21. Bearded Woods hostel Falls Village, CT ($50) $50 includes bed, shower, dinner with first beer on house, Breakfast. Nicest place I stayed on the trail. New for 2012.
22. Upper Goose Pond Cabin, MA (free for thrus) bed
23. Toms house in Dalton, MA (free)
24. Green Mountain Hostel Manchester Center, VT ($20) bed, shower, laundry, free Ben & Jerrys
25. AMC Huts in the White Mountains, NH x3 (work for stay) bed, leftovers
26. White Mountain Lodge and Hostel Gorham, NH ($20?) bed, shower, laundry, breakfast
27. Trail Angel House Rangely, ME (free)
28. Northern Outdoors Caratunk, ME (split 4 ways, my share $20) bed, shower, hot tub, game room, coin laundry
29. Tented at Hiker Haven (free)
30. Abol Bridge Campground, ME ($10)
31. Appalachian Trail Lodge and Cafe Millinocket, ME ($25) bed, shower, laundry

~$437 for hostels and hotels, I stayed at a few more campgrounds that I can not remember that were around $5 each (showers/elec). A total of 32 stays some double and triple nights with 124 days on the trail, so roughly a bed/shower/laundry every 4 days. The biggest reason however for staying at a hostel was they typically included rides into town for groceries when stores were outside of reasonable walking distance.

$2600-$575-$437= $1588
~$1588 is how much I spent on food/fuel/consumables.
On the trail I typically carried around 4 days of food. Through the Smokies I carried 5 days of food. From NJ to Mass I carried around 2 days of food. The deli's from NJ to Mass are amazing other than paying $1 for fruit!
This averages to ~$13 a day, or better ~$40 for 4 days of food from the grocery + ~$10 at a restaurant. This is actually really close to receipt purchases. In the south before the appetite hit I was spending around $30 at the grocery stores. In the northern sections I was eating more and the price of food went up, so I was spending around $50.

Trail Food: Breakfast consisted mostly of pop tarts. In the earlier colder sections I had oatmeal and cream cheese + bagels too. Cream cheese did not survive in the summer. Cereal bars were amazing but more expensive compared to pop tarts.
Lunch consisted of salami/cheese, or peanut butter/chocolate, or tuna on sandwich thins/tortillas.
Dinner consisted of tuna, chicken pouches, lipton sides, mac n cheese, peanut butter sandwich thins, cheese, salami, couscous, instant mashed potatos, stuffing etc. I ate ramen a max of 5 times.
Snacks: bars, M&Ms, raisins, mixed nuts, peanuts, almonds, fruit, chocolate, cookies, little debbies (not often), mixed fruit, gummies

Some further break downs. Out of that ~$1588 food budget I ate ~$500 (120 days x 4 per day x ~$1 each) in bars (power bars, cliff bars, luna bars, kind bars, etc.). I ate somewhere around $150 in pop tarts.

In my opinion I splurged often and enjoyed myself. Plenty of comfortable nights and good food. Sometimes even at nicer sit down restaurants and an occasional AYCE (all you can eat). I enjoyed my hike and I have no regrets not spending more money. I got to see Washington D.C. (on Memorial Day btw), and everything else the trail had to offer. Admittedly I would have liked to see NYC, but the opportunity was not logistically simple enough. AT train only runs on weekends 

So what does this all mean or "some tips for spending less"?

• If I did the average 6 month completion date I would have spent around $3400 if everything went perfect (no broken gear). I saved myself $800 spending 2 less months on the trail. Walk faster or walk longer (get up early or walk later into the day, spend less time eating lunch, maybe even eat lunch on the go)
• If I varied my diet less and consumed cheaper food (peanuts instead of bars, off brand pop tarts, more ramen) I could have easily saved a lot of food money. ~$100 saved eating only ramen, ~$300 saved eating peanuts instead of bars, etc.
• If I only went to donation based hostels and did not donate I could have saved $437.
• Don't pay to set up your tent. You can save that money by walking out of town and setting up your tent.
• Do not splurge on activities if money is tight. Rafting was incredibly fun, but I would not have gone if it would break the bank.
• If money is an issue avoid tourist traps (Gatlinburg, D.C., NYC etc.)
• Don't buy new gear until you have properly worn out your current gear. I bought 2 pairs of shoes at the same time to save on shipping when my first pair died. I never needed the third pair because the second made it barely to Katahdin.
• Maildrops have their pros and cons. They may save you money.
• Some towns cater to hikers. I got free food, free lunch, free drinks etc. The guide book has most of these, but sometimes trail rumors and registries can hold some gems.
• People are nice. They may offer you some serious trail magic if they notice you are thru hiking and live close by. Be courteous and people will open their doors for you.
• Hiker boxes can contain just what you were looking for. Hit them before going shopping.
• If you hike with others and they receive maildrops hit them up before they drop any extras in the hiker box.
• Double nero instead of taking a zero. Short walk into town, sleep in town, leave town late next day and don't walk far out of town. Spend money for 1 night in hostel/hotel instead of 2 nights for a zero.
• Take your zeros at cheap hostels instead of expensive ones.
• Share hotels with other hikers
• Don't pay for slackpacking.

I personally don't think you can hike the trail under $1500 anymore. It might be possible with some serious frugal tendencies (dumpster diving), starting overweight to consume less while still hiking fast, and luck. Even if you did I think at some point you need to consider if doing so will be detrimental to the experience. If not, all the power to you. In the end, you need to hike your own hike. Use every tip I have and hike as cheap as possible, hike similar to me and splurge now and than, or don't and hike like a king. Just enjoy yourself and hike safe.

Related Blogs:
Northbound vs Southbound - the Beginning
Northbound vs Southbound - the Social Aspects
Northbound vs Southbound - Resupply
Observations of a Two Week AT Start

Southbound vs Northbound Part III - Outfitters and Resupply (Food, Fuel, and Gear)

My son, Paul Bunyan, hangs out at one of our resupply points NOBO in '07 - the Post Office at Unionville, NY

Resupply options vary greatly northbound vs southbound. Which is why its better if you have a good plan and a good trail guide to help you out. I used the ALDHA (Appalachian Trail Long Distance Hikers) companion to assist with my resupply points both north and south. AWOL makes a popular guide AT Hiker Guide for both northbund and southbound editions. It contains the data needed for resupply along with small maps of towns to help plan. Most of all it lets you know where to get off to buy food, fuel, gear etc. Its crucial to have a guide like this and to spend some time looking it over, especially in the beginning of a hike, to help you in that first week you are out and getting used to the rigors of daily trail life. Once you become trail-hardened in all aspects AT-wise, resupply will come natural.

I did a combination of buying food and resupplying via maildrops. You can read my blog on what I put into maildrops and places where you might need them (see the related blog listing below). I used about the same amount of hiker mail drops also for my southbound hike, with the exception of a few places. I found it easier to have someone back home do my thinking for me with regards to food, so when I arrived in town I could relax and enjoy my time off rather than spend bunches of time hitching for a ride or at the store trying to figure out food options for five days of trail. But I also liked to have cheese, fresh bread, and other food stuffs fresh from the store. Check out this blog about the hiker food choices I did bring.

So what are the options for resupply both in food, fuel, and gear? 

Southbound

Southbounders need to be more self sufficient as the options for resupply and outfitters are fewer and far between. They are faced with the 100 mile wilderness, but there are options for food and for gear resupply if you need it.

 White House Landing is the choice for many hikers after they leave Abol Bridge (which itself has a small grocery store). WHL caters to hikers with a resupply store, lodging and food. You can also mail home excess gear here. But it is not cheap. After all, its out in the middle of nowhere, across a lake,and requires a water taxi (which they provide). So expect to pay $$ while you are here. Another option if you have gear issues is to hitch a ride out a Gulf Hagas (there is a parking lot there and day hikers are usually in abundance esp on weekends) to the town of Greenville, Maine that has two outfitters (one is pretty good) a motel, and a great restaurant with the best broasted chicken. Hitching back to the trail can be a bit of an issue though, and it also requires a small fee to access the logging roads, payable at the entrance station. But if you are having gear issues, (we had some last year with broken water pumps and in need of Aqua Mira) this is an option unless you can wait until Monson. Shaws in Monson does have a small hiker store also, but call ahead to see what they have in stock (they usually carry fuel canisters, socks, some hydration, etc). They are also equipped to shuttle you to the larger outfitter in Greenville if you need it or you can hitch.

Other good towns to resupply farther along in Maine are Stratton and Rangeley. Caratunk has a post office where you can send yourself a mail drop (as long as it remains open, check your AT guides for updates). Some elect to go to Northern Outdoors for food, etc, but this requires a hitch. There is a small grocery store down the road from the resort, but I found it had little when I was there. So a mail drop is a good option, and the postmistress there was hiker-friendly.

Once you hit Gorham, NH resupply gets easier, and you can pretty much rely on the guidebook for town resupply options. However with rumors of post offices possibly closing like in Glencliff, NH, a mail drop to the Hiker Welcome Hostel  will work to get you to Hanover. There are outfitters at Gorham (limited gear), Pinkham Notch (limited), Lincoln, Hanover, Killington, Rutland, Manchester Center (a good one and a great hostel, Green Mountain House run by Jeff. Be sure to stop here). A small outfitter exists in Kent but with mixed reviews. Your next best place for an outfitter after that is Delaware Water Gap. Then Cabelas at Port Clinton (NOTE - at Port Clinton, PA there is a big Wal mart and a buffet place. Good spot now to resupply). Then Harper's Ferry. And so on. My favorite outfitter is Rockfish Gap Outfitters at Waynesboro, VA. They are well known too for warranty issues. So be sure to stop here and tell them Blissful sent you! From there on outfitters and town stops abound. Check your guides for where they are at. However, as late fall approaches, some services that cater to NOBO hikers are closing up for the season. Like shuttle providers and even small grocery stores (like the one at NOC which closes by early November). So plan accordingly.

Northbound

Mountain Crossings at Neel Gap, GA. The trail goes right through it.

Northbound has it much easier in the resupply route early on. Services such as stores, hostels, shuttle providers, etc cater to the northbound hiker with start dates at Springer Mtn from late Feb through April. Resupply is not an issue if you have a guidebook to know where they are. Just three days after Springer is a full service outfitter Mountain Crossings to help with your gear needs. They also accept mail drops and do have food for sale. After that, there are eager providers to help the needy hiker. Outfitters are modestly spaced out, usually good enough to obtain a fuel canister if you use it among other things. There is an outfitter in Gatlinburg, a great one in Hot Springs, and in Johnson City from Erwin if you get a hitch. Damascus has 2. Daleville has an outfitter right beside a huge Kroger grocery store (best of both worlds). Then Waynesboro's great outfitter and so on northward (see Southbound above). Towns are readily available about every four days.  And lodging options abound. And don't forget either, whether you go north or south, the great delis and hot dog stands of New York, a highlight of my hike as far as culinary lunches.

North or South, you can find what you need with a little planning.

Related Blogs:

What Goes in Maildrops
Maildrop List for the Appalchian Trail
Thru Hiking the Appalachian Trail on a Budget

Southbound vs Northbound Part 1 The Beginning...

Beginning the AT Southbound, via the Abol Slide Trail, at Baxter State Park, Maine 2010

Welcome to a series of blogs on Southbound (SOBO) vs Northbound (NOBO) Appalachian Trail hikes. Since I have done both, I felt it a good idea to share some thoughts about each area that I hiked, as well as gear selections, food, prep, the trail itself, etc. It is hoped this will help interested hikers make informed decisions with regards to planning a southbound vs northbound attempt and ensure an adventuresome and exciting experience.

Whether ending or finishing, Katahdin in Baxter State Park in Maine is king of the Appalachian Trail. And it acts like one. It makes its own rules, has its own weather patterns, is unpredictable but yet grand. The rules in Baxter State Park can be confusing for both NOBO and SOBO hikers. For the hiker starting their grand adventure at this peak, there are a few rules one must follow. Baxter does have a backpacker's campsite (the Birches), but it is reserved ONLY for hikers who have completed at least the 100 mile wilderness. And normal SOBO hikers don't fall into that category. So the SOBO hiker must reserve a campsite at Katahdin Stream before and after their summit hike.

I found the reservation process quite smooth and without any hitches. Although they recommend reserving your campsite far in advance, I noticed plenty of sites still available only a few short weeks before my July 1st start (and near the big July 4th holiday, which was surprising). Not to say you shouldn't plan early, as you should. But it is not that arduous a process. You mail in your required forms, and they promptly issue a return form in the mail with the reservation set. Make sure you have this form on your person when you enter the park as they will check it at the entrance station and again at your campsite. Here is a link to Baxter State Park for all its rules and the reservation process. You can also check availability of sites. I used a walk-in site at Katahdin Stream myself, but they also have lean-tos. Also, new for 2014, they have extended their campsie season,including the Birches, for all you late comers.

We found it a more interesting experience taking a different trail up to the peak instead of hiking the Hunt Trail (which is the official AT route) both up and down. We took the Abol Slide Trail up (you need to get a short hitch from Katahdin Stream campsite to this trailhead) and came down the Hunt Trail (located right at Katahdin Stream). (Update NOTE- Abol Slide Trail Will be closed for 2014 season!) It cannot be overemphasized that for a hiker not in condition (which SOBOs are not, let's face it) this is a very difficult day. We had weather too on the mountain with fierce wind and sleet pellets. It took us a total of 10 hours to make the circuit hike (yes, that was a long time for us). But allow yourself plenty of time for the hike. Get out early. Be sure to have cold weather gear even in July, including rain gear, in your day pack (unless it is perfectly clear out. Though we had clear weather at the bottom, but Katahdin had its own cloud at top. Weather blows in fast). You will be very tired after this hike, even carrying a daypack (which you can pick up at the ranger station the night before. Get yours early as some of the condition of the daypacks leave much to be desired). You will likely be pretty sore also. So take it easy for a few days afterwards as you head south until your muscles have a chance to recover and heal. Before you leave Katahdin Stream, the rangers allow you to leave your garbage at the ranger station. They really are hiker friendly in the park. The next day we did 10 miles through Baxter State Park and stayed at the paid campsite at Abol Bridge and glad we did. They are hiker friendly there also and had nice sites they hold for backpackers. With showers, a campstore, and a pretty pond, it made for a nice beginning. Take it easy for a few days after that. Soon your muscles will feel better.

Our start at the Approach Trail at Amicalola Falls State Park, March 5, 2007

A return in 2013.

For those starting their trek NOBO at Amicalola Falls State Park, there also needs to be some planning. But there are no backpacking reservations to be had. There is a free shelter right behind the visitor center at the state park where you can stay before starting your hike up the Approach Trail (which, by the way is not the AT but a trail that goes roughly nine miles to the start of the AT on Springer Mountain). Many hikers also choose to stay at the Hiker Hostel run by Josh and Leigh Saint. They offer thru hiker rates, a bed, breakfast, and transportation to the trailhead. If you come by bus or plane, they can often pick you up with prior arrangements. They accept mail drops of gear and fuel can also be mailed there (check with them to see if they carry your type of fuel in stock). If you are sectioning, you can leave a car at the park at the lot across from the visitor center. Like Kathadin, there is an approach trail to the summit of Springer Mt where the AT officially starts. There are also easier ways to summit Springer, such as taking a drive up to a parking lot just a mile shy of the summit and starting there (and I met hikers that did do just that). But I believe that a true approach of hiking to the starting point of your grand AT adventure puts you right into the spirit of the hike and gets it off on a good footing. Besides, although the stairs are steep, the route by the falls is awesome.

Amicalola Falls

You feel like you have already accomplished something by hiking to it rather than taking an "easy" way to the initial start. Its a good morale booster. It gives you a good feeling when, at the end of a tiring day (or rainy day as I had), you can stand on Springer, look at the first White Blaze, and say, "Here I am. The first white blaze of my long trek northward. And I'm ready to do it!"

The hike up the Approach Trail will take you all day also, but it is certainly not the rigorous ascent that one faces SOBO at Katahdin. Nor is there any descent to speak of. You will still be sore, granted. But it is much easier in the woods of Georgia, without weather extremes and hazards. It's a gentler way to start. But still interesting and full of excitement, to be sure.

Other posts in the series:

Northbound vs Southbound Part II The Social Aspects

Northbound vs Southbound Part III Outfitters and Resupply