Date: 2016-05-18
From: Pinefield Shelter

To: Bearfence Shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Getting into camp late, and successfully setting up is dependent upon your confidence in your skills and the level of patience you have. Many refuse to do it because of the frustration involved. Finding the perfect spot is difficult when you walk into an area you know absolutely nothing about. But you can train yourself to pick up on certain factors that make that spot quickly identifiable so that you can set up as quickly and as effectively as possible. If you're camping at a shelter spot, then you're there for the water source and the privy, otherwise you can stealth camp on about 95% of the trail. When I first come in I identify where these are as well as where the shelter is. The shelter is where the majority of people will be gathered. I personally like to be away from this so that I can have privacy and not have to listen to 12 other people tossing, turning and snoring in the night. Once I've identified where I don't want to be then I note where the privy and water are so that I know when the time comes to utilize both of these sources. Next comes finding the little piece of land to call home for the night. I have the advantage of having a hybrid system. Yes it's heavier than most other systems people use out here, but I have affectionately begun to refer to it as, "Chateau de Greyhound." Hybrid means I can hammock or tent. When you tent you NEED a flat spot. Otherwise you are miserable all night rolling down an incline or trying to avoid that rock that seems to mysteriously move underneath you. When you hammock, you don't necessarily need a flat spot, although it helps. A level spot gives you somewhere to lay your gear without it rolling around on you. I can throw the hammock up over rocks, logs, streams and soggy ground in a pinch. Again not ideal, but doable. So with all of this in mind, all I need is two trees 12-18' apart, clear enough around to stretch out my rainfly, and I'm good to go. In their attempts to avoid the dark, the majority of hikers arrive into camp roughly an hour before dark so that they may be ready for bed. I have no problem with this, in fact yes, it's loads earlier to be set up by nightfall. Arriving late into camp is similar to being late for any event in life be it work, meetings or dinner plans. When you're late for something, you become derailed in the fluster of unpreparedness. This of course coming from the guy who's convinced that there's always more time to be had, and as a result, the guy who's always late. The downside to this approach though is developing a stringent routine. That is to say, if you're not awake at a certain time, then you can't be out of camp at a certain time, then you can't get your miles in before dark, so you can't go as far. I don't subscribe to this. If I want to wake up early and do some large mileage, then I do it. If I want to stay in my hammock until noon, and hike until midnight, then I do it. The AT is about reconnecting with basic human necessities and finding inner peace through nature. If you put yourself on a schedule, what liberation from the modern world are you offered?This is not to say that all routine has to go out the window. Putting things in the same spot in your pack, and setting up camp the same way each night are useful tools to ensure maximum productivity. But productivity means more times enjoying yourself on the trail.Even though the second you get into camp all you want to do is tear open your food bag and crumble to the ground, there's much more that needs to be done. Shelter needs to be set up, wet clothes hung out to dry, water for cooking needs to be gathered, and of course your bear bagging cord needs to be hung so that you're not fumbling in the dark to get it up on some precarious limb over head. Then, once all of this is done, you can eat. Tonight I came into camp just at dark. I left camp at 10:30 this morning and was still able to get in my 21 miles before dark. Yesterday I was able to trudge 25 through pouring rain and fog. It has been a bit disappointing to come to all of these side trails leading to vistas only to be let down by a blank white canvas of cloud cover. When I woke up, my clothes were still completely soaked. If you're interested recreating this situation I'll offer an experiment. With all of your clothes on, submerge yourself completely into a swimming pool. Proceed to walk 25 miles in those clothes making a nice big loop around your town. Take those wet clothes and put them in your refrigerator. Then in the morning, wake up, put those clothes on, and do it all again. These conditions aren't favorable, but just as with every lesson learned on the AT, knowing that you can is strength to walk away with.