AT Trek North Carolina Tentative Itinerary
June 24th-July 13th, 2012
The Hante Program and Eagle’s Nest Camp have a long and intimate history with the Appalachian Trail. Hundreds of Eagle’s Nesters have taken to the trail and discovered the beauty and serenity of discovering the rhythmic life of backpacking on the AT. Of the many sections of the trail that the Hante Program has trekked, the Roan Mountain Highlands of North Carolina is by far one of our favorites. Beginning in Sam’s Gap, TN and ending in the wonderful town of Roan Mountain, this section takes hikers along beautiful ridges, through open meadows of blooming mountain laurel, past refreshing mountain cascades, all while providing glorious views of the surrounding country. There truly is nothing that compares to trekking 100 miles on the Appalachian Trail.
June 24th
Arrive at Eagle’s Nest Camp to begin getting to know one another and prepping for the trail! We’ll play some games, look over our route, and enjoy our time in the Sun Lodge, Hante’s home base.
June 25th - 26th
Packing out and preparing for our trip in the Sun Lodge. We’ll learn about packing out food and checking out the gear necessary to live on the trail. During the time that we’re on the Trail, we’ll be carrying about a week’s worth of food and all of our camping supplies, so we’ll learn how to keep our packs light by taking only essential items and being creative with our menus. We’ll also continue to get to know our group and set goals together by discussing what it’s like to live in a community of hikers for 12 or more days.
June 27th
Depart for the trail, and first day of hiking! We’ll drive north from Pisgah Forest to the southern terminus of our hike at Sam’s Gap. Our first night of the trail we will be camping above 5000’ near Big Bald, the highest point between the Smokies and our final ascent of Roan Mountain.
June 28th
Begin hiking along the Appalachian Trail with your home on your back. This section is known for its spectacular highland views and beautiful wildflowers. Aside from the wonders of nature, the group will spend time developing important camp craft skills, developing friendships and learning how to live with everything they need on their backs. Each day we’ll hike an average of about 8 miles, stopping in scenic spots for lunch or a mid-day rest. In the evenings we’ll cook a group dinner and enjoy the feeling of pride and accomplishment after a day of hiking. Over the course of the 14 days we expect to hike about 80 miles.
July 3rd - 6th
Trail maintenance and restoration. The first Hante was born with a simple trip on the Appalachian Trail over 30 years ago with our founder, Helen Waite. This year we are giving back and reforging our connection with the mountains by incorporating four days of service learning into our journey on the AT.
July 11th
Raft the Nolichucky River, and return for the Musical! What better way to celebrate the completion of a long hike than a rafting trip on the Nolichucky River? We will paddle through the Nolichucky Gorge on one of the last free-flowing rivers in the southeast. We think exhilarating white water is the perfect way to sit back and congratulate yourself for a job well done. We'll get off the river and the group will return to Pisgah Forest to be greeted and celebrated by Eagle’s Nest Camp just in time for the Musical!
July 12th
Last full day! We'll spend the morning cleaning and de-issuing gear. Later in the evening the group will enjoy a closing ceremony, a slideshow of photos documenting the journey, and time to laugh and share stories of their trip.
July 13th
Campers depart from Eagle’s Nest and on to future adventures.
