Tuesday, Nov 22, 2022 - Florida Trail Prehike

 


FLORIDA TRAIL PREHIKE

It's been 14 months since I crested Mt. Katahdin and finished my 2021 Appalachian Trail thru-hike  (see https://waymakerat.blogspot.com).  When I finished that endeavor, I felt 95% sure that my serious hiking days were behind me.  Now, as I approach my 65th year of life, I have gotten the itch again (apparently, the itch is not contagious, as my wife still has no interest in putting on a pack and heading out with me this time).  I guess I should never say never when it applies to this compulsion that I have to take a long walk in the woods.

I've decided to attempt to tackle the "local" National Scenic Trail, which is known as the Florida Trail.  Of the 11 nationally designated National Scenic Trails, it is the southernmost one, and runs from the Everglades in south Florida (Great Cypress National Preserve) to Ft. Pickens at the western point of the Florida Panhandle (near Pensacola).  The trail itself is officially 1465 miles long but includes a couple of routing options (one around Lake Okeechobee - east or west, and one around Orlando - east or west).  Depending on which series of routes you take, the end-to-end hike is from 1100 - 1175 miles long.  It takes the average thru hiker about 3 months to complete.  The highest point on the trail is at Eglin Air Force Base in the panhandle at 272 feet above sea level.  For the most part, this means that the trail is relatively flat, especially compared to the other long trails.  I won't miss the climbs.

My current plan is to head out next week to the Oasis Visitor Center on Hwy 41 (between Naples and Miami) in the Big Cypress National Preserve (swamp), and hike north for about a week.  I will take Amtrak from Tampa to Miami, and then get a ride to the trail from there.  The first 30 miles or so of the hike consists of wading through the swamp in ankle to thigh deep water, camping at cypress domes along the way.  A cypress dome is a relative high spot in the swamps, where there is space to set up a tent a few feet above the water level, allowing for drying out overnight before tackling again the next day.  I hope to get through the worst of the swamp in 3 days, crossing I-75 on day three. 

From there, I plan to continue north through wooded trails, the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation, and assorted dirt roads, canal right of ways, and designated paths.  Camping will be in designated campsites along the trail for the most part, many of which are managed by SFWMD (South Florida Water Management District). Ultimately, I plan to reach Lake Okeechobee at Clewiston by the end of the week.  Depending on how quickly I get to Clewiston, I will head home from there, or continue around the lake to the town of Okeechobee, before heading arranging for a ride home.  Planned miles for the week would be 100 - 150 miles, averaging 14 - 16 miles a day. 

After the initial week of hiking, I'll be home through Christmas and New Year's, and tentatively plan to resume hiking in the new year.  Of course, that's assuming the desire, ability, and consensus is for me to continue.  I'll spend the off time reassessing my plan and discussing options with my family.  If I do continue on, the goal would be to hike on northward from Lake Okeechobee, resuming where I left off.  I'd then hike on and off for the next several months, alternating a week or so hiking with several days home in between each week of hiking.  By taking this approach, I would expect to complete the hike by the end of March or early April, avoiding the worst of the heat, bugs, and rain that the spring and summer bring.  Averaging 16 miles a day equates to approximately 10 weeks of actual hiking.  My tentative hiking plan is to keep to the western route around Orlando, which takes me closest to the Tampa Bay area and home.  This will allow the easiest transits to and from the trail between hiking weeks. This route totals 1174 miles end to end, not counting additional road walks into towns, reroutes, etc.  

The Florida Trail has a whole new collection of challenges that I didn't encounter on the AT.  Among these are the obvious (swamp hiking, alligators, snakes Florida panthers, etc.), but also special challenges like finding drinking water that's not tainted by the fertilizers used throughout South Florida agriculture.  There are additional logistic issues, as the trail isn't as "hiker friendly" when it comes to easily accessible food resupplies, hiking hostels, easy access campsites, and outfitters.  Getting to and from the trail when taking time between hiking stints will also be a challenge, but there is a burgeoning trail angel network throughout the state that is often available to help with these issues.  I'm planning on leaning on this network as needed and hope to be able to work it all out on the fly.

I will attempt to update this blog each evening after setting up my camp for the night and will upload pending good cell coverage.  Fortunately, I have almost all I need for the hike, as my tried-and-true AT equipment has been cleaned, inspected, and repacked.  I'll be using the same pack, tent, and hiking gear that I took on the AT, without the heavy coat, gloves, spikes, and face covering necessitated by my last long hike.  I'll continue to lean on my Altra Lone Peak shoes, hopefully only going through one or two pairs for the hike.  I'll carry extra pairs of my Darn Tough socks, as I'll need to dry out a pair every night, and constantly rotate them to try to keep my feet cared for.

I appreciate your prayers as I start out, and while hiking. If anyone is interested in joining me for any of the hike, you are welcome.  Just let me know. I will keep this blog updated as I proceed, whether it ends up being only a weeklong hike, or ultimately another thru hike.   

God Bless you all.

Mike (Waymaker) Bass








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