“I really think if there’s something you need to do, want to do, can afford to do, and got the nerve to do… I think you should do it if it’s gonna make you feel better about yourself!” Dolly Parton In the previous post I wrote about how thru-hiking the AT felt like part of …
Current Location: Monson, ME Miles Hiked: 2083.7 Miles to go: 114.7 Percent of trail completed: 95% At 95% complete, perhaps it’s time to mention why I’m doing this? It occurred to me that I’ve said that it’s been a lifelong dream of mine, but never really talked about why. Better late than never I suppose. …
Current Location: Bethel, ME Miles Hiked: 1931.0 Miles to go: 267.4 Percent of trail completed: 88% The last 200 miles or so have been a very physically challenging section. New Hampshire and southern Maine are full of gruelingly steep mountains, rugged trail, and technical terrain. It has felt like walking through a hall of fame …
As with many niche communities, thru-hikers have their own jargon and lingo. To the uninitiated, a conversation among thru-hikers may be indecipherable. Just for fun, here is a list of common thru-hiker terms. Types of hikes Thru-hike – To complete the entirety of a long distance backpacking trail. It’s generally accepted that the hike should …
Current Location: Warren, NH Miles Hiked: 1794.4 Miles to go: 404.0 Percent of trail completed: 82% It’s been a little over a week since returning to the trail and I’m getting back into the swing of things. Back when I was planning my thru-hike last fall, I thought carefully about my start date. I wanted …
July 14th started like any other morning on the trail. After yet another rainy night, I set out from Stratton Pond in Vermont to trudge north through the ankle-deep mud. Vermont’s portion of the AT is infamous for intense mud (“Vermud” as it’s called), and the recent heavy rain and flooding had made it even …
Current Location: Cheshire, MA Miles Hiked: 1586.1 Miles to go: 612.3 Percent of trail completed: 72% I continue to have aggravating plantar fasciitis pain in my feet, but otherwise I am doing quite well. The states are smaller in the north and thus you can hike through each one relatively quickly. Since Pennsylvania, each state …
After day after day of backpacking, many thru-hikers – myself included – feel like a bottomless pit. I feel like I could eat for days. This phenomenon is often referred to as “hiker hunger.” Most thru-hikers end up losing a fair amount of weight on the trail. I am not trying to lose weight on …
Current Location: Wind Gap, PA Miles Hiked: 1281.4 Miles to go: 917.0 Percent of trail completed: 58% 229 miles of the AT pass through Pennsylvania, including the official halfway point of the trail. What was it like hiking in Pennsylvania? Here are the highlights. In short, it sucked. The Rocks The trail in Pennsylvania is …
Aqua Blazing is a thru hiking term that means completing a portion of the journey via water instead of trail. The Shenandoah River, which flows in Virginia and West Virginia, is one of the few rivers that flow north. It also parallels the portion of the AT in Shenandoah National Park in northern Virginia, making …