Part I: Concerning the Trail
How long is the Appalachian Trail?
How long is the Appalachian Trail?
The estimated length of the A.T. varies a bit each year due to updated measurements and a few minor trail relocations here and there. According to the ATC (Appalachian Trail Conservancy), the trail's governing body, the official length of the A.T. in 2011 is 2,181.0 miles.
Where does it start and end?
The trail's southern terminus is at Springer Mountain in Georgia, and its northern terminus is at Baxter Peak on Mount Katahdin in Maine. Moving north from Springer, it crosses through fourteen states: Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
What is the highest/lowest point on the trail?
Highest - 6,625 ft (Clingmans Dome, Tennessee)
Lowest - 124 ft (near Trailside Museum and Zoo at Bear Mountain, New York)
When was the trail built? How? By whom?
The original idea for a long distance trail through the Appalachians belonged to Benton MacKaye, who in 1921 published a proposal for a 1,200-mile wilderness footpath connecting two of the highest peaks east of the Mississippi: 6,684-foot Mount Mitchell in North Carolina and 6,288-foot Mount Washington in New Hampshire (these termini were eventually relocated to Springer and Katahdin, respectively). MacKaye's original article, which was published in the Journal of the American Institute of Architects, can be read here:
click here for MacKaye's original proposal (PDF)
Construction on the trail began in 1923, but for the first seven years progress was exceedingly slow and fragmented. In 1930, Myron Avery took control of the project. It is largely to him that the A.T. owes its existence. Over the next seven years, Avery personally mapped hundreds of miles of trail and oversaw the construction of many hundreds more. By the time the final section of the trail was completed in 1937, Avery had personally walked the entire trail - and had pushed his trusty measuring wheel over every inch. At the time of its completion, the A.T. was the longest continuously marked hiking trail in the world.
I also think it is worth mentioning that the majority of the trail's construction was undertaken by volunteers, most of them from regional hiking clubs whose members were recruited to the project by Avery. Today, the A.T. is maintained entirely by volunteers from 31 different regional hiking clubs, leading some to call the A.T. the largest volunteer undertaking on Earth.
click here for MacKaye's original proposal (PDF)
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| Benton MacKaye and Myron Avery |
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| Myron Avery with measuring wheel on Katahdin. |
Who was the first person to hike the entire length of the A.T.?
As was mentioned above, Myron Avery was the first section-hiker (someone who hikes the entire trail in pieces), but the first person to successfully thru-hike the A.T. (to hike it all at once) was Earl Shaffer, who completed the feat over a four-month span in 1948. Ironically, while Shaffer was on his history-making trek, the official journal of the ATC published an article explaining why a thru-hike of the A.T. was probably impossible. They obviously didn't consult with Shaffer, who managed to thru-hike the A.T. three different times. His second thru made him the first person to ever hike the entire A.T. from north to south, and his final thru, completed at age 80, made him the oldest person to ever complete an A.T. thru-hike.
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| Earl Shaffer on summit of Katahdin after completing his first thru-hike, August 5, 1948. |
Today, more than 10,000 people have reported hiking the entire length of the trail. This number includes both thru-hikers and section-hikers.
How many people attempt to thru-hike the A.T. every year?
Between 1,000 and 1,500 by most estimates. As much as 10% quit within the first week, less than half make it to the halfway point, and only one in five hikers starting from Springer makes it to Katahdin. This means that roughly 200-300 people succeed in thru-hiking the A.T. every year. Now, when I first heard this number, I thought it was quite a lot. To put the number into perspective, consider for a moment that over 500 people succeeded in summiting Everest last year. Of course, I am by no means suggesting that thru-hiking the A.T. is more difficult than climbing Everest. It's just not done that often.
Part II: Me, my itinerary, etc.
Part II: Me, my itinerary, etc.
What got you interested in hiking the AT?
Like many people over the past decade, I was introduced to the AT through Bill Bryson's bestselling book, A Walk in the Woods, a humorous memoir of the author's ill-fated attempt at an AT thru-hike. When I was about twelve, my mom bought an audio version of Bryson's book to keep us occupied during a long car ride. I was not particularly intrigued by the trail at the time... I just remember laughing out loud a lot while listening to sentences like, "I can'tbelieve you forgot the Little Debbies." Some years later, when I was just beginning my senior year as an undergraduate at Baylor (Sic 'em Bears!), I borrowed Bryson's audiobook to help me pass the time on the road to Waco. I slid in the disc, hit "play," and before I could make it out of town, I thought, "You know, I think I'd like to hike that sucker someday." I even remember the intersection in the road where the thought first occurred to me. Three years later, here I am.
Okay, but WHY??
This is a question that I am actually (and a bit curiously) not asked very often. The reason for this, I think, is not that people don't wonder about the answer - quite to the contrary, I think this is the first question that most people want to ask. Rather, I think many people choose to avoid it for some reason. Maybe they think it somehow wouldn't be polite, as if they were asking, "Well, what the hell are you doing that for?" Or maybe it's because people figure that the question is not worth asking, assuming that anyone who would even attempt a six-month hike must be a little bit crazy anyway. As for those that know me well, they probably don't ask either because they already know what my answer will be or because they are afraid of what my answer will be - to be more specific, they are probably afraid of how long my answer will be. The latter are probably justified in their reservations.
When reading the blog of a past thru-hiker, I came across this quote that was attributed to another thru-hiker, Jonathan Ley. This is about as complete an answer to the question of "why?" as I have yet found:
1. I hiked the trail because life is made of experiences, and I hope to have as many as possible.
2. I hiked the trail because unfulfilled dreams become regrets, and I intend to have as few as possible.
3. I hiked the trail to share in something unique that few have known, or will ever know.
4. I hiked the trail to experience beauty, to be immersed in it.
5. I hiked the trail to see and to better understand the country I lived in.
6. I hiked the trail to learn about my own limitations.
7. I hiked the trail to learn about how the world worked, and to better understand my place in the natural order of things.
8. I hiked the trail to avoid living a life that had already been played-out by countless others.
9. I hiked the trail to think, to dream, to imagine and to reflect, unencumbered by the distractions of modern life.
10. I hiked the trail to endure mental and physical hardships, and perhaps become stronger as a result.
11. I hiked the trail to learn what was truly important in my life, in any life.
12. I hiked the trail to separate my wants from my needs.
13. I hiked the trail to meet people, and learn from them.
14. I hiked the trail to live an active life rather than a passive one.
15. I hiked the trail to gain perspective, not only to think, but to live "outside the box."
16. I hiked the trail to be able to share the experience with others who either could not or did not care to do it themselves.
17. I hiked the trail to achieve a level of physical conditioning I'd never though possible.
18. I hiked the trail to experience things that could not be described with words or pictures.
19. I hiked the trail to "live not in fear, but in wonder."
I think the above list summarizes my intentions fairly well; still, I find that a few of the points don’t really apply to me, specifically numbers 8 and 15. In my opinion, trying to “avoid a life lived by countless others” or “live outside the box” seems a completely pointless pursuit if a person has no underlying reason for doing so – otherwise, you’re just being a nonconformist for the sake of nonconformity and nothing else (does anyone feel a South Park episode coming to mind?). I think "the road less traveled" tends to be over-romanticized in contemporary American culture, a culture that - over the past few generations in particular - has tended to stress individuality over community. I say we should all live the lives that we want to live without getting caught up in what others expect of us, one way or the other. If the road that makes you happy is the road less traveled, then by all means, go for it. On the other hand, if the life that makes you happy is the life lived by your parents, friends, or “countless others” before you, then why would you strive for anything else? Assuming my source is correct, Bob Dylan once said that "a man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night and in between he does what he wants to do." I guess that's really why I'm hiking the trail. Anyway, that's enough of the soapbox for one day.
If I were asked to supplement Jonathan Ley’s list, I might simply add, “I hiked the trail because it is there.” After all, hasn't that been one of the greatest motivations for discovery throughout human history? Also, since I have spent so much of my life in the Rocky Mountains but have never even seen the Appalachians, I might add, "I hiked the trail to experience another one of America's great mountain ranges."
Are you going alone?
Yes - at least, I am starting alone. There will probably be multiple people starting around the same time as me, and chances are good that I will eventually run into some other hikers going my pace that I can hike with.
What will you eat?
Predominantly lightweight foods that can be prepared in a single pot: oatmeal, cream of wheat, and cream of rice for breakfast; lots and lots of gorp (good ole' raisins and peanuts), granola bars, and beef jerky throughout the day; predominantly pasta- and rice-based meals for dinner. I'm shooting for around 40-50% carbs, 30% protein, and most of the rest in healthy fats. I will eat as much fresh food as I can when I go through towns, and I will be taking multivitamins daily to help offset some of the difference.
I bet you'll have to eat a lot, huh?
The average hiker can easily burn as much as 6,000 calories per day, and since I'm starting in winter I'll be burning even more. So yeah, I'll be pigging out.
So I guess you will have to carry everything with you, right?
Yes, until I can find someone to carry it for me. :)
How will you resupply?
Unlike other long trails like the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) and the CDT (Continental Divide Trail), the AT goes through relatively populated areas for most of its length. This means that I will have opportunities to resupply every four to five days in towns near the trail.
Where will you sleep?
There are around 250 three-sided shelters - alternatively referred to as shelters, lean-tos, and huts, depending on the area - that are interspersed more or less evenly across the length of the trail (every ten miles or so on average). While many hikers prefer to stay in these shelters as often as possible, my intent is to avoid them whenever practical for two primary reasons: 1) many AT shelters become very crowded very quickly; 2) many AT shelters are inhabited by rodents, and sleeping on rodent-frequented floors makes a person more susceptible to lyme disease and Hantavirus (suffice it to say that both of these are very nasty). I will be carrying a single-person tent that I expect to use on most nights. Of course, I might begin to feel a bit differently about the shelters during one of those five-day stretches of solid rain that I'm bound to run into sooner or later.
What about water?
Water sources are abundant on most parts of the trail. Because water is exceedingly heavy (about 2.5 pounds per liter), I will be limiting the amount I carry to two liters in areas where this is practical. As anyone who has ever ventured into the woods is likely to know, organisms such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia lamblia have made many backcountry water sources unsafe for human consumption, necessitating the use of some kind of water treatment. Because water filters and purifiers are heavy and prone to malfunctioning, I will be treating all the water I drink with Aquamira (chlorine dioxide - a safer alternative to iodine that is used at many public water treatment facilities).
Where do you... ahem, you know... use the restroom?
Short answer: in the woods. Some shelters do provide a primitive privy, and I will avail myself of those facilities when they are offered - thereby doing my part in lessening the environmental impact on the trail - though to be honest, the woods would be much more pleasant. If you feel the need for further enlightenment on such matters then this book is for you.
Where do you... ahem, you know... use the restroom?
Short answer: in the woods. Some shelters do provide a primitive privy, and I will avail myself of those facilities when they are offered - thereby doing my part in lessening the environmental impact on the trail - though to be honest, the woods would be much more pleasant. If you feel the need for further enlightenment on such matters then this book is for you.
How long will it take?
The average NOBO (northbound) thru-hiker begins in late March or early April and takes 6 to 7 months to complete his/her thru-hike. Because I am operating within a limited time frame (I am returning to grad school in the fall), I am beginning fairly early (February 20) and need to finish in 5 to 5 1/2 months (I'm shooting for early August) so that I can return to Boulder and find a place to live before the semester begins.
You're starting in winter?? Won't it be cold?
Probably. It has been very cold in northern Georgia over the past week. I will almost certainly be hiking in snow from time to time during my first month on the trail.
How many miles per day will you have to hike?
This is a tricky question, and the answer depends on many factors. If I take one zero day (a day in which no AT miles are hiked) about every two weeks, I should be able to complete the trail in my allotted time frame if I average around fifteen AT miles per day. I say "AT miles" because I will often have to hike extra miles on side trails in order to reach supply points. Once on the trail, my daily mileage will vary from day-to-day depending on weather conditions, the location and frequency of resupply points, and the terrain of the trail. Because I am starting in winter, I will be more likely than later hikers to encounter adverse weather conditions early on in my hike. Deep snow could potentially be a factor in determining my daily mileage as far north as southern Virginia. In addition, some resupply points are further from the trail than others (as much as twenty miles roundtrip), thereby necessitating more travel time between them and the AT. Finally, certain areas of the trail are simply more difficult than others: while the Maine wilderness and the White Mountains in New Hampshire are notoriously difficult, for example, other areas such as Maryland and the Virginia highlands tend to be more conducive to long mileage days. Because of all these factors, my daily mileage will vary anywhere from ten miles to over twenty-five miles per day.
So how bad are you going to smell?
Pretty bad.
Are you hunting/fishing/foraging as you go?
Hunting? No. It is simply not practical, or even possible in most areas. Paying for licenses in fourteen different states would cost much more than it's worth, and the hunting seasons for most animals will be closed during my hike anyway.
Fishing? Probably some... make that hopefully some. Since I have been exclusively a catch-and-release fisherman for the past several years, I doubt I will be keeping any fish to eat, but the opportunity to fish for wild brook trout in their native mountain range may prove too tempting to pass up. Again, due to the impracticality of buying fourteen licenses, I will probably limit my fishing to one or two states - probably Virginia and Maine. Both of these states have lots of AT miles in them (which means more bang for my buck on the licenses) and I hear the fishing is pretty good in both. Of course, every hour spent fishing is an hour not spent hiking, so I might hold off on the fly rod until I've made sufficient progress to knowthat I will be able to finish the trail in time.
Will I be foraging? Not regularly, but I am hoping to stumble across a few wild blueberries in New Hampshire and Maine!
Are you carrying a gun?
No.
But aren't you worried about bears?
Not really. There are two species of bears in the continental U.S.: black bears and grizzly bears. Grizzlies are notoriously bad-tempered, but fortunately for me, their range does not extend anywhere near the AT. Black bears, on the other hand, are relatively common along the entire trail, although hikers rarely see them. While black bears can be dangerous, they are generally non-confrontational towards humans, and much of the danger associated with them dissipates if a person knows what to do - and what not to do - when hiking through their territory. In other words, being smart is much better protection that bringing a gun.
What about serial killers?
While there have been a few murders along the trail, the AT is still safer than just about any urban area in the country. Statistically speaking, you are much more likely to get murdered in your bed than on the AT.
How will you navigate? GPS? Maps?
GPS navigating systems, satellite phones, and the like are extremely heavy, expensive, and require batteries. I will be carrying my trusty map and compass, although I probably won't even need them for most of the trail. The AT is extremely well-marked, with white blazes painted on trees and rocks about every hundred yards or so along its length. To help alleviate some of my family's understandable worries, I will also be carrying a GPS locator beacon (weight: 4.5 ounces) that I can use to signal for help in case of an emergency.
What will you miss the most?
Guitar, saxophone, bodhrán... really just playing music in general. I am taking a harmonica in an attempt to alleviate this some, but I am still really going to miss playing.
Will you be preparing mail drops to pick up at post offices?
One common method of resupply along the trail is the use of mail drops. Hikers using this method typically prepare multiple boxes of food prior to leaving on their hike. Once on the trail, the hiker has a friend or relative at home mail these boxes to post offices along the trail. The primary benefit of this resupply method is that the hiker has more control over what he/she eats (since the hiker is not limited to what he/she can find in stores along the way). This is often the preferred method of resupply for those observing strict diets as well as those who enjoy preparing their own meals with a dehydrator. I have chosen not to rely on mail drops for two primary reasons: 1) I did not have the time necessary to prepare months of food prior to leaving; 2) this method of resupply makes the hiker extremely reliant on post office visits. A hiker opting to use mail drops must constantly plan his/her itinerary around the operating hours of small town post offices. In other words, if you arrive in town one hour after the post office closes for the weekend, you will be forced to wait around for two days until it opens again. Hikers relying on mail drops for resupply, therefore, often find themselves rushing or slowing down to make it to town at the appropriate time. One of the things I am most looking forward to while on the A.T. is getting away from the strict scheduling that so often governs our daily lives, and I feel that relying on mail drops would put too many unnecessary constrains on my time. The only schedule I want to deal with for the next six months is this: get to Katahdin by early August.
However, I will be using a bounce box, which is similar. A bounce box is a package that a hiker mails to him/herself that contains items such as soap, medication, batteries, duct tape, etc. By mailing this box several weeks ahead up the trail, a hiker can carry smaller amounts of those consumable items that need only occasional replenishing. If no such replenishing is needed, the USPS will forward the unopened package ahead for free (pretty cool, huh?).
Have you bought lots of guidebooks?
Oh yes. Every guidebook is a bit different, and each hiker has their own opinion about which is the "best," so finding the right one for me has been a process of trail-and-error. I will give more details about each guide book I purchased in the "gear list" section of my site.
Will you be preparing mail drops to pick up at post offices?
One common method of resupply along the trail is the use of mail drops. Hikers using this method typically prepare multiple boxes of food prior to leaving on their hike. Once on the trail, the hiker has a friend or relative at home mail these boxes to post offices along the trail. The primary benefit of this resupply method is that the hiker has more control over what he/she eats (since the hiker is not limited to what he/she can find in stores along the way). This is often the preferred method of resupply for those observing strict diets as well as those who enjoy preparing their own meals with a dehydrator. I have chosen not to rely on mail drops for two primary reasons: 1) I did not have the time necessary to prepare months of food prior to leaving; 2) this method of resupply makes the hiker extremely reliant on post office visits. A hiker opting to use mail drops must constantly plan his/her itinerary around the operating hours of small town post offices. In other words, if you arrive in town one hour after the post office closes for the weekend, you will be forced to wait around for two days until it opens again. Hikers relying on mail drops for resupply, therefore, often find themselves rushing or slowing down to make it to town at the appropriate time. One of the things I am most looking forward to while on the A.T. is getting away from the strict scheduling that so often governs our daily lives, and I feel that relying on mail drops would put too many unnecessary constrains on my time. The only schedule I want to deal with for the next six months is this: get to Katahdin by early August.
However, I will be using a bounce box, which is similar. A bounce box is a package that a hiker mails to him/herself that contains items such as soap, medication, batteries, duct tape, etc. By mailing this box several weeks ahead up the trail, a hiker can carry smaller amounts of those consumable items that need only occasional replenishing. If no such replenishing is needed, the USPS will forward the unopened package ahead for free (pretty cool, huh?).
Have you bought lots of guidebooks?
Oh yes. Every guidebook is a bit different, and each hiker has their own opinion about which is the "best," so finding the right one for me has been a process of trail-and-error. I will give more details about each guide book I purchased in the "gear list" section of my site.
