On April 7th I begin my hike from Amicalola Falls to the top of Mount Katahdin. Yes, I am thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail! That’s 2,189.2 miles spanning from Georgia to Maine. I will be traversing 14 states and I will experience a total elevation gain equivalent to climbing Mount Everest 16 times. I cannot wait!
So how does someone prepare for such a journey? Well, this about sums up my preparation:
- Obsessively research the trail- check
- Obsessively research gear- check
- Hike every chance I get- check
- Run, but never enough to be fully, physically prepared- check
- Join an embarrassing amount of AT and hiking FB groups- check
- Watch too many YouTube videos on hiking, gear reviews, and then the random string of videos that one finds themself watching when getting stuck in the perpetual YouTube video vacuum- check
- Accumulate an alarming amount of pricey, light-weight hiking gear- check
- Think entirely too much about the hike- check
- Think entirely too much about life after the hike- check
- Quit my job- check
- Become completely incapable of having normal conversations with people about anything other than hiking the AT- and check (Sorry friends!)
Since sharing with everyone that I’m thru-hiking the AT, I have been asked a lot of questions. A lot. Some people have been extremely supportive! (Thank you!) Some people have not. Some people still don’t understand exactly what it is I’m doing or why. And some people (mostly past thru-hikers) have given me really helpful advice and encouragement. (Thank you!)
I want to note that while some of people’s concerns are legitimate, the real concerns I have are Lyme disease, Norovirus, lightning, and injuries.
Here is a “fun” sampling of some of the many questions I’ve been asked over and over:
- Aren’t you scared?
- What if you see a bear?
- What if you see a snake?
- What about bugs?
- How will you shower?
- Why?!
- Where will you sleep?
- You’re going alone?!
- Why will it take so long?
- Are you bringing a gun?
- Do you have to kill your food? (AKA hunting…haha…)
- What will you bring?
And my answers:
Scared? No. Nervous, anxious, excited, about 1,000 other emotions- yes. I hope to see a bear and I am fairly confident that I will see several. I hope to see snakes. I studied herpetology and have taken hikes to specifically find and photograph rattlesnakes. Snakes are awesome! What about bugs? I will shower like everyone else does, just less often (haha!). I’m doing this because I love going on adventures, hiking, being in nature, sleeping under the stars, challenging myself, and about a million other reasons. I will sleep in the woods in my tent or in shelters/lean-to’s. I am setting out on this journey alone, although, I expect to meet many awesome people and make many great friends. Hiking an elevation gain equivalent to climbing Mt. Everest 16 times takes a while…you did hear me say it’s 2,189.2 miles, right? It’s not a race; it’s a hike and one that I plan to enjoy not rush through. No, I am not bringing a gun. I am going on a hike, albeit a long one, but I am not a tribute in The Hunger Games, I promise. No, I don’t think approximately 2,500 people could realistically sustain themselves off the land along a single trail. I will be eating food that I buy in stores along the way in towns that I pass by and I will cook with my camp stove. (I have nothing against hunting; this just isn’t the time or place.) And lastly, the question that took over my life for the past several months, here is what I’m bringing:
AT GEAR (minus food and water)
- Pack- Osprey Exos 58 and rain cover
- Sleeping bag- REI Joule 23
- Tent- Big Agnes Lone Spring 2
- Sleeping Pad- REI Flash
- Sleeping bag liner- Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Extreme
- Camp pillow- Sea to Summit
- Z-Seat (luxury item)- Sometimes you just want a soft, dry place to sit
- Hiking clothes (2 sets)- Though many hikers consider this excessive
- Fleece headband, gloves
- Hiking socks (2)- Darn Tough
- Camp clothes (1 set)
- Rain Jacket; Insulated, waterproof jacket- for the cold days/nights
- Hiking boots
- Electronics- camera, IPhone, IPod, portable charger, charging cords
- First Aid- Band-Aids, Neosporin, bug bite cream, Tylenol, tape, ace bandage
- Hygiene stuff, bug spray, and sunblock
- Cooking system- 2 small pots, 1 small pan/lid, spork, knife, small towel, lighter; Camp Stove- MSR pocket rocket. This all fits inside the larger pot and lid shown above.
- Stove fuel
- Drinking system- Water Filter- Sawyer Mini; 2 platypus water bottles
- Para cord- for hanging food bag and any other needs
- Pocket knife/multi-tool
- Trekking Poles- Black Diamond
- Watch
- Head Lamp- Black Diamond Storm
- Other Items- book, notebook, sharpie, kazoo, and extra batteries for headlamp
- The AT Guide- “AWOL”
What I am most looking forward to is seeing the sunrise and sunset everyday, to breathe nothing but mountain air for months, to watch the forests come to life through spring, to be consumed in every tiny moment that the wilderness has to offer, to spend my days climbing and descending mountains, to spend my nights under the stars, and to take the time for myself to truly appreciate life and the wild places we have left.
I hope you will enjoy my notes and photos from the trail. And I hope I can inspire you to set out on your own journey, whatever that may be!
Happy trails,
Nicole
P.S. Feel free to send love, encouragement, and if you’re feeling really generous, FOOD! 🙂 You can also follow my photo-journey on Instagram: Nicolesgonehiking
