Common Questions

Appalachian Trail Symbol

What are you doing?

I’m hiking the Appalachian Trail, a 2197.4 mile trail starting at Katahdin in Maine and ending on Springer Mountain in Georgia.

How long is that going to take?

Roughly 5 months. I’m hoping to be finished before the holidays.

What’s the plan exactly?

I’ve made two camp reservations in Baxter State Park. I will be doing the first ~115 Miles with friends then continuing 2100 miles to Georgia. Every three to four days I will do a resupply (Food, laundry, shower, recharge, etc. ) in small towns. Aside from that, there is little to no planning I will be doing on trail.

Why are you hiking South not North?

It comes down to timing. Traveling North means starting earliest in February, and I would likely miss out on a summer internship opportunity. Traveling South allows me time to have a summer internship and start hiking in early August. This gives me 6 months to finish hiking before classes start in the Spring.

Are you going alone?

I will be doing the first ~115 Miles with friends then continuing 2100 miles to Georgia by myself. Although there are thousands of people who hike the trail every year. I’d be surprised if I would be sleeping alone, especially during the early stages of my hike.

Do you bring all your food?

I only have to bring four days of food at a time, on average. Click this page to see some common food options.

Do you filter your water?

Yup! Although some hikers opt not to, I will be carrying a filter. Giardia is one of the most common waterborne illnesses on trail.

Is it safe?

Mostly. It’s significantly safer than your daily commute to work. I will be carrying my phone, but cell service can be spotty on trail. So, I will be carrying a GPS device (Garmin Inreach Mini) with two-way communication and SOS if I ever feel unsure of a safe outcome.

How are you navigating?

All 2200 miles of the trail are marked with white stripes called blazes that mark the official path of the trail. I will be using an app called FarOut to see exactly where I am, where the next water source is, the next shelter, town, and much more. Lastly my Inreach will track my daily activity and act as a last resort navigation method.

Are you taking a tent? Bedding? Backpack?

Sure am! Check out my gear loadout with this LINK.

How are you preparing?

Research, research, and more research…..

I’ve done most of my preparing through various resources such as websites, videos, books, etc. But the most helpful type of preparing are the occasional weekend hikes often referred to as “shakedown” hikes.

A few books I’ve read in preparation:

Jasons Journey Along the Appalachian Trail, by Jason Grudell
Walking With Spring, by Earl V. Shaffer
Southbound on the Appalachian Trail, by Ken Sarzynski
Appalachian Trials, by Zach Davis
Grandma Gatewood’s Walk, by Ben Montgomery
2000 Miles Together, by Ben Crawford
A Walk in The Woods, by Bill Bryson
And currently: How to hike the Appalachian Trail, by Chris Cage