The Preparation

I had decided to hike the Appalachian Trail. It was crazy, but I had to try. But how do you prepare to hike 2200 miles? I was still out of shape, had no backpacking gear, and didn’t even know how soon I could make this six month adventure a reality. But I started to form a tentative plan. It was spring of 2018 when I decided I wanted to hike the AT. I continued to work jobs in West Virginia and Virginia to save money, and to keep me close to the mountains where I found my initial inspiration. The earliest I would be able to make a thru-hike work would be 2020. As I planned, I kept hiking and started venturing from two mile hikes to four and five mile hikes. I tried to make it to the AT to be around backpackers whenever I could. The hikers I met were happier and kinder than anyone I met in my day to day life. I wanted a taste of the happiness they were experiencing.

I began to piece together some gear, starting with a backpack, which seemed intuitive, but is actually better saved until your other gear has been obtained. This was the beginning of my trend of ignoring the advice of those more experienced than myself. I consulted blogs and Facebook groups and guides to gather information about gear selection, but would often stubbornly think I knew better. The most frequent advice I read was to pack as light as possible and to ditch hiking boots in exchange for trail runners. But I was a photographer. I frequently carried 30 pounds of camera equipment during my day hikes. Surely I could carry a 50 lb pack from Maine to Georgia with no issue. And I loved my 3 pound pair of Asolo mountaineering boots. After a 2011 motorcycle accident that left me with a fractured pelvis, femur, tibia, and fibula, I was certain I needed the ankle support that a tall, waterproof boot offers.

Once I had gathered enough gear to attempt my first night out in the woods, I decided to go on a shorter trip to make sure I even liked backpacking, and not just the idea of it. I chose a trail closer to home to spend my first night out in the woods. I chose the 70 mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail in southwest Pennsylvania to be my first backpacking adventure. So in May 2019 I set off with a 52 pound pack from Ohiopyle on my way across the Laurel Ridge back to Johnstown. The trail wasn’t particularly difficult, aside from a large climb at the beginning. I learned a few things during that six day trip:

It’s very important to pitch your tent on level ground.
Hanging a bear bag properly is WAY more difficult than it looks in videos and pictures.
I had an ankle problem which made it impossible to walk on it for the first mile or so in the morning.
I really liked backpacking.

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, Pennsylvania

I didn’t use my gear or take another overnight backpacking trip from May 2019 until I started my AT thru-hike. But I continued day hiking and taking pictures in the mountains. I researched equipment and made a few changes to my gear list. I was definitely not going to be a lightweight or ultralight hiker. My gear was much more traditional in nature, with a packed weight well into the 40 lbs with food. But I decided I would rather have have more comfort items and be prepared than to have a slim and lightweight pack.

I also made a few trips to see Alan Hessler, MAPT at Pinnacle Rehabilitation Systems to address my foot and ankle pain. My ankle pain and weakness was apparently caused by some ligaments which never fully settled back into position after my motorcycle accident in 2011. But Alan was able to fix me up and my ankle pains seemed to be a thing of the past. After dealing with pain for 9 years, this might have been the most exciting development in my entire AT planning process!

I also finalized a very important decision regarding my hike in 2019. I was going SOBO. Although the vast majority of AT hikers go NOBO (northbound) from Georgia to Maine, I decided to do the reverse and start in Maine and head to Georgia. A NOBO route is generally preferred to avoid potential harsh winter temperatures late in the year. Starting in Georgia also eases new hikers into the trail. Although none of the AT is easy, the most difficult trail conditions, steep mountain climbing, and remote conditions are found in the northernmost 400 miles. Unfortunately, NOBO thru-hikes are so popular that the southern end of the trail becomes incredibly busy in March and April. Shelters are always full, tent sites are difficult to find, hostels fill up, and norovirus often runs rampant. This was the primary reason I chose a southbound route. Additionally, going southbound would allow me several more months of work to save up enough money to take six months off.

There are downsides to a southbound route. Horrendous flies and mosquitos haunt Maine’s extensive waterways. Baxter State Park, home of Mt Katahdin and the northern terminus of the AT, requires a bit of logistical planning and reservations to enter and camp. Additionally, a SOBO AT hike begins with the most difficult climb of the whole trail followed by the most remote stretch on the entire trail. The steepest climbs and most treacherous terrain the AT offers are all within the first few hundred miles. But I had a week’s worth of backpacking experience. What could go wrong? ◾️

Unemployment, Covid, and the Final Preparations.

Introduction