The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, commissioned in 1922 and completed in 1937, is a dedicated footpath running from Springer Mountain in Georgia’s Amicalola State Park to Mount Katahdin in Maine’s Baxter State Park. Spanning some 2167 miles, the trail is maintained as an exhibition of the beauty of the Appalachian range and as a path to the wilderness experience. This is the journey I began on a cool, early April afternoon this past spring. I am Jonathan Bucher a Troop 77 member from days past. Hereafter, I’ll try to answer some of the more common questions about the hike and offer some insight into life on the trail.

Like the vast majority of people I met, I arrived at the trailhead by myself. It’s hard to convince friends they should commit the required 4-6 months. The biggest benefit of being alone quickly became evident. Unlike weekend hiking when you can push yourself or dog it a bit to stay with a group, thru-hiking wears on you with its physical demands and shear scale. Walking at my own pace proved the best situation. Complete solitude, however was by no means necessary. 2000-2500 people attempt a through hike each year. The largest group begins in early spring, mid-March to early April, and travels north. This course offers the biggest weather and daylight advantages. To meet other hikers, just stop. It’s possible to hike all morning within a half mile of 3 or 4 others and never see them, but stop ten minutes and someone will happen along. There are plenty of thru-hikers at the beginning, and as their numbers dwindle, only 15% of those who start complete, summer section hikers and weekenders appear. If other hikers aren’t encountered on the trail, they can be found at the shelters.

Shelters are wooden lean-tos constructed at about half day intervals along the entire trail. They typically sleep eight, are dry, have a privy, and are located in close proximity to a water source. Tenting is also usually available nearby, an important feature because shelters don’t provide protection from mosquitoes, black flies and no-see-ums. While it is convenient to stop wherever you get tired and nice to dry camp near an overlook, the shelters are the popular, social spots to throw down the pack, relax and recap the day with other hikers. Maybe even whip up a little something to eat. Walking all day does build an appetite.

Hikers enjoy an anti-diet on the trail. Fat and protein become your friends. With the potential to burn 3000-4000 calories on a normal day and upwards of 5000 through demanding sections, you can pretty much eat whatever you want. The catch is you have to carry whatever you plan to eat. My diet was a Clif bar just after waking up; an all-day snack of trail mix, peanut butter and jelly or honey, jerky and cheese; and a sensible dinner. Dinner was the only meal I cooked, in order to save fuel weight, and was typically a Lipton or other rice or pasta concoction, and a couple more spoonfuls of peanut butter just to be sure my body had a little protein to build with overnight. This diet offered 3200-3500 calories per day and weighed about two pounds. You’ll note the caloric deficit, but carrying more food simply means working harder, burning more calories and needing more food. Nice catch 22. Actually, food is one of the easiest areas to cut weight. Not in terms of daily diet, but in terms of the number of days carried. Weight shaving and its tradeoffs are a much bigger topic. At this point I will just say that the route of the trail is such that carrying more than three days of food is seldom necessary. And that at least for me, carrying more than seven greatly affected pace.

Food doesn’t last forever. Eventually, reentering society is necessary. Resupply is achieved by one of two means: shopping or collecting preprepared packages from the local post office. The method is simply a matter of personal preference. Cost doesn’t vary much if dropped foods are purchased in bulk. Shopping offers convenience. Grocery / General / Convenience stores along the trail often leave much to be desired, but always have Pop-Tarts, oatmeal, Lipton, Ramen and other trail favorites available at a price. Food drops offer variety. Delivery is not a problem, provided packages are sent far enough in advance. Post offices along the trail routinely hold packages sent general delivery and labeled Hold for AT Thru-hiker. UPS delivery is also an option if a non-post office destination is available, such as a local bed & breakfast or a hostel. A convenient option since while in town, you want to take advantage of soft beds and cooked meals anyway. Town is a great place to recover some of those calories you lose on the trail. I highly recommend all-you-can-eat lunch specials. The token effort of showering and doing laundry can also be made in town.

Knowing what to find in town is accomplished the same way as knowing what to expect on the trial. Two essential pieces of literature: the Appalachian Trail Databook and the Appalachian Trail Thruhiker’s Companion. The Data Book provides mileage between shelters, water sources, landmarks, road crossings and towns. The Companion details services available in nearby towns and discusses points of interest. A detailed set of maps is available. Largely the maps are not necessary. The profiles are nice, when they’re right. In parts of New Hampshire and Maine it is convenient to know a steep climb to a restricted camping area above treeline is upcoming, especially just before sunset. And I’m told the maps are helpful when you want to blue blaze, take side trail short cuts (I didn’t do this and I can’t condone it, but I’ll mention it for the benefit of the reader). The trail is quite heavily traveled, and for the most part, well marked. I managed to hike to Maine without maps and without many side trips.

Not surprisingly hiking is the primary activity most days. I didn’t do any special physical preparation. I showed up in Georgia, and figured I could get in shape on the trail. I was right. Naturally, putting on 40-55 lbs. overnight and increasing daily exercise exponentially does tax the body a bit. I experienced some tendon problems, but found a pair of walking sticks and minor mileage reductions eliminated the problem quickly. Morning stiffness and muscle soreness lasted three to four weeks. After that something always hurt, usually feet or later knees, but normal walking became nearly perpetual. Daily mileage became limited only by daylight and by my desire to keep walking. From this point on completion of the trail was much more of a mental than a physical game.

The toughest mental section is through what is known as the "green tunnel". A 700-800 mile section from Virginia through Pennsylvania. Easing terrain and longer days make big miles possible, while finding variety in the scenery becomes more difficult. The novelty of hiking every day wears off a bit. By Harper’s Ferry, WV 65-75% of those who started have dropped out. The general feeling is that everyone still remaining can finish; the question becomes do they want to. I only had a few tough days while I broke in my second pair of boots through central Pennsylvania. For northbounders there is always the lure of, what generally seems to be considered the most rewarding hiking on the trail, New Hampshire and Maine. There were several days I didn’t feel like hiking, or at least hiking far, but only the three in Pennsylvania when I questioned finishing.

More important than the reasons people quit are the reasons they start. I’ve always enjoyed hiking, the beauty and solitude the outdoors provides. I don’t think, that enjoyment alone would have compelled me to walk 2200 miles. The scale is significant, almost ludicrous. The trail is definitely a unique personal challenge. When I started, I really didn’t know what to expect, but not knowing was part of the attraction. Life slows down quite a bit on the trail. Almost everyone mentions introspection and reaffirmation among the rewards of the trail.

The biggest reward of all is finishing. Reaching the summit cairn of Katahdin brings a mixture of emotions. I’ll miss carefree days and swimming holes on warm afternoons, but I’m also glad I don’t have to hike tomorrow. 142 days is enough for awhile. Accomplishment, relief, satisfaction, so much is taken from and left on the trail. The summit is the end of one adventure, and the beginning of new ones. The trail left me excited about reentering the other real world, even if there are no white blazes to guide me. One of the guys I was hiking with called the Trail "the journey of a lifetime" and I had to respond "it’s definitely a journey of a lifetime." There’s plenty more to come, in and out of the woods.

For more information check out the Appalachian Trail Conference web site at www.atconf.org or www.trailplace.com, a thru-hiker planning resource administered by former thru-hiker "Wingfoot".