I have a question for you….

Actually, several of you have, so here are some answers – and thank you to the Old 97s for the intro!

How long will it take? Most people who thru-hike the trail, except for people who run the trail (yes some actually do) or pursue FKT (fastest known times), take between 4-6 months. I expect to take about 5 months.

How far is the trail? The AT is about 2200 miles. The total distance changes a bit each year as sections of the trail are rerouted. For 2024, the actual distance is 2197.4 miles.

How far will you hike each day? I expect to average between 15 – 20 miles a day over the course of the trail. I will start slow, 10-15 miles, per day to let my body adjust and then will eventually pick up the pace. In the White Mountains and other more difficult sections, daily averages could be as low as 10!

How long will it take to get to Maine and then back down to Georgia? Starting in mid-June in Connecticut, I expect to get to Maine by mid-August. The second part of the trip, from Connecticut to Georgia, I expect to complete around mid-November. Here is the state and distance breakdown for my trip.

Flip CT to ME:
Connecticut: 51.6 miles
Massachusetts: 90.2 miles
Vermont 150 miles
New Hampshire: 160.9 miles
Maine: 281.4 miles
Total = 734.1

Flop CT to GA
New York: 88.4 miles
New Jersey: 72.2 miles
Pennsylvania: 229.6 miles
Maryland: 40.9 miles
West Virginia: 2.4 miles
Virginia: 550.3 miles
Tennessee: 287.9
North Carolina: 95.5 miles
Georgia: 76.4 miles
Total = 1,348.1

The 501 Shelter in Pennsylvania has a roof, 4 walls, a skylight, a solar shower, a place to charge devices, AND, you can even get pizza delivered there! 

How will you protect yourself from bears, or snakes, or other dangerous things? Short answer, I will not bring a weapon, not that I own one, unless you consider the pocket knife I will be bringing as a weapon. But, my pocket knife is reserved for important things like cutting cheese or pepperoni. And, the Appalachian Trail is a very safe place. There have been some well-publicized incidents but I will hope to avoid these. Being prepared, aware, and ready to move on are all great safety strategies. As to bears, black bears of the East Coast typically don’t want to mess with people, just your food, so hang and store food safely. Snakes usually can be seen from a distance sunning themselves on the trail and rocks – just give them a wide berth. The things that are most likely to be dangerous on the trail are tics – the reason I had my clothing treated with permethrin and have a prescription for doxycycline.

How do you get resupplies like food or equipment? The AT crosses roads frequently, some days more than once. And, typically every 3 – 5 days you will be at or near a road that can get you to a town – anywhere from 2 to 15 miles away. Getting from the trail to towns might mean walking, getting a shuttle ride, or hitchhiking – something that is common and understood along the AT. Depending on the size of the town, resupply might happen at a gas station, convenience store, market, or a full-size grocery store. And the first (or second) stop in any town will surely be any diner, restaurant, fast food place, or other such establishments. Some people mail boxes of resupply items to themselves via post offices, hostels, or other places that will hold mail for hikers. I only plan to do this in one or two locations that I have heard are difficult to resupply in. My general plan is to carry 3-5 days worth of food and resupply as needed.

How do you get cash along the trail? Similar to the above, if cash is needed, I will use an ATM when I am resupplying. My plan is to carry some cash, but primarily use cards. Though, I understand that in some towns and trailside establishments in smaller or more rural areas cards are not accepted – hence the need for cash.

Where will you sleep? There are a few options here. First, I will be bringing a tent and will use this as much as needed. There are established campsites along the trail and lots of options for ‘stealth camping’ – camping along the trail but not in a designated site. Also along the AT are shelters – typically three-sided buildings that have a roof, a picnic table, usually an outhouse, sometimes a fire pit, sometimes bear boxes or bear lines to hang food. These are typically spread out along the trail every 10-15 miles. Some can be quite elaborate with four walls, skylights, showers, and more. I generally prefer shelters so you don’t have to set up and take down a tent and are protected from the weather. But if a shelter is crowded or has questionable activity going on, I will go with the tent. 

A more typical shelter. Shelters typically hold 6 – 8 people but there are some that are quite large and hold more than 20. 

How do you take showers, clean up, etc? This one is tough but is a priority to me, so I will find a way. I’m bringing wipes to use daily, love to swim (or soak) in any body of water along the trail, and will plan to get off the trail every 5-7 days to stay in a hotel, motel, hostel, or some other place with running water and electricity. The feature picture at the top of this post is Bascom Lodge on the summit of Mt Greylock in Massachusetts. This lodge is right on the trail and offers food and lodging to hikers. Bascom Lodge and several other similar lodges or outdoor centers on the trail will also be a welcome respite from ‘roughing it’! 

How will you do your turnaround – how will you get from Maine back down to Connecticut to start the second half of the trail? My wife Laura will pick me up at Baxter State Park in August. We will then take 2 – 3 days to drive down to Connecticut, relax, and spend some time together before getting back on the trail.

Are you hiking alone? Up until last week, my answer to this one was a ‘yes’. However, last week my son Nick informed me that now that his job search had ended successfully (Yahoo!) he had some time to do some hiking! So, Nick and I will start out together and he will be with me for the first 5 days. After that, it will be just me and anyone else I find along the way! I am also looking forward to possible visits with friends and family along the trail!

That’s it for now – less than a week to go!