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Starting the Appalachian Trail on the CYTC
This morning when up woke up my tent was frozen over and it was freezing outside! I made a large hot mocha to get the day going. Then we were packed up and walking by 5:30am. With 21 miles to go to get to Amicalola Falls, where our Appalachian trail journey will begin.
Even though it was cold out, I didn’t last long in all of my layers. I wound up taking off my alpha and just keeping on the montbell wind layers. Which I’ve been obsessed with! I don’t know how I ever hiked without wind pants and a jacket. Considering how thin they are, they still keep me so damn comfortable. I’ve been loving this layer for the colder weather. And I can keep it on even for moderate climbs, so long as it’s cold out.
Walking the road as the sun came up, for the last time!
We walked for a couple hours in the dark before the sun came up. But the road was fairly quiet which was nice. Then we began a long climb up to Burnt Mountain, which we would pass over right on the road. We had a couple thousand feet of gain to do, but it’s always easier to climb on roads. They are graded so well for vehicles. The road brought us all the way up to 2,600 feet, which is the highest we’ve been yet this year. There were some nice views of mountain in the distance. It feels surreal that we will be arriving at Amicalola today. A new chapter is about to begin.
Icicles which had formed alongside the road.
As the day went on we just continued along the road. Never stopping before arriving at Amicalola Falls. Eventually we got onto quieter side roads. Then back onto a main road as we walked right to the visitor center. What a strange adventure this has been! Arriving at Amicalola Falls for the second time, but this time under entirely different circumstances. Last time I was here in 2023 I had walked up from the Pinhoti trail and the Benton Mackaye. A unique journey all its own. But this time I have walked here all the way from Key West Florida, over 1,330 miles. It feels good to walk this footpath after my flip flop ECT hike in 2023. As if I’m putting the pieces back together the way I would have done it originally, if only I had planned it out before hand. Now I’ve walked both northbound and southbound from key west to Georgia, and from Alabama to key west.
Glowing pink clouds as the sun came up.
It was around noon when we finally crossed under the arch at the front gate for Amicalola Falls. With a large AT emblem adorning the sign. We’ve made it! But it still feels so far off. In 49 days I walked from key west Florida to Amicalola falls in Georgia. 1,330+ miles. What a lovely adventure this has been so far. We continued down the road to the visitor center. Inside I got a coke and a deli style sandwich. Then we went to get our tags for the AT.
Only 2 more miles to Amicalola falls!
They have a new movie for the AT check in process, which we had to watch even though we’ve hiked before. I understand the sentiment, but I’ll be honest, the video felt like a bad joke. There was a guy dressed in a bear costume messing around with a “survivalist” character. It just didn’t seem like the type of video that hikers should be watching before their hike. I’m sure a traditional power point might bore people as well, but at least it would be more informative. With all of the hikers who don’t know how to bury their waste, pack out trash, and the such, it just didn’t feel like the right video to initiate people. The content made it hard to feel serious about the whole thing. Which I think misses the point entirely. Hopefully others can find value in it, but it felt like a waste of resources to me. I just hope that quality hikers along the trail will reach out to educate those among them when they break the classic rules of LNT and the trail.
We have arrived! After 1,330+ miles of walking.
We got our tags after that and I was #212! A stark different from my March 31st start date in 2023, where I was hiker #1910 or something like that. It’s wild to be on trail when there are so few hikers out. We’ll be blowing by the bubble ahead of us quickly too. Then it will be a quiet rest of the hike toward Katahdin. That might be nice though, since we’ll be hiking the PCT in the busiest bubble imaginable.
Hiker #221 in the Appalachian trail class of 2025.
Then we began the climb up the infamous stairs at Amicalola. I was feeling strong, but knew the 600+ flights of stairs would probably be an ass kicker regardless. It’s a whole lot of repetitive motion that we haven’t been doing much of. But I was surprised to be able to just keep pushing on. And when I needed a brief break, a southbound hiker named Guru passed by and gave us the perfect opportunity. He was coming down off the Pinhoti and the Benton mackaye. I had heard about him but wasn’t expecting to cross paths today.
Then we continued along the approach trail. The stairs were probably the hardest part. But there was still a lot of climbing to come after that. I felt good though and finally was able to shift my mind into it. When you’re climbing and your legs feel sore and you start to breathe heavy, your mind is telling your body to stop. But when you push past that and keep going you realize that you didn’t need to stop. You can align your breath and keep pushing. Even though your mind might have been screaming at you to take a break. It’s this type of mental training that we haven’t been doing much of, but seems to come back easily.
Amicalola falls.
Eventually we finished the approach trail and arrived at Springer Mountain. It was a blue bird day and the skies were clear. I never got to see such views on springer before. It was a foggy morning when I passed through previously. Now we were enjoying it all! It was starting to cool down, but not too quickly. I’d need to add some layers eventually but not yet. We still had a bit more climbing to do.
My topo terraventure shoes brought me all the way here to springer mountain!
Right as we began descending springer we passed by 2 hikers heading north. They must have gotten dropped off in the parking lot and were starting their hike there. One of them was named Milk Man, and he’s attempting the calendar year triple crown! It was cool to talk to him and he was excited to meet. Apparently his wife had been joking that we might cross paths at springer, and here we are! Doing just that. He has an exciting year ahead and the first day of a journey is always special.
I absolutely adore this large winding tree that sits right before the plaque for springer.
If my current count is correct, there are about 10 hikers (including Punisher and I) doing the calendar year triple crown this year! That’s definitely an unprecedented number of hikers. Typically around 5 or so hikers will attempt each year, at least for the last few years. But these big thru hikes just keep becoming more and more popular, as larger numbers of hikers want to test their limits and push themselves to the edge. And damn, do I love to see it. The limit does not exist! I’ll be on the hunt for it for as long as I can.
One of the first white blazes of the year. It feels so strange to be back here on the AT!
We made our way down springer mountain after that. Then the trail leveled out a lot was way more leisurely for the rest of the day. Sure, we had a climb or two. But it was brief enough. I was able to keep my wind gear on around this time and not get too sweaty. When we reached springer we were already 30 miles and 6,000 feet of elevation gain into the day. Then we had 8 miles remaining to Hawk Mountain Shelter, where we hoped to stay the night.
Oh how I missed the forest and its many trees.
Thick chunks of ice alongside the trail as we descended.
The last few miles of the day I was a bit tired and ready to be done. But it was more so my mind than my body. My phone was close to dying, so I stopped listening to music. I didn’t want to take the time to grab my charging brick so close to the end of the day. But I needed to keep my phone on to take photos and videos periodically. So I sacrificed my music to do so. Music can be a damn godsend at the end of such a long day. It certainly would have helped to pass the time quicker. I made it without music though all the same.
Walking through a forest of rhododendrons.
We filled up water at the creek right before the shelter. I didn’t want to have to fuss around to find the water source down by the shelter. Then we made our way there, hoping for an empty shelter. It was around 7pm and the sun was just starting to set. I wasn’t too hopeful about an empty shelter. Especially with bad weather coming in early tomorrow. But to my surprise the shelter was basically empty! Two hikers were set up on the second level. But no one was on the bottom level. What a treat! Our tents are still wet from last night and we never pulled them out. So it wouldn’t have been ideal to sleep inside the cold wet tents.
We were walking until just before sunset.
Once we arrived we got set up inside. Then I got water boiling to make a Mountain House Meal for dinner. It was the kung poa chicken one which I’d never had before! I had service so I coordinated some plans for tomorrow. Monarch, a hiker who I met in Glacier last year, is going to help us out tomorrow. In the summer she works in glacier and in the spring she is a ridge runner here in Georgia. She helped us out a ton up in Montana, and now here she is helping us out again! She lives right down the road from woody gap. So tomorrow morning we will hike 12 more miles to get there. Then she’ll pick us up and bring us into Dehlonega. A small town just down the road from the AT.
Today we did 38 miles in total with 7,000 feet of elevation gain! Not too shabby. We’re so back. After those two shorter 18 mile days, it felt great to do 33 yesterday and 38 today. Today we did 21 miles on the road, then the 8+ mile approach trail, and the roughly 8 miles to Hawk Mountain Shelter. Not bad for the first day on the AT. Now we’re cozy in a shelter that even has service! So after I ate I got some work done before calling it a night.
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Punisher walking through the forest along the AT.
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Comments 18
Absolutely fantastic! You are moving. Can’t believe your 1st day on the approach and AT doing those kind of miles! What an accomplishment 👏. Stay warm and safe. We’re about to shovel our driveway and deck for the umpteenth time 🤩 but we get to come back inside to our toasty warm home afterwards xx
Congrats on reaching the AT and putting all those road miles behind you. I have followed you since the first time you hiked the AT. I look forward to reading your blog every day.
Stay safe out there and keep hiking / blogging.
Holy crapoli what a first day!! I am officially mind blown. Stay closely tuned to the weather, a few folks have been hauled off the AT with hypothermia.
Yes you’re in winter now! But beautiful to be on the trail!! We got snow last night but only about an inch but it is cold!! We’re about straight west of you in Alabama so weather about the same. 15 here Tonight & tomorrow night & then starts warming up here to 40 & 50 for daytime highs on Friday. Enjoy the mountains!!
I don’t envy you the next day or two. North Georgia is going to be COLD! But next week looks really nice. I’m down in Atlanta. Enjoying watching your progress.
If you make it to Dahlonega mid day, the Smith House is famous for their family style dining. Lunch is 11-3 and around $21.
WOW, You are hammering this hike.
Loving the blog. Enjoying the journey with you. Wishing you great success along the way for sure. Glad you’re on the AT and pushing north. Crushing miles. Living the dream. Awesome. Thanks for sharing. Very much appreciated. You look very happy under that arch.!!! Happy is good.
You’ve had an interesting week. Silliness is my best distraction and I’ve been trying to decide what was sillier, the skeleton stripper or the movie you had to watch when picking up your tags. I’ll admit that I’m 64 and retired with a real taste for gummies. I’d have cracked up when seeing a dude in a bear costume. The the bear and survivalist fight or end up sharing a tent?😂😜
Have been looking for someone to follow from start to finish, and be informative and descriptive, I have started training and hopefully will be ready to go 24 months from today at the age of 70 yrs. old. I live in Ma. and in my younger years hiked the White Mtn. N.H. & the Green Mtn. VT. Look forward to following you & supporting you.
Congrats on the huge milestone of getting to the AT! Keep hiking, we’ll keep reading!
I really appreciate the updates about the trail. I am going to be attempting a through hike March 1 2025. I am 65 years of age and I did a lot of road walking the white mountain region in New Hampshire Vermont area in 2015. I walked from Wells Beach Maine to imperial Beach California in 2015 for the Make-a-wish children. With this Appalachian Trail it’s going to be a different beast but pretty much the same, get ready to enjoy the suck of doing 20 miles plus a day. Thank you for keeping me encouraged. God bless you
As one of the hikers in the bubble ahead of you, I’ll try not to cause too much disruption as y’all “blow by”. Enjoy your CYTC attempt. 😀
As someone who has never hiked or heard of these trails, I feel like I just entered the twilight zone. I didn’t even know this was humanly possible. I’m at a loss for words that people do this. And for fun lol. Absolutely incredible.
I’m 63 is possible to hike the trail by my self
Yes. I am also 63 and will be hiking solo. Just train before hand by strengthening your hips, ankles, knees, and shoulders. Keep weight under 30 lbs and start slow. You got this.
Only you can make that decision. It is possible.
Greetings, P. L. I wish you healthy legs and heart as you travel. Keep your mind open to different thoughts and approaches on the journey. I drive my Boston taxi and think of walking. Perhaps you occasionally do the reverse!