What I Learned from My Appalachian Trail ShakeDown Hike

A hiking buddy and I tried hiking the Appalachian trail in northern Connecticut for an overnight shakedown hike as I prepare for my thru hike attempt starting next month. Here is what I learned:

1. Be careful on the rocks

Even if you have rock hopped on backpacking trips and day hikes plenty of times before, one misstep can send you tumbling. And tumbling into a cold stream on a 35 degree day is not something you want to do. I remember reading AWOL on the Appalachian Trail where AWOL got injured in Maryland and he was mad at himself for not being more careful. It led to a week long rehab off trail. On my shakedown hike, my hiking partner and I were navigating a lot of water, including standing water and streams, and by the time we got to Bass Brook we were nearly at our intended destination. MP3, my hiking partner for the weekend, went first and slipped on a rock and fell into the stream. He has hiked over 400 miles on the Appalachian Trail, so he is not without experience. And his experience told him that immediately after that, he had to change into dry clothes as best he could and get to the shelter to get into his warm sleeping bag as soon as possible. But this could have gone a lot worse in 35 degrees if we did not know the proper way to handle it. The moral of the story is, even if you have a lot of backpacking and hiking experience, one misstep can entirely alter your day and potentially your entire trip. Always ere on the side of caution, and do not be overconfident.

2. Always be prepared for moisture overnight

We chose this particular night to hike in to the mountains because it was due to just be cloudy and we were not expecting any rain. But by the end of the night, it sure looked like it had rained. My hiking partner, who slept in his sleeping bag inside the shelter, noted that it looked like it had rained on his sleeping bag. My rain tarp on my hammock looked the same. This moisture was caused by a very dense fog as we were basically within a cloud all night. Thankfully, the gear that we brought kept us warm, but some might choose not to set up their rain fly if they are expecting a rainless night. Especially in the higher elevations, I would encourage you to think again. And if it wasn’t for MP3’s water resistant outer layer on his sleeping bag, he may have gotten a second unplanned soaking.

3. Talk to the people that you meet.

As we took a break at Riga Junction on the Appalachian Trail, hoards of weekend warriors and day hikers were passing us. MP3 and I met a group called Boots to Brews, which is a large group who finds different ways to assist hikers moving through Connecticut and Massachusetts. They have a Facebook page, so feel free to look them up. We also met a fellow rising thru hiker who is starting his journey in mid March, and since he was also parked at the Undermountain trailhead we were able to chat with him all the way down the side of the mountain. I was blown away by all the friendly faces and people who love to chat about hiking. I really look forward to engaging more in this hiking community.

4. My sleep system worked.

While this mostly just applies to me, I have to mention it as it was a huge confidence booster for my hike. The reason for this shakedown hike was to test out all the new equipment that I invested in. I had not set up my hammock gear before, besides my actual hammock. This was a great trip to try setting it all up in one place for the first time to ensure that I knew how it fit together and also to ensure that it would keep me warm. Both worked great! I even had a point in the night where I had to wiggle out of my sleeping bag liner because it was getting too warm in 35 degrees. I will note here that if you are planning any form of big hike, you definitely need to do this same thing.

5. It can be a good idea to bring a backup to some things

While I was cooking, my headlamp ran out of charge. I needed a headlamp, so while the first one charged with my Anker power bank, I pulled out my spare. There are some who will disagree with me on this, but I like the peace of mind of having a spare headlamp for exactly this sort of situation. I am not a “I need a second item of everything because I could lose it” sort of person, but there are some items that are very useful to have a backup. I like having a backup fuel canister and lighter too. The first lighter I tried would not spark too well, so I pulled out my second lighter and that one did the trick. I will always have some matches with me as well. I am a Boy Scout through and through, so I know that I need to carry some things to be prepared while also being conscious of not carrying too much additional weight.

In Conclusion…

I came off this hike in a really good mood simply because I love hiking and it always gives me mental energy that I might call a “hiker high” (kind of like runners high). I know that other thru hikers call hiking the high in their life and often associate it with a post trail depression of sorts. So I hope that whatever I do, I can continue hiking. That is how I enjoy life. And with this shakedown, I am feeling confident that I can enjoy the Appalachian trail.

What do you think? Are there other things that you have learned on your shakedown hikes? Do you have thoughts on my takeaways? Let me know! Add your comments and let’s keep the conversation going. Also, feel free to follow my vlogging channel on YouTube @sticktheeagle or my Instagram by the same handle. Remember to embrace the journey, and happy trails!