What I’m NOT Looking Forward to on the Appalachian Trail

Ah, the holidays…

You either love ’em or hate ’em. Maybe you love spending time with family, maybe you avoid it at all costs, or maybe you are missing your family that you can’t be with right now and this time of year is more depressing than anything.

For me, I’ve been fortunate enough to be in a warm home with people I like, eating good food while it rains outside near constantly (hello, Seattle winter).

Of course, my comfortable and relaxing time these last few days has me thinking about how uncomfortable and …un-relaxing… the trail can be. 

A cozy past Christmas with loved ones and pets.

As a beginner to backpacking, I am anticipating a lot of things about life on the trail that I have yet to experience myself. Recently, I’ve been testing my gear on short 1 night trips in local parks just to feel more comfortable setting up my sleep situation (my hammock), and recipe testing some homemade dehydrated meals (more on that in a future blog post). 

But 1 night in the woods close to home is very different from 150-180+ days on a trail unfamiliar, far from home, and in all kinds of weather. 

Mental Preparation

Beyond short overnight trips, I’ve started reading Pushing North, a book by an AT alumni known as Early Riser. This book came from a random recommendation online when I started looking into the often overlooked, highly necessary, mental preparation for the trail.

Pushing North – a great little book to help mentally prepare for this journey.

When less than 1/3 of reporting thru-hikers complete the trail, you know there’s probably quite a few who stop due to injury or life circumstances, but this author argues that most stop due to the mental strain of the challenge. 

Now, I’m dedicated to doing this trail. I’m quitting my job in the spring to hike the trail (like 37% of other 2024 AT hikers who took the survey!), which means I won’t have much else to do besides find a new job if I quit early. So mentally, looking forward to this enormous undertaking that I’ve never done anything close to before, of course I’m not planning to quit!

But not planning to quit and not quitting are two very different things, especially after days on end of bad weather, high levels of physical exertion, and mental exhaustion from the strain of life being turned upside down from the normal comforts.

Pre-Trail Anxiety

At its core, choosing to thru-hike the AT (or any other long trail) is basically choosing to become homeless for a time, with the privilege of having fancy outdoor gear, a supportive community, and enough money to survive for 6 months without a job.

Part of me is absolutely excited to try out this new style of living, to learn to be grateful for every little thing that sustains life, to live in a state of awe while surrounded by nature every hour of every day. To have the privilege to leave my day job and live in the woods of my own volition! It’s seriously a weird concept. 

But then I think again about what I’m getting myself into, and in reading Pushing North, I am starting to understand the true challenge. Not just my near-constant planning-anxiety thinking about what towns will I stop at, how far will I be able to go each day, what will I do if it rains. 

I will be carrying my food, shelter, and poop trowel with me every day with no cozy couch to sit on after a long day, no wifi to rely on for entertainment, no friends or family to spend time with cooking, cleaning, creating art, or just cuddling up together on said missing couch. 

This is going to be hard. 

What I’m Not Looking Forward To

To be honest with myself, and try to prepare myself mentally with realistic expectations for six months of my 2025 year, I’m going to write down everything I’m not looking forward to during this trek. Maybe it will help. Maybe it won’t. But it’s something to do that gets the anxiety out of my head and into the open. 

  • Having to filter every drop of water I drink and worrying about norovirus (and other yummy bacteria that could wreck my stomach) 
  • Having to dig a hole every time I need to poop
  • Having to set up camp in the rain, in the dark, when I’m tired, when I’m hungry
  • Having to worry about my safety in the woods at night
  • Having to check for ticks every night
  • Having to eat gas station-equivalent foods depending on what the town has to offer/what I’m willing to spend

Notice that these anxieties start with “I have to” aka I hate a sense of obligation.

Appreciating Life with “I Get To”

Now what happens if we change these “I have to” statements to “I get to”? (Thanks Trey Free aka Early Riser for this tip)

  • I get to filter my water fresh every day instead of packing gallons of water on my back. Even better: if I find fresh running streams of water on my hike consistently, I GET to drink water and survive another day!
  • I get to be a good steward of the trail and bury my poop properly to prevent the spread of disease. I get to find scenic spots to take poops. I get to be outside and not on my phone while pooping!
  • I get to sleep in my awesome hammock every night, cozied up and comfortable with my rainfly (that I know works because I have tested it in the rain), my quilt, and my headlamp. 
  • I get to learn life long skills of survival and become a badass who did the thing and lived in the woods for 6 months!
  • I get to take care of my  body and keep myself going on the trail for longer by taking the time to check for ticks and making sure I don’t get Lyme disease!
  • I get to use my savings in a way that is exciting and a break from my normal life. I get to spend my money in towns that need the income from hikers and tourists to survive. I get to support locals as they continue the journey of recovering from the Hurricane Helene devastation. 

And voila! Like magic, I’m excited again for this opportunity to change my life with this crazy decision. I want to continue this exercise of gratitude in my everyday life. Practice it yourself and see if you can’t get yourself out of the winter blues. 

Grateful for Support from Friends and Family

Finally, let’s get back to the joy that the holidays can bring. My lovely family is watching out for me and gifted me some wishlist items for Christmas to support me on my hike. I am so grateful for them and for the practical gifts that will certainly be put to use! 

Blister medic, a flexible water vessel for filtering water, tick repellent, and a light weight fanny pack for snacks!I GET to do this trail because of the people supporting me. I will continue to learn and strengthen myself mentally and physically for this journey, but a huge factor to my success will be my family telling me to keep going and giving me their support. I’m counting on my friends, family, and total strangers who read my blog to leave me words of support when I post to keep me motivated, excited, and reasonably prepared for what’s to come.

Thank you everyone who is reading my blog, and Happy Holidays!

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Comments 24

  • jim (bop-it) : Dec 28th

    you will have many friends on the AT. Some will last a lifetime and help is almost always there. Almost every shelter(8-15 miles apart) has a privy. It’s a walk through history and scenery if you take the side trails occasionally. recommend taking your packed out pack to your local REI or outfitter. They will dump it out and make suggestions on needed and unnecessary items to cut down on weight. They also do this at Neels Gap at Blood Mountain when you’re thinking : Oh Crap. What’s so heavy in here? You will start with a lot of people in the same situation. I only made it just shy of New Jersey due to injury(Pennsylvania lots of rocks, be careful) I want to go again so bad but age and health now maybe a problem. I enjoy following hikers online knowing where they are and what they’re going through. Hike your own hike and have lots of fun! I live about an hour and a half from trail start so if you miss a connection somewhere i can help.

    Reply
    • Elayna Simmons : Jan 2nd

      Great advice Jim. I saw in the 2024 survey from The Trek that the #1 best part of the trail experience for most hikers was the people which in itself is very encouraging. I look forward to meeting others who are on the same journey as well as learning from each other along the way. Thank you so much for following along and offering support! I really appreciate it.

      Reply
  • Susan Stoltze : Dec 28th

    I have to, I get to. This is brilliant! I think I will use this for everything in my life.

    Reply
    • Elayna Simmons : Jan 2nd

      Hi Susan! I’m glad it’s a helpful tool. I use it a lot when I’m starting to feel overwhelmed. I am sure there will be more tools I learn in preparation for this undertaking, I’ll try to share them in future posts if you want to follow along!

      Reply
  • Barry Allen : Dec 28th

    One comment on water, when you reach New Hamshire and Maine, you can use your judgement based upon water temp and movement. I have worked in woods of Maine for over 50 years and I with drunk forest water without filtering and have never been sick from it. Good Luck!

    Reply
    • Elayna Simmons : Jan 2nd

      Thank you for the encouragement! I will keep that in mind – make it to New Hampshire and Maine for the best water!

      Reply
  • Dee : Dec 28th

    I use a Grayl water filter system. A little bit heavier, but it filters out everything including viruses and heavy metals along with bacteria like norovirus, gardia, and protozoia. It is more expensive, but well worth it. They designed it for third world countries. Also, it takes 10 seconds to get 24 oz of water and will last the entire trip on one filter. I then fill my smart water bottle with a filter straw on the end. Over kill for sure, but no water borne illness for me while hiking. Diaherra in the back country is horrible. Enjoy your trip, and maybe I’ll see you out there.

    Reply
    • Elayna Simmons : Jan 2nd

      Good to e-meet you Dee, and I hope to see you out there soon! I have heard of the Grayl but went with the sawyer squeeze since it seemed to be “the standard” among backpackers and was a cheaper point of entry to the hobby. I intend to boil my water if the source is anywhere close to people since I’ve heard horror stories of Noro virus being passed around with the large numbers of hikers especially near the beginning of the trail.

      Reply
  • dr kiver : Dec 28th

    Any cold water coming out of a rock face is safe to drink. You are safer in the woods than Seattle, been there lots of times. You don’t anyways needs a tent. Many times I sleep with just an emergency poncho, eats lots of garlic ticks won’t like your smell.

    Reply
    • Elayna Simmons : Jan 2nd

      Thank you for the advice! I keep telling my friends that statistically I am far better off on a trail than in a city. 😁✌️

      Reply
  • Stuart H. Krantz : Dec 29th

    Hi Elayna:
    I left Springer Mountain on 04/01/1978 and hiked north 570 miles in 34 days. (Too fast – spend more time taking it in.) I left the trail because of a wedding in the Middle East. I intend to but haven’t made it back yet, (Now 71 yo)
    Your biggest slog will be doing a lot of peak/valley hiking out of Springer. After 15 days you’ll be in better shape and it won’t matter but at first, it’s hell.
    I carried a data book and AAA maps to know where the towns were. I didn’t plan more than that but it was 46 years ago. Infrastructure may have improved.
    Have fun. Stay safe.
    Warmly, Stuart

    Reply
    • Elayna Simmons : Jan 2nd

      Thank you for the encouragement Stuart! It’s incredible that the experience has stuck with you your whole life and that you remember the slog too. I will look forward to day 16 when I feel “in shape” after two weeks of slogging!

      Reply
      • Stuart H. Krantz : Jan 2nd

        Make your own luck! Otherwise, Good luck!!!

        Reply
  • Ben (no bun) : Dec 29th

    No need to hike in the rain! Some of my best memories are hanging out with others in the shelter while listening to the rain.

    In the summer, drought and high temps will be a real issue. Bring a small tub of Vaseline for chafing.

    Reply
    • Elayna Simmons : Jan 2nd

      Great reminder. The summer will be no joke especially if there’s a drought. I remember reading another person’s blog last year and they quit because of the heat in the summer…

      Reply
  • Deedle : Jan 1st

    Last year I had every intention of thru hiking the AT. I made it 64 days, 731.7 miles. The mental part of missing home is what did me in. If you can get through swimming in your thoughts for 10 hours/day, you’ll do fine. (I was a Trek blogger last year. Search “Andrea Stilwell” if you wish to read my adventure)

    Reply
    • Elayna Simmons : Jan 2nd

      Two months out on the trail is already a lot! I fully expect to have multiple mental breakdowns out there if I’m left alone for too long.😅 I’m hoping reading these books in preparation will be helpful!
      Do you think you’ll try again anytime soon to finish the trail?

      Reply
  • Jess : Jan 2nd

    Loved how you reframed your trail anxieties into opportunities for gratitude. A great life practice!

    Reply
    • Elayna Simmons : Jan 2nd

      Thank you Jess! I think all these mental “tricks” will be helpful to get me to the finish line for sure.

      Reply
  • Michael Beecher (Quick on the Draw) : Jan 3rd

    You will be just fine. Just remember that that bad days pass and there are always good days ahead. I slightly disagree with one of the comments above regarding not hiking in the rain. I am definitely a glass half full kind of person because I’m surprised by how many days my journal mentions rain. If I were not to have hiked on those days, it would’ve taken me much longer to get to Katahdin. I had one week when it rained every day but one. I had an umbrella and loved the sound of the rain on it as I hiked. An umbrella is not for everyone but good wet gear is essential.

    Reply
    • Elayna Simmons : Jan 3rd

      I totally agree with you. I’m sure there will be stormy/windy days that will be not-so-fun and maybe I’ll hide out in a shelter to let those pass at times, but I have no problem hiking in the rain if it’s not freezing cold!

      Reply
  • Manger Cat : Jan 3rd

    You are correct! Atitude is everything!!!!

    A few years ago, my friend’s ex-husband gave her his old mini van when he purchased a new vehicle. The gas gage didn’t work, so he gave her a small note book to keep track of gallons of gas/miles per gallon.

    Over a month or so, we ran out of gas 4 times. On the fourth time, she started to break down in tears. I turned to her and said, “You have to be the luckiest person in the world when it comes to running out of gas!” She just looked at me in shock disbelief and thought that I had lost my mind!

    I told her that the first time was during rush hour at a busy intersection in an area that was sketchy. She was trying to call AAA. I knew that there was a gas station less than a block away. I bought a gas can and it gallon of gas. We were on our way in 10 minutes. AAA had said it would likely be about a 2/3 hour wait.

    Second time was in her driveway. The nights were cool and she would run the heat in hvan while she smoked. She didn’t realize it still used gas even if you didn’t drive anywhere.

    Third time we just got off the expressway and she managed to coast into a store parking lot. She had a small amount of gas in the gas can. Enough to get us to the next gas station.

    Fourth time it was pouring rain. She ran out of gas right in front of a gas station!

    Of course, running out of gas is does not fall in the category of good things that happen to a person. But, considering, it had happened four times and each time had a quick, easy solution, was just pure luck. She was very fortunate and lucky.

    When I explained to her why I thought she was so lucky, her entire demeanor changed. Instead of being upset, angry, etc., she realized that each situation could have been so much worse than what it was.

    Instead of dwelling on how bad a situation is, think about how it might have been worse and appreciate that it wasn’t.

    Reply
  • Goodwill : Jan 5th

    I have done the Southern half of the AT from Springer to Harper’s Ferry and I summited Katahdin and did the 100 mile wilderness south bound. I hope to finish the remainder this year. I want to state that I am no expert and the following is just my opinion/perception. You are correct that it is not physical(injuries excluded) but mental that prevents most from completing their thru hikes. But most of your concerns will not be as big a deal as you think. You are much safer in the woods than an urban environment statistcally. You will quickly get used to filtering your water and will realize that most of the water you are drinking is some of the best water you have ever had. If you don’t like pooping in the woods it is pretty easy to use a shelter privy instead. Ticks are an issue but if you pretreat your clothes and gear and apply repellent daily it helps protect you. You are right that setting up camp in the rain is tough!! Even tougher is breaking camp and packing up your wet gear in the rain knowing you are going to hike all day in the rain and sometimes multiple days of hiking in the rain! But you are from the Pacific Northwest so you are well versed in rain so you have an advantage!!! Plus the rain and the adversity make you appreciate the dry sunny days. As far as food, everything tastes great after hiking 20 miles and you will forget yourself on “town food” at every opportunity and it will be amazing!! What I can’t really describe in words is the natural beauty that you will be immersed in. All of the hardship of the trail is worth the experience of living in some of the most beautiful natural scenery the world has to offer for 5 or 6 months. Additionally, the people and the community you will meet on your journey are amazing!! Yes the trail is hard but the rewards are priceless!! I wish you much luck and remember to enjoy the experience!!!

    Reply
  • April Maria : Feb 4th

    Can’t wait to hear about your success! Attitude is EVERYTHING! This is my first thru-hike, and I am more excited than ever. I am ready to “get to” do it ALL! Thank you for sharing, Elayna

    Reply

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