In 2025, Anniversary finished the Appalachian Trail hike she initiated in 1975. Most of the 6 months she hiked in 1975 were solo, but she shared a few weeks with the man she married after her return, The Historian. In 2025, he accompanied her on her journey to finish the last 666.5 miles of the AT. After returning to their daily life, they decide it was not time to hang up their boots. Buoyed by their success, and the wonder of the thru hiking experience, they decided to take on the Long Trail for 2026. Out of a healthy respect for the technical aspects of the Long Trail, they plan a slow walk, allowing themselves 4 to 6 weeks in August in September.
Anniversary set out to hike the AT in 1975 but fell short of a full thru hike due to blisters and winter. A rare female solo hiker, she stopped at the base of Katahdin November 11, 1975 having covered all but Virginia. To support her in her original thru hike attempt, The Historian joined her twice, hiking along through the Smoky Mountains and the White Mountains. After her return they married in 1976 and lived busy lives. About two years ago, during a day hike, The Historian asked if she would like to finish the AT in 2025, the 50th anniversary of that attempt. Her answer was a resounding yes. Together, they have spent the past two years carving out the time and re-tooling their aging bodies to try. Come along and see how they did on the way to Katahdin.
