Brandon Chase

Brandon is a guide, writer, and endurance athlete from Maine. In a previous life, he was a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State and had the opportunity to explore over 60 countries while serving at U.S. Embassies in Egypt, Cyprus, and Pakistan.   Along with a 98-day thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, he has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, hiked the West Highland Way, fastpacked in the Himalayas, and trekked around New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.S. While abroad, he picked up an affection for endurance athletics and regularly competes in ultramarathons at 50k, 50 mile, and 100 mile distances around the globe. In addition to leading wildlife and rafting trips in the Pine Tree State, he is a guide and instructor forAndrew Skurka's backpacking trips and Plan Like a Pro course. He writes about his adventures here on TheTrek as well as TheStringbean.co and his personal blog, Fit For Miles

Posts

Bunionettes: A Lesser-Known Chronic Injury

Bunionettes: A Lesser-Known Chronic Injury

Feet are the workhorses of any long-distance undertaking. They do the lion's share of the work and take the most damage of any body part. They get

Aug 14, 2018 : Brandon Chase
Breaking Down My $2,500 Thru-Hike Budget

Breaking Down My $2,500 Thru-Hike Budget

One of the major considerations when contemplating a thru-hike is, "Can I afford it?" Many hikers think they have arranged their finances properly,

Aug 7, 2018 : Brandon Chase
Post-Appalachian Trail Gear List Review

Post-Appalachian Trail Gear List Review

Before starting my thru-hike, I posted my Appalachian Trail gear list, which I had spent a long time dialing in and shaking down. Now that I've

Jul 31, 2018 : Brandon Chase
The Injury That Nearly Ended My Thru-Hike

The Injury That Nearly Ended My Thru-Hike

Everyone's worst nightmare when planning a thru-hike is an injury that will end their journey prematurely. This is not only because of all the time,

Jul 22, 2018 : Brandon Chase
Fast Facts About My AT Thru-Hike

Fast Facts About My AT Thru-Hike

Hello again! It's been just over two weeks since I summited Mount Katahdin and finished my Appalachian Trail thru-hike. Now that I've taken some time

Jul 19, 2018 : Brandon Chase
My Hike Ends with a Memorable Day on Katahdin

My Hike Ends with a Memorable Day on Katahdin

Welcome back for another trail update. Day 93, 12.2 Miles: Campsite at Mile 2,064.2 to Monson As expected, it rained throughout most of the

Jul 19, 2018 : Brandon Chase
Weekly Trail Update Thirteen: Days 86 – 92

Weekly Trail Update Thirteen: Days 86 – 92

Welcome back for another trail update! Day 86: Full Goose Shelter to Campsite at mm1934- 20.1mi I was up and on the trail at quarter to 6

Jun 19, 2018 : Brandon Chase
Weekly Trail Update Twelve: Days 78 – 84

Weekly Trail Update Twelve: Days 78 – 84

Welcome back for another trail update!   Day 78: Campsite at mm1768 to Jeffers Brook Shelter- 25.4mi Logs left a few minutes before me

Jun 17, 2018 : Brandon Chase
Weekly Trail Update Eleven: Days 70 – 77

Weekly Trail Update Eleven: Days 70 – 77

Welcome back for another trail update! Day 70: Campsite at mm1550.7 to Cheshire, MA – 28.2mi Despite the big rigs whooshing by throughout the

Jun 10, 2018 : Brandon Chase
Weekly Trail Update Ten: Days 63 – 69

Weekly Trail Update Ten: Days 63 – 69

Welcome back for another trail update! Day 63: Pochuck Mountain Shelter to Campsite at mm1381.3 – 29.8mi Because I got in to the shelter a

Jun 1, 2018 : Brandon Chase