Mariposa
I was ten years old when my love for the Smoky Mountains first inspired my dream of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Twelve years later, I made that dream a reality when I completed my NoBo 2014 thru-hike. I am now getting my PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), with an Interdisciplinary Statistics minor. In addition to hiking, I try to maintain some semblance of sanity through crafts, piano, fantasy/sci-fi books, beer, and bacon.
Posts
The 2019 Hiker Survey: General Information
This is the first post of 2019 in The Trek’s annual survey of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers and long-distance section hikers. This year, we gathered
The Long Trail Survey: Favorite Towns, Restaurants, Shelters, Gear, and More
A few weeks ago, The Trek’s founder, Zach Davis, completed the Long Trail, which runs 272 miles through Vermont from the Massachusetts border to the
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Trends: Examining Gear, Budget, and Resources Over the Past 5 Years
In 2014, we began conducting annual surveys about AT thru-hikers and attempting thru-hikers. Starting these surveys soon after my own thru-hike has
2018 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Survey: Top Stoves and Water Treatments
We surveyed over 300 section or thru-hikers about their stove, food, and water preferences and their experience of illnesses on the Appalachian Trail
Top Backpacks on the Appalachian Trail: 2018 Thru-Hiker Survey
In this installment of The Trek’s 2018 Hiker Survey, we cover backpacks and base weight. We asked hikers about the frame type, capacity, brand, and
Top Sleeping Bags and Sleeping Pads on the Appalachian Trail: 2018 Thru-Hiker Survey
We surveyed 310 section and thru-hikers who were on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2018. They shared about the sleeping bags they used, hammock
The Top Tents, Hammocks, and Tarps on the Appalachian Trail: 2018 Thru-Hiker Survey
Each year, The Trek surveys long-distance hikers on the Appalachian Trail (AT) regarding the shelter systems they use, such as tents and hammocks. In
The Top Footwear on the Appalachian Trail: 2018 AT Thru-Hiker Survey
Each year as part of The Trek’s annual thru-hiker survey, we ask hikers about the footwear they used, and this footwear data remains my favorite to
The 2018 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Survey: General Information
Two years ago, The Trek expanded our annual Appalachian Trail thru-hiker survey to include questions not only about main gear items, but also more
Top Footwear of 2017: Results from the Annual Hiker Survey
I should start with an apology for the long delay in writing this post. We typically try to get the survey results out before the next class of