SOBO
Southbounding the PCT, Part 4: Resupply, Towns, and Trail Angels
It's no secret that the majority of long-distance hikers on the PCT choose a Northbound itinerary. Many services along the trail tailor their schedules to best serve "The Bubble," which...
The Stunning and Harsh Wilderness of Central Arizona
Exhausted from the previous night, I woke up a bit late. Steel had already left. For a change, the sky was overcast and cool with just a hint of some...
Southbounding the PCT, Part Three: Environmental Truths
Environmental factors can have a significant impact on how much you'll enjoy a hike. That's as true of day hikes as it is for thru-hikes. Sometimes it will feel like...
Southbounding the PCT, Part One: Who, How, and Why
"Oh, you're going the opposite way!" O RLY? I can't tell you how much this phrase began to grate on my nerves over the 2,650-mile trip from Canada to Mexico....
Shit Gets Real and Challenges Mount on the AZT
A Slow Restart Tim dropped us back at Sandy Seep, and we continued on the Equestrian Bypass out of Flagstaff. Walnut Canyon was a scenic but short-lived start to the...
Kaibab to Coconino on Forest Roads
"No food on the bus." Per Bear looked at the bus driver, then down at the remaining half of his Nutella wrap. Then back to the bus driver. Then he...
Reflections on My AT Thru-Hike
Summary I started my southbound (sobo) thru hike at Mt. Katahdin in Maine on June 1, 2017 and finished at Springer Mountain, Georgia on November 26, 2017. Based on 179...
Punishment and Reward. Welcome to the Arizona Trail.
Champagne lap. That's what I had begun jokingly calling a thru-hike attempt on the Arizona Trail. After the PCT, Arizona's 800 miles sounded like an extended cooldown after the main workout....
A SOBO’s Song
"Oh my God, this is the ending. This is over. What is beginning?" Cole Blume, 34. Eugene, Oregon. THE BASICS: Start/finish day: July 16, 2017 to November 14,...