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Week One Favorite Aspects and Stories
Introduction
Hey y’all! My name is Lilith, and my partner Ian and I are beginning our northbound thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail! I am excited to share my experience and I hope it’s educational and sheds some light on the thru-hiker experience.
Georgia Scenery
One of my favorite parts of the trail so far is the scenery. As I walk, crushed minerals beneath my feet create a glittery carpet. Yellow, white, and purple wildflowers cling to the mountainside and reach out from beneath the forest floor. There are always mountains in sight, whether they are on the horizon or in front of you as you prepare to climb one of them. The cool mornings are the perfect temperature to hike in. After a noon rain shower, the forest glows with a new liveliness.
Community
Another of my favorites is the people I have met. They come from all walks of life and it is amazing to hear their stories. I remember my first night in Amicalola. Thirteen of us were retreating from the rain in a shelter a hundred feet or so from the welcome center. Ian and I arrived at two, however most of the hikers in the shelter were there before us. We had plenty of time to get to know one another. One of the hikers taking shelter had brought a ukulele banjo, and soon enough we were all laughing and talking as we tried to figure out how you tune and play such an instrument. The conversation flowed comfortably after that. During my first week, I’ve understood just how much the hiker experience can open you up to new people and relationships.
Another night that stands out to me from my experience so far was at the Springer Mountain Shelter. This was 8.8 miles into Ian and I’s hike and officially the beginning of the Appalachian Trail. We just completed the approach trail from Amicalola. It was a couple of hours until sunset and some of the hikers who settled there for the night gathered at the picnic table to have dinner. As we got to know each other, I learned that we were all from different countries. It was incredible to have conversations with a group of people whose backgrounds were so culturally diverse.
First Trail Magic
On Ian and I’s third day we encountered our first trail magic. We just descended Mount Sassafras and took our lunch in Cooper’s Gap. We, along with a couple of other thru-hikers that we made camp with the night before, noticed a man with a car covered in bumper stickers. He was friendly as he introduced himself and offered us supplies. It was interesting listening to this man’s history with the trail and learning about the different aspects of the AT community. After saying thank you, we walked away with candy he gave us to fuel our next stretch of the trail.
Campgrounds and Shelters
The comfortable feeling of setting camp is definitely one to look forward to during the day. It is nice arriving at a shelter or campground where you can see several other tents and people as they set up for the night. Occasionally there will be a dog making his rounds for pets, which each hiker gives graciously.
If that night we ended up landing at a shelter, it is usually a two-story cabin-like space. Each hiker’s sleeping bag can usually fit in comfortably during early April. The second story is more of a nook, half of the size of the first floor with a ladder that allows access to it. Towards dinner time, all the hikers gather at a picnic table that is usually present at the Georgia shelters. We begin to open up to each other and share our stories. After a night’s rest, we wake up on our own time. Each hiker gets ready for the day and says farewell before heading out.
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