Reflections From One Month on the AT

1) The people make the place.

Before I started my thru-hike, I knew that the views would be incredible, the hiking would be hard, and that the trail was supposed to be social. But I never knew what the “social” side of the trail meant… I understood that there would be lots of other hikers starting their own thru-hikes at the same time as me, but that was it.

After a month on the trail, I now understand how important the social side of the trail actually is. Since there are so many other hikers on the trail, it generates so many opportunities to socialize with other people, even when I am in the backcountry. The effect of other people goes beyond just socializing. People on the trail are always so kind to help others, whether it is gear issues, hiking advice, or anything else in between. The people that I have met on the trail are really what have made my hike special.

2) Views are views no matter what the weather.

The Appalachian Trail takes hikers through countless different scenic areas as it makes its way across the East Coast. Many of these views are ones that people have encouraged me to seek out the best weather days to go see. I’ve been told that the best views are only seen on the clearest days.

But after a month of hiking, I have learned that this is not the case. Whether it was snow in the Smokies or fog in Roan Highlands, the weather is what makes the views. Without the weather that I have had to walk through, I would not have gotten to see some spectacular and new views. I have gotten to feel like I was in a winter wonderland and truly see what it’s like to be above the clouds, all because of imperfect weather. So this has made me learn that the views will always be there (no matter the weather) and the weather can just make them better.

3) Taking care of your feet is SOOOOO important.

When hiking between 15-20 miles in a day (for many days in a row), I can have tons of different aches and pains every day, but if one gives me the most trouble, it’s my feet. They are the one part of my body that I NEED to use all the time. If another muscle in my legs is sore or aching, I can adjust my stride to work around it. But if my feet hurt, there is nothing I can do to avoid walking on them.

After a month on the trail, I have found out how key good shoes really are. I started my hike in Altra Lone Peak 7s that very quickly were worn out and uncomfortable. Even though I was constantly using a cork ball to soothe my feet at the end of each day, they were constantly battered. Around mile 350, I blew holes in the side of both shoes that I then limped another 100 miles to Damascus, VA. While walking this last section in shoes that were doing more harm than good, I quickly learned how important a proper choice of footwear is to a successful hike. After arriving in Damascus, I made the switch to Topo Pursuits, and I have my fingers crossed that these shoes may have a longer lifespan for healthier feet.

4) Shelters are awesome.

As I mentioned before, when I started the AT, I refused to sleep in shelters. But that mindset quickly changed. After spending more time on the trail, I learned that the convenience of not having to set up my tent far outweighs the possible discomforts of the shelter. Even though the shelters are open to bugs (which are not bad yet because of the cold) and have the occasional mice (which are easy to ignore), it is so much easier to just toss down my sleeping pad and go to sleep compared to setting up my tent. As a lazy hiker, the ease of using the shelters is unmatched for me. And not having to pack up a wet tent in the morning is also wonderful.

5) Hiking in the rain is okay.

When I was starting, I was very afraid of hiking in the rain. As I’ve gone on, I’ve realized I have rain gear for a reason and that I can push on through any bad weather.  This lesson was truly learned while I was hiking through the Roan Highlands in rain and wind so strong it was raining sideways. Even though the weather was terrible, I was still warm and dry (enough) in my raincoat. After a month on the trail, I understand that the weather is part of the experience, and I would be missing something if I was avoiding hiking anytime the weather was uncertain. Plus, I can always think of my favorite piece of AT advice, “your stuff will dry.” And this phrase is true… no matter how wet I get (at some point), my stuff will always dry out.

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