Starting an Appalachian Trail Thru-hike

Getting off to a Good Start on the 2,200-Mile Georgia to Maine Trek

Mar 22, 2009 Karen Berger

An Appalachian Trail thru-hike is tough with long miles, steep climbs and descents, mud, rain, rocks, and cold. A few strategies make the start of a thru-hike easier.

Late March and early April is the height of the season for launching an Appalachian Trail thru-hike (although thru-hikes can start almost any time of the year, in any direction). No matter which way hikers are headed, or which season they are hiking in, a few simple tips can make those early breaking-in days as easy as possible.

Before the Start of a Long-distance Hike

• Last-minute fitness. Have a week or two before the start of a hike? That's enough time to make a final stab at hiking fitness: Put on a pack and hike up a hill, or go to a gym and get on the Stairmaster. Every little bit helps.
• Break in boots. Hikers planning to wear boots should take a couple of practice hikes to break the boots in.

Starting Out Strategies for Appalachian Trail Thru-hikers

• Start slow. It's a short but tough hike from the office at Amicalola Falls State Park to the shelter at the summit of Springer Mountain, which makes for a good shake-down hike on a first day. (But less fit hikers can break it up; there is both a lodge and a shelter between the park and the summit.) Take it easy the first few days -- 8 or 10 miles is plenty. It's easy to make up the mileage later.
• Take blisters seriously: The number one cause of misery for a new thru-hiker is blisters. Blisters begin with tiny hot spots that seem innocuous - but they aren't. Hot spots are caused by an irritation (a fold in a sock, a grain of sand, sweat, an unbroken in boot) . Any hot spot should be treated immediately. Sometimes all it takes is a Band-aid, but Moleskin and Spenco's Second Skin are effective, as well. Keeping feet blister-free is the most important thing a hiker can do to make the initial break-in phase easier.
• Start light. Before heading for the trailhead, take one final look at equipment. Is it all really and truly necessary? Ultralight hikers get their base weight (pack weight not counting food and water or the clothing worn by the hiker) down to less than 12 pounds. Packs that tip the scales with a base weight in the 20-30 pound range are way too heavy. Good places to shed weight: duplicate clothing, complicated cooking sets, hardware like knives and flashlights.

Winning Attitudes for Long-Distance Hikers

• Don't compete. At the height of the thru-hiking season, prospective thru-hikers arrive at Springer Mountain on a daily basis, and the shelters in Georgia can be completely filled. After a hard day of hiking, feeling sore and out of breath, and knowing that only a minority of those who start a thru-hike actually finish, it can be tempting to compare oneself with other hikers -- especially the brash and overconfident young buck who has just hiked 20 miles without breaking a sweat. Resist the temptation! Inner fortitude, patience, a sense of humor, and the will to keep going are far more important in the long haul -- and hiking the Appalachian Trail is nothing if not a long haul.
• Don't try to keep up. Hearing others talk about the 20-mile days they are planning to do can be dispiriting to a hiker who is so sore he isn't sure he'll be able to move tomorrow, let along hike 20 miles. Don't alter plans, try to keep up, or otherwise give in to peer pressure. The saying on the trail is "Hike your own hike."

Above all, enjoy the journey. Don't look ahead expecting to see the end. 2,200 miles is unfathomable at the beginning. But ahead lie five or six months of glorious views, unforgettable experiences, and life-long friends. Enjoy them all -- one step at a time.

More information: Appalachian Trail article index.

The copyright of the article Starting an Appalachian Trail Thru-hike in Backpacking, Hiking & Camping is owned by Karen Berger. Permission to republish Starting an Appalachian Trail Thru-hike in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Appalachian Trail Plaque, Springer Mountain