Way OT: AT/PCT Thru Hikers

Submitted by Trump on

I have always been obsessed with the Appalachian Trail, and the desire of some day completing a thru-hike from Georgia to Maine. As I am reading "AWOL on the Appalachian Trail", the author writes about meeting a young man who goes by the trail name "WOLVERINE". It is later in the chapter that the author uncovers that the man goes by WOLVERINE due to the iconic block M on his hat. This got me thinking about the board, wondering if any of my fellow wolverine faithful have ever completed this 2,200+ mile journey through 14 states? Any humorous/terrifying/strange stories from the trail?

I know this is quite off topic but there has to be a few hiking enthusiasts out there!

 

Edit: I don't know much about the PCT, but would also love to hear some thoughts/stories on it!

Yo_Blue

June 29th, 2016 at 8:13 AM ^

Another good hiking movie is The Way with Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez.  Sheen plays an America doctor whose son is killed just prior to starting the Camino de Santiago pilgramage in France and Spain.  Sheen decides to hike the trail with his son's ashes.  Well worth the view.

The Reese Witherspoon movie was Wild.  Pretty good, but I enjoyed the book more.

Sleepy

June 28th, 2016 at 5:59 PM ^

...and his girlfriend are doing a chunk of it this summer (cool story, bro). The pics they've sent so far have been pretty amazing.

PopeLando

June 28th, 2016 at 6:02 PM ^

And the Lord said unto mgoteacher1, "Abandon thy obsession with deserted backwater trails through dangerous territory, my son. For it bringeth naught but ruin, though it may fool thee with false promises of fulfillment. Pursueth thee other forms of exercise which are less likely to be the opening scene of a horror movie."

And mgoteacher1 heard the Lord's voice, and trembled in awe, for he knew then that it spake truth unto him. And obeying the Lord's command, lived a long and healthy life on treadmills or neighborhood trails. And it was good.

And the Lord said unto himself, "nobody told me that keeping these idiots alive would take up so much time and energy."

Mgoboards 6:28

Toasted Yosties

June 28th, 2016 at 6:08 PM ^

I wanted to do it after college. I read a lot of Thoreau and what not. Anyway, never did. I realized I would have probably hated it. I'd do smaller hikes and eventually found I wasn't such a hardcore outdoorsman. Give me a few days on Lake Michigan or Superior (in a nice cottage) and I'm a happy camper...or cottager. I bet making the final ascent to the top of Moint Katahdin, after the 2,200 mile journey, must be triumphant though.

Thinking of doing it? Some do a quarter of it a year so it's not such a time-suck.

bluepow

June 28th, 2016 at 6:11 PM ^

It is one of our nation's finest pieces of infrastructure.  Easily graded (unlike the AT) it roams 2,600 miles strategically taking as high a route as possible from saddle to saddle.  

I found long-distance hiking the closest thing to perfection that exists.  You literally carry as light a load as possible, giving total freedom for your mind to wander and the hardest decisions you face surround food.  Ice cream first or straight to the loaded smoothered burrito (or two)?  Meanwhile, your body is consistently in extraordinary condition.  

If you are obsessed with the AT (as I was the PCT)...DO IT!!!  You will not regret it.  My primary thought: less is more.  After about two weeks you get into this very satisfying rhythm where living in the mountains feels natural.  You have everything you need and nothing you do not.  Most people think you need to carry all kinds of extra stuff to adequately "be prepared".  That is false.  To have everything in it's proper place and truly directly rely on all your possessions (but have no excess) is a special kind of living very much contrary to messages from contemporary society.  It is glorious.

Ahhhh...enjoy!

Trump

June 28th, 2016 at 6:16 PM ^

Astounding! That is quite an accomplishment! While I know close to nothing about the PCT, I know a few who have completed it, and one who is current. Both have said it is a life changing experience in which you learn to appreciate what most take for granted.




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Monkey House

June 28th, 2016 at 6:15 PM ^

I'm going to try and do a 14 mile stretch of it this August if my ankle is good by then. i would love to do it some day, but I need a lot more training. i did a 22 mile over nighter last year and my feet were pretty rough from that.

TIMMMAAY

June 28th, 2016 at 7:26 PM ^

Were you carrying a relatively heavy backpack? That's the difference.

IMO, only true ultralight hikers/backpackers should wear trail runners. If your pack is over 25-30#, you should wear boots, you need the stiff sole. Trail runners don't have that. It doesn't need to be a full leather boot, but should be designed for the purpose.

I'm very much a novice, just for the sake of full disclosure. Nothing I say should be taken as gospel on this subject.

Michigan FTW Again

June 28th, 2016 at 6:17 PM ^

hiked it last year. He said is was basically a walking pot festival, and most nights he'd stay at hostels along the trail. He also said he didn't want to leave Dartmouth once he made it there...

bluepow

June 28th, 2016 at 6:37 PM ^

Hiker helper is extremely valuable on every long trail.  Especially while walking into the dusk barechested with a gentle breeze invigorating you a couple more ridgeline miles to the next perfect bed-down spot.  At least that is what comes to mind...

DAMN good living!

Shattuck311

June 28th, 2016 at 6:35 PM ^

I've been reading this board for the better part of the last decade, and never have I felt the need to comment (I gain my info from the board, and don't have expertise on the team to add)  However, I surely have something to add to this OT message!

I did both the PCT north bound and AT southbound in 2014.  I remember being SO excited to watch the Notre Dame game, so I hustled to a small town in New York, found a small dive bar, and had them put the game on.  It was my worst night on the trail, and I was happy as a clam to have a great excuse to not watch another game that season... 

In all, I enjoyed the PCT far more than the AT or the CDT for that matter (did that last summer).  If you want a wilderness experience, do the PCT, or do the AT southbound. I think there were around 50-70 SoBo thru-hikers on the AT in 2014, so it felt pretty empty.  I've heard going NoBo on the AT is a walking party, which could be a lot of fun if that's what you're looking for.  It all just depends.

Glad I'm not thru-hiking this fall though, as I'm excited to have a watchable football team this year :)

Cheers! - Steven (Trail name 'Twinkle')