The Appalachian Trail (AT) is one of the most well-known hiking trails in the US. According to Appalachian Trail Conservancy, about three thousand people try hiking the trail per year. However, each of their goals may be distinctly different from one another's. Hiking the AT requires a bit of consideration before you get started and a boatload of mindfulness afterward. With the number of people that you'll meet there, you might think it's not a wilderness getaway. The amount of people you encounter depends on whether you're going northbound (nobo) or southbound (sobo) and what time of the year you start your hike. If you're preparing to hit the AT, there are a few things you should figure out before you even get started.
The Thru-Hiker Appeal
In trail-talk, a thru-hiker is anyone who decides to hike across the AT. The stipulation is that they cover the entire 2,193 miles in a single calendar year. It doesn't matter how you make those miles or in what order. In fact, the trail regulars divide thru-hikers into several different categories:
White Blazers: the trail is marked with white blazes forward and double white blazes in reverse, and these thru-hikers only stick to the white-blazed trails.
Blue Blazers: Side trails and trails that lead to shelters are marked with blue blazes. Blue blazers enjoy going down these side trails to explore.
Other Colors: You also get cute nicknames for regular marijuana users (green blazers), those who defer their hikes to hike with a crush (pink blazers), and those that hitchhike from point to point and skip areas to come back later (flip-floppers). Those that just skip the areas of the hike entirely are known as yellow blazers.
There's some rivalry among the blazer groups, but for the most part, it's good-natured. Deciding which hike YOU want to undertake is the most crucial aspect. If you're doing thru-hiking, you should at least make it fun.
Setting Out
Should you decide to go for a nobo or solo hike? Most people decide on the northbound route because it's the one followed by most other people, including the first man to make the crossing. Earl Shaffer headed out from Georgia's Springer Mountain in 1848 and successfully covered the AT trail completely at Maine's Mouth Katahdin in August. Nobos are likely to encounter many people on the same area of the trail with them, but that's not so bad. Sometimes it might feel like a frat party with so many people there. Nobos will encounter some pretty chilly winter-like conditions in March and early April, but they will also have less company around those months.
Southbound hikers will be facing a different AT than nobos. Usually, sobos start in Maine right after Memorial Day celebrations wrap up. The sobo approach draws fewer hikers because you have to get over Mount Katahdin first - arguably the most challenging part of the entire trail. Right after that is the longest roadless stretch, something Maine Public Radio referred to as the100-Mile Wilderness. To handle nobos and sobos and give people an idea of what they'll be dealing with, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy has set up a registration system. This system allows hikers to get a grasp of who else may be hiking with them.
Get in Shape
Although you can make it through the AT as an out-of-shape slob, it'll be markedly more difficult. Ideally, to reduce the number of aches, pains, and potential broken bones you may be exposed to, you should try to get in shape. You don't have to be a marathon runner or anything like that. Unless you're going for a speed record (which you really shouldn't do if you're out of shape) you can get by on just being able to manage yourself. Ideally, you should focus on your aerobic fitness and leg strength since those areas will be the most vital to your AT experience.
Packing and Resupplying Through the Trek
You will need to layer your equipment as the weather up in the peaks can get really cold. However, at times you might be facing lots of heat as well, so you'll have to know when to add layers and when to take them off. Footwear is a significant concern. You can't go hiking with ill-fitting boots, but buying one that fits perfectly at the hike won't do well for you either. Most hikers complain that their feet swell during the trek, so you may want to buy boots a few sizes larger. Use lacing techniques and socks to make up the difference. You can't make a small boot bigger, but a big boot will be much more comfortable when your feet are swollen from the hike. Always carry a tent for when you can't get to a shelter in time and need to set up outside.
When you go grocery shopping for your initial supplies, you should remember that you can resupply on the trail. Thanks to its switchbacks that cross the road, several towns dot the AT course, making great resupply points. Try not to overdo it, though. Usually, a week of supplies is all you'll need. Anything more than that will become overbearing, and you'll spend more time packing your groceries than getting any hiking done.
Sleeping Space
Shelters are easily accessible all through the trail, marked by the blue blazes mentioned before. However, shelters are first-come, first-served. Most hikers have lights out at around 9 PM, so if you show up after that time, try to consider the rest of the people already there. If you have a tent packed (see the section on packing and resupplying), you shouldn't have too much problem setting up outside. If you're staying in a shelter, it's good etiquette to turn your phone off, dim the lights, and go outdoors to make your calls. Chances are you won't have good reception anyway.
Take One Day At a Time
The AT hike allows you to discover more about your surroundings and enjoy the mountains. It's something that you should take at your own pace. Each hiker has a different approach to the AT, so don't feel pressured to approach it in one particular way. The end goal is fulfilling your hike. How you do it is entirely up to you.
