Chris Cage - How to Hike the Appalachian Trail: A Comprehensive Guide to Plan and Prepare for a Successful Thru-Hike

This book is dedicated to everyone pursuing the life they want to live.

How to Hike the Appalachian Trail

A Comprehensive Guide to Plan and Prepare for a

Successful Thru-Hike

CHRIS CAGE

www.greenbelly.co

Copyright 2017 Chris Cage

All Rights Reserved.

How to Hike the Appalachian Trail

A Comprehensive Guide to Plan and Prepare

for a Successful Thru-Hike

Contents

Introduction: Hey, Im Chris

Chapter 1: Favorite Tales

Chapter 2: You Should Be Excited

Chapter 3: Preparation

Chapter 4: Logistics

Chapter 5: Social Hour

Chapter 6: Trail Life

Chapter 7: Meet the AT

Chapter 8: State By State Breakdown

Chapter 9: Gear Guide

Chapter 10: Clothing

Chapter 11: Food and Nutrition

Chapter 12: Water and Hydration

Chapter 13: Dangers

Chapter 14: Rehabilitation Phase

Chapter 15: Wrap Up

The AT Dictionary

INTRODUCTION

Hey, Im Chris

I joined Boy Scouts much later than most. I was 14, a freshman in high school, determined to get my Eagle Scout. Our troop drove to Amicalola Falls, Georgia for one of my first overnight outings. We hiked a few miles into the woods on a small trail, no more than a foot wide. Bugs, sweat and physical exertion with a bunch of 11 year olds was not my idea of a fun weekend.

While cooking dinner that night, our scoutmaster explained that we were at the very beginning of The Appalachian Trail. This trail continued all the way up the Appalachian Mountain Range to Maine. I can remember looking down that trail, through the small corridor of thick trees, being fascinated that this tiny path went on for over 2,000 more miles.

January 2012, I was 23 and just out of college. Life was good. My accounting major had helped me secure a stable job with a promising career at a large corporation in Birmingham, Alabama.

However, the idea of waking up in 40 years still working as an accountant was a little terrifying. I didn't want the life where "adventure" was a weeklong trip to Paris with a selfie at the Eiffel Tower.

The real wakeup call came when I noticed my peers doing two things:

1) Getting married and

2) Buying houses with 30 year mortgages.

I knew I wasnt ready for marriage. And, to me, a 30 year mortgage really meant you need to have a job for the next 30 years.

I felt like the time for freedom and exploration was upon me. I started saving my money and planning my exit. I was going to hike the Appalachian Trail (AT) - a childhood dream.

Beyond getting my Eagle Scout, my backpacking experience was really only weekend trips with some college buddies. I knew the AT would be a challenging beast and potentially too difficult for me to finish.

Ultimately, I feared failure. I was scared of telling all of my friends and family that I was planning for months to attempt this big epic hike and then not complete it. I decided I wanted to know all potential areas for failure and prepare accordingly.

The research began. I totally geeked out. YouTube videos, books, spreadsheets, emailing anyone that knew anything, you name it. It was overwhelming and I had a thousand questions.

How much should my pack weigh?

Where will I find drinking water?

Where should I sleep?

What kind of boots should I wear?

How much does it cost?

Is it dangerous?

Should I be doing any physical training?

Despite being overwhelmed, I started to learn more and anticipate how exciting this journey would be.

There is a scene in the movie, Into the Wild , where the main character cuts up his credit cards and burns his money. He is eliminating any attachment he has to society before setting off into the uncharted Alaskan Wilderness.

That sense of pure freedom and slight madness is exactly how I felt while planning my hike. Until then, it was as if I had been operating within some sort of boundaries and rules. My life had been on a predictable path. This hike felt like I was going to play hooky except for 6 months.

In addition to the Appalachian Trail, I started planning a bicycle tour of New Zealand and a backpacking trip through Asia. In New Zealand, similar to the AT, I would either hike or bicycle everywhere. Motorized vehicles would only be allowed when hitchhiking. I really just wanted to get out there.

Several months later, I put in my final notice at work. Dad felt like I was throwing my life away and didn't speak with me for months. Mom cried.

I would not stay in one place for more than a few weeks for the next 2 years. My bed, desk, TV, everything went up for sale on Craigslist. I moved any last belongings (mainly extra clothes) back into my parents house.

My gear was ready. Quality items built for a beating. They were also super light. My new tent was so thin; I actually called the manufacturer to make sure I wasnt missing anything. There had obviously been some technological advancements in the industry since my last gear purchases over ten years earlier. In order to reduce pack weight, I shaved off the handle of my toothbrush and cut every extra little bag strap and zipper. Bare essentials only.

I was a Southbounder and, therefore, needed to begin my hike at the Northern terminus at Mt. Katahdin, ME. As I was on a bus from the Portland airport to a hostel near the trailhead, I met a fellow hiker. She had already hiked the southern half of the Trail and was flip-flopping to finish the northern half.

The next morning, we were packing our bags to head out on the Trail. This was the moment I had been waiting for. As I slipped on my pack to hop on the shuttle and head to the trailhead, I noticed she was loading all of her gear into a huge trash bag that was lining the inside of her pack.

I asked what she was doing. She laughed and asked you really dont have one? My heart stopped. I was already anxious enough from the pre-hike anticipation. Did I really miss something though?

Apparently this trash compactor bag would be much better at preventing water from seeping into my pack than the pack cover I had bought. Even after all my research, I was realizing before even setting foot on the Trail that I had missed something. She handed me a spare trash compactor bag. It kept my gear waterproof for the entire journey and was clearly better than my pack cover.

Over the next six months, I picked up a lot more tips and tricks that I did not find in books or blogs. And on the cold afternoon of December 17th, 2013, I collapsed on top of Springer Mountain, GA.

Beyond gear, there were countless things that I wish I could have told myself. Things about the wildlife, the logistics and the REAL struggles I would encounter.

People love to talk about how hard the AT is and how miserable parts of it can be. Yes, that is somewhat true. But, come on. It is 6 months! Plenty of miserable stuff has probably happened in the last 6 months of your life, no? There has probably been some amazing stuff too, right?

The AT experience is no different, only on a bigger and more extreme spectrum. At the end of the day, the aches and pains will be trumped by the epic landscapes, great friendships and proud lifelong memories you will have.

The AT is often referred to as a microcosm of life. It has a beginning and an end. You start off with a fearful learning curve, slowly become comfortable and then embrace it wholeheartedly before it comes a finish line. The fearful part is only in the beginning. Once you find your groove, youll just enjoy the ride (or hike?).

This book is designed to help you get through that first learning curve and planning stage. I want the AT to feel a lot less intimidating after reading this. If I can do it, you can too. Comprende? It really just comes down to a little preparation and mental fortitude.

There were countless times before leaving that I thought Hmm, this seems really stupid Chris. You are quitting your job to go do something you may not enjoy and may not be able to do. Maybe this isnt such a good idea.