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Appalachian Trail SOBO Diaries Part 10: It’s the Journey, Not the Destination
The Smokies Entering Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Scuba, Wildcard, and I climbed and climbed and climbed. The Smokies are home to the highest point on the Appalachian Trail: Clingman’s Dome at 6,643 ft. (2025 m), and the elevation brought frigid temperatures in November. Reaching Tri-Corner Knob Shelter, the wind picked up and the temperatures…
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Appalachian Trail SOBO Diaries Part 9: Ponies, Friends, and Good Days on Trail
A Sticky Situation After a wonderful night off of the trail spent with friends, I returned to the AT. Upon stepping foot back on the Trail, I had my first unfortunate experience of meeting another thru-hiker who wanted to hike with me, who I had no desire to hike with. His name was Rusty. He…
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Appalachian Trail SOBO Diaries Part 8: The Virginia Triple Crown
Never a Dull Day on Trail Leaving Glasgow, I crossed the James River Footbridge and hiked up Thunder Ridge. I passed two interesting features in the next two days. First, I came upon a dead tree that contained a burl in the shape of the silhouette of a woman. A few miles later, I walked under…
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Appalachian Trail SOBO Diaries Part 7: Shenandoah and Fall Weather
Intro I felt revitalized after finishing the Four State Challenge and taking a few dearly needed days off. Getting back onto to Trail, I quickly entered my favorite section of the Appalachian Trail. From Shenandoah down to the Smokies, I had mostly beautiful fall weather, and it felt like I was passing an iconic part…
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Appalachian Trail SOBO Diaries Part 6: Challenges
Pennsylvania Days Hiking through Pennsylvania, I watched as the majestic greens of the Trail slowly transformed into vibrant golds and reds. Since the New Hampshire border, I had not taken a day off of hiking, and the days started to blend together. Misty mornings and sunny days hiking through the forest and farmland epitomized my…
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Appalachian Trail SOBO Diaries Part 5: Naked and Not Afraid?
Lost on Trail A few miles after Bear Mountain State Park, I found myself off of the Trail. Out of the entire 2,200 of the AT, I only got lost on the Trail twice, and both times were in New York. It was a two-fold problem. First, many trail markers in NY were ill-advisedly painted…
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Appalachian Trail SOBO Diaries Part 4: Back on Track
Intro Returning to the Trail after my grandmother’s funeral was bittersweet. I still had trouble processing my emotions, but I knew I was in the right place to introspect on my feeling. As a testament to my mental state, it was not until Virginia that I took another day off, over 600 miles later. Most…
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Appalachian Trail SOBO Diaries Part 3: A Final Goodbye
Intro After finishing Maine and the White Mountains, I was very much looking forward to some easier miles. Although the rest of New Hampshire and the beginning of Vermont were quite muddy, it was nice to not feel as exhausted at the end of every day. I even remember consistently getting switchbacks on the Trail…
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Appalachian Trail SOBO Diaries Part 2: The Going Gets Tough
Intro Appalachian Trail thru-hikers, if asked to determine the toughest 200-mile section of trail, would no doubt, overwhelmingly choose the section from the Whites into the first 100 miles of Maine. Or, in my case, vice versa. Middle Maine was the most challenging portion of the Appalachian Trail for me, but since it was so…
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Appalachian Trail SOBO Diaries Part 1: Headin’ Down South
Part 1 of a 10 part series covering unique, informative, and entertaining stories from a Southbound prospective on the majestic Appalachian Trail.
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An Appalachian Trail SOBO Story, Told 200 Miles at a Time
It’s been a few years and a few thousand miles since I hiked the Appalachian Trail. As I prepare to finish the Continental Divide Trail and cap off my Triple Crown, I felt the need to share the journey that started it all. On a perfect July day in Maine, I started a-walking on down to…
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The First 10% of the PCT
Winter Fairyland in San Jacinto The last few days have been a blur. Climbing into the mountains around San Jacinto, the delightful sound of ice tinkling down from the trees met my ears as I approached the higher elevations. It felt like I was walking through a winter fairy land! I did not make very…
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The First 10 Days of the PCT
SUN If I had to sum up the last 10 days on the Pacific Crest Trail into one word it would be SUNNY. In bold. All Caps. If you have not noticed yet, I have red hair, and skin that burns. Some people get one sunburn, and then don’t need sunscreen because they develop lovely…
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