WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A THRU-HIKER
I started with the intention of finishing,” explained Doug Davis. “I think a lot of the quitters only committed themselves to giving it a try. As I went along I would try to imagine finishing [my thru-hike]. It was hard. I also tried to imagine not finishing. It was impossible.”
Davis sums up the way most thru-hikers feel. It takes determination and goal orientation to finish the trail. Flexibility is the key.
Phil Hall said, “It takes determination, flexibility, and endurance. Without all three, you probably won’t make it that far.”
Steve Bekkala offers this question for prospective thru-hikers to ask themselves, “Can you think of a better way to spend your summer than hiking the A.T.? If the answer to that is yes, then you should be doing that instead.”
Before you begin planning your hike, ask yourself these questions:
Some of these questions may seem trivial, but all of them point to reasons that people quit the trail. Obviously, severe physical injuries and emergencies at home also are a factor, but these have nothing to do with the determination, flexibility, and endurance it takes to hike the entire trail.
“Finishing the A.T. was all-important,” said Sondra Davis, who hiked the Trail with her husband, Craig. “But enjoying it was reason enough.”
What do we mean by flexibility, endurance, and determination? Consider this journal entry by Mac Wrightington penned at Vandeventer Shelter in Tennessee:
First, the good news. Easy Ed [Ed Carlson] and I had a great time yesterday at Laurel Fork Shelter, and I slept fairly well despite reading in the register that a rat the size of a small dog resided there. I also had beautiful weather today.
Now the bad [news]. The guidebook’s description of the store at 321 [limited supplies] was the understatement of the century. For the next two days, it’s corn flakes and water for breakfast, cookies for lunch, and pork and beans for dinner. Also, my feet, that gave me trouble yesterday, are now dead. No, wait a minute, if they were dead they wouldn’t hurt this bad. My trusty Raichles have finally given out on me—causing bruises, blisters, and bleeding. Damascus is 32 miles away now, should be an interesting couple of days ahead.
Wrightington didn’t enjoy his problems, but he also didn’t think about quitting. Every hiker has at least one day like Wrightington’s, usually many more. It’s just something you have to keep in mind when you intend to hike for six months. Like six months in the “real” world, something is bound to go wrong occasionally.
WHY PEOPLE THRU-HIKE
There is no one reason that draws people to hike the entire Appalachian Trail. But there does seem to be a common denominator among thru-hikers: they are mostly at some period of change in their lives. A divorce, graduation from college or high school, retirement, marriage, and an anticipated change of careers are all typical times that hikers take to the A.T. to follow it from end to end.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO HIKE?
How much do you want it to cost? A good rough estimate is $1 a mile, not including any equipment you may need. This is not going cheap, nor is it extravagant. If you are careful, the Appalachian Trail can be a very inexpensive six months. Your only real cost is food. Some hikers include the equipment they must purchase in the mile per dollar estimate and factor $1.50 to $2 a mile.
The ATC says that a thru-hike can cost from $1,000 to $5,000, not including equipment, with an average of about $3,000. The low end of the spectrum requires going without restaurant meals or motels, which few hikers prefer to pass up. Most people spend $1,000 to $2,000 on equipment.
You don’t have to stay in hostels. You can conceivably camp instead of paying the few shelter fees. Other expenses include fuel for your stove. From there, what you spend is optional. Most hikers will splurge on restaurant meals when they go into town for food.
Other expenses might include: