Is hiking the Appalachian Trail right for you? Taking on a journey stretching well over 2,100 miles, covering fourteen states (from Maine to Georgia) by foot is no simple stroll where at the end of the day a comfortable bed and hot meal would await you. Instead, hiking the Appalachian Trail can be an endless battle with all the elements of mother nature: whereas in one state spring would have sprung already with wildflowers dressing the forest floors and insects buzzing through crisp air, on other parts of the trail it [the weather conditions] would be smothering heat, but meanwhile a few states north the rain would fall endlessly with gusts of cold wind, and snow would blanket the pathways of the trail and more than likely blizzards would ensue. When hiking the Appalachian Trail you’ll want to be prepared in more ways than one, you will …show more content…
Be sure to do research through a few books or articles on the very subject of hiking the Appalachian Trail to give yourself some mental preparations. You will have to learn how to expect the unexpected and try to remain positive along the journey. It’s a good plan to know why you want to hike the Appalachian Trail, doing so may help you at the times that you become disheartened. The first hours of hiking are always the hardest, so be sure to pace yourself and try to set daily targets to accomplish, for example attempt walking a certain amount of miles or to reach checkpoints in a timely manner. Before hiking the AT get sufficient practice wearing approximately the same weight you would carry on the trail, get familiar with all your gear. Attempt to get yourself in the best shape you can and go on smaller hiking trips that can lead up to the big one [hiking expedition]. Please budget your money wisely before and during this trip, you will be buying expensive
To add to the difficulty of the trails is the extreme elevation changes. The re are ironically enough thirteen climbs which result in more than 10,000 feet of climb per loop. This is obviously accompanied by an equal amount of descent. One runner described it as climbing 100 floors of stairs in your first mile, going back down on second mile and continuing this for twenty miles. The course amasses an average grade of over 20% and between 50 and near 100 percent grade on the abandoned trails and bushwhacking sections. The grade is the reason that the trails have been abandoned or not built in the first pace. Each climb bears a unique name which in many cases gives a good idea of their nature.
Bill Bryson uses his experience on the Appalachian Trail to show how different your expectations can be compared to the reality of the situation. Bryson believed that he was fully prepared for the hike and that it would be exciting but, in all actuality it was very difficult. He also believed that the hike would be stimulating for the mind but, at times it didn’t require a lot of thinking or attention. His experience and the background research he provided created an image for his audience so they could understand the point he was trying to make. These elements served as evidence in the book and was very effective because it was abundant and meaningful.
Is Bill Bryson, the author of a Walk in the Woods, an Appalachian Trail hiker? To most people, the only type of AT hiker is someone who hikes it all at once, also known as a “thru hiker.” Bryson has hiked a large amount of the AT, along with Katz, and has come across many obstacles along the way. He has encountered a bear, obnoxious hikers, and especially harsh weather conditions. None of these hurdles have seemed to stop Bryson. They have reduced his progress but have not stopped him completely by any means. Critics have expressed their irritation with Bryson and his negativity towards all of the impediments on the trail. For example, one critic said, “As a hiker laying in a strategy to thru-hike the AT in a couple years, I was looking forward to a light and lively tale. Boy was I disappointed. Grumping about the cold, rain, mud, vermin, tourons, monotony, ugly people and places, and an inept hiking partner didn't let up.” (Anonymous: A Protracted Whine. Book review of A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. November 2, 2007) Although many tough critics do not consider him to be an AT trail hiker, he should be considered an AT hiker because he has hiked most of the trail and has written a best-selling novel to inform people of his long, vigorous journey.
The book, The Trail, takes place on a portion of what is called the Appalachian Trail. From start to finish, the Appalachian Trail is roughly 2,200 miles in length, and starts in Springer Mountain, Georgia, and ends in Mount Katahdin, Maine. For Toby’s specific portion of the hike, he was hiking 400 miles from his grandma’s home in Norwich Vermont, to Mount Katahdin, which is one of the 4 trailheads. Throughout the Appalachian Trail, there are things called shelters, in which people that are hiking the trail can stay at. These shelters provide warmth, food, and company, which are all things that a majority of the hikers are craving. Not
“In an hour and 40 minutes they run more than 15 miles over uneven red clay, dodging small herds of cattle and donkeys laden with sacks of potatoes…The route climbs more that 3,000 feet, from and elevation of slightly more than 6,500 feet at the river to nearly 10,000 at the peak, where oxygen is precious and a cruel wind slices across the face of the hill.” (Layden, par. 2)
Many people would argue the Underground Railroad was a great strategy because of the benefits it brought. Even though the Underground Railroad was a strong, high risk for the slaves, it also helped many slaves too. The slaves would sing songs along the trails as they escaped to their freedom and they would be sent to different conductors along the travel. Different conductors would led them in the way they needed to go to successfully get freedom. They would use the stations to help them hide or eat. They would have to travel long distances barefoot and deal with severe temperatures. They were constantly on the run from slavecatchers and their dogs.
When hiking alone it is easy to get lost if you do not know about the location you are hiking in. In the text, “Hiking Alone in Canada” the author Shelly Barclay wrote, “If you are tempted to venture into unfamiliar territory without planning, remember that your expected two-hour hike can turn into days if you get lost. Some of Canada’s trails go on for thousands of miles, branching off in many places through areas that do not see people for long stretches.” This quote means that if you go hiking into unknown areas that your hike can become much longer than expected because of getting lost and not knowing where to
Throughout the A.T. backpackers experience wildlife and challenges that help them in various ways. Self-confidence is a great skill accomplished as well as self discovery and commitment. The time it takes gives travelers time to discover themselves while walking the beautiful trail. Hikers who hike for a hobby and/or exercise also take away experiences from a trail traveled by many. Whether traveled non stop or by sections, the Appalachian Trail is a great adventure for almost any hiker to enjoy.
Aron and Chris each prepared for their journeys in many different ways. Chris only brought with him the clothes on his back, a book for identifying plants, a sack of rice, some water, and a gun. For a trip that was going to be much longer then average Chris did not plan out his journey in Alaska wisely. He also unwisely refused to accept advice from locals regarding what he would need to be prepared for Alaskan wilderness. Walt McCandless said "Chris was good at almost everything he ever tried... which made him supremely overconfident". (Krakauer 118) Aron Ralston on the other hand was quite well acquainted with the rugged regions of Utah where his journey took place. Ralston took the ordinary day to day things he thought he would need for a day trip; a gallon sized CamelBak, another gallon of water in a canteen, a muffin, two burritos, and five chocolate bars. In some other ways Ralston was well prepared by bringing along climbing gear, a head lamp, a camera, batteries, and a Lea...
“The lake or the cliffs?” I asked, gesturing to the singing frogs behind me and the rocky face that we had nestled our tent under the previous night. We had been hiking a long time the night before, at least twelve miles. We still had a long way to go too. The stretch that we were completing started just at the Connecticut border and wound its way down through the mountains of New York and into New Jersey before finally ending at the border in Pennsylvania, the most famous of East Coast trails.
Climbing Mount Everest is no easy task and is a dangerous expedition. This is not a sporadic decision and takes lots of training and preparation. When researching I assumed and discovered that you should train for months. Climbing Mount Everest is strenuous and in order to climb it a person needs to be in good shape. Although it is costly it is important to find a tour group. Saving up and signing up is the most ideal because it is dangerous and the guides do know what they are doing. Packing light is not a good idea because climbing Mount Everest requires many materials. However, over packing would wear you down and become too heavy on your back. Similar to the activity we did in class what seems necessary to pack might not be useful
The weather that Americans traveled through caused more problems than good. The Oregon Trail isn’t a flat trail. There are many hills and mountains that need to be climbed and rivers that need to be crossed. During the time on the Oregon Trail, the weather could make those obstacles a deadly scene. When climbing mountains, the dirt path could be soaked with water. The amount of rain or snow that had fell made it hard for some of the ox to pull the wagons up the hill. Americans would have to get out and help push their covered wagon up these steep hill. This caused many injuries and death in some
During winter vacation, I usually take a skiing trip to a cabin in the Washington State Wilderness. Loaded with everything from Monopoly to a waffle iron, my backpack shields me from snow dripped by evergreens. It never actually skis, but my backpack wouldn't dare miss a downhill ski trip in the Rockies of Idaho. I leav...
One of the most enjoyable things in life are road trips, particularly to the Colorado mountains. Getting to spend time with your family and friends, while being in a beautiful place, is irreplaceable. The fifteen-hour road trip may feel never-ending, but gazing at the mountains from afar makes life’s problems seem a little smaller and causes worries to become a thing of the past. Coming in contact with nature, untouched, is a surreal experience. My family trip to the Colorado mountains last summer was inspiring.
Leisure time, each person thinks of something different when they hear this. While reading an essay by Gregory A. Miller about "The Many Benefits of Hiking” I got to thinking what my favorite features and benefits of hiking are. My favorite thing to do in my leisure time is hiking because it calms my mind, it 's great for the body, and I enjoy doing all I can for our earth along the way.