Everything I Wish I Knew Before Hiking the Appalachian Trail
You won’t have as much solitude as you think, and there’s a reason everyone uses some of the same gear. But once you’ve hiked the Appalachian Trail, you’ll never be the same person you were when you started.
Written by Mary Beth "Mouse" Skylis
I dreamed of forests with chirping birds and grazing deer when I set my sights on thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. I wanted to decompress my mind after working in a cut-throat environment at a raw materials company in Michigan to pay off my student loans; I needed a hard factory reset to revert to my original settings or I was certain I’d implode. I even tried to convince my parents that I should leave my phone at home (I lost that battle).
Two thousand miles seemed enough distance to allow me to reorient my life. But I had no idea what I was actually about to experience. Here are four things I wish someone had told me before I started.
Soti nan eskwadwon an
Konvèsasyon Kanfi ak kominote nou an, ki soti nan Manm Eskwadwon ak Anbasadè yo nan Brand Patnè ak ekip la Sawyer.
Medya Mansyone
Sawyer’s picaridin lotion lasts a long time, stores well in survival kits and cars, and doesn’t have the laundry-list poison control label like DEET sprays.
Medya Mansyone
Secure a small loop of cord to a trekking pole to create a convenient place to hang a water bladder and filter water.
Medya Mansyone
It contains 20 percent picaridin, a powerful insect repellent that will make nights around the campfire much more enjoyable.
