Appalachian Trail

Had a reader contact me recently asking me how I managed to get any sleep when backpacking solo. He’d gone on their first overnight trip in Dolly Sods (WV) and been freaked out worrying about eastern bears at night and being attacked while he lay in his hammock. My response: “I am …

I ran into some section hikers in Maryland who asked me whether you need to stay in the Appalachian Mountain Clubs (AMC) Huts when you hike the Appalachian Trail through New Hampshire. Absolutely not! Priced at $131 per person/night, you get three blankets, a big dinner, a big breakfast and a …

Many ultralight backpackers bring extra clothing on trips that they never wear and end up carrying for no purpose. Doing this has a ripple effect, because it means you need a larger backpack to carry the extra clothing, which is probably going to weigh more. Instead of bringing extra clothes, …

National Geographic publishes a thirteen map Appalachian Trail Illustrated map set of waterproof paper maps that cover the length of the Appalachian Trail from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Maine’s Mt Katahdin. Available as a complete set or in separate 200-250 mile sections of trail ($14.95 each), they’re cleverly packaged in booklet form instead of …

The first thing I did when I got to the Maryland – Pennsylvania border was to cross the Mason Dixon Line. The second thing was going to China King Buffet, an all-you-can east Chinese Food joint in Waynesboro proper. Feeling protein deprived after a week on the AT, I chowed …

I left the TeaHorse Hostel at 8:00 am after eating their signature waffle breakfast and walked through the town, crossing the railroad bridge to get to the C & O Canal in Maryland. The Maryland section or the AT is only 40 miles long, and I was planning on resupplying …

There are many different ways of section hiking a long trail, perhaps as many as there are section hikers. Some section hikers plan their hikes down to the last detail while others don’t do much planning at all. Here are some of the most common styles of section hiking, along with examples of the route …

It started to rain as soon as I left the Mountain Home Hostel on Rt 522 in Front Royal, Virginia (969.1). I’d traveled down to Harper’s Ferry from Boston the day before and gotten a shuttle from the train station to the hostel from Scott, the hostel owner. He and …

It’s a sad fact that many of the grocery stores you used to find in small towns along the Appalachian Trail and other hiking trails have been replaced by gas station convenience stores. The quality of food available has suffered and it can be difficult to walk away with anything resembling …

If you’ve just completed a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail, the CDT or the PCT, or you’re planning one for next year, finding a new job after your hike, might be easier than you think. As a former hiring manager with a big staff, I was always impressed by job …

Backpacking and outdoor gear companies sponsor hikers and other athletes because it’s a very inexpensive form of advertising. The basic formula goes like this: they give you a piece of free gear or a steep discount on purchases you make through them, and you become a walking billboard for their …

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy says that 20% of the people who claim to hiking the Appalachian Trail each year are section hikers, although I suspect that the actual number is much higher. While some section hikers complete the trail in just a few years, many others take a decade or more to hike all …

Taking time to hike the Appalachian Trail can be expensive if you don’t spend your money wisely. Here are a few tips to keep your costs to a minimum without going primal. Being a frugal thru-hiker or section hiker can halve the estimated $5000 that it takes to hike a long …

Cell phones have become a ubiquitous sight in the Appalachian Trail and for good reason. Cell phone service is pretty good along most of the trail, provided your phone is on the Verizon Network or serviced by a discount network like StraightTalk. (StraightTalk is much less expensive than Verizon but has …