What is the Appalachian Trail?

The Appalachian Trail, or AT, is a US National Scenic Trail, stretching about 2200 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine! The AT is the longest hiking-only trail in the world. I have hiked a decent chunk of the New Hampshire portion of the AT in the White Mountains over the last few years (and a teeny tiny bit in Massachusetts), but this is only scratching the surface of what my thru-hike will entail. To “thru-hike” the AT, or any other trail, for that matter, means to hike the entire length of the trail in a single year. That’s my challenge for 2023! I will be walking all those 2200 miles, from GA to ME with 14 states total along the way.

How long does that take?

Thru-hikers typically take between 5-7 months to hike the AT. For me, I’ve been telling everyone about 6 months, and I won’t know exactly until I finish my hike. I leave at the beginning of March, so it will take me until August or September.

Where will you sleep?

I have my own lightweight tent! There are also many shelters along the trail where hikers can sleep; these are typically basic three-sided wooden structures to shield you from the elements.

How will you get food and water?

I have a water filter which I can use to safely drink from water sources along the trail. The AT goes through or near towns fairly frequently, so I will be able to resupply food and whatever else I might need every few days. This is also good because usually I won’t need to carry more than ~2 liters of water and a few days worth of food at a time; food and water are really heavy!

What all will you carry?

Everything I’ll need for 6 months in the woods will be carried in a pack on my back, from clothing, a sleep system, and a cooking system, to first aid supplies and some entertainment so I don’t go (too) crazy. Believe it or not, all this gear will (hopefully) only weigh 30-35 pounds. Backpacking gear technology has become super cool and lightweight these days, to the benefits of hikers everywhere.

Sample gear list:

• pack
• tent
• sleeping pad
• sleeping bag
• hiking boots/trail runners
• trekking poles
• 1 hiking outfit
• 1 camp/sleep outfit
• camp shoes
• fleece
• puffy jacket/vest
• gloves
• hat
• rain jacket
• camp stove
• pot
• mug
• spoon
• bear bag
• water filter
• water bladder
• 2 water bottles
• first aid kit
• toiletries
• GPS
• headlamp
• portable power bank
• phone/headphones
• journal
• AT guide book

Won’t you be lonely?

A thru-hike is definitely a lot more isolating than my normal day-to-day life – but this can be a good thing too. I’m looking forward to the chance to be off the grid for a while and develop a clearer picture of what I truly value for when I return. But in the meantime, I’ll be joined by several friends and family for certain sections, not to mention the trail friends I will make along the way! I’ve already met some lovely people on other backpacking trips in NH. Plus, for any of you east coast folks who live near the AT, I would LOVE to meet up with you along the way (and maybe use your shower and/or laundry hehe)!!

How can I keep in touch with you?

While I generally won’t have cell service on the trail, I will be able to use WiFi in towns. I will be writing on this blog, as well as using my Instagram @jpkinneyiv.

You can sign up for email alerts for this blog: simply scroll to the bottom of this page, click “leave a reply”, fill in your contact info, and check the box saying “Notify me of new posts via email.” I’m excited to share this journey with all of you!

What about the real world?

It certainly requires sacrifices to tackle such a large undertaking as an AT thru-hike, and I have not made the decision to do this lightly. I have decided to leave my job and a team I love. (It was heartwarming to get such supportive responses from my managers when I let them know; I really appreciate that.) I know I am willingly spending half a year away from my amazing partner, our cats, and our apartment in Boston (while still paying rent). I know I will miss out on important time with family and friends, and I will certainly miss them dearly. All of this is hard to reckon with, but it’s worth taking this risk to achieve a long-time dream. For a variety of reasons, this year is the best time for me to do this, and I’ve decided to take that leap.

Why are you doing this??

Because I want to 😎
I don’t know exactly when I first decided I wanted to thru-hike the AT someday. But for a long time, when I’d be on I-90 in Western Massachusetts, usually on the oh-so-familiar drive between Boston and Rochester, NY, we’d cross under the Appalachian Trail in Becket, MA, and I’d think, “I’m going to cross that bridge the other way someday; I’m going to walk over it as part of the AT.” So in a very real sense, the first and foremost reason is to fulfill a long-time dream. Here are some other reasons I have for thru-hiking:

• to meet interesting people who share a passion of mine
• to push myself to the limit of one of the things I love best
• to develop new skills
• to deepen my connection to the land of the east coast where I have lived my whole life
• I like to chase happiness and not postpone joy
• I want a chance to reexamine how I spend my time and adjust my priorities
• to have the adventure of a lifetime
• I love to hike: the feeling of summiting a rocky peak, the smell of the trees, the thrill of the first glimpse beyond the treeline…
• the AT is Out There!

I can’t wait to share this adventure with you!