Hiking Credentials
When it comes to thru hiking there is no magic formula for success. It can be shocking to discover which people finish and who falls short. Often success has more to do with mental toughness than athletic prowess. Illness, injury and family crises are common reasons hikers abandon their journey. But poor planning is likely one of the biggest causes of failure.
Fortunately, there are many resources for those who want to plan and prepare for long distance trails. These include books, videos, blogs, websites, message boards, and more. Some places even offer classes in thru-hiking. But in the end, preparations for a hike are largely tailored to the needs of the individual hiker. What works for some people won’t work for others.
Before I attempted my first thru hike I had done a lot of day hiking and even a few multi-day extended trips. I covered trails in Death Valley, Yellowstone, the Ozarks, the Alps and the Andes. But none of this travel prepared me for the rigors of being out in the arms of Mother Nature for months on end.
The Long Trail in 2018 was my first experience with thru hiking. At 273 miles it runs the length of Vermont along the spine of the Green Mountains from Massachussetts to Canada. It was a terrific introduction to trail culture and preparation for completing the Appalachian Trail which I tackled in 2019.
My 2025 hike will be an entirely different matter. I’ll start in the frigid winter temperatures of the east and will have to deal with extensive ice and snow for months. Once I move west there will be desert crossings in searing heat and few water sources. I’ll skirt wild fires, cross raging rivers and encounter predators I’ve never come in contact with.
To prepare for the Triple Crown, I have watched lots of videos on winter backpacking and read books on arctic exploration. I’ve read the tragic story of the Donner-Reed party in 1846. While I don’t expect to have to rely on cannibalism, I glean information from failed excursions just as much as from successful journeys.
I took a 4 day class on map reading, orienteering and using a compass at the Southern Appalachian Wilderness Skills Institute. Maps and compasses are one of the most commonly found items on lists of essential items for backpackers, however, they are very seldom seen among supplies people actually carry.
I’ll rely on my background as an EMT for dealing with possible injuries. “Stuff” happens and, as much as possible, it is prudent to pack some items to treat common wounds, strains and sprains. I’ll carry a GPS beacon and hope I never have to press “the button”.
Finally, for two months leading up to my start date I will get out on local trails and put miles on my shoes to acquire my “trail legs”. For the first 40 days of my Appalachian Trail hike I struggled with sore, aching legs and the number of miles I could cover were sharply curtailed. But after that first six weeks my legs adapted and the miles became much easier.
In many ways this journey will be like starting from scratch since it will be so different in so many ways. Perhaps the single most important skill for thru hiking is to be flexible and ready to adapt. You can never be fully prepared. That is part of the challenge for an undertaking of this magnitude.