The physical demands of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail are no joke! So we are preparing our bodies ahead of time to give us the best possible chances of successfully completing this thru-hike.
Author: Kevin and Kathy
After many months of testing and refining our gear and making decisions about what to take and what to leave behind, we have come up with our starting AT gear list!
We finished our winter NH 48 4,000 footer list on Mt. Jefferson! It was a tough yet rewarding hike with lots of rugged miles above treeline fully exposed to the elements.
We did this 22 mile out and back hike from Lincoln Woods to Bondcliff, Bond, and West Bond in winter for 45, 46, and 47 of our winter New Hampshire 4,000 footers!
Hiking North Twin, South Twin, Zealand, and Hale in a 20 mile lollipop loop is a big undertaking in any season, but even more so in winter. It was just 1 degree at the trailhead and below zero for much of the day! This was a really tiring hike, but one that we felt really proud of completing.
All told, in 2021 we hiked over 500 miles, backpacked the Trans-Catalina Trail in California, finished hiking the New England 67 4,000 footer list, and most importantly, tried to stay as present and grateful as possible during these experiences.
Thru-hiking the 38.5 Trans-Catalina Trail on Catalina Island in California was the perfect short backpacking getaway and just a ferry ride away from LA.
Hiking El Capitan, the largest single granite rock on earth, was one of the biggest highlights of our trip to Yosemite National Park. This 16 mile route took us past Yosemite Falls and through some beautiful forested Yosemite backcountry.