KATAHDIN

K A T A H D I N

This.

This is it.

This is what it comes down to.

All the hard work, sweat, tears, boils down to and ends with climbing and summiting Big Mama K.

Maine. The last Stretch.

        I've been contemplating how to accurately describe a thru hike, this is what i've come up with:

Living in the woods for half of a year means a lack of cleanliness, the term showers was broadened to gas station bathroom sinks, streams, and cold hoses. They also became less necessary.
Two Words: Crispy. Socks.
No matter how much you wring them they will bleed dirt.
I've come to call a burning pile of pine and birch home.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire for damn sure.

Crossing into New Hampshire was exhilarating, "New Hampshire for damn sure! New Hampshire for damn sure!" kept coming out of my mouth as I was bouncing up and down happy to be surrounded by good people and to have made it this far. I was excited to conquer all of the craziness ahead, for the White Mountain range and the fact that reaching Maine was starting to feel so much more attainable. I was entering the hardest stretch of the trail, with unforgiving terrain, taller summits then I had consistently climbed in months, and the most beautiful views of the hike thus far.

Vermont

Vermont

"When in doubt the AT goes up" 

Connecticut & Massachusetts

     I've opened this web page multiple times to write this blog that I've already postponed and I can't seem to think of the words I want to put on this page. I've always been torn with what to write in my blogs. Torn over how much of my life I should disclose so publicly. For this post I choose to keep it to a minimal, partially because i'm feeling behind on posting and access to a computer is far and few in between (& currently I have access to one) but I'm also feeling a bit selfish (Part of me wants to keep these memories and stories for myself) and have chosen to keep most of it to myself to share with people over a cup of joe once I finish.

Connecticut 

My first time in New England.

New Jersey & New York

New Jersey

Eight down, five more to go!

July 11

       Selfie at the border of Pennsylvania & New Jersey! The first day in Jersey was a success, the terrain started to noticeably improve (there are still rocks, but they are much gentler & kinder thus far). The lakes are perfect swimming temp and a great escape from the midday sun. I also saw my first Rattlesnake (nearly stepped on it, oops)! I also hung a wicked bear bag.

Pennslyvania

Pennsylvania

Home of millions of rocks.

Mile 1094.6 is the halfway point of the Appalachian Trail this year!
I made it halfway there!!

Six down, Eight to go!

West Virginia!

The photograph of me taken at the ATC in Harpers Ferry WV! This is regarded as the mental halfway point. I was the 616th northbound thruhiker to passthrough.

Virginia

VIRGINA

The Appalachian Trail is a crazy adventure that is hard to explain to people that haven't expirenced it first hand.

Two down. Twelve to go.

       Two down. Twelve to go.

       During my stay at Standing Bear Farm (241.3), it was brought to my attention that one of the teeth I had work done on previous to my departure was abscessed & was becoming increasingly painful. I was also the new owner of a particularly nasty bloody, infected blister the size of China. After many phone calls... many, I had very spotted service at Standing Bear. I got scripted medicine for the infection & made an appointment for a root canal, which meant I needed to get to Ashville, fast.

The Smokies.

The Great Smoky Mountains.

What to say, what to say. The general consensus among my fellow thruhikers is that everyone is happy to be out of the park. For good reason, the weather is harsh & unpredictable  (snow, ice, fog, rain, below freezing weather). Also the Smokies are the only place where paid permits are required &
the $20 permits don't seem to benefit the hikers, overnighter are given priority and everyone's on edge about getting harassed by rangers & written tickets for one of the dozen rules set in place.

That being said I personally enjoyed the smokies! The weather was great compared to what it could've been! I was lucky enough to get a handful of clear views, even through the snow covered terrain! And I will always remember the smokies with a smile.

Franklin to Fontana

My hiker hunger has officially set in. My blog might reflect food a lot this time around.

Two of my favroite people drove up to Franklin, NC during my zero day to keep me company and provide some encouraging words! We all slept in a motel in Franklin & hiked from Winding Stair to the top of Siler Bald together! Libby was Ooo-ing & Ah-ing the entire time (it was adorable), Justin seemed to love my hiking poles (being a quadropod) & they both seemed to really enjoy the foggy hike! We said goodbye and that night me & Noah made camp and successfully started a fire in the wet foggy conditions! The view when woke up with the mountain tops peaking through the fog was majestic! P.s. freeze died chicken gumbo is amazing! We ran into a trail angel that gave is bananas, fresh OJ & peanut butter cookies right before a 360 Panaramic viewing tower. 

1 down, 13 to go.

Day 7 through 12

Since I last blogged a lot has happened! I've met some beautiful souls & hikes some crazy hikes. The thing about doing something like this (thruhiking) is you get really intimate with the people you spend your time with. Privacy is rare, people's generosity continously grows and a bond seems to form stronger & faster out here then it does back in babylon. Everyone is hiking their own hike yet everyone is in this together.

Noah started hiking with me & EZ. He is an old soul from Indiana. He is phenomenal! The first night we were together we camped out at the cheese factory site on Tray Mountain with a handful of other hikers. Bonfire & group harmonica sessions went well into the night! The wind that night was wicked (no idea how my tent didn't get blown off that ridge).

Week one & still walking to Maine :)

Today is day 6 that I've been on the trail. So many things have happened. And my life has already changed!

My mother and sister drove me up to Amicalola so that we could register and grab some snickers! Then we drove to springer and started from there! The first day was a lot of fun! Met a few awesome characters that keep popping up!

Last day in Babylon.

I leave tomorrow morning.

I'm about to take a very long walk in the woods, with hopes of making it to Maine. 

I've gotten every reaction possible about my upcoming trip... The consensus seems to be that most people wish they could, but never will, and that i'm crazy (which i'm in no position to deny). I know that the journey I'm about to take is a road less traveled, one that will shape the rest of my life. I am equal parts excited & nervous! Id like to thank everyone who is following my journey!

I've triple checked all of my gear. I can boil a cup of water in under 5 minutes. Heet seems to be the best fuel for my homemade alcohol stove. My pack is lined with a trash compactor bag in hopes of keeping most of our belonging dry when the sky decides to open up on top of us. And we have enough thermals to keep us warm throughout the horrid flip flopping weather through georgia & the smokies. My pack is packed to the brim, I know some of it will be sent home, it'll be interesting to see what I don't actually end up needing. I'm afraid my cooking pot is to small, but luckily I can remedy that in 4 days at mountain crossing if that's the case.

Dear family & friends

Over the next six months I will meet some amazing characters, I will see and experience things that i'll remember for the rest of my life, and ill have one heck of an adventure. But there will be days or weeks that will be extremely taxing and rough, mentally and physically. So if you get a phone call in a few weeks and i'm homesick or discouraged that is normal. give me a few words of encouragement, tell me to pick my chin up and keep walking!

       The First Big Change

       I chopped off a good portion of my hair in an attempt to make it more manageable during the next six months in the woods. It'll help prevent a billion knots and hopefully detour some ticks! I loved my long hippie mane, but having short hair is actually really refreshing & will be a godsend on the trail!