"It Is Not the Mountain We Conquer, But Ourselves" - Sir Edmund Hillary
By: Jean-Paul Courville
"Ibex"
My journey on the Appalachian trail (AT) began on March 27th and concluded Sept 27th, a six month journey of epic encounters and experiences. How do I capture all the details from the trail in an article? Honestly, I cannot.
From a romantic adventurous point of view it truly reminded me of the wild west as a cowboy saddles up, rides into the back country, solo camps, prepares dinner at camp, eventually rolls into a new town for a bath and a drink at the local saloon, tell ridiculous trail stories to the locals, and then leaves town before the local law enforcement figures things out.
The moments off the trail were just as rewarding as the moments on the trail. Each thru hiker has different experiences based on personal timelines, budgets, and an overall philosophy of the trail. For me, I didn't participate in a trail family "tramily" nor did I have the desire to do so. I mainly camped and hiked alone and stayed at a minimal amount of hostels. There are shelters throughout the trail (a wooden structure with three sides and a roof) or you can choose to set up camp around the shelter in designated sites. I did explore some shelter options and my personal preference was to solo or stealth camp at a higher view point and/or next to a flowing stream of water. I went days of being completely alone and with no human contact yet there are thru hikers I met who never experienced this while on the same trail, again, different experiences for everyone although its safe to say that every successful thru hiker of the AT will tell you it changes your life moving forward.
A common question asked of me was "Did you have any romantic encounters on or off the trail?" Simply answered "You bet your ass I did!" but I wont be discussing it here.
6 Months in a Flash.....
The Appalachian Trail (AT) is a 2,194.3 mile (for 2022) thru hike in the United States covering 14 States from Georgia to Maine. One out of every four attempted thru hikers complete it. Have you heard of the AT? I am sure that you have regardless if you are a hiker or someone who is in nature for recreation it has been in the vocabulary of people around the world featured in articles, horror film plots, books, and countless documentaries.
Benton MacKaye initially conceived the idea as it ultimately was completed in 1937 however, it wasn't officially opened until 1951 as America was in the middle of the Industrial Revolution (1940's) with an intent to bridge a gap between states leaving the simplicity of transportation via a thru hike not an important task.
In 1948 World War II veteran Earl Shaffer began hiking the Appalachian Trail and was the first person to successfully hike it in one season. His intent was therapeutic: He wanted to “walk the army out of his system.” I found this powerful and relatable.
Being a veteran (US Marine) I met many on trail, they all have their own reasons for their chosen journey. Mental health can be a sensitive issue and in today's conversation the topic of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common point of interest for veterans and for those who support veterans.
I personally look at the discussion of PTSD as one might discuss genital herpes, treat it in private, tell only those close to you and live your life. The "broadcasting" of a diagnosis publicly isn't my style, we all struggle with demons. You don't have to be a veteran to experience a traumatic event or seek a form of healing therapy. The outdoors is one of the best remedies but I did find the AT to be a bit cumbersome at times creating a tension. I fortunately had opportunities to speak with troubled veterans randomly when off trail (phone and zoom calls) to share photos and stories for those who are not physically able to participate. I found the trail to be healing in my own experience and would recommend it to anyone searching.
Why did I make the choice to undertake this massive endeavor? It wasn't a lifelong goal or even a bucket list, it seemed unattainable due to being employed with a family earlier in life and what employer would give an employee six months off to hike a trail? The answer is noone. I found myself on the bad decision of a foreign employer at the end of 2020 due to COVID and many of us were released giving me the opportunity to personally forecast something different in life.
I chose to travel thru 2021 with the inclination to seek employment in early 2022 but when asked by friends regarding my plans I would respond with "I will probably seek employment or maybe hike the AT, not sure yet".
I was having drinks with a friend, retired body-builder, and actress Kris Murrell in Dallas, Texas. She casually asked me the same question and I gave the same repetitive answer. She paused and said "JP, it sounds like you have made up your mind to do the trail, quit stalling and say it out loud!" There it was....I announced it three days later.
Making my announcement public now made me accountable. My mind was set, the only way I envisioned not completing the trail would be due to a family crisis or an injury preventing me to continue. Facing discomfort, loneliness, and inclement weather are temporary miseries but not a reason to quit.
Gear;
I changed gear thru my hike based on feel, exposure, efficiency and practical use. Upon completion of the trail the items that stood firm for the duration were my Osprey pack, Katadyn water filters, Salomon shoes, all of my clothing for cold and hot weather, and my Big Agnes tent. If I had to do it over I would have not used a bear canister or even hang a bag but instead opted for the Ursack.
Training program;
I was in the State of Louisiana preparing for my thru hike which meant no elevation gains to train in so I got creative (see video). I wanted to begin the trail at my "fighting weight" of 190-195 pounds although I knew I would lose weight on trail. I might be new to thru hiking the Appalachian Trail but I'm not new to using my body as a vehicle to accomplish something challenging. I planned my conditioning regiment 8 weeks before my start date of March 27. I weighed 211 pounds, 8 weeks later I was 191 pounds hitting my target goal.
On March 27th, 2022 I took my first steps on the approach trail at Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia which isn't officially part of the AT. It is an 8.8 mile hike to Springer Mountain, the official Southern Terminus of the AT.
I set out to hike 12-15 miles a day until I cleared the Smoky Mountains then increase my mileage and lighten the load of my pack. I followed my plan on the miles but regarding my pack weight I failed, my ego was to blame. On March 27th at the AT HQ check-in my pack weighed 58 pounds and for the entire journey I fluctuated between 52-60 pounds. Why ? Well I was outraged by social media comments. I had publicly posted a photo of my gear and received unsolicited advice from people who didn't know me, so I was angered and wanted to prove them wrong and prove me right after reading things such as "you wont make it with that weight".
White Blaze;
An Incredibly marked path from Georgia to Maine. A fellow hiker mentioned that he views the trail as a flowing river, jump on it and it will sweep you to Maine.
Food and water;
I personally carried four to five liters of water on trail, this is extreme as a thru hiker. I camped at elevation often to experience the views of sunset and sunrise which typically meant a dry campsite (most water flows at lower points in the mountains) and I boiled water for dinner and coffee. Filtering water became a daily ritual, satisfying at times and annoying just the same. The "white blaze" on trail paved the way and I used the mobile app Far Out (previously known as Gut Hook) which provides maps via GPS highlighting most of the water sources along the route. Some days there wasn't a suitable water source for 14 miles, or a dried stream in reality according to the app it was wet, to hiking a good distance off trail to find water and thru hikers aren't thrilled to hike mileage that doesn't count.
I carried four to six days of food ranging from tortillas, tuna and chicken packets, oatmeal, peanut butter, slim jims, trail mix, dried cranberries, and freeze dried meals like Mountain House and Peak products.
Trail Names;
A trail name is given to hikers traditionally by fellow hikers who witness something you have done, a story you have told, or based on a situation on trail. It reminded me of fighter pilots and call signs which made it easier for me to accept. I found it uncomfortable in the beginning when I would meet someone on trail and after introducing myself by first name it would be returned with "Hi. I'm Mayonnaise" so my mind would think they received that name because they always have mayo when eating on trail but no, it was because her parents grew up watching the movie an Officer and a Gentlemen with Richard Gere. She quoted a line from the movie one evening while camping at a shelter and she became anointed with the name Mayonnaise after Richard Gere's character. I heard a variety of hilarious, catchy, as well as making friends (examples); My Grandmother's cat, Hey Dip-shit, Its just Dave, Rooster, Giggles, Holy Roller, Newfound, Red Panda, Which Way, Cricket, Purple Haze, Sour Cream, and the Unabomber. I went almost eight weeks before receiving my trail name. I didn't hike with others for any duration and rarely camped around people so naturally I was known just as JP.
I came across an open tent site one evening (a few days before Mcafee knob) where I met two section hikers, they were Engineering Professors from a University in North Carolina. We spoke on many topics that evening and I shared stories from travels in Switzerland and Italy describing the first time I saw an Ibex and how extraordinary they were. I must have said Ibex six times in the story and the next morning we leapfrogged each other hiking to Dragons Tooth. One of the professor's was behind me as I scrambled up large rocks and he shouted "You look like a damn Ibex going up those rocks!" I turned around, he smiled, I smiled and Ibex became my trail name.
Week 1;
Hiking thru Georgia and into North Carolina was a surreal feeling for me, I kept thinking "Am I really doing this?". The weather was cool to extremely cold, no foliage on the trees, wide open wilderness, waterfalls, and more intense terrain than I expected. The constant elevation gained and lost in the same day was a roller coaster giving me severe knee pain that was almost unbearable when hiking downhill, I appeared to be an old man for a few days. I knew there wasn't an injury associated with my knees and realized it was my body conforming. Like the flip of a switch one day I began the morning with no pain on multiple descents and I felt great, a true testament to how incredible the human body is at re-engineers itself.
Within seven days of hiking thru Georgia and passing thru some iconic AT marks like Neel's Gap I crossed into North Carolina, a state with more intense terrain than I realized. I was in a Euphoria of excitement and heightened nerves making this first week appear like a dream.
Weeks 2-3;
I crossed the first 100 miles after getting off trail in Franklin North Carolina where I met a longtime friend and his wife for some great food, a little relaxation, a resupply, and my first taste of enjoying small town USA along the route.
Into the great Smoky mountains thru North Carolina and Tennessee (this section of the trail can be confusing as you weave in and out of NC and TN). The weather and terrain changed into a "fairy-tale" with snow creating this wonderful setting for photographs and videos in a social media world but the reality was it was F#$*ing Cold! One particular day by 2 pm I had to stop after hiking 12 miles setting up my tent then cocooning inside of my sleeping bag to stay warm.
The Smoky mountains back country was amazing at this time of year. In addition to snow the wildflowers starting to blossom, hundreds of downed pine trees covered in a green algae were stacked like legos thru the wilderness, it was the most unusual thing I witnessed. The rules in these mountains ensured hikers camped in or around designated shelters. I took the opportunity to sleep in shelters each evening and I didn't care for the shelter life. People are people, there is always one person who wants to play their music loud, talk thru the evening, flash their headlamp in your face, to snoring loudly all night. With all of that being said I did find many positives in the shelters and made a few friends. One of the first "touristy" merges of hikers on trail with tourist came to a meeting point while hiking the back country at Clingman's Dome (the highest point on the AT). This was the first time I felt like a wild animal walking thru groups of families who drove to a parking lot and where out of breath walking to the view points. I am shocked to how many Americans aren't familiar with the Appalachian Trail yet I met many Europeans who submitted for a visa just to hike it.
I was aware and nervous of encountering a bear (which I hadn't at this point) my mind played tricks on me while hiking as I spotted a burnt tree stump ahead and it appeared to be a bear, to thinking they might be waking up from a hibernation and hungry, to the eerie afternoon fog that would roll in while hiking in a tunnel of trees. I made it thru the Great Smoky Mountains rather quickly, each morning I would begin my day by 7am then find an open view for my second breakfast and coffee roughly at 9am.
The day before Easter I arrived to a shelter much further than I had planned for the day at 7pm with one spot left in a shelter that bunked around 12 hikers. I met some wonderful people including two ladies who were Army Officers hiking the Smoky Mountains for a week. On Easter we all arrived to a Hostel where I paid $20 for a tent space that included the use of their showers, charging stations, and an Easter dinner.
The next morning and the day following would be the worst days for me on trail as I was belted with freezing rain, snow, ice, everything wet, hurricane force winds, no way to dry my gear, tent poles frozen together, sleeping in a wet sleeping bag and shivering all night. It was April 18th, my goal was to make it to Hot Springs, NC so I could get off trail to dry everything.
The names of trails and gaps in Georgia and North Carolina were like a comedy skit.
*Chunky Gal Trail
*Swinging Dick Gap (I did notice the actual name was Swinging Lick and someone used a sharpie to close it into a D, I would have done the same)
*Big Butt By-Pass (I qualify)
Weeks 4-5;
My trail legs were under me in full stride, I was averaging 18 - 20 miles a day, crossing over 400 total miles with the border of Virginia coming soon. The thrill of passing thru three states was about to take a slowed down reality as Virginia is the longest state to pass thru (550 miles). I had read that AT hikers typically quit in Virginia from the "Virginia Blues". In speaking with people about the AT who weren't traditional hikers they had a preconceived idea that the trails were manicured and pristine as one would find in a Zion National Park or in Sedona Arizona, not the case at all. Each State has a volunteer committee who maintains the trail which is mainly kept in its primitive state with exceptions to suspension bridges or planks in sporadic areas of marsh.
Trail Magic and Trail Angels;
I had now experienced my fare share of trail magic and angels. As cliche as this may sound it reinforced my belief in humanity. These people came in all shapes, colors, ages, backgrounds and literally devoted their entire day, weekend and more to surprising thru hikers on trail with food, drinks, rides, and more. They didn't ask for anything other than to sign a hikers log, ask for your social media information and have conversation. I met some of the most genuine people who had hiked it all, hiked a section, or had never hiked but loved supporting hikers with their entire families assisting them. I did have an occasional chuckle as I felt like a wild animal on a nature safari where the tourist in their protected cars threw beef patties and honey-buns to the mysterious wild hikers of the AT.
Trail magic sometimes happened back to back as I experienced on two different occasions while still being full from 10 miles earlier and had to politely decline their offers to going almost nine weeks without trail magic.
These wonderful people without knowing saved my "poor planning" on many occasions where I was down to one packet of oatmeal for the next 24 hours before reaching a resupply point.
AT shuttle drivers;
Via the "Far Out" application hikers can annotate comments like local shuttle drivers in each nearby area. These small towns (mostly) don't have Uber/Lyft or even a local taxi so there is usually one local man or woman who is literally the only driver(s) unless you hitchhike. I had one poor experience compared to the many great ones but this one was so ridiculous I decided to share it. I was getting off trail in Roan Mountain Tennessee for a "zero day" a hiker term for a day off. I messaged one driver and sent him my planned request, he confirmed.
I was tired, in need of a shower, needed groceries, and was looking forward to my day off. He brought me to a grocery store and informed me that he lived two miles away and that he would go home and for me to just text him when I was done. I had previously told him that I would be 15-20 min in a grocery store, then in and out of the liquor store (two miles away), then to drive me to my pre-booked accommodations. I wasn't in the grocery store 10 mins before he started calling my phone frantic about why was I taking so long and that he had another customer to pick up. I remained calm and met him outside. I loaded my supplies and got into the car.
We came to the first red-light, I will call him Ponytail for this story. Ponytail precedes to tell me that he will drop me off at the liquor store. I firmly asked "What do you mean drop me off"? He spoke with a nervous quickness and said "You told me that you would be in and out of the store in five min". I retorted with the details and asked why would he go home two miles away if I was going to be in and out of the grocery store, then reminded him of his confirmation to my text. He refused to entertain my question but instead repeated himself. (Have you dealt with people like this who don't answer a specific question they just keep restating their point of interest?) I firmly said "What am I suppose to do now if you are the only driver in town and you try and change the agreed arrangement mid stride? Here is the comment that made me decide to share this story.....
He arrogantly yet calmly says "I can drop you off at the liquor store or the police station" then turns his head and looks directly at me with his ponytail flapping to the front of his neck with a dramatic head turn. I looked forward and didn't say a word for an approximate 90 seconds but was thinking intently that I will opt for the police station. I will provide my credentials and the text that you agreed to as a paid shuttle driver. He must have heard me thinking because he changed his approach and calmly asked me how long I would be in the liquor store? I regurgitated the agreement, he said "ok" and followed thru with our original plan.
The ride to my accommodation took 15 min as he continued to speak of his fathers life on the railroad and time in the Navy, I just listened. When we arrived he had the audacity to help me with my supplies and stand in front of his truck telling me about the local railroad. I assumed his next customer was made up or he forgot. He wanted to ensure that I wasn't offended an apologized if I had been. He rolled his window down as he was driving away and asked if I could submit a good review? No Way! Good riddance.
Weeks 6-7;
I had now come to terms with being rained on daily, much like in the movie Forrest Gump "We been through every kind of rain there is, Little bitty stingin' rain... and big ol' fat rain, and rain that flew in sideways". Not having the sun in your favor the following day to dry personal equipment and then putting on wet clothes and boots, packing up a wet tent and hitting the trail can be demoralizing.
I was thrilled to be back in Virginia, a state I had lived in for many years and visited quite often but now I'm seeing parts of Virginia I wasn't aware of. I could feel the change in my body now crossing over 600 miles, massive heat waves coming in followed by drops in temperature to freezing and repeat became a part of the menu.
Not soon after leaving Damascus Virginia (I was a week ahead of the Trail Days celebration and no desire to participate) I crossed into the beautiful Grayson Highlands State Park where numerous Wild Ponies roam the lands. The day before arriving into the park I was hit with a very intense rain storm and fog limiting my visibility. I met a hiker who was very friendly one day in a violent rain storm, we chatted, and 45 min before arriving to a nearby shelter she changed her demeanor and said she was going to move ahead and increased her pace. This didn't appear strange to me until I made it to the shelter and observed the "click" of the tramily
When I arrived for the evening the rain had stopped but the temperature dropped drastically. I walked to the shelter to find it full of hikers who were in a newly formed tramily including the hiker who went ahead of me. When I said hello and inquired if there was a vacant spot I was met with a cold reception, backs turned towards me and although one hiker was polite answering my question I could literally feel they weren't interested in adding another member to their tramily. I experienced similar situations thru the entire trail.
Everyone is different, I find weak individuals in groups which give them strength and that's understandable but I firmly believe accomplishing things alone give you more perspective of who you are and what you can tolerate. Can it be lonely on trail? Absolutely and these are the fabrics of self learning I thrive on. With all of this being said I met wonderful people, couples, and small groups who were engaging but the synergy of a tramily that hiked together, camped together, got off trail together had an annoying energy. I witnessed many times where a hiker got off trail for two weeks to attend a wedding and the entire tramily rearranged their plans to get off trail at the same time so they could finish together. I realize that I sound like "the Grinch who stole Christmas" but it annoyed me to no end.
I set up my tent and I heard the sound of a goat, yes a goat, when I unzipped my tent I literally witnessed a goat tied to a tree near me. I felt like I was waiting for a T-Rex (Jurrasic Park 1993) to feed. I became friends with a fellow hiker (Sour Cream) and this was her pet goat Tito, he did almost 200 miles with her before she had to send him home.
Tito the Goat
I did see the one hiker from the Grayson Highlands in two later locations (McAfee Knob and Monson Maine), the second time on McAfee Knob I was energetic and polite greeting her with "Hi, I met you at (previous location) my name is JP/Ibex, good to see you again" and her response was lack luster as if she didn't remember me then turned her back to take photographs in a different direction. It was a reminder that people are still people, a microcosm of what is in society, the over enthused, the socially inept, the talker, the non talker, the bitch, the asshole, the friendly and in between.
My overall fitness on trail;
I made an early and conscious decision to ensure thru weight loss and a body transformation that I wanted to maintain my overall fitness. How would I attain this? Every third day on trail and on all of my zero days (or multiple) I did upper body workouts. My goal was to maintain muscle development and range of motion with my upper body. I witnessed many hikers who transformed into "hiking machines" but trying to lift their pack from the ground to shoulders was a task and scrambling thru rocks became a challenge.
I accomplished this by body weight exercises on trail, pushups, pilates stretching, crab walks, bear crawls, shoulder presses with rocks and logs, to lifting weights in town on a zero day.
Weeks 8-9;
I was met with poor visibility at McAfee Knob but had a wonderful opportunity off trail near Roanoke, Virginia where the local news conducted an interview of my thru hike. Unfortunate news the day after I passed thru McAfee Knob a European Hiker fell to his death while having breakfast on the iconic spot of the AT.
Roanoke VA News Segment
Solo Camping;
Camping alone in the wilderness can be creepy and very lonely at times but for the majority of my time on trail I found it cathartic. I carried a firearm on trail (Louisiana Concealed Carry) which allowed (reciprocity) me to conceal carry thru 11 of the 14 states. Do you need a firearm on the AT? I would tell you that there is no need for one however, its part of my comfort level. I experienced different types of wildlife at each campsite ranging from deer, bear, to porcupines however, I never felt that I was in danger. I camped in open fields, tree covered wilderness, next to waterfalls, and even a parking lot.
The beauty of solo camping, I found it poetic.
Major heat waves hit for multiple weeks at a time in Virginia with the humidity and bugs becoming more and more constant. In addition the flowers and colors began to pop which gave the trail a unique look and change in the journey.
Hitchhiking;
Hitchhiking is alive and well in hiker towns. This was rewarding and became a way to plan for resupplies in all future towns. People were so genuine and friendly whether you used your thumb or were sitting on the side of a major intersection people would stop to see if we needed a ride. I was overwhelmed by the generous amount of people thru the Eastern States of the USA.
Black Bear Encounters; I had seven total encounters / sightings on trail with Black Bear, all of them were close proximity and I followed the tips I read about for years. I made myself larger, I didn't run or turn away, and yelled "Hey Bear" as each ran away. I spotted five in Virginia (one was a cub climbing a tree), one in Vermont, and one in New Hampshire. I realized quickly the Bear in the mountains are "skittish" and avoid human contact. Its the ones that make it to town and into dumpsters and now have no fear of people that you need to be more cautious of. It validated on many levels why the AT committees are so thorough around shelters / designated camp sites with bear bag handing cables and bear boxes keeping food access secure on trail, Leave no Trace policy..
Weeks 10-12;
I spent four days off trail for the first time with dear friends who live in Northern Virginia before I crossed into the Shenandoah National Park. This was an amazing reset, they fed me well, I used their swimming pool each day, and treated my gear and clothes with Pemethrin as the bugs on trail were becoming intense, and the threat of ticks and lyme disease are real, they bring down hikers each year.
Crossing into West Virginia was such a morale booster, avoiding the Virginia blues, stopping in Harper's Ferry to officially check in with the AT Headquarters was a major milestone.
Hiking thru small sections of Maryland I was amazed how many Civil War battlefields and historic landmarks there were at every turn. It wasn't long before I crossed the Mason-Dixon Line (In Pennsylvania) and hiked thru beautiful farmlands before the "medieval" rocks of Pennsylvania begin to show their presence mid-state. A highlight was my first (and only) friend to meet me on trail to hike and camp was Joe. Many friends wanted to and even made plans but life gets in the way and that's expected however, Joe lives in Pennsylvania and linked up with me for four days on trail. We had a great time together, he crossed the half way point with me and witnessed the half gallon challenge (hikers eat a half gallon of ice cream).
I made it into the "Rocksylvania" part of the trail and it lasted a long time, a mental challenge as the ability to look around while hiking wasn't possible anymore. These rocks were as advertised; the devil and little shark bites for more than one hundred miles.
Friends and support on trail;
Although Joe was the only friend who hiked a section with me I had so many friends thru each state who drove out of their way to pick me up on trail, host me, feed me, and just visit. I am not only forever grateful but the memories are blended into my AT experience. I didn't realize until I announced my thru hike that I knew someone in each of the 14 states. These experiences ranged from a lunch or dinner, a pre-paid "call ahead" lunch, off trail meetups, hosted for a week to recover from an injury, to staying at a family Lake House in New Hampshire.
Thank you all.
Weeks 13-16;
I crossed into New Jersey and New York while suffering thru an infected spider bite to having a conversation during a hitch on the reality of the New Jersey Sasquatch who travels thru dimensions, cant make it up.
In mid July I got off trail for five days after crossing 1500 total miles to celebrate my 50th. It was remarkable, my dear friend Alison drove in from Boston and took me to the beautiful Catskills in New York overlooking the Hudson River. It was the most rewarding milestone birthday I have had thus far in life. The previous two weeks I was beginning to hit a "rut" on trail, it wasn't fun anymore, I was struggling mentally by not embracing the moment. I was in need of a reset via my birthday to plan my last phase of the trail. I mentally bracketed the 2,194 miles into Four phases of 550 miles with the last phase being under 550.
I had been looking forward to finally reaching the New England states however, I was finding myself mentally checking out and wanting to be done.
Weeks 17-19;
Hiking thru Massachusetts I was in awe of how much wilderness there is thru this state, from quaint small country towns to beautiful farms at every turn. My favorite state became Vermont immediately once I crossed the border and I was finally able to experience Vermont Maple Syrup, you pay extra for it as they treat it like gold. I could see why.
Murphy's First Law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
On August 7th my ability and overall demeanor changed in a split second after suffering a horrible fall on wet boulders snapping my ankle and injuring my right arm. I fell going downhill where my left leg was wedged between two boulders as I fell backwards to my left (full pack and momentum) as my ankle snapped loudly. Two hikers whom I had met on trail (in Maryland) were just behind me and heard my expletives carrying thru the Vermont forest. Red Panda and Lookout came to my aide then sat with me for 15 minutes until I decided to get up and test my leg. I hiked 12 miles on a busted ankle to a small country road off trail, I had no phone service and took a chance walking 1.2 miles looking for a store. I fortunately found the Teago General Store near South Promfret Vermont. I sat outside elevating my foot while eating a deli sandwich contemplating if my journey was possibly over as an older couple shopping for their groceries struck up a conversation with me. They were incredibly courteous and emphatic to my situation and offered me a ride a few miles into town so I could ice my ankle.
The following day I was seen at an urgent care to rule out a break, and the good news it wasn't broken. It was recommended to take one week off to elevate, ice, and take an anti-inflammatory before continuing on the AT.
My friend Jon drove up from Connecticut and hosted me for that week. The state of Rhode Island isn't part of the AT however, his in-laws are from RI so they took me. I had a wonderful time but I was itching to get back on trail.
A Rhode Island break;
Weeks 20-21;
Back in the saddle, I was back on trail for three days and was having difficulty with the lateral flexion of my ankle. The injury to my arm crept up on me more than I anticipated with a previous partial bicep tear and now I feared was more extreme. It limited my range of motion and as I moved into the White Mountains the ability of my upper body was crucial to scrambling and climbing the more intense terrain.
I had the pleasure to spend some time on Squam Lake in Holderness New Hampshire where a friend of mine owned a Lake House passed thru generations of his family.
Back on trail I found one of my favorite camping locations on trail. It had flowing waterfalls, smooth rocks, and a flat spot in the trees that was magical. I was able to dry out my wet gear on the rocks (sunset was around 7pm) bathe in the clear pools of running water, and enjoy a warm dinner for a gorgeous sunset. I must point out that there were a few wooden signs stating "no camping" allowed but I couldn't remember if the saying was "rules are made to be broken" or "don't break the rules" ? (sarcasm intended)
My enthusiasm was being tested post injury but I was revitalized with the views of the beautiful White Mountains and Presidential's of New Hampshire. This is the type of terrain I find the most appealing for views which are minimal on the AT, you are mainly in the "green tunnel" a claustrophobic trail at times buried in the wilderness with occasional openings. I fell in love with New Hampshire and quickly learned to "curse out" the White Mountains daily as the terrain became the most intense on trail. On top of injury and combined with this terrain I went from an average of 20 miles a day to being happy accomplishing 11 miles a day.
My Finale;
Crossing into Maine not only felt surreal as the 14th and final state but it quickly became my favorite of all on trail. The terrain intensity wasn't as constant as New Hampshire but the mountain lakes, lake beaches, remote wilderness and leaf color changes are beyond description.
Then I got my first site of Mt Katahdin. For any AT NOBO thru hiker Mt Katahdin in a strange fantasy becomes your "Mordor " as in J.R.R Tolken's fictional world of Middle Earth depicted in "The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings" novels.
Entering the 100 mile wilderness you must be prepared to not resupply and experience minimal to no phone service until you are on the other side of it moving into Baxter State Park. I spent five days hiking thru the wilderness, the weather was poor three of the five days, with rain, hurricane force winds, decreasing temperatures, high stream and river crossings, to a resurgence of bugs. One particular day the temperature dropped so significant and with being wet I made a decision to stop and set up camp for the evening at 1:30 pm. Even hiking and moving uphill thru strenuous climbs I wasn't able to stay warm and I feared hypothermia. This was a choice I was happy to make and as I lay in my sleeping bag with nothing to do other than eat, hydrate and stay warm I reflected on the entire journey (regarding weather) in a flash. I started in the cold and snow and navigated thru so many brutal summer heat waves and here I was again shivering to stay warm on the same adventure. Those moment of reflection almost felt as if they were from years earlier not six months ago.
Baxter State Park was beautiful, the last night I camped four miles from the summit of Mt Katadhin. On September 27th I began hiking towards the summit at 630 am, the ascent is steep, scrambling rocks, long climbs and a bit "nerve racking" in many spots with violent winds however, no rain. The morning seemed as if it wouldn't end, my mind would wander to the feelings I was anticipating being complete and announcing to family and friends that I accomplished it all became intoxicating while my eyes drifted to the countless views of the valleys below.
I made it! I climbed on that iconic sign at summit with a flood of emotions that overwhelmed me with a feeling of accomplishment. Thank you all for the support......
Sincerely,
Ibex
Summary
Body weight eight weeks prior to starting: 211 pounds
Body weight on start day: 191 pounds
Lightest recorded weight on trail: 173 pounds
Weight at completion: 181 pounds
Trail Name : IBEX
Things I won’t miss;
Rain, bugs, filtering water, false summits, instant coffee, wet tree roots, rocks, stabbing myself on the top of the foot with a trekking pole after it ricochets off of a rock at full force, having no phone service when I need it, clearing the trail of spiderwebs with my face, hippy hostels, hiker smells, tuna wraps, and blowing up an air mattress daily.
Things I will miss;
Those views, sunrise starts to a hike, sunset dinners, waterfalls, looking out my tent at night to see hundreds of fireflies in a symphony illuminating the forests, picking blackberries of the trail, “mom and pop” general stores, trail angels and magic, small town restaurants and breweries, physical challenges, bathing in clear waterfalls and remote lakes, the seasonal leaf color changes in New England, and the ultimate solitude.
Favorite off trail go to meal: hamburger and sweet potato fries followed by a dessert.
Favorite State: Maine
Most difficult State: New Hampshire
Most annoying State: Pennsylvania (north of Duncannon to the border of NJ because of those miserable rocks)
Most surprising State of difficult terrain: North Carolina
Longest day: 28 miles on 3 occasions (Virginia)
Earliest start: 530 am
Latest Stop: 10 pm
Longest stretch without getting off trail for R&R: 20 days
Biggest surprise: How many hikers smoke marijuana on trail
Toughest day on trail: April 18th after the smoky mountains, below freezing temps, freezing rain with hurricane force winds. Everything I owned was soaked, I slept and hiked in wet gear for almost two full days before I could find relief.
Slowest day: Mahoosuc Notch in Maine took me three hours to accomplish a mile.
Bonus: 2 Crazy Stories from Trail