Dream. Plan. Live.
The main side effect of Springer Fever is the overwhelming desire to hike the Appalachian Trail and most often a specific draw to Springer Mountain in Georgia. The draw to this one specific mountain is currently undetermined as it is hardly noteworthy. As the fever takes hold, individuals begin to look unkempt, have an uncontrollable stench, walk long distances without awareness of their surroundings, and have an increased appetite that is seemingly unending.
Most people are familiar with the United States’ various long trails, but did you know the trail system here was the inspiration for hiking trails all over the world? These are international thru-hikes ranging in length from 50 miles all the way to gargantuan 2,000 milers, both island-traversing long trails and age-old pilgrimages.
The long trails of America catch our imaginations: the Appalachian Trail with its steep rolling mountains, the Pacific Crest Trail with its alpine beauty, and the Continental Divide Trail’s rugged wilderness. These trails are serious undertakings that require money, equipment, and most of all, time. What if you’re short on one or even all of these? There are other routes in America’s National Trail System, and a few outside of it, that can be accomplished without tackling the Triple Crown. Here are six moderately long walks where you can wander off for a month or two without being gone for a whole season.
The long trails of America catch our imaginations: the Appalachian Trail with its steep rolling mountains, the Pacific Crest Trail with its alpine beauty, and the Continental Divide Trail’s rugged wilderness. These trails span thousands of miles and multiple states, as do most of the other routes in America’s National Trail System. They are serious undertakings that require money, equipment, and most of all, time. What if you’re short on one or even all of these? These are five lesser-known thru-hikes in the US, all one hundred miles or more, that can get you the taste of a long trail without 4-5 months of walking.
Since mid-way through college, it’s been a goal of mine to complete a thru-hike of the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT); Emma has also had this goal. In August of 2021 we set out to attempt our mutual goal.
As many of you know, fellow RRT staffer Will Babb and I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2021. A year ago, I was buying food, gathering supplies, and packing boxes. I spent years planning my resupply strategy because I obsess over these things, and ultimately only partially stuck to it. I’ll break down what […]
The Zoleo is a two way satellite communication device. It pairs with your smart phone via Bluetooth and an extremely intuitive app available on iOS and Android.
When you’re first starting to plan a long trip there’s this big empty slate and you have figure out how you’re going to fill it. Sometimes you start filling it with how you’re going to explore a place, or how you’re going to cram as much as possible into the time you have and other times it’s how you’re going to accomplish a task that seems impossible (like walking 2,600 miles). Thankfully, when you set out to do a thru-hike you at least have a pre-determined route and the general direction of where you’re going. The next step is deciding how far you want to take your planning and that’s where things start to get messy and sometimes confusing.
Popularized on the Appalachian Trail, and now adopted on many long distance trails, it is customary to be given a new name, a trail name. The reasons for this can be many, but put simply you take on a new identity from that you which previously possessed and are renamed.
THRU-HIKE GEAR Here is a list of specific gear that was hand selected by Appalachian Trail thru-hikers keeping weight, durability, and comfort in mind. Keep in mind that every hiker is different and there is no list which can fit the needs and desires of every hiker. This list attempts to cover the essentials items […]
