Today was my last day before I officially start my Appalachian Trail thru-hike.
It was filled with lots of running around finishing last minute things. Like going to the dentist (no cavities, thank goodness). And mailing resupply boxes to a few locations along the trail. And packing and repacking my stuff to make sure I didn’t forget anything.
After a late lunch (ahhh Chipotle one last time!), we finally decided it was time to drive up to Amicalola Falls State Park. I booked us a room at the lodge so we wouldn’t be rushed tomorrow morning, and that was definitely a good idea.
Staying in Amicalola Park Lodge meant we’d get to walk down and back up the infamous 600 steps next to the waterfall as a family this evening. And while I’m sure it will be a 100 times harder tomorrow when I have a full pack on, there’s time enough for worry about that later.
Hiker #2467
We arrived at Amicalola Falls just minutes before 5pm. And although I don’t plan to begin until tomorrow, I thought it would be worth popping into the Visitor’s Center to see if I could grab my hiker hang tag.
These tags are hung from your pack to let ridge runners, park rangers, and others know you registered to thru-hiker for the season. Registering is optional, but it’s also a way for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to gather data and metrics on the trail. Things like how many people attempt a thru-hike each year, how much their pack weighs at the start of the trail, where they are from, etc.
The volunteer at the Visitor Center was just getting ready to wrap up, but he let me sign in and grab my tag and weigh my pack before he closed up shop for the day. Score!
So, I guess I’m now officially the 2,467th thru-hiker to register for and sign in for a northbound (NOBO) hike of the Appalachian Trail for 2019. Wow!! That’s a heck of a lot of people ahead of me.
On the other hand, if it’s a typical hiking season, then unfortunately 1,850 aspiring thru-hikers (75%) call it quits before I finish the trail!! I sure hope this is a better year for everyone though, because I look forward to meeting a lot of people on trail.
The big day
Tomorrow I plan to get up bright and early and return to the Visitor Center after breakfast. They have the official orientation there on current trail conditions, Leave No Trace principles, discussions about trail etiquette, and answering any last minute thru-hiking questions.
Once that’s complete, I plan to set off onto the Approach Trail and tackle those 600 steps up the waterfall and the 8.8 miles to Springer Mountain – hiking to the official southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.
I’m not sure whether I’ll actually make any miles on the AT tomorrow. The Approach Trail is a real beast. I’m waiting to make that call when I actually arrive at the trailhead.
Despite my history of racing out the gate, I realize there’s no reason for me to try to hike 20 miles on day 1 and tear up my feet. My experience on the Lone Star Trail was a humbling reminder that this is a marathon, not a sprint.
As for the final stats and data points, here’s where I ended up:
- Base weight of my pack – 17 pounds
- Total weight with fuel, food and 2L of water – 28 pounds
- Pack – Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60L
- Tent – Nemo Hornet 2P
- Hiking shoes – Altra Lone Peak 3.5 (but I also have a pair of Altra Timps in reserve with Keith to swap into later down the trail)
- Hiking apps – Guthook & AWOL guide (pdf)
- UL umbrella – absolutely!
And so the journey begins…
