It’s almost exactly one month until I hit the Appalachian Trail. I’ve been dialing in gear, test hiking my load, figuring out food, spraying gear to protect from Ticks, and basically doing all the less glamorous parts of a trip, oh and overthinking everything. I’ve done enough long hikes that I am fully aware most of your plans go out the window once you start. I do, however, like to set an initial plan mostly to visualize the major milestones: the first resupply point, a rough idea of timeframe between resupplies, not to miss places (mostly related to food), and a general idea on finishing.
I’ve had a few people ask for the plan in a Google Sheet to help them prep. Here it is.
On average, I’m looking at about 15 miles a day, probably slower at the start and the White Mountains, but longer during the Virginia and Pennsylvania. This should get me to Katahdin somewhere around mid-August to the beginning of September. Everyone’s pace is different. You can change the target pace in E2 to adjust.
Looking at the entire plan is pretty daunting. I’ve definitely had hesitations. For a thru-hike like the Appalachian Trail, the reality is that you can’t look at the entire route, rather think of it as a series of shorter 3-5 day hikes with a break in between. Thinking this way, the hike is no more than a workweek on the trail, with a weekend in town. But unlike a workweek that forces you to sit in an office and stress about deadlines, all you have to do it hike. I never forget that a bad day on the trail is better than a good day in an office.
