I made it to Harpers Ferry, the unofficial halfway point of the Appalachian Trail. Got my 2023 AT thru-hiker tag, and unfortunately, also started getting sick the night before and had to double zero.
I crossed several milestones recently while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Here’s a quick summary. OK, actually it’s not quick. My posts are always longer than I intend, but they’re always so good! Enjoy my long summary of milestones.
After a long period of beautiful conditions and wintery blue skies on the Appalachian Trail, weather report predicted 14 inches of snow two days from now. Yikes! I check my map. 44 miles to Marion. That’s a long way to hike in just two days.
Students from Lauderdale County High School have been following my progress while I hike the Appalachian Trail and asked me some great questions about my backpacking adventure. Here are my answers, recalling bear encounters, lost toenails, beautiful sunrises, and more.
On the Appalachian Trail, most thru-hikers have a “trail name”, a nickname usually with a memorable story. This nickname can be self-proclaimed, or it can be assigned by others because of some humorous event or action involving the hiker.
I am too far ahead of the other hikers to have them witness any boneheaded things that I do, so I need your help to pick a trail name for me. You get to decide!
Just a quick thank you to Chad and Joy for their great trail magic.
Shoutout to Patrick Freeman and over 100 students at Lauderdale County High School who are following my progress on the Appalachian Trail.
I made it to Fontana Dam, the gateway to the Smokies. They’re gorgeous. Amazing views from Clingmans Dome, the highest point on the Appalachian Trail. Then my socks froze solid.
Apparently I am leading the pack for north bound (NOBO) thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. Not sure how because I’m super slow.
Huge storm hit while I was the Appalachian Trail. Fortunately, I was able to get off trail, then enjoy the fresh snow-covered trails afterwards.
Use the Ascending Multi-System to easily switch among all major ascending systems: Frog, Rope Walker, Mitchell, and Texas. Includes comparison charts, step-by-step building instructions, emergency repair, and printable field guide.
Huge virgin cave found north of Hondo, Texas. Huge room! Massive formations! Even water passage with a cave-adapted salamander and connection to aquifer.
Watch cavers squeeze into a tiny hole, even upside-down! My video called “Tight Squeeze at Deep Cave” has gone viral with millions of views on YouTube and countless more on social media. Watch the full video here with all the fails and successes!
