Is your idea of a long walk having to park at the far end of the mall? If so, you may not want to read any further. On the other hand if you are the type of person who reluctantly returns to the trailhead after a weekend of hiking, this might be the article for you. Long distance hiking, also known as thru-hiking, border to border or end to end hiking, has grown in popularity in recent years and opportunities to experience this modern day vision quest have also grown.
The three epic long distance trails are the Appalachian Trail on the east coast, the Pacific Crest Trail on the west coast and the Continental Divide Trail traveling up the spine of the Rockies. Collectively these trails are known as the Triple Crown. Thru-hikers claim extra bragging rights for completing the Triple Crown. This past year one amazing soul managed to complete all three in a single year - a total of 8000 miles! In addition to the "grandaddy" trails there are a myriad of intermediate trails. While these trails may not cover the mileage of the big three they are equally enjoyable and challenging. The John Muir Trail, the Colorado Trail, the Florida Trail and the new Arizona Trail are just a few examples of other end to end hikes.
We came by our love for long distance hiking, and ultimately our love for each other on the Pacific Crest Trail in 1996. This footpath traverses 2650 miles through California, Oregon and Washington. In five months we walked from Mexico to Canada. Since that time we've expanded our hiking repertoire to include 1000 miles of the Continental Divide Trail and the 700 mile Arizona Trail.
A large part of the overall experience comes long before boot meets dirt. The decision to dedicate months away from all things familiar is not entered into lightly. First, one must pick a route. Typically an established trail will have maps and guide books to help with this stage. It's possible to hike a trail where every intersection and road crossing has been mapped out. Conversely, even in this time of massive development, there are plenty of opportunities to chart your own path and strike out boldly where few have gone before. Second, meals must be planned. Typically a thru-hiker will come off the trail every five days or so to re-supply. Most hikers arrange to have supplies mailed to them care of General Delivery to the Post Offices along the way. In these carefully planned boxes will be days worth of dried dinners, snack foods, treats and probably oatmeal. No matter how many trips we plan we seem to always forget that we hate oatmeal! Food becomes a governing principle on the long sojourns. A long distance hiker will burn between 4000-6000 calories a day. Fantasies of food have often replaced thoughts of sex!
Re-supply towns offer more than a chance to replenish dwindling supplies. These towns offer a chance to take much needed showers, do laundry and correspond with loved ones back home. It's always exciting to anticipate a town stop. Food fantasies spill forth in a parade as you march those last few miles to town. Hot pizza, cold beer and pints of ice cream top the craving lists. It's not long however, before the intrepid hiker is equally anxious to return to the woods, back to what has now become the "real world".
Why a long distance hike, you may ask? A multi month journey affords so much more than a standard weekend or week long backpacking trip. After a couple of weeks the body adjusts to the rigors of 15-20 mile days. You slip into a rhythm older than time as you become part of the earth's cycles. When there is no need to rush back to civilization for deadlines and obligations, you are free to lose yourself in the pure joy of nature. A long distance hike taps into a deep collective unconscious that reunites one with the lost ability to thrive in the wilderness. The constraints of the clock slip away as the day is ruled by the sun. You rise with the sun and rest when it sets. The sounds of civilization drain away as you learn to recognize the call of the chickadee, the rustle of the wind in the trees and the warning rattle of the snake. Without the constant barrage of the radio, television, leaf blowers and traffic noise your senses clear. What comes through is nature's pure symphony.
A long distance hike offers opportunities for solitude and camaraderie alike. There exists a fraternity among hikers. Using trail names is an honored tradition. Hikers either earn their trail name from an experience or trait or they come with a nickname already in place. Where else would you have the opportunity to meet people named Fiddlehead, Rainman or Blister Sister? These names are more than monikers they are rights of passage. And there is even an efficient grapevine for news and gossip. Trail registers are found at post offices, trailheads and other locations where hikers are likely to gather. A trail register is a log book in which hikers record their thoughts, philosophies and news.
Trails are a great place to socialize and connect with others who share similar passions but if solitude is your game there are miles and miles of open trail. If you find yourself in a pack of hikers you can just exercise the 1/4 mile option. Camping 1/4 mile further or 1/4 mile shy of a group will put you in absolute isolation. In this day of overpopulation it is comforting to know that you can still find breathing space.
On a journey of this nature life gets stripped down to the simplest essentials. We learned that our happiest moments came while we possessed only what we could carry. Backpacking forces you to be in the moment. I learned that if I peeked ahead in the guidebook and read about a treacherous stream crossing still two days away, I would lose focus. Instead of concentrating on the beautiful surroundings I was in, I would worry about what I would do when I got to the swollen stream. Often I would find upon reaching the source of my concern that the situation was not a problem after all. A tree may have fallen across the stream providing an easy crossing. A bridge may have been constructed since the guidebook was written. The snowmelt might have been low compared to years past. It seemed as if the answer was always presented at the right time, it was not to be rushed, like nature herself falling in it's own special rhythm.
Lest this all sound like a spiritual airy-fairy walk through life, we should also speak of the adventure that awaits around each bend of the trail. Through the course of many months you will experience all extremes of weather. Its possible to be broiling your brain and sucking water like a camel one day and then the next day be traversing snow fields. Wildlife can come in all forms from rattlesnakes to bears to wild boars. Technical skills like route finding and snow travel are often a necessity. The ability to wake up each day and hike the miles regardless of fatigue, sagging spirit or blister-covered feet is the true badge of the long distance hiker.
Long distance hiking reaffirms all that is good in this world. You get to meet fantastic people and share phenomenal experiences. Some of the fantastic people you will meet are appropriately named "Trail Angels". A Trail Angel is someone who gratuitously and unexpectedly offers some sort of assistance. We've experienced Trail Angels who have offered us rides, meals and places to stay. Running into a day hiker on the trail who offers you a piece of fresh fruit is one of the sweet, simple pleasures of this adopted lifestyle. Trail Angels make the hiking experience infinitely rewarding.
After a tough semester take time to remember the words of Seter Severinus:
"Go my sons, burn your books,
buy yourself stout shoes,
get away to the mountains, the deserts,
and the deepest recesses of the earth.
In this way and no other will you gain
A true knowledge
Of things and their properties."
So pick a trail or make your own, strike out and discover yourself and the wonders of nature. Reconnect to the earth with the very souls of your feet.
When not residing in their tent, Lori "Shake 'N Bake" Adkison and Christian "Slo Ride" Timmerman live in San Diego.
Resources: Pacific Crest Trail Association - www.PCTA.org, American Long Distance Hiking Association (Aldha-West) - www.aldhawest.org, The Arizona Trail - www.aztrail.org, The Colorado Trail - www.coloradotrail.org |
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