Fast Facts About My AT Thru-Hike

Hello again! It’s been just over two weeks since I summited Mt. Katahdin and finished my Appalachian Trail thru-hike. Now that I’ve taken some time to recuperate, I’m ready to start writing a bit more about my experience.

For my first post-AT article, I though that perhaps I’d indulge you readers on some fast facts about my hike including all the common questions I received before, during, and after my hike. I plan to expand on many of these topics in separate posts, but for now here are the details.


  • Start date: March 25.
  • Did you do the approach trail? Sort of – me and my driver got lost and I ended up starting near Nimblewill Gap, about the halfway point, so I did 4 miles of it.
  • # of days on the trail: 98 (summited June 30).
  • # registered NOBO at Katahdin: 36
  • Average miles per day: 25-30.
  • Highest mileage day: 32 miles. I wasn’t about the big mile days- I focused on consistency.
  • Bodyweight lost: 26 lbs (187lbs to 161lbs).
  • Lowest mileage day (other than a zero): 7 miles.
  • # Zeros: 5.
  • Did you even have fun?: Absolutely! A lot of “Type II” fun, but overall it was a wonderful experience.
  • Favorite moment on the trail: Corny, perhaps, but summitting Katahdin with my brother and childhood friend was the best. I had been looking forward to that moment for a very long time. 
  • # Pairs of shoes gone through: 5. They weren’t all trashed, but I had some feet issues that I tried to resolve with different footwear.
  • Base weight: 12.5lbs.
  • $ Spent: $2,500 on trail plus ~$500 in food for resupply boxes.
  • # of resupply boxes sent: 15.
  • Was I sponsored?: Sort of. I’m an ambassador for two companies, ManukaSport and SnapNutrition, and they provided me with free product to use during my hike. 
  • Injuries sustained: ITBS for ~3 weeks and painful tailor’s bunions that lasted the whole hike.
  • # of ibuprofen consumed: A lot – probably around 200 of the 200mg tablets. My bunions were murder.
  • Favorite on-trail meal: Dinner at Woods Hole Hostel.
  • # of Hostels and Hotels stayed in: 20 (13 hostels, 7 hotels)
  • Favorite hostel: Rattle River Lodge. Super clean, awesome crew, fabulous breakfast. Runner up: Boots Off Hostel or Shaw’s.
  • Least favorite hostel: Laughing Heart or Uncle Johnny’s. They weren’t awful, but paled in comparison to places in the north.
  • Favorite Trail Town: Waynesboro, VA.
  • # of Amazon orders: 5.
  • Longest hiked with someone else: 15 days through New England with my buddy Logs, but he torched me in the Whites!
  • Easiest section for me: New England up until the Whites.
  • Hardest section for me: Southern Maine.
  • Favorite section: Shenandoah National Park and New England
  • Least favorite section: northern Pennsylvania into New Jersey. Not only because of the rocks, but also because it rained for about a week straight.
  • Worst weather: 80mph winds on Mt. Washington. Going over those peaks were super sketchy and miserable.
  • Favorite piece of gear: my pack – a Superior Wilderness Designs 40L long haul. Totally rocked.

That’s it for now! Comment below if I missed anything or there’s something else you want to know.

 

 

 
 

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