Background
In spring 2021, I set out on a thru-hike attempt of the Appalachian Trail. The following 57 days were some of my favorite memories – waking up with the sun, spending countless hours outside, climbing peaks & amazing views – it was the journey of a lifetime! Unfortunately, that journey ended far sooner than I hoped.
The White Mountains of New Hampshire are known for their rugged terrain, and they got the best of me. The descent off Mt. Madison is over 4,000 feet of steep terrain and boulder hopping, and my knees did not hold up well. With elevation gain/loss of 4,650/1,850 later that day, and 2,400/6,450 the next, the strain on my body would be too much to enjoyably finish the Trail to Katahdin, much less the southern half of the Trail. I took a ZERO day and set off towards Maine, but shaky knees and a fall on a seemingly ordinary stretch of trail was the punctuation mark on a chapter that had already been written. I made the decision to get off trail.
During a backpacking trip of the Black Forest Trail in August 2023, I had an epiphany: My next window to hike the Appalachian Trail was approaching. Fast. My employment in trail maintenance and construction was a seasonal contract position, and I knew I would be looking elsewhere the following year. That left me with a prime opportunity to give the AT another go. It didn’t take long to work up the excitement and anticipation, and later during that trip I made the commitment to myself – I’m attempting another thru- hike, and I WILL go all the way.
Attempt #2
My 2nd thru hike attempt will look much different than my first. For starters, I’m starting in Georgia at the Southern Terminus in winter, rather than Pennsylvania in spring. Northbound is the traditional direction of thru-hiking, opposed to a flip-flop. I initially chose a flip flop for two reasons, weather and crowds. Going northbound this year is also for two reasons, weather and crowds. What I learned on my first thru hike is that the Appalachian Trail community is second to none. There is unconditional appreciation and support for fellow hikers, and everyone becomes your friend almost instantly. I got to experience this in 2021, but starting with the bubble in Georgia will take it to the next level. As for weather, my expected completion date is in June/July, which leaves the summer and fall for seasonal trail work if I decide to go that direction for employment.
Another notable change is how I will be sharing my hike. In 2021 I decided to vlog on YouTube. I don’t regret this, and I still enjoy going back to watch my videos. What I learned on Trail, though, is that making daily videos is time consuming, tedious, and stressful, and it takes away valuable time in towns or at camp to socialize with other hikers.
Strava
Instead, I will be sharing my hike with Strava. Strava is a social-based service for sharing physical activities, and I have been utilizing the app for several years. It’s a great tool to track activities, and to meet others in the hiking, running, or cycling community. I follow many people that are more active than me, which is a great way to stay accountable with my fitness goals. Below is an example of what Strava posts look like.
A typical day’s post during my thru-hike will include a brief write-up of the day, pictures, videos, and an interactive map of my route. My Garmin watch records GPS, and automatically uploads to Strava – a very seamless way to share my hike. My progress will be tracked near-daily, cell coverage dependent. Clicking the icon below will take you to my profile.
In order to view pictures, videos, and the map, you’ll need to create a free account (You do NOT need to agree to the paid trial; the free version will work just fine). This process is very simple, and you can use the website or mobile app. Click the icon above to view my profile, or search for “Nickels OnTrail”. If you’re using the mobile app, clicking “Following” on my profile provides the option to enable push notifications for when I upload an activity. Otherwise, check back daily to view my progress!
Thank you for your interest in my hike! Your support is very much appreciated! My website also includes a blog, and I have plans to add more hiking-related content. Explore the menus, look at the pictures, and enjoy my hiking journey!