Appalachian Trail Blog

A lot of people asked me if I was going to keep a blog while hiking the trail. My response was “No— I want to be as present as possible.” The truth was, I was so afraid of failing (which to me meant not finishing) that I didn’t want too many people following my journey.

Spoiler alert: I did finish. So now I am going back in time and creating blog posts reflecting on my trip week by week. I’ll cover gear, food, emotions, all the goods.

Enjoy :)

Why am I hiking?

Because life is too short to wait for retirement. Plus my knees are already shredded so I know it’ll be tough in the future.

What did I do to prepare?

I took a lot of self defense classes, wilderness survival classes, first aid classes, and went on a plethora of solo backpacking trips. I worked hard, stayed frugal, and saved $$$ for about 5 years knowing this was something i’ve always wanted to do. I sold my car, sublet my apartment, and donated / sold a majority of my belongings.

Downsizing has enabled me to move around and enjoy the remote work life. Having lived 6 months with everything I own / need on my back, I can easily say it’s one of the best decisions i’ve ever made.

What am I packing?

A lot of the items in this photo didn’t make it with me to the end. Things got lost, weren’t the right fit, or were simply extra weight I didn’t need.

Here’s a breakdown of everything I carried on my back:

Big 3

• Nemo Hornet Tent (1 person, 3 season.)

• Magma Sleeping bag (15º)

• Osprey EJA backpack (58 Liters)

Clothing

• Base layers for sleeping (I found silk to be the lightest and warmest)

• Socks (I use 3 pairs which is overkill: 2 for hiking 1 for sleeping)

• Sock liners: Injinji

• 1 shirt for hiking (I switched to a breathable long sleeve for colder months)

• Hiking pants found at Cabelas along the trail (QUICK-DRYING bc they will get wet)

• Mid layer: Arcteryx

• Puffy: Mountain Hardwear

• Rain gear: froggtoggs are cheap and light

• 1 sports bra

• 2 pairs underwear (I have a 3rd pair to sleep in, but that’s a personal choice)

• Gaiters for shoes (also optional but they keep rocks out— not really an issue if you have boots) but I use DirtyGirl gaiters

• Beanie (running beanie is best but just something warm to hike/sleep in)

• Gloves (I use a thin liner pair along with rain mitts)

Cooking

• Stove: MSR pocket rocket

• Pot (at least 750ml)

• Long spoon / eating utensil

• Lighter

• 4oz fuel can

• Ursack bear bag (can hold 5 days of food)

Water

• Sawyer squeeze filter (not the mini)

• Sawyer coupler

• Cnoc vecto 2L

• Smart water bottle

Bathroom

• Trowel

• Kula cloth

• TP

• Ziplock bag to pack out TP

Toiletries 

• Toothbrush & toothpaste

• Vitamins

• Ibuprofen !!! (aka “vitamin I”)

First aid:

• Leukotape

• Moleskin

• Floss

• Needle

• Neosporin

• Immodium

Electronics 

• Headlamp

• Battery pack for phone/ charging (i had an ANKOR)

Other

• Trekking poles 

• Hand Sanitizer

• Trash compactor bag (this lines the inside of your pack so it keeps everything dry if it rains)

• OR Pack cover (if it’s expected to rain)

Week 1

Day 2: That next morning I took the SOBO (South Bound) workshop held by the AT Lodge staff. They covered what to expect in the 100 Mile Wilderness (a section of the trail with very limited cell service or access to town) and helped me set up a food drop. I was planning to take 10 days of food to get through the 100 MW, so this allowed me to split it up instead of carrying it all at once. 

Here’s what 10 days of food looks like

I prioritized foods that were made with compostable packaging. Fernweh and LivBar were some of my favorites, but hard to find after this first week.

I am also pescatarian, which was surprisingly easy on this trail. I was so happy to find meat alternatives in these small rural towns.

After the workshop, they shuttled me and a few other hikers that arrived late to Baxter State Park. I had a campsite reserved for two nights: one before and after climbing Katahdin.

Day 3: I woke up early to begin the trek. I remember the climb being very gradual, and there were so many beautiful rivers and greenery. I leapfrogged the hikers I shuttled in with, not knowing this would be the last day I saw most of them. A lot of people quit after Katahdin.

I took lots of breaks and when I sat down on a rock, I would see NOBOs (North Bounders) nearly sprinting in my direction. I was on my first day and they were on their last. I tried to talk to them, saying “OMG congratulations this must feel so exciting for you!” but most of the time they were on a mission to keep their head down and get up there. This set the tone for most of the NOBO’s I met along the way. I’d just step out of their way and if they wanted to chat, they’d stop too. Later i’d learn there’s some weird rivalry between NOBOs and SOBOs. To be honest, it’s just different levels of fear-mongering but that’s another story.

Mount Katahdin

4.3 grueling miles just to tap the Northern Terminus at the very top. It may sound easy, but with 3,900 foot gain and dwindling day light, it was relentless. That is the point where my journey would really begin and I needed to hike another 4.3 miles back down.

I get to the top right at 1:57pm on June 13, 2021. The park ranger emphasized how important it was to turn around by 2pm because of how long the hike would take to get to the bottom. He said there have been many search and rescues and he was not in the mood for another.

After my 2 minute-long photoshoot I headed down the mountain. I was so excited. “This is really happening!” I rode my hiker high all the way to the campsite and made it in just before dark. I enjoyed one of my fancy dehydrated meals (which wouldn’t last long before I had to switch to a more affordable / accessible option like Ramen) and went to bed.

Day 4: I entered the “100 Mile Wilderness”. This is one of the most notorious sections of the AT because it is the only stretch with little-to-no access to cell service (or even a nearby town). Basically once you’re in, you are IN. I was nervous because this was so early on in my trip, but I was still excited.

This section of the trail was saturated in tree roots, which really forced me to slow down after rolling my ankle 47 times. This also helped me to stop and smell the flowers. This was such a remote, beautiful part of the country and I was grateful to be here.

After 10 brutal but glorious days, I was finally out of the 100MW. I walked to the nearest road and took a shuttle to Shaw’s Hiker Hostel, where I would have my first shower in 2 weeks, sleep in a real bed, and enjoy my first meal that wasn’t out of a bag.

Shaw’s notorious blueberry pancakes

Shaw’s is known for their blueberry pancakes. Maine is covered in blueberries this time of year (June) so these were as fresh as you could imagine. So. Delicious.

Breakfast was cooked by Poet, a former AT hiker who opened Shaw’s with Hippie Chick, his wife who he met on the trail as well. All of the hostels along the AT were created by former hikers which was extra special because they really knew how to support the hiker community.

Shaw’s had a back shed called “Poet’s Gear Emporium” where food, hiking gear, and pack shakedowns* were held. Poet asked me if I wanted a shakedown and I said sure, which was awkward because my entire pack was exploded in front of 10 other hikers. It was worth it though because we were able to get my pack down to 32 pounds from 42. I mailed the remaining 10 items which included things like my extra pants, extra mid-layer, and extra hat (they say you pack your fears, so I guess I was afraid of getting cold).

*a shakedown is where an experienced hiker goes through every single item in your pack to make sure you are only carrying what you need. They will tell you that your “essential” items are not worth it and it will be very invasive and uncomfortable.

To read/see more about this adventure visit instagram.com/andreamochilera