Trailosophy (YouTube) – Great Post Hike videos – She will have a blast.

Special thanks to Michael K. Davis as he provided this excellent data from his 2018 Thru Hike…..

How cold is it going to be?   How steep are the climbs?   How much does it really rain?    How many days of food do I need to carry?

These are all the types of questions I’ve seen in these AT groups over the past couple of years. I asked the same questions last year as I prepared for my 2018 thru-hike. So when I hiked it this year, I kept a journal on lots of different things.

Below is a summary of my hike in numbers. I thought this might give a window into the world of an AT thru-hiker without including opinion.

Start Date – 3/17/2018 (Amicalola)
Finish Date – 9/13/2018
172 Days (includes zero days but does not include a 10 day off-trail break)

LODGING

#/% nights in tent: 99/58%
#/% nights in shelter: 11/6%
#/% nights in hut: 2/1%
#/% nights in hostel: 24/14%
#/% nights in motel: 34/20%
#/% nights with angels: 2/1%

WEATHER

(For the temperature data, I carried a bluetooth thermometer on the outside of my pack. It
was the in the front mesh pocket and a lot of times covered by other items such as my
jacket, toilet paper pouch, etc…. At night, it remained in my pack pouch and was inside
of my tent. I mention this because these temps are likely a couple of degrees warmer
than the actual temp.)

#/% days with precipitation: 59/34%
#/% days with snow/sleet: 4/2% (included in above)
Longest stretch with precipitation: 7 days

Lowest Avg Low Highest Avg High
Mar 25.9 41.2 88.8 64.2
Apr 31.7 45.3 80.0 65.9
May 45.7 61.6 93.7 78.4
Jun 54.0 62.2 92.0 75.9
Jul 53.3 63.5 93.8 82.2
Aug 47.0 59.7 93.5 76.0
Sep 39.3 55.4 83.6 74.8

MILEAGE

Avg miles per day (does not include zeros): 14.1
Avg miles per day (does include zeros): 12.8
Longest trail day: 21.6
# days > 20: 6
# zeros: 16
Avg days between zeros: 10.5
Longest days between zeros: 25
# of slack pack days: 3
#/% camping nights with no other hikers: 54/31%

Avergage mileage per state (does not include zeros):

GA 11.6
NC 12.9
TN 18.8
VA 15.3
WV 20.4
MD 17.7
PA 14.5
NJ 16.9
NY 15.3
CT 13.7
MA 15.0
VT 14.9
NH 11.1
ME 13.0

TERRAIN

(Keep in mind, this data does not necessarily show the steepest or flattest parts of the
trail. It shows data specific to the segments that I hiked each day.)

A couple interesting data points… The last day has both the highest gain and lowest loss.
This of course does not include coming down off of Katahdin. Also, while the ascent up
Katahdin was the steepest day of the hike for me, the day before Katahdin was the flattest.

Highest gain in one day 5732.0 Bully Brook to Cooper Lodge, Vermont

Highest loss in one day 6702.8 Tri Corner Knob to Standing Bear, North Carolina

Highest gain+loss in one day 10810.7 Tent Site to James River Bridge, Virginia

Highest avg gain/mileage in one day 787.7 Birches to Katahdin, Maine

Highest avg loss/mileage in one day 484.6 Wesser Bald to NOC, North Carolina

Highest avg gain+loss/mileage in one day 829.8 Pinkham Notch to Middle Carter, New
Hampshire

Lowest gain in one day 376.0 Albert Mtn to Rock Gap, North Carolina

Lowest loss in one day 15.4 Birches to Katahdin, Maine

Lowest gain+loss in one day 1269.0 Abol Bridge to Birches, Maine

Lowest avg gain/mileage in one day 63.7 Albert Mtn to Rock Gap, North Carolina

Lowest avg loss/mileage in one day 2.9 Birches to Katahdin, Maine

Lowest avg gain+loss/mileage in one day 129.5 Abol Bridge to Birches, Maine

CELL PHONE

(My cell phone service provider was Verizon.)

#/% days with cell coverage: 97/56%
#/% days with no cell coverage: 52/30%
#/% days with spotty cell coverage: 18/10%
#/% days with phone turned off: 5/3%

RESUPPLY/TOWN

# resupply days: 48
Avg days between resupply: 3.5
Longest days between resupply: 6

# showers: 45
Avg days between showers: 4.5
Longest days between showers: 10