Appalachian Trail Thru Hike

I did it! On July 5, 2002 I summited Mt. Katahdin in Maine and completed my 3 1/2 month, 2,168 mile thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. What an incredible adventure it was.

"I'll have plenty of time to rest when i'm dead." - Joe Alaya

What exactly is a "thru hike"?
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,168 mile trail leading from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Most thru hikers begin hiking the Appalachian Trail in the south in the early spring and finish in Maine in late summer. Thru hiking the Appalachian Trail means traveling the entire length of the Appalachian Trail in one year.

You can read about my adventures while thru hiking the Appalachian Trail in my daily journal that I kept along the way. Also, check out the photos of my Appalachian Trail Thru Hike!

I enjoy talking about hiking, backpacking and the outdoors. If you are planning a thru hike or if you have any questions about my thru hike or backpacking in general feel free to send me an email at joegamehike@yahoo.com

"The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been."
Alan Ashley-Pitt