In the past year, backpacking has become a hobby of mine that I have grown to enjoy immensely, for several reasons. Backpacking is a great outlet for me to get exercise, relax my mind, spend time with friends, and immerse myself in nature. But what I love most about going backpacking, is reaching your sought out destinations and enjoying the adventures that ensue along the way.
In my opinion, when you go backpacking, you want to make sure you've brought along good company. For my most recent trip, that included my best and funniest friends I have met in the Davis College, here at WVU.
Wildlife and Fisheries major, Jordan Roof, has been my ultimate home-girl (pun intended) since freshman year, when we met on our way to my first Ultimate Frisbee practice. I was so excited for her to join in the fun because it would be her first time backpacking. Funny-man CJ Peterson and I met last year while on our Adventure Patagonia trip. When he mentioned he would be able to join us, my excitement for the trip skyrocketed; it would be the first time we'd be backpacking together since our five day trek in Chile. Grant Stinson and I became good friends this summer as we completed our Wilderness First Responder certification for our Recreation, Parks and Tourism major (RPTR), and he has accompanied me on several of my adventurous outings this past semester.
As you may be able to discern from their descriptions, this trip was bound to be something special. In addition to my fabulous hiking ensemble, I had been stoked to start the weekend because it was my first time hiking a section on the Appalachian Trail. According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), “The Appalachian Trail is one of the longest continuously marked footpaths of the world.” Commonly referred to as the A.T., "the Trail goes through fourteen states along the crests and valleys of the Appalachian mountain range from the southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia, to the Trail's northern terminus at Katahdin, Maine." Many people enjoy the scenic trail for a variety of time durations, including a single day, weeks, or months. Because it is so long, the trail is noted by different sections. Hundreds of access points along the trail make it a popular destination for day-hikers. “Section-hikers” (like me) discontinuously hike different sections, piecing the entire trail together over years. The greatest accomplishment is that of a “thru-hiker” who continuously hikes the entire 2,180 miles. Only 1 in 4 who attempt to thru-hike successfully complete their journey (Appalachian Trail Conservancy).
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| L-R: Jordan, Ryan, Birdie, Grant, CJ |
Before we set out to drive to Virginia, Jordan and I went to pick up the gear we reserved from the ORC and had her fitted for a backpack. Brendan Powell, a friend who also happens to be one of those skilled individuals to have successfully thru-hiked the entire AT, helped us organize our gear and sent us off with well wishes, only adding to our excitement as we set off to begin our adventure. It was from here on, that neither Jordan or I stopped smiling.
Traveling from Morgantown to Winchester, VA, to pick up CJ, took a bit of time, and after pulling what seemed like 20 U turns, we finally reached the parking lot where we met Ryan Murray, Grant’s best friend, and fellow Adventure counselor from Camp Bethel. From the stories Grant had told me, which usually resulted in a nice abdomen workout from laughing so hard, I was ready to finally meet the infamous Ryan. His introduction was far from disappointing, as I watched him sneak his hand through the crack of Grant’s car window and shake CJ by his shirt collar to formally introduce himself.
The energy among the 5 of us was nearly palpable as we all laughed and used the car headlights to finish packing our packs. With our headlamps on and ready to go, we faced our first challenge: A four way intersection that lead into the upward sloping trail junction of Snickers Gap. Believe me, I am sad I did not get a picture of that moment; but I don’t think I’ll ever forget the adrenaline and laughter as we all barbarously scurried across the pavement at the first clear opportunity.
This is how I met my first white blaze, and I will never, ever, forget it.
Our weekend trip was filled with first-time experiences for me, and everything was a first for Jordan. She barely knew the guys coming into the trip, and I couldn't have picked a better friend to join me in the woods. Being November, the sun sets by 6 o’clock, so by the time we hit the trail, headlamps were required. It was my first time night-hiking on an unfamiliar terrain. CJ had previously hiked this section before, and Grant and Ryan have led numerous backpacking trips on the AT, so they were all familiar with the signage and had a good understanding of our route and mileage.
There is a great deal of logistical planning involved with backpacking, and this was my first trip I was not involved with any of it. Grant and Ryan offered to do all of the preliminary work because I had taken the initiative to plan and execute our last backpacking trip. It was a refreshingly nice gesture, but the days leading up to leaving Morgantown left me anxious as I had to challenge myself to not take control and know all of the answers.
Ideally, the goal for the weekend was to hike a scenic and leisurely route along the AT.
…As you may have guessed, that’s not exactly what happened.
Ideally, the goal for the weekend was to hike a scenic and leisurely route along the AT.
…As you may have guessed, that’s not exactly what happened.
Breakfast on Saturday morning was the launch of all head shakes, along with the smiles and laughs that accompanied them for the remainder of the weekend. Ryan, I figured out, is Grant’s logistical right hand man, and together they picked the section of trail because of the close location, low elevation, and reasonable mileage. The Appalachian Trail has a lot of “data,” which many hikers use, but that data is not always accompanied by a contour map. On his way to meet us, Ryan called his former Boy Scout leader and coach, Rob Lamar, an active member of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Conservancy, who told him:
Yes, I said, The Roller Coaster.
I kid you not, we ascended and descended six or seven mountains on Saturday. Continuously going UP UP UP then DOWN DOWN DOWN. [By the way, the sign in the picture reads: HIKER NOTICE! WARNING!! YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENTER THE ROLLER COASTER!!] If it weren't for the comedy troupe of friends I had hiking with me, I would not have been such a happy camper, or laughed as hard as I did when we discovered the "WARNING" sign.
But thankfully, I did have my friends, and found the challenge refreshing. After each mountain we'd summit, we’d hope that there would not be a next one--that we finally reached camp. Finding the strength to muscle forward, even when it gets tough and there is another mountain to go, for me, is the most rewarding part of backpacking. Fifteen miles of mild trail would have been fun, but fifteen miles of busting your butt and sweating in the cool November air—now that is an adventure.
The second night we found ourselves alone at the campsite with an open shelter. The Appalachian Trail is supported by more than 250 three-sided shelters, which offer weather protection and other amenities, for hikers. I had never seen a shelter before, and prior to this trip, I had only camped in tents. Staying in the shelter was a really unique experience. Most backcountry campgrounds I have been exposed to are comprised of a cleared area within a wooded forest, and usually have an established fire pit.
The second night we found ourselves alone at the campsite with an open shelter. The Appalachian Trail is supported by more than 250 three-sided shelters, which offer weather protection and other amenities, for hikers. I had never seen a shelter before, and prior to this trip, I had only camped in tents. Staying in the shelter was a really unique experience. Most backcountry campgrounds I have been exposed to are comprised of a cleared area within a wooded forest, and usually have an established fire pit.
When we finally reached the shelter after hiking all day, I felt like I arrived at a 5-star backcountry resort. There was an empty shelter with enough room for all of us, hanging posts for our packs, a large fire pit, separate picnic table and covered awning, a latrine, bear bag post, and signs for a nearby water source. I was blown away.
To make it all the better, shelters usually have a log book, a book where thru-hikers can note suggested maintenance improvements, comment on what they enjoyed about the location, or just write funny stories and doodle about their time on the trail.
As a writer, and fascinated reader, discovering the log book was one of my most memorable experiences on our weekend trip. The book was just freshly replaced, and my friends encouraged me to take it upon myself to write an entry for our group. My very first AT entry is adorned on the first page of the Sam Moore Shelter’s log book, where it will remain until its pages are completely filled up. To me, that is THE COOLEST THING.
Sunday morning we started on the trail bright and early, wanting to make the meet time for our shuttle, Rob Lamar, Ryan’s good friend. We stopped for lunch and explored an old cabin, which was both fascinating and beautiful. We met Rob at the trailhead of Ashby Gap when we finished. He animatedly greeted us, and told us great stories on the way back to where we parked our cars. We decided to grab lunch at the nearby Berry Ville Grille, where we concluded our great laughs and shared stories.
My weekend on the Appalachian Trail was unlike any other backpacking trip I have been on, but each adventure is inherently unique. It was hard to leave my friends as we all traveled in different directions to go home for Thanksgiving. It seemed as if all the fun had just begun, and as quickly as the weekend started, it came to an end. I am looking forward to my next adventure on the Appalachian Trail, and maybe if I’m lucky, all the amazing people who accompanied this great adventure, will join me again.
Are you interested in embarking on a similar adventure or styling one that fits to your liking!?
Grab your friends, or meet new ones through the Outdoor Adventure Club, and head to the Outdoor Recreation Center(ORC), located inside the WVU Student Recreation Center. The ORC is filled with just about any gear you would need, along with knowledgeable staff members, who can assist you in planning and learning how to use any of the rental equipment you may want or need. It's that easy!
"It's a big world out there. GO EXPLORE!"
Happy Trails to all!
-Birdie Hawkins
