Hiking, the Appalachian Trail, Health and Choices
I’ve section-hiked over 1000 miles on the Appalachian Trail. Through-hikes have been shut down this year, upsetting plans people have made for years. I’m headed out today to do maintenance today. Not sure what I’ll find. I will be good to be out.
Figure 1: Mt. Katahdin from Abol Bridge, 2018
Day 05 of #100DaysToOffload.
I like to hike. The Appalachian Trail is near my house. Literally the day before the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) recommended EVERYONE stay off the trail (180 degrees against its primary mission), I accepted the responsibility of maintaining a 3 mile section for the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC). Just yesterday I got word that trail maintainers have a local exception and are allowed to be on the trail. I’m going out this afternoon to see how much underbrush needs cut, if there are any trees that need chainsaw work, if any work is needed on erosion control, etc. It will be a joy to “be out” again.
A couple weeks before the cronavirus lockdown started, I went for a hike on the Tuscarora Trail. It was going to be a quick day hike. Up 900 feet, along a ridge, back down. Maybe 8 miles. Going up the hill I fell on a rock and sliced my forearm open and wound up going the ER in Romney, WV with 21 stitches. I accept some risk when I choose to hike (there are bears too). With the potential strain on the medical system and emergency care being uncertain, I’m choosing not taking risks now.
I am a “section hiker”. I go out when I can, usually 2 weeks or so a year. I have over half the Appalachian Trail done (1000+ miles) and had plans to go out Memorial Day (May 25) for two weeks. That’s probably not happening. I’m not young. I only have so many years to get this done. Health is never a given.
The ATC asked all hikers this year to call it off: through hikers, section hikers as well as day hikers. Through hikers are people who have re-arranged their life, their finances, their work and family life to spend 6 months on the trail. For many, it may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But for most, through-hiking involves staying together in shelters on rainy nights, sleeping in bunk-houses in hostels, getting rides with local shuttle drivers, going into trail towns to shop for re-supply, etc. These all make social-distancing hard. And there is the assumption that there will be some local medical care available, like that which I needed when I fell. So the ATC asked people to shut it down this year.
The last time I was out hiking, the day after my initial trail-maintainer training, the parking lot at the trail-head was packed. Not sure what I’ll find today. Crowds? Empty Trails? A persistent through-hiker? People make their own choices.
Figure 2: me, on top of old smokey, 2018