Long Distance Trekker Set To Go "All-In" For 2011

Long distance hiker Samuel H. Gardner is preparing for an epic adventure in 2011 when he plans to set out on his "All-In Trek", which will see him taking on four BIG trails in the U.S. and covering more than 12,500 miles in the process.

The plan is for Gardner to begin his journey by hiking the length of the North Country Trail from New York to North Dakota, in winter no less. That is a 4600 mile hike in and of itself. From there, he'll move directly on to the 2650-mile long Pacific Crest Trail before hopping over to the Continental Divide Trail, which will add another 3100 miles to the trek. Finally, he'll finish things up with a little 2178-mile long stroll down Appalachian Trail just for good measure. Samuel will go on the journey solo, and will hike the trails back-to-back in continuous fashion, with the hopes of completing the entire project in just one calendar year.

CheapTents.com has an excellent interview with Gardner on their blog today in which he talks about his inspirations for making this trek, the experiences that have given him the confidence to attempt the journey, and much more. Gardner says that he is going on the All-In Trek because he feels it is the next step for long distance backpackers and that he simply wants to experience the adventure of it. Clearly he also enjoys testing himself as well, as he once spent six months living in a snow cave just to see if he could.

At the moment, Gardner is in the final stages of planning and preparation, and has been training hard for what is sure to be a long year on the trail. January is still a few months off, but there is a lot to do before he gets underway.

And for those keeping score at home, Sam is going to have to average more than 34 miles per day to complete the trek in a single year. That's a very ambitious pace to say the least.

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The Appalachian Trail Faces Challenges

At 2178 miles in length, the Appalachian Trail is one of the longest and best known trails in the world. In fact, it has served as the basis for many other long distance hiking trails around the globe, and for backpackers, it is often considered one of the crown jewels of trekking. But a few days back, the National Parks Conservation Association released a report that examined some of the unique challenges and opportunities that the AT has in front of it if it is to remain the unique resource that it is.

Entitled Appalachian National Scenic Trail: A Special Report, the document takes a look at the cultural and natural resources that line the trail, which runs from Maine to Georgia, and attracts thousands of hikers each year. Amongst the biggest challenges for the AT are over development of the lands adjacent to the trail, air quality and pollution concerns, and a lack of adequate funding to protect and further develop trail resources and historic sites along the route.

To help further identify and spotlight some of the locations of interest along the trail the NPCA has posted this handy map that gives more insight into exactly what portions of the trail are at risk. Some of the development that is sited in the report include the building of power lines, pipelines, and even racetracks next to the trail, all of which take away from the scenic beauty and disrupt the natural environments there.

But the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Appalachian Trail Park Office are not standing still on these issues. Those two groups are working hard to protect and monitor the AT, as well as to educate the public about their concerns. The Appalachian Trail is one of the great outdoor resources in the U.S., and it is important that we protect it now, before it becomes too late. It is an amazing hike, and future generations of backpackers should be given the opportunity to enjoy it too.

To read the report in PDF format click here.

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Blind Hiker Set To Challenge Appalachian Trail

The 2174 mile long Appalachian Trail is a tough enough challenge for any backpacker to handle on a single thru-hike. The classic trail runs through the Appalachian Mountain range of the Eastern United States, from Maine to Georgia, and passes through 12 other states along the way. It is a truly epic hike with truly epic challenges. But now, according to this story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, a blind hiker is going to take on those challenges for himself.

44-year old Mike Hanson set off this morning from the Georgia end of the trail, and hopes to complete his journey in seven months time, when he'll cross the finish line in Maine. Along the way, he'll use a special GPS device that connects to his phone to help him navigate and he says that the device offers him everything he needs, except for the view. In fact, the gadget offers 32-hours of battery life, which is vital to a hike such as this one, and verbally reads the GPS information to the hiker as he goes.

Mike plans on covering roughly 15 miles per day, with a stop once per week in a town to resupply. The entire journey is also being filmed so that a documentary can be made of the hike, which means that Mike will be joined by cameraman Gary Steffens, who says that he won't navigate at all, he'll simply be along for the walk, following Mike at every turn.

As the article points out, Mike won't be the first person to make such a hike, but he might just be the first to navigate it himself. Of the 11,000+ hikers who have completed the thru-hike, 3 or 4 of them have been blind. Those have tended to go with others as their guides or used a guide dog instead. Hanson has programmed the entire route of the AT into his GPS device, and had already tested is route finding out on a 40 mile stretch to be sure that it all works. With success on that stretch of the trail, he's now ready to uses his gadgets to navigate its entire length.

You can follow along with Mike's progress on his website, with updates coming via Facebook.

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The Lure of the Long Trail Part 4

I've posted links to Trail Space's interesting articles on long distance hiking before. The four part series started some weeks back, and you can still find Parts 1, 2, and 3 online at their website.

The fourth, and final, part of the series has now been posted as well, wrapping up the series, and offering some final thoughts and advice for those thinking of making an epic trail hike, such as the Appalachian or Pacific Crest Trails. This time out, author Barbara Egbert reminds us to be educated about our hikes and be prepared for the unexpected.

The final portion of the the article has a nice list of books that are recommended reading for those thinking of tackling one of the big epic hikes, although most of them would be great reading for any outdoor enthusiast, even if they think a long hike is to the mailbox and back. There are a few classics on the list that are definitely worth adding to the bookshelf.

All in all, I felt the series was good one with some sound advice for anyone thinking of making a major hike. Others have criticized it for being mostly common sense, but sometimes that's all we need. It reminds us of things we take for granted or may have forgotten. And if it inspires one more person to hit the trail, and teaches someone something new, than the articles accomplished their purpose.

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More Tips For Long Distance Hikers From Trailspace

Awhile back I posted a link to a story from Trailspace.com that gave an amazing number of tips for backpackers who were considering doing a long distance hike, such as the Appalachian or the Pacific Crest Trails. The article was the first of a four part series on planning and preparing for just such a trek. Trailspace has now followed up with parts two and three as well.

Part Two continues the series nicely offering up some thoughts on how to plan on being away from work, friends, and family for the extended time necessary for a long distance hike. It also talks about who should and shouldn't do one of these epic trails to help you decide if it is right for you, and goes on to share some thoughts on options for food on the trail, packing your bag, dealing with water, and a lot more.

Part three moves away from some of these logistical issues and discusses some practical ones, with more solid advice on staying healthy on the trail, not taking chances, and so on. It also offers up some insights about long distance hiking in general that can be applied to just about any trail, whether you're out there for three days or three months. Those bits of wisdom include things such as "the journey is the destination" and so on. Good things to keep in mind when you're setting out on any journey.

So far, this has been an excellent series to read, and I definitely recommend it to hikers of all levels. I pretty much guarantee that you'll find something of interest and probably learn something in the process too. Really good stuff and I can't wait for the final installment.

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Tips For Long Distance Hikers

Trailspace.com, which has always been an excellent resource for backpackers and hikers everywhere, has begun a great new series of articles designed to help long distance thru-hikers to tackle any of the long distance hikes in the U.S., such as the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide trails. But even if you don't intend to tackle one of those 1000+ mile long monsters, the information is helpful for shorter treks too.

The planned four part series begins with this article which focuses on planning your hike. Author Barbara Egbert starts with some details on the Triple Crown of thru-hiking, laying out what you can expect on the three major trails linked to above, and how they all differ from one another.

The article then goes on to examine the gear that you'll need, with an emphasis on lightweight but durable equipment. Tents, sleeping bags, and packs are all important considerations on any trip, but especially on one that will go for hundreds of miles. Choosing the right clothing and shoes are also very important as well of course.

From there, it's on to some suggested training methods to get in shape for the miles ahead. Several thru-hikers give tips on their approaches to preparing for the trails, with strong recommendations of being in great shape before you go. The story also recommends that if you're going to hike alone you should train alone in order to get use to the conditions you'll experience while traveling miles on end by yourself.

Finally, the article concludes with a list of great books that cover each of the major trails, offering up resources that will be invaluable for long distance thru-hikers as they prepare for one of these major hikes. The suggestion being that if you're considering one of these hikes, you'll want to pick up the guide now, read it in the winter months, and begin collecting your gear and training for a 2010 epic hike.

This look like it's going to be a great series, and a must read for anyone wanting to backpack anything longer than a weekend escape. Good stuff so far.

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Update: Missing AT Hiker is Safe!!

Last Friday I posted about a hiker who has been missing on the Appalachian Trail since Sunday, April 26th after complaining of not feeling well. The hiker in question, Ken Knight, happens to be a contributor to Backpacking Light, who happened to put out an alert for their friend when he hadn't turned up for a few days.

Well, we can all breathe a little easier, and uncross our fingers. According to this update, Ken wandered off the AT under his own power on Saturday, and checked into a hospital.

Beyond that, we don't have a lot of news about what happened or his present state. The update promises more information soon, but it sounds like Ken is going to be fine, with a heck of a story to tell. The fact that he happens to be a visually impaired hiker just adds to the story.

Anyway, all those positive thoughts must have done some good. I'm sure his experience in the backcountry was very helpful, and I can't wait to get the full scoop.

Thanks to Jerry for sending me the update. It made my day to hear that Ken was safe.

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Hiker Missing on the AT

The news has been making the rounds through the outdoor community today that Ken Knight, a contributing editor at Backpacking Light Magazine, has gone missing on the Appalachian Trail. Knight was last seen hiking near the Punchbowl Mountain area of Virginia last Sunday morning.

Knight is an avid and experienced hiker with plenty of trail time under his belt, but he is also visually impaired. He was also said to have been complaining of illness before setting off on the trail as well. Ken is described as being 5'4" tall and weighing around 180-200 pounds. He was last seen carrying a dry-bag style backpack with an orange packbag.

Ken has been trailing behind a group of hikers, but was arriving to camp each night along with them. When he mentioned he wasn't feeling well, he said that he might go off the trail, so they were not alarmed when he didn't join them in camp that night. Knight was expected to be at mile 76.3 on Tuesday, but failed to arrive, and then missed his flight home to Michigan on Wednesday. A search for his whereabouts is now underway.

For more information, check out this press release from the editor of Backpacking Light, and if you have any news that could help, send an e-mail to: publisher@backpackinglight.com.

Lets keep our fingers crossed that Ken is okay and just laying low somewhere while he gets over being ill.

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Another Runner on the AT

Karl Meltzer may have finished up his Appalachian Assault a few days, ago, completing the entire length of the Appalachian Trail in just 54 days, 21 hours, and 12 minutes. But he's not the only one running the length of the AT, as runner Ben Davis has also set out to accomplish the task, with the goal of finishing in a more modest 62 days in an attempt to raise awareness of the debilitating disease ALS.

Ben set out from Mount Katahdin in Maine on the 23rd of September, and has already been going strong for more than a week. He's averaging over 25 miles/day so far and seems to be doing well. Unlike Karl, Ben has built in some rest days to his schedule and has shorter distances planned for most of his days. You can check out Ben's website at 2175forals.com as he runs the entire 2175 mile length of the trail for ALS. You can also read an excellent story about Ben and why he is attempting this over at GreatOutdoors.com.

ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and is better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. The terrible affliction attacks the central nervous system, causing a break down of motor neurons that leads to a loss of motor functions. It is generally progressive in nature, getting gradually worse over time, and in most cases it is fatal. At this time there is no cure, although there are some experimental drugs that have been used in treating the disease.

Be sure to check out Ben's website, where you can track his progress, learn more about the gear he's using, and about his overall goals. Good luck Ben!

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Appalachian Assault: Where's Karl? At The Finish Line!

Karl Meltzer has completed his Appalachian Assault, finishing up in the wee hours this morning, and officially reaching the end of the Appalachian Trail at 4:20 AM EDT this morning.

Officially, it took Karl 54 days, 21 hours, and 12 minutes to complete the AT, which was good enough to earn him the fourth fastest time ever. When he set out back on August 5th, Karl's intention was to set a new record by completing the entire length of the 2,174 long trail in 47 days, which would have been good enough for the fastest time ever. He got off to a good start and was meeting his daily goals, but injuries caught up to him about two weeks in. Severe tendentious and trench foot landed Karl in the hospital, and ultimately slowed down his pace.

While others would have abandoned their pursuit of the record right there, Karl never gave up, and was soon back on the trail and putting in huge mileage. Many days he as doing 50-60+ miles as he continued toward the finish line, even though he knew that claiming the record was now out of reach. Reading the daily updates on WheresKarl.com showed that he was getting strong as he approached the end.

Karl is one of the best ultrarunners in the world and can do amazing things on a trail over vast distances. But his determination and gutsy performance over the past month and a half has been quite an inspiration. Great work Karl, and congratulations on reaching the end. Amazing!

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The Appalachian Assault: 846 Miles To Go!

Karl Meltzer is still plugging away on his Appalachian Assault and has now logged more than 1,328 miles on the Appalachian Trail in just 37 days.

The latest updates from WheresKarl.com indicate that he's reached Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, and has been logging a lot of mile lately in an attempt to make up for lost time thanks to the injuries he suffered early on. A few days back he even logged 60 miles in one day over a grueling 14 hours on the trail. His blog indicates that a pace of nearly four and a half mile an hour, which is very impressive considering the terrain he is crossing.

Karl set out back on August 5th in an attempt to break the speed record on the AT. He hoped to run it's entire length, all 2,174 miles of it, in just 47 days, which would have worked out to about 46 miles per day. Unfortunately, he ran into some issues early on, including severe tendentious, and thanks to the wet conditions on the trail, he even contracted trench foot.

Following those setbacks, he took a few days off to recuperate, but was soon back at it, slowly building his mileage back up. Now, he seems to have caught his stride again, and is making up for lost time. It would have been very easy to pack it in, and call it all off, but Karl has been determined from the beginning to see this through to the end, and you have to admire his tenacity.

At this point, it seems the record is out of reach with just ten days to go, but sometimes these adventures aren't about breaking records, but instead they're about challenging yourself, seeing something through to the end, and never giving up on your dream. I think Karl is showing us all how that is done.

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Appalachian Assault: Karl Makes CNN!

Check out this excellent video from CNN about Karl Meltzer and his attempt at the speed record on the Appalachian Trail.

It's great to see Karl get this kind of mainstream exposure for his epic run. For the latest on Karl be sure to check out WheresKarl.com for daily updates and photos from the trail. The ultrarunner continues his quest and his showing the heart of a champion as he presses forward, even though he's tired and still has some lingering pain in his feet and legs. He's definitely an inspiration to the rest of us mere mortals.

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Appalachian Assault: Where's Karl? Back on the Trail!

The latest news from WheresKarl.com is that ultrarunner Karl Meltzer is back on the trail and continuing his his Appalachian Assault, despite recent set backs that put him in the hospital, where he was diagnosed with trench foot and tendinitis.

Since that time, Karl's been dealing with quite a lot of pain, while he rested, stayed off the trail, and eventually resumed with slower, and shorter days. He remains determined to complete the Appalachian Trail although his speed record attempt seems to be over. The website indicates that he is frustrated with these nagging injuries, and slow healing time, but is still focused on reaching Georgia and the end of his journey.

When Karl set out back on August 5th, he was hoping to finish the entire length of the AT in just 47 days, covering all of it's 2174 mile length. To do so, he would need to average more than 46 miles a day, and early on he was hitting his target distances as he had hoped. But the moisture on the trail caused his feet to get wet, which brought on the trench foot, causing him to alter his running stride, which exasperated the tendinitis. Since the, it's been a painful and slow recovery period.

You have to admire a guy like Karl. We all know what an amazing endurance athlete he is, and he really wanted to set this record. It's particularly disheartening for a world-class athlete to be slowed by an injury, but he is refusing to give up, and he wants to finish what he started. I'm pulling for him to reach the end of the trail, and even if he doesn't get there in 47 days, my guess is that it'll still be an incredibly impressive time. Good luck the rest of the way Karl!

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Appalachian Assault: Trouble On The Trail

Rough news from WheresKarl.com today, where we learn that endurance runner Karl Meltzer spent much of the day in the hospital where he was diagnosed with trench foot due to his 300 plus miles on rough trail with wet feet. It's a good news/bad news situation however, as the pain that Karl was feeling was first thought to be the result of a stress fracture or blood clots.

Karl is of course in the middle of his Appalachian Assault, which has him challenging the speed record on the Appalachian Trail. His original intention was to run the entire length of the AT, some 2,174 miles, in just 47 days.


Obviously, having beat up feet is not conducive to setting speed records, and Karl is already behind his self imposed schedule. According to his website, he should have logged 745 miles by today, but his actual distance is 538. He took the day off today to rest and recuperate, and according to his team, he's doing fine. He has been given a prescription to take care of the trench foot, and intends to resume his Assault, possibly as early as tomorrow.

At this point, I'm not sure there is anyway that he can make up the gap that has already built up, and especially not with bad wheels. But, Karl is determined to see this thing through to the end, and I give him major respect for that. He certainly can take a lot of punishment, and it's impressive that he's still intending to continue on. I wish him the best of luck. I hope he can still achieve the goals that he set out to accomplish. He's an amazing athlete that doesn't know the word quit.

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Appalachian Assault Update: Racing The Schedule

It's been about ten days since Karl set out on his Appalachian Assault, an attempt to run the length of the Appalachian Trail in just 47 days. That 2,174 miles across challenging terrain with major vertical climbs and drops along the way as well. The hope is that he'll average roughly 46 miles a day and set a new speed record in the process.

So, how's it going so far? Well, not too bad, although it does seem that Karl's falling behind his self imposed schedule a bit. For instance, if you check out today's results, you see that he should have completed 499 miles by the end of today, and his "actual" mileage so far is 373. It's likely they haven't uploaded todays data yet, as he's probably still on the trail running, so if you add in the expected 55 miles for today, that puts him at a respectable 428 miles completed thus far. Unfortunately, that's still 71 miles behind what he had expected.

Karl's team continues to make daily blog updates at WheresKarl.com, keep us updated on his condition and location at all times. You can also track him on the trail, as he's using a SPOT Satellite Messenger to show is location at all times. The photo galleries have also been updated with new photos from much of the run as well, which help in giving us an idea of the conditions that Karl is contending with out on the trail.

There is still a long way to go on this speed attempt, and hopefully Karl can make up for the lost time and mileage further along. He's done an incredible job so far, and anyone would be hard pressed to have knocked off 400+ miles in 11 days. But I know he wants the speed record, and to do that he'll have to make up the difference. If anyone can do it though, I suspect it's Karl, who is an amazing endurance athlete.

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Appalachian Assault: Karl's Off and Running!

It seems like I've been counting down to the Appalachian Assault for weeks, but now it's finally here. Karl hit the trail this morning at 7:18 AM, and is now off and running on his speed attempt on the Appalachian Trail.

WheresKarl.com, the official site for this madness, is already updating with news from the trail as Karl warms up with a light 41 mile run today, which is expected to take him about ten and a half hours. There also plenty of images from the start and regular blog posts on his progress. Karl's SPOT Messenger is also performing admirably, charing his progress nicely and integrated into a Google Map right on the home page.

For those that haven't read about the Appalachian Assault, it is endurance athlete Karl Meltzer's attempt to complete the entire length of the AT in just 47 days. That's 2174 miles of very challenging backcountry terrain to cover in a relatively short time. In fact, he'll have to average 46+ miles per day to actually reach his goal.

Be sure to drop in regularly over the next month an a half to see what Karl is up to. I personally want to wish him luck. I think this seems like a great project, even if there is no way in hell I could keep up. :)

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Appalachian Assault: 5 Days Until Lift Off!

We're just five days away from Karl Meltzer's Appalachian Assault getting underway. According to the latest post at WheresKarl.com, Karl is en route to Maine, as prepares to embark on his journey.

The Appalachian Assault is a speed attempt on the Appalachian Trail. Karl is an endurance athlete and trail runner who hopes to cover the entire 2,174 miles of the AT in just 47 days, averaging over 46 miles per day. You'll be able to track his progress on the front page of the website, as he'll be carrying a SPOT Messenger, which I had first hand experience with at Primal Quest, and should allow for very accurate updates on exactly where Karl is located at all times.

Once the Assault gets underway next week, the team promises to have regular blog posts, updates to their Flickr stream and more, including Twitter updates for those so inclined.

This should be a great event to follow and I wish Karl the best of luck. Hopefully he'll be safe and healthy and in a position to really make a run at this new speed record.

Update: There is a cool article on Karl in todays Salt Lake City . You can read it here.

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Appalachian Assault: Karl leaves In 24 Days!

While Karl Meltzer is busy tuning up for his Appalachian Assault the official website for the event, WheresKarl.com has under gone an upgrade as well. Visitors to the site will now be greeted to a large countdown clock letting us all know just how long it is before Karl gets underway, and the blog is now in place to keep us updated on his progress. They've also added sections on food, gear, and Karl himself although those pages have yet to be populated with information.

You'll likely recall that the Appalachian Assault is Karl's attempt to set a new speed record on the Appalachian Trail. He hopes to cover the entire 2,174 mile length in just 47 days. That's an astounding 46+ miles per day over rugged, uneven, and challenging trails, even for an ultrarunner who thrives on long distance challenges.

Look for more updates and additions to the site as we get closer to the start of the Assault. And while you're waiting, check out this interview with Karl that I saw earlier today over at Outdoorzy.

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Appalachian Assault: Western States Warm-up!

The latest updates at WheresKarl.com indicate that Karl Meltzer continues to train for the Appalachian Assault, still scheduled to begin in early August, but his sights are firmly set on the Western States Ultra, which is now just nine days away.

The Western States is one of the toughest ultramarathons around, with runners covering 100 miles along the Western States Trail running from Squaw Valley to Auburn California, gaining more than 2550 feet in just the first few miles. From there, runners will gain nearly 23,000 feet, and drop 15,500 over the length of the rest of the course. It's considered one of the crown jewels for ultra-runners in North America, if not the entire world, and winners commemorate the event with an oh so stylish belt buckle. You can see a 3D fly over of the course by clicking here. (Google Earth required)

As part of his training routine, Karl did 50 miles of running last week, including a jaunt up to 9500 feet in altitude where he was greeted with 3'-5' of snow still on the ground near Salt Lake City. As if running at altitude wasn't already hard enough. This report sounds a lot like the ones I've been hearing from the PQ course in Montana. I guess spring has been slow in coming in the west this year, and we're just a few days from summer now.

The Appalachian Assault will be Karl's speed attempt on the Appalachian Trail, where he'll attempt to complete the entire 2,174 mile length in just 47 days. An average of 46 miles per day if you're keeping track at home.

For now, the training runs and ultra-events are his tune-up, but as August looms nearer, the AT will call. Karl's team is preparing to support him on the trail and online with frequent updates on his progress and news from the course. Should be really interesting to follow! The RV is certainly ready!

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Appalachian Assault: Nine Weeks To Go!

There's been a new update on the Where's Karl website with news that we're now under 9 weeks to go before Karl Meltzer launches his "Appalachian Assault" where he hopes to set a new speed record going end to end on the Appalachian Trail.

Karl is an accomplished endurance athlete who has won both the Wasatch 100 and the Hardrock 100, amongst many others. But the Appalachian Assault will test even his endurance. If Karl is to set the new record, he'll need to average 46 miles a day over the course of 47 days to complete the entire 2174 mile AT in record time.

In this latest update we learn that over the course of the past week Karl has been resting following his second place finish in the Jemez Mountain Trail Run. Karl has been averaging 75 miles a week as he trains for his Appalachian Trail run.

Next up, he sets his sights on the Western States 100 one of the toughest and most challenging endurance events anywhere. The race takes place on June 28th and 29th in Squaw Valley California, and all the top runners will be there. The race will serve as a great tune up for The Appalachian Assault. Just another day in the life of an ultrarunner.

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