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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Seven Days on the John Muir Trail Captured on Video

The 211 mile long John Muir Trail is one of the most popular and scenic treks in the U.S. Running from Yosemite Valley to Mt. Whitney, the route runs parallel to the much longer Pacific Crest Trail, passing through King's Canyon and Sequoia National Park in the process.

Named for the first president of the Sierra Club, who was instrumental in lobbying for public lands to be set aside for outdoor recreation, the trail offers significant challenges at altitude. The route rarely drops below 8000 feet, and crosses through six passes that are above 11,000 feet. The amount of vertical gain and loss on the trail is estimated to be over 84,000 feet, which has a significant impact on the difficulty of a hike on the trail. Despite that, thousands flock to the trail each year, usually between July and September, to trek some or all of the length.

Backpacker Ryan Commons did just that this past fall, spending seven days on the John Muir, and capturing much of it on video. The results are seen in the movie below, which is very well made and captures the essence of the adventure beautifully. The video is 40 minutes in length, but very well made, and well worth the scenery alone. If you have ever considered hiking the trail, you'll definitely want to give it a look.

WINTER IS COMING - Seven Days on the John Muir Trail from Ryan Commons on Vimeo.

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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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Video of the John Muir Trail

Speaking of Best Hike, check out this really great, high quality video of the classic John Muir Trail that I found on their blog. It's six minutes in length, and does a great job of capturing the essence of the trail, which for many, is the best in the U.S.


High Sierra HD - Backpacking the John Muir Trail from Pete Bell on Vimeo.

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New Blogs To Keep An Eye On...

I came across a couple of new blogs that you might be interested in as I've been wandering around the Interwebs today. First up, we have The Outsider over at Broadbandsports.com. The Outsider is written by "T-Fly" and has been up and running since August, with a variety of posts on outdoor activities and all the fun stuff that we find amusing, like cycling, mountain biking, kayaking, and more. There are plenty of videos and crazy stories to go around, like this one about a "sword wielding hiker". Damn! And I thought my trekking poles were dangerous enough.

The other blog of note is the Words and Light blog written by a young man named Patrick is his planning to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Right now his plans are to hike it in 2008, but he's already begun preparation for his adventure. Of course, once he hits the trail, he intends to blog the entire trip as well, which should make for interesting reading. Good luck Patrick. I can't wait to read your thoughts on the trail.

Anyone have any more interesting and fun "adventure blogs" out there that I should know about? Send 'em my way. I'm happy to give you a nod.

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The Thru-Hiker's Medical Guide

Stewart Anderson is a doctor, who also just so happens to have have hiked the length of thePacific Crest Trail. Along the way, he began to think about all the injuries that can occur on such a hike and came up with the idea of creating the The Thru-Hiker's Medical Guide.

This helpful site has all kinds of great stuff to think about before you set out this Summer on the PCT or the AT. He covers things as simple as blisters on your feet (all too common on these hikes) to fractured bones, tendentious, and the dreaded "Hiker's Belly". This is definitely a good read for anyone planning a multi-day hike. There are some good tips and information that may make your trip a lot better.

Thanks to this one goes out to The Goat.

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