AT Movie Blog Lindsey Ceniviva

After watching the documentary on the Appalachian Trail, I had a whole new outlook on hiking. I knew that people love to hike and all do it for different reasons, but the intrinsic rewards for completing this trail are phenomenal. The trail is a 4-7 month long hike that tends to put you through extreme conditions, such as, rain, fog and heat. The average hiker hikes 6-12 miles per day. Of course the hikers are experiencing all of this with packs on their backs, but they make the most of it. Hikers can carry no more than 25% of their body weight successfully. Surprisingly only 20% of hikers actually reach their desired goal along the trail. At the beginning of the movie some of the hikers mentioned that this was something they had been planning on for a long time and that they had high expectations for themselves and for their experience. Hikers were looking for camaraderie, peace and tranquility and shared their thoughts about how they were inspired by others to attempt the AT. The trail has 262 shelters along the way to provide hikers with a place to sleep, water, and a privy. Navigationally, the trail can become confusing, so ‘Blazers’ have been mounted to signify when the trail will change direction. By the time the hikers have reached North Carolina, the experience has set in and is now a reality. At times, ‘Trail Magic’ is presented as a little something to pick up the spirits of the hikers. Trail Magic is typically snacks and drinks left along the trail for hikers to find and be thankful for. Although the Trail Magic is a nice gesture, sometimes trash and other debris are left along the trail. For this reason, and just to keep the trail intact, there have been 31 clubs established to tend to and maintain the trail. The hikers describe their experience as difficult and beautiful and the sights as gorgeous. I can not imagine the kinds of physical, mental, and emotional battles each person undergoes while hiking the AT. Although it is obviously a constant struggle, the benefits from hiking the Appalachian Trail must be amazing!