">
How the Appalachian Trail Changed My Life… One Year Later
On February 21st, 2024, my birthday, I arrived at Amicalola Falls. Standing in the Visitor Center, getting my hiker tag, taking those first few steps toward the southern terminus… I’ll be honest, one year removed now, I still tear up thinking about it.
When someone asks about my Appalachian Trail thru-hike, depending on the day, my answer changes. Often, it’s something like: “Oh you know, I lived outside for 6 months and spent all my money.” I’ve found this is the easiest answer. When I first got off trail, I would say any variation of “Oh, it was amazing, it changed my life, I met amazing people and saw the most beautiful things” and that’s all true, but I think it’s difficult to encapsulate 180 days of moments into just a few words. But, I’m going to give it a try.
Springer Mountain, Day 1.
First, I’ll say this: in the year leading up to leaving for the Appalachian Trail, I left my partner of 8 years, worked 3 jobs, barely spent a dime, met my now boyfriend, and trained like a psycho. 2023 was one of the most effective, changeful, and happiest years of my life. The journey to the journey was as important as the journey itself.
Now, onto the AT.
Sometimes I woke up so cold that I couldn’t feel my fingers for hours. Some nights were so cold I barely slept at all. Still, I kept going.
Now, if it’s below 30 degrees, I might not leave the house.
I watched the seasons change. One day I looked up, and there were leaves on the trees. It must have happened overnight.
Now, it snowed in Ohio this week, and I looked out the window and said “Jesus Christ, are you f***ing kidding me?” I woke my boyfriend up to complain.
Sometimes it was so hot I could barely breathe. The water sources dried up. I walked for 11 straight miles thinking “water water water water” and nothing else.
Now, I forget my water bottle at home more often than not.
I ate whatever the hell I wanted. I didn’t wear makeup. My hair fell out and I got a lot of acne. I didn’t shower for days at a time. I stomped through mud puddles, and I stopped apologizing to strangers for how I smelled.
The boyfriend.
Now, I’m counting calories and hitting macro goals, and my skin care routine is so dialed in, I won’t let my boyfriend touch my face after I moisturize.
It’s funny. Sometimes it feels like I never left at all. I came home to Ohio, and I started eating at the same old restaurants and seeing the same old friends.
But now, a particularly blue sky reminds me of the Bigelows. I walk through grocery store aisles and see Nerds Clusters, and I remember the time I almost choked to death during a slackpack, then I laughed so hard I cried. I hear We Like to Party, and I think about a dance party with Gadget in a motel room, and catching a hitch in a windowless white van. I’ll go on a run and listen to Post Malone’s country album, and I’ll think about a day in the 100 Mile Wilderness eating by the river with Pumba. I eat french onion soup, and I think about The Inn at Long Trail, when I said goodbye to Chunk, Ralph, and Swamp Foot. I text Fresh Ground just because I’m thinking of him. I receive a surprise gift in the mail from Rex. Mountain Goat texts me a picture from Amicalola Falls. I Facetime Soap, and we talk about how much we miss our friend Jenny. I plan my next thru-hike with KitKat and Rifle.
-
- Gadget, Sassafras, Soap, Fresh Ground.
-
- Roan Highlands.
-
- Gadget, Sassafras. Up and over the Presidentials in one day.
-
- McAfee Knob.
-
- The Bigelows.
-
- Sassafras, Soap, Gadget. Photo by Chris Marshburn.
-
- Sassafras, Worm Queen, 2 Chainz, Rifle. Cowboy camping in the Smokeys.
-
- Standing Indian Mountain.
-
- Sassafras, KitKat, Rifle. Franconia Ridge.
I don’t miss the feet-pain. I don’t miss spending all of my money. I don’t miss the drama, or the bugs, or the shoulder pain, or the extreme cold, or the extreme heat, or not seeing my boyfriend/cat/friends/parents.
But I miss my heavy ass backpack. I miss never knowing which friends I might see that day. I miss never knowing where I might sleep that night. I miss striking up conversations with strangers. I miss introducing myself as Sassafras. I miss a cool Summer breeze on my face as I’m laying down to sleep. I miss the Roan Highlands, McAfee Knob, Maine, the Whites, southern New York (underrated)… hell, I miss getting my ass kicked by Rocksylvania.
I’m lucky enough now to work for The Trek. I get to watch future thru-hikers get excited about the journey, and the journey to the journey. What a privilege. I love my job.
And so, one year out, February 21st, 2025, I can say this: My life has changed. I feel and remember the AT in most everything I do. I know who I am, and who I can be, and that I can achieve anything I set my mind to with the proper planning and follow through. I crave a strong body, and a strong heart, novelty, challenge, and adventure.
On trail, I felt more like “myself” than I ever had. I met amazing people and pushed my body to its limits. It’s the best thing I ever did.
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Thanks for your support!
To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.
Comments 11
This was really beautiful and encapsulated a lot of what I’ve been finding difficult to put into words. And made me realize that my partner and I started just days behind you and were ever so slightly behind you the entire time. So not only did we meet a lot of the same people you mentioned, but my British partner kept getting asked if he knew Soap (of course he didn’t, the UK is still big! lol). So even though you never knew we existed, we were aware of you three the whole time. Funny how things work out like that
Great article. I thru-hiked in 2018, and I still think about the hike in the same way you describe your feelings and memories. It was the best thing I ever did too, and I’m in my 60’s now. The other day I was getting my (boring) neighborhood 10,000 steps in and I noticed the cracks at the edge of the asphalt looked kind of like the elevation map outlines in guthooks (sorry, farout). The dips between the peaks reminded me of gaps, hitchhikes, the anticipation of a crummy motel room or fun hostel and the simple joy of laundry! town food!…… Anyway good luck to all the 2025 hikers, I hope you all have the best time of your life too.
Wow Jess, I think you pretty much nailed the whole encapsulating 180 days thing. Very beautiful.
I appreciated your sharing the year leading up to the beginning.
The prep work, be it for running a race/through hike/any goal, is always more than those that don’t actually start realize.
Great article; thanks for sharing.
Truly beautiful…
Beautifully true…
Keep on trekin’, Jess!
Well written. Very descriptive. I enjoyed all of your thoughts and they were just spot on. I did watch some of your AT videos while you were on trail. You cruised through the trail with the proper attitude. I hike short sections of the trail from time to time and really enjoy it. It seems like the ground vibrates when I put foot on it. Enjoy your life. You’ve filled it up with so many memories and so many more to come. I wish you all the best and thank you for sharing your adventure.
Thank you for posting this. The Trek is lucky to have you.
Wow. Best blog I’ve read in weeks. No wonder you work for The Trek! And, happy belated birthday! 🥳
I miss running into your trail family again, and again from Rauch Gap to Gorham. Every time you passed me, I figured I’d never see you again. But then, there you all were. At a street side table, a shelter, or on a sidewalk in a small town in New Hampshire. That was always nice!
Thanks so much for this, Sassafras! (I just told Rifle and Mountain Goat that I can’t get used to calling hikers by their real names.) Your summary is beautifully written and it evokes lots of memories for me, too, since I followed you and your tramily all the way to Katahdin. I just met one of your 2025 bloggers, Natalie Nicols, at Basecamp last week and look forward to following her journey. Happy to see that you found such a great job at The Trek!
A great read. Nice to have met you on the trail Sassafras. I miss being on trail. -Chase with Buzz and Vanish