Hello Friends!

Since we are no longer walking day in and day out, I have a little more time to write blog posts! I’ve been thinking about what kind of posts would’ve helped us before we started our thru hike, and this one seemed like a good place to start. It’s a little more analytical than our previous posts, but I’m hoping it’ll be helpful to those planning a hike in the near future!

Keep in mind that these numbers are for a couple hiking the trail.

Our Stats:

Number of days our thru hike took: 146 …. We started on March 28 and summited Katahdin on August 20.

Amount of money spent during our hike: around $5,000 (not including gear)

Amount of money spent on gear: roughly $2,000, give or take

Number of zero days taken: 15

Number of days I went without feeling like quitting for the first time: 14

Number of hotels stayed at during our hike: 16

Number of hostels stayed at during our hike: 16 …. The hostel experience on the AT is AMAZING. Some of our favorites: Hiker Hostel (Ga), Cantarroso Farm (TN), Bears Den (VA.), Chet’s (NH), The Barn (NH), The Cabin (ME), Shaw’s Lodging (ME)

Number of times we hitchhiked to town: 15-20 …. We are forever grateful to all the wonderful people who picked us up and took us where we needed to go. I’ll never forget all those truck bed rides!

Number of black bears seen: 13 …. 11 just in Shenandoah National Park!

Number of snakes seen: at least 20 …. Only 2 were rattlesnakes.

Number of moose seen: 1

Number of AT shelters we camped at: 46

Number of times we slept in an AT shelter: 6

Number of platypus bags we busted: 4

Number of times we received trail magic: Too many times to count! …. We received an incredible amount of trail magic, everything from places to stay to water left at trail heads to massive hiker feeds. There is literally no way for me to count or remember all of the amazing instances of trail magic we experienced.

Number of times we had to go to a doctor: 1 …. I had to go to an emergency room in Monson, Maine to be tested for Lyme disease.

Number of White Mountain huts we stayed in: 0

Number of times a day we looked at our AWOL Guide: 17 on average… I’m the type of hiker that HAS to know how many more climbs are left in the day.

Amount of money spent on hotels and hostels during our hike: about $1,400

Number of really bad storms we hiked/camped through: 5

Number of pairs of shoes used: 5 …. 3 for me, 2 for the hubby

Number of podcasts listened to: roughly 254 …. Podcasts have a way of making 20+ mile days a little more bearable.

Number of books read on trail: 5

Number of family members/friends who graciously hosted us: 7

Number of times I cried to my mom on the phone: 3-4

Number of times I cried during the hike: 10-20

Number of times it snowed: 1 …. We got stuck in a snowstorm on Roan Mountain, TN on May 5

Number of days spent in Damascus at Trail Days: 4

Number of times we fell on our butts: at least 30 for me alone

Maximum number of days gone without showering: 8

Average number of miles hiked per day: 20

Number of hiker feeds attended: 8

Number of pizzas consumed during our hike: 10-15

So there you have it- our hike by the numbers!

Much love,

Maranda Stone