Where does the AT actually go?

This seems to be a common question, and I think the best way to answer it is to provide the link to the interactive map that the ATC has put together. At the bottom you can select the box to show the shelters, if you're wondering where I stayed.

The Gear Post

Here's a picture of the stuff I'm carrying:

You can see the list on the gear page (the tab at the top).

It all fits into my backpack, which is good.

I'm Off

As you read this, I am on my way up to the summit of Katahdin. Very Exciting!

10 Days of Food

I assembled all of the food I'll be taking through the 100-mile wilderness. Ten days of food. It includes such delicacies as minute rice, instant mashed potatoes, ramen noodles, pita bread, peanut butter, various bars, dehydrated beans and veggies, and more. 

And it (mostly) all fit in my food bag. That's a 20-liter stuff sack. The bread and peanut butter will have to start outside the "official" food bag for lack of space.

It weighs about 16 pounds, not including the two powerades. That's about as much as all of the other stuff I'm bringing.

I also have the first mail drop I'm sending myself in Monson, ME. After Monson, the towns I'll be going near all have grocery stores where I'll buy food for the next section.

 

The Ten Essentials

The AMC Equipped blog published an interesting article the other day. They found a study of how many hikers in the Whites carried the ten essentials. I think it is interesting how few people enter the woods unprepared. As the author of the post points out, simply carrying a few extra items that weigh a few ounces, your chances of survival can drastically increase if you get hurt or lost in the woods.