Hiking Alone vs. In a group

From July 12-17 I was hiking on my own on the trail for the first time. People have the idea that if you hike alone, you are literally alone in the woods. That could not be further from the truth. The AT is a very well traveled trail and there are quite a lot of people hiking all the time, especially this time of year. Typically I would guess I meet 8-12 people each day, though occasionally there will be a group of 10 youth from a local camp. Even people who Hike together usually “hike their own hike” on a day to day basis. We all have different paces and sometimes prefer to keep our own stride. Most people are alone hikers, some couples, fewer trios, and then there are “tramilies,” or single hikers who have formed hiker families for the AT.

I really have enjoyed both hiking with my family (literal family) and alone. I has felt very supported and loved from my family to spend their precious time with me on the trail. But part of the sabbatical journey is solitary and I appreciate some alone time. The social interactions with other hikers are different when I am alone. One day I really pushed myself to climb the 4 peaks of the Bigelow range and hike 10 miles. I listened to some podcasts and tried not to focus on my aching feet. When I arrived at the lean to, there ended up being 3 women staying there. There was some wonderful conversation which perhaps would not have happened if I were with a group.

The last several days I have been with my brother Alex and sister Sarah. Though all of us share a love of backpacking, we had never backpacked together. Some of the old sibling dynamics emerged, interestingly. But the trail is also its own unique environment, and we were able to both hike together, and have our own struggles and triumphs of the trail. Each person’s gear is unique; your food choices and how you cook; the way you climb or descend using trekking poles or not. Or wanting help or not. This was a wonderful time to connect even as we each had our own way of doing things.

One of my favorite moments in the trail was the summit of Bigelow Mountain. I was completely on my on the mountain after a pretty scary ascent in the fierce wind. I was so full of joy and exhilaration from the exertion and that my body could do this. Doing it alone felt good.

All of us on the AT are somehow part of a special community, but we are also alone. Each one of us knows how the feet hurt, the cuts and scrapes, the hunger and craving for regular food. We are all pushing ourselves to the limit, and a little beyond. This is not just physical; it is also mentally and spiritually exhausting. This combination of things are what changes us on the trail.

Peace to you all and thanks for the prayers and good thoughts.