Una guía para caminar por el sendero de los Apalaches

Hay una placa en Springer Mountain en Georgia, el punto más al sur del sendero de los Apalaches, que describe el sendero como "un sendero para aquellos que buscan compañerismo con la naturaleza". Desde que se formó un sendero natural continuo desde Maine a Georgia en 1937, ha significado cosas diferentes para las personas que lo han recorrido, pero la mayoría de las personas que se encuentran en el sendero de los Apalaches lo hacen para acercarse a la naturaleza [fuente: Appalachian Conservación de senderos ].

Al principio del libro de Bill Bryson, "A Walk in the Woods", uno de los relatos de primera mano más populares sobre caminatas por el sendero de los Apalaches, el amigo de Bryson y compañero de caminatas, Katz, llega al aeropuerto con una bolsa llena de barras Snickers y salchichas de pepperoni. . Después de solo unas pocas millas de caminata, Katz abre su mochila y comienza a arrojar comida, desde filtros de café hasta latas de spam , por un acantilado debido a la frustración (pero sabiamente evitó las barras de Snickers). ¿La leccion? La mala planificación puede causar grandes problemas en el sendero de los Apalaches [fuente: Bryson ].

Junto con la cresta del Pacífico y la divisoria continental, el sendero de los Apalaches forma la triple corona de las caminatas de larga distancia en los EE. UU., "pero [la AT] siempre será la primera y la mejor", como dice Bryson, y muchos excursionistas comparten el sentimiento. El sendero se extiende desde Springer Mountain en Georgia hasta Mount Katahdin en Maine, abarca 14 estados y aproximadamente 2180 millas. Cada año, miles de personas visitan el sendero de los Apalaches; algunos se dispusieron a caminar todo el camino, mientras que otros visitaron el sendero para caminatas de un día.

Caminar por todo el sendero es un evento enorme, que a menudo cambia la vida, y desde que Appalachian Trail Conservancy comenzó a llevar registros en la década de 1930, más de 10,000 personas lo han recorrido. Algunas personas caminan por la velocidad, como Jennifer Pharr Davis, la poseedora del récord de la caminata más rápida de la historia del sendero de los Apalaches, que lo recorrió en 46 días, 11 horas [fuente: Horan ]. Para otros, como Warren Doyle, que recorrió todo el sendero la asombrosa cantidad de 16 veces, es una forma de vida [fuente: Gifford ]. Pero para la mayoría de las personas normales que caminan por el sendero, es una experiencia única en la vida.

Ya sea que planee unirse al club de las 2,000 millas (3,219 kilómetros) o simplemente quiera dar un paseo tranquilo por el bosque, el sendero de los Apalaches es uno de los grandes tesoros de los EE. UU. En este artículo, lo guiaremos a través de los conceptos básicos para caminar por el sendero, desde lo que se pone en los pies hasta dónde duerme.

1. Senderismo por el sendero de los Apalaches: preparación para la caminata
2. Senderismo en el sendero de los Apalaches: qué esperar en los senderos
3. Senderismo en el sendero de los Apalaches: cabañas y refugio
4. Senderismo en el sendero de los Apalaches: consejos para caminatas a través
5. Nota del autor

Ya sea que vaya a hacer una excursión de un día con la familia o que vaya de Georgia a Maine, querrá estar preparado para cualquier cosa que pueda encontrar en el bosque. Cada año, miles de personas abandonan su sueño de caminar todo el sendero de los Apalaches por una cosa: no estaban preparados para ello. Las lesiones pueden descarrilar incluso el viaje del excursionista más fuerte, y los problemas financieros también han detenido a muchos excursionistas.

Hay muchas ocasiones en la vida en las que el sentido de la espontaneidad funcionará a tu favor, pero las caminatas de larga distancia no son una de ellas. Estar bien preparado para la caminata es el mejor seguro que puede tener de que podrá llegar al final del sendero.

La preparación para el AT comienza con prepararse psicológicamente para la caminata. "Es solo caminar", podrías decirte a ti mismo. "Solo pon un pie delante del otro". Cierto, pero es caminar arriba y abajo por un terreno empinado, a veces inhóspito, a menudo con ampollas en los pies. Está cargando todo lo que necesitará en su espalda y durmiendo afuera en temperaturas bajo cero. Y ni siquiera nos hagas hablar del calor y la humedad que seguramente encontrarás en los meses de verano.

una larga caminatapondrá a prueba tu determinación, y requiere una gran fortaleza mental. La mejor manera de prepararse mentalmente para la caminata es estar lo mejor informado posible. Eso significa dirigirse a la biblioteca y consultar todos los libros que pueda encontrar sobre el senderismo en general y el sendero de los Apalaches en particular. Los dos libros de lectura obligada para cualquiera que esté pensando en escalar el AT son "The Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers Companion", que es una guía producida por The Appalachian Trail Conservancy y Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association, y "Appalachian Trail Data Book”, que es una biblia de información sobre el sendero que se actualiza cada año. También es una buena idea leer sitios web y blogs personales,

Estar debidamente preparado para el Sendero de los Apalaches también significa tener el equipo adecuado (hablaremos de eso más adelante) y presupuestar suficiente dinero para cubrir los gastos de viaje y cualquier evento imprevisto. Y ya sea que vaya de excursión desde el monte Katahdin hasta la montaña Springer, o simplemente realice una caminata de un día, todos los visitantes del sendero de los Apalaches deben ir con un mapa y una brújula , y deben saber cómo usarlos antes de emprender el sendero. También debe asegurarse de ir equipado con suficiente comida y agua, y para los excursionistas de larga distancia, una forma de purificar el agua (el sendero de los Apalaches no tiene muchos bebederos). También debe recordar empacar un botiquín de primeros auxilios bien abastecido, anteojos de sol y protector solar, y una bolsa de basura para empacar sus desechos [fuente: Appalachian Trail Conservancy ].

¿Necesito un permiso para caminar por el AT?

A diferencia de muchos senderos en esta gran tierra, el sendero de los Apalaches es de uso gratuito para todos, y no se requiere tarifa ni permiso para caminar por el sendero. Sin embargo, el sendero atraviesa muchos tipos diferentes de terrenos públicos (parques estatales, parques nacionales y bosques nacionales) y algunos requieren permisos, tarifas o reservas para acampar durante la noche, así que asegúrese de consultar las normas locales antes de salir. [fuente: Appalachian Trail Conservancy ].

If you hike the entire 2,180-mile (3,508-kilometer) Appalachian Trail, you'll cover a total elevation gain that would be roughly equal to climbing Mount Everest 16 times, but at a much, much gentler grade, of course. The terrain the Appalachian Trail passes through is highly varied, which is good news for thru-hikers, because hiking more than 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers) without a change in scenery would be pretty dull. On the contrary, the Appalachian Trail actually weaves through widely diverse terrain, ranging from rocky mountaintops to flat farmland.

It should come as no surprise that the topography you encounter on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia will look a lot different from what you might find at the other end of the trail, in Maine. And because the Appalachian Trail runs through forests that feature a mix of deciduous broad-leaf trees and conifers, the trail tends to look very different from season to season.

If you're lucky, you'll also encounter plenty of wildlife as well. Depending on how much time you spend on the trail, you're likely to see rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, frogs , lizards and a variety of birds. But there are also creatures that you won't want to get too close to, like black bears, mountain lions and moose. Bears are clever animals, and they know that thru-hikers present a moveable feast. Even though people camping along the Appalachian Trail are advised to never keep food in tents and to always hang their food overnight, several incidents in recent years have forced the U.S. Forest to temporarily close some popular stretches of the Appalachian Trail to camping [source: Gilbert].

Most thru-hikers begin their journeys in the spring, typically in March or April, at Springer Mountain, the southernmost tip of the trail in Georgia, and they reach the end terminus in Maine by September. However, that isn't the only way to do it. Other hikers choose to take the southbound route, starting in Maine in June or July and finishing up in Georgia in November or December.

Hiking from Maine to Georgia is a lot less common for a number of reasons. First, you're starting off with what's considered the most difficult leg of the trail (although there's an argument to be made that beginning with the steeper grades will whip you into shape faster). But there are other reasons that the southbound route is less popular: You could encounter muddy streams and difficult creek crossings in Maine and New Hampshire, and it will be hunting season by the time you reach some of the southern states. And if you've ever come across black flies in the summer in Maine, that's probably reason enough to skip the southbound route [source: Appalachian Trail Conservancy].

If you'd like the hike the entire trail, but don't feel like doing it straight through and all at once, there are a number of different approaches you can take. Many hikers, for example, start at the southernmost point at Springer Mountain and hike as far north as Harpers Ferry , W.Va. Then, they leave the trail and re-enter at the northernmost point, at Katahdin in Maine and hike south to Harpers Ferry. What's the point? By taking the "flip-flop" approach, you can avoid the heaviest crowds and there's a much slighter chance that you'll have to encounter snow or any extreme weather. And you can still say that you hiked the entire trail (although there's something to be said for the continuity of hiking it straight through).

As we mentioned, the most difficult stretches of the trail (by most accounts, at least) are at the northern end, in Maine and New Hampshire, and the southern end has some pretty steep patches as well. If you're a day hiker who's just interested in going for a stroll in the woods, there are access points all along the trail at state and national parks. One of the most popular and scenic places to hop on the trail is at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, as the stretch of trail that runs near Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive is very gentle and easy.

Any time you head out into the wilderness for more than a picnic or a day hike, it's a good idea to figure out where you can take shelter. Weather conditions along the trail can be severe, especially in the spring and fall, so it's important to make sure that you have a safe and secure place to rest your head after a long day.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that helps to maintain the trail, provides access to more than 250 backcountry shelters that are located along the trail. The shelters are typically three-sided structures, with a roof and one side that's open to the elements. They're usually located close to a water source, and they're meant for thru-hikers. The shelters are great features, because one of the best parts of hiking the Appalachian Trail for many people is meeting and talking to other hikers, and the shelters provide a natural meeting place at the end of the day.

Sleeping in a shelter is an attractive option for many hikers because it provides a place where you can stay dry during rain without having to set up a tent. And when more hikers sleep in the shelters, it means fewer campsites, which translates to a reduced impact on the natural areas around the trail. However, the shelters aren't perfect; they can often be dirty and rodent-infested, and because they're so popular, they tend to fill up pretty quickly.

For those reasons, anyone who is planning to spend more than one day on the Appalachian Trail should bring a personal tent. Tent designs vary widely, but if you're planning to hike the entire trail, you probably want something that is both lightweight and that can protect you from the elements through three seasons (spring, summer and fall). But even if you take your own tent, you can't necessarily camp anywhere you please. The trail passes through different types of public land, and they all have rules about camping. Some places, like national forests, for example, permit "dispersed camping," while others allow camping only in designated campgrounds. To stay on the park rangers' good sides, check the local rules before setting up your tent, and always pack out whatever you pack in [source: Appalachian Trail Conservancy].

Gearing up for several months on the trail is an exercise that will challenge even the seasoned trip planner. There are dozens of important details that, if overlooked, can cost you precious time and energy, or in a worst-case scenario, derail your trip. One of the most important decisions you'll make is deciding what gear to bring. "Ounces equal pounds, and pounds equal pain," is a common backpacking mantra, reminding those who travel with all of their possessions on their back that trimming your pack weight can greatly affect your livelihood.

Ultralight backpacking is an obsession for many thru-hikers, but it's a difficult balancing act. Don't feel like you have enough thru-hiking experience to achieve that delicate balance between having enough gear to survive on the trail and not being weighed down with a too-heavy pack? It might be worth your while to consult with an expert before heading too far down the trail. For example, Winton Porter, an unofficial Appalachian Trail guru who runs a gear store at Walasi-Yi in northern Georgia, provides an exhaustive, item-by-item analysis of what's in your pack with the aim of helping hikers to trim the weight of their packs [source: Gorman].

When outfitting yourself for any kind of long-distance hike, your feet are one of the most important things to address, because they're the point of impact between you and the trail. And if your feet aren't happy, it's likely that you won't be happy either. People wear all types of different types of footwear on the trail (some even go barefoot), but whatever type of boots you choose, you should make sure they fit properly so that you don't suffer from blisters -- a hiker's worst enemy. When you hike long distances your feet tend to swell, so most experts suggest trying on boots later in the day, when your feet are somewhat swollen. And don't forget to bring the same heavy socks and sock liners that you'll use on the trail. You may even find that you need to buy boots that are half a size too big to account for swelling [source: Gantenbein].

One of the other logistical items that you won't want to forget is food and water . Water spigots are rare along the Appalachian Trail, so you'll need to bring a portable water filter so you can purify fresh water along the trail and avoid dangerous diseases and infections, like giardia. When you're walking all day, you'll burn a lot more calories than you would if you were sitting in an office, and the only way to get that energy back is by eating. But of course you can't carry five months worth of food on your back all at once. If you're hiking at an average rate, you'll pass near a town or business every three to seven days where you can refuel and buy more food. But many thru-hikers like to have more control over their food supply, and they can by mailing themselves (or having someone else send them) packages that they can pick up at post offices along the way.

Can I hike the AT in winter?

Although the vast majority of people who thru-hike (or even day-hike) the Appalachian Trail do so in the warmer months, in recent years more hikers have made the decision to bundle up and hit the trails in the winter. Hiking the Appalachian Trail in the winter presents a completely different set of challenges than summer hiking, and it promises to deliver different views and experiences to those hearty souls who attempt it. And it's almost certain that you'll find a free space to rest your head at night in a shelter [source: McClay].

I was pretty excited about this assignment, because although I've never hiked the Appalachian Trail, I've talked to friends who have, and they all say it changed their lives. It also gave me an opportunity to revisit Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods," one of my favorite books about hiking.

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