TOP 5 FEARS FOR THRU-HIKING

In 35 days I will be immersed in the backcountry. People are starting to eagerly ask how I’m feeling. Am I nervous? Am I ready? If they’re not asking me, they’re certainly asking my parents: Why would she do this? Isn’t she afraid? Who is prescribing the Xanax?

I know for certain I have never been more excited for something in my life. This hike trumps all. It’s something that I’ve been working towards for years. I am checking off a top bucket-list item with this hike, and for the first time in a long time gifting myself with something that will make me really happy.

But to answer the question: no. I am not afraid. Not even a little bit.

Don’t get me wrong. There are unnerving things on trail, no doubt. I will likely encounter rattlesnakes, bears, and possibly coyotes, bobcats, and mountain lions. There will be mice near my tent, marmots near my food, and black widows and widow branches waiting for me in position. My days will be spent either dodging poodle-dog bush or poison oak. Although there is a wonderful hiking community, this cynical New Yorker is very new to hitchhiking and sleeping in strangers homes.

To be clear, I am not naïve to the threats of the wilderness. I know exactly what I’m getting myself into. But to be honest, I’ve done scarier things and been in scarier situations. I’ve gotten through them, and ever since, fear isn’t something I feel very often. I’ve done the research and took the courses, and practiced safety firsthand when I encountered bears on trail. I’m just not packing fears for my trek. Between the weight of my gear and thoughts, there is no extra space for fear. Although these elements are certainly unpleasant, it doesn’t cause any trepidation or second thoughts.

That being said, I can’t deny that these threats are very real, and will test me and my determination day in and day out. Here are five things to fear while thru-hiking the PCT: (no, not the bears)

1. Injury

There will inevitably be some form of injury. There will also be 150 days of pain. But pain is part of it. I am voluntarily handing my body over to back and shoulder pain, knee pain, and plantar fasciitis on a silver platter. All the Arnica and Vitamin I in the world won’t stop the aches and pains of hiking 20+ mile days for months on end. I can get past that, and I can hike past that. But what thru-hikers fear the most is the injury that ends the hike prematurely. No one wants to quit a thru-hike – this takes months and for some, years to plan. If someone quits, it should be after days if not weeks of consideration, and never on a bad day. Ending a hike without choice, because of a physical injury, is the most devastating thing I can think of, and would be my biggest fear if I allowed myself to fear it. Not to mention the injury that requires being air-lifted out.

2. Ticks and Lyme Disease

I’ve hiked past bears, stepped on a snake on the AT, and seen a moose closer than I liked, but the large wildlife is not my top concern. Sure I will probably shake in my boots if I encounter a cougar or bobcat, but with a little education and common sense, you can safely exit the situation. Ticks, on the other hand, are too tiny to catch. Every morning and night, I will have to check my body for ticks. But as you know, finding one isn’t enough. The risk of Lyme disease is seriously alarming.

3. Dehydration/Giardia/Sunstroke

The first 700 miles of the PCT is desert. To make things drier for myself, I am starting my hike at the end of April. It is possible that the water sources will be dried out and caches from trail angels will be empty. Even if I do have enough water (which means a heavier pack), I still have to rely on my filter to protect me from giardia and other parasites. E.coli is not prejudiced, and can take down even the most seasoned of hikers. The heat and exposure of the desert is also a threat. Triple digit temps, high altitudes, long waterless stretches, and extreme physical exertion makes keeping hydrated a constant battle.

4. Lightening

Whether I am on a ridgeline, passing through a meadow, or in my tent under a tree, I am exposed to the elements. According to the NOAA, “you are not safe anywhere outside” during a thunderstorm. There are tips and strategies to avoid getting struck by lightning or the tree that does get hit, but regardless of skill level, it’s certainly not comforting.

Honorable mentions: Scorpions, fire ants, rock slides, earthquakes, wildfires, failed river crossings, hypothermia, Oregon mosquitoes, heart attack.

Moving On.

5. Post-Trail Depression (Yes, that’s all for on-trail concerns. People don’t rank).

I am about to go on the wildest escapade of my life. This is not a common box that people get to check off on their bucket list (for those wild enough to want it). This, for me, is the milestone above all milestones. Other life events are great too, but the gumption required for a thru-hike is, again, unlike anything else I know of.

So, where the hell do I go from here? Not much can top this… I will also be throwing myself back into the grind of a 9-5 upon my return. While I am beyond grateful for my approved LOA, I fear the contrast of living so freely and vibrantly one minute to sitting in traffic for hours and working hard under pressure the next.

As someone who has dealt with Depression in the past, this is a scarier threat than all the above. I read in Pacific Crest Trials to have a plan for when I return to avoid PTD. I have already lined up some projects and set goals for myself to work on once I return, but I do still dread the adjustment back to real life.

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As much of a physical challenge as it is to hike for 5 months, it’s even more of a mental challenge. I have considered the threats, risks, and consequences, and am still voluntarily doing this. I could never pass on something I want because of fear, and so I just don’t see the point of letting fear or discomfort tamper with my plans or experience. I have educated myself and strategized over the last couple years of planning, but more importantly – I have trained myself to be more positive. A positive mindset is the only way one can complete a five month thru-hike. So with that – No, I am not afraid. I am certainly aware, but now equally aware of what to do to combat such threats.

“I may have been the slowest one on trail, but I was infinitely faster than everyone who didn't try”