My LEEP Project on the AT

This spring and summer, I will thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, and use experiences from the hike to tell stories that are based on the theme of nature vs. culture, one of the most pervasive themes in geography. While it may be tempting to look at some landscapes and deem them natural (free from humans), and others cultural (human-impacted), a more careful examination reveals that every bit of space has both natural and cultural traits. Discerning “natural” from “cultural” is often subjective; a matter of perception. The nature vs. culture binary deeply interests me, and a hike of the Appalachian Trail will be valuable research into perceptions of these spaces.

I will begin my hike in Georgia on Saturday, March 14th. I will then spend roughly five months hiking and gaining valuable experience along the trail. Throughout the hike, I will document my activities and thoughts each day with a journal and camera, and I will also send intermittent updates to the GWLT, which will be relayed to their followers through social media (right HERE!) I am planning on reaching Mount Katahdin on or before August 20, and be back at Clark for classes on the 24th.

Once back, I will spend about a month putting together stories for the dialogue sessions. The first of which will be on Saturday, September 26th, at the Barred Owl Retreat in Leicester. This will be followed by sessions on October 3rd, and October 10th.

While it is difficult to gauge the cost of an Appalachian Trail thru-hike, I estimate all expenses to be approximately $4,000. These expenses are for pre-hike preparation, as well as living expenses during the hike. I estimate that, when all is said and done, I will have spent about $1,500 on gear to use on the trail, about $7.00 per day on trail-food, and $2.00 per day on fuel and supplies. For my estimated 164 days of hiking, that’s about $1,500. Additional expenses include occasional lodging, town food, postage for mail-drops, camping fees for National Parks and Forests, and transportation to Georgia.

Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail will be the most difficult and fulfilling experience of my life to this point. The experiences I have on the trail will at the very least change my perception of space, and at the very most change my life.

Ted Randich