Appalachian Trail

Official.

On September 16th. 2023 kristian Morgan finished his southbound run on the Appalachian trail covering 2200 miles of mountainous terrain in 45 days 4 hours and 27 minutes creating a new world record. Last year he was 2nd fastest northbound making him the only person in the world to complete the Appalachian Trail north and south in less than 90 days. An accomplishment that has never, and may never be repeated.

He was supported by sharon mullan and David Martin (trail names, gunsection and Iceman)

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, measuring 2,198.4 miles in length. The Trail travels through fourteen states along the crests and valleys of the Appalachian Mountain Range, from its southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia, to the northern terminus at Katahdin, Maine.

Known as the “A.T.”, more than 3 million people visit the Trail every year and over 3,000 people attempt to “thru-hike” the entire footpath in a single year. People from across the globe are drawn to the A.T. for a variety of reasons, such as reconnecting with nature, escaping the stress of city life, meeting new people or deepening old friendships, or experiencing a simpler life.

Completed in 1937, the A.T. is a unit of the National Park System. It is managed under a unique partnership between the public and private sectors led by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

Fun Facts

The Trail is 2,198.4 miles long, passing through 14 states. This distance typically changes slightly each year due to footpath relocations and more precise measurement techniques.

It takes roughly 5 million steps to hike the entire A.T. — whether that is over a series of section hikes or one “thru-hike” in a single year.

Thousands of volunteers contribute roughly 240,000 hours to the A.T. every year.

More than 250 three-sided shelters exist along the Trail.

Virginia is home to the most miles of the Trail (about 550), while West Virginia is home to the least (about 4).

The total elevation gain of hiking the entire A.T. is equivalent to climbing Mt. Everest 16 times.

Source: Facebook - Boomerstillblooming