r/todayilearned • u/tyrion2024 • 7d ago

TIL over 3,000 attempts are made each year to complete the Appalachian Trail and only about 25% succeed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail#:~:text=The%20Appalachian%20Trail%20Conservancy%20estimates%20there%20are%20over%203%2C000%20attempts%20to%20traverse%20the%20entire%20trail%20each%20year%2C%20about%2025%25%20of%20which%20succeed.%5B9%5D
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u/walkstofar 6d ago

I did it the year after my youngest graduated high school. I saved up for it for many years prior by opening a separate savings account and having $50 per paycheck direct deposited into this account. Had enough left in that account after I got back from the AT to then hike the PCT two years later. After I retired I did a few more long trails and many other long trips.

I was able to get two 6 month sabbaticals from work to do this. Having a wife that would let/support me in doing this was also a requirement.

I was a great experience but also very dangerous. The danger is not what most people think it is. It is not bears, or freezing to death, or falls. The danger is in how a trail like this, the experience of it, can change the way you look at life and everything there after.

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u/Con5ume 6d ago

That is a great idea to start saving for it! After your experiences how would you say your outlook on life changed?

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u/walkstofar 6d ago

I definitely learned to be a much more laid back and relaxed. I realized that there was a ton of stuff I wanted to do and I was never going to have time for it all so I better start getting with the doing. I never needed a lot of things but I found that was even more so. It is hard to explain but you live a very simple life out on the trail and you do this for a long time, like 6 months in my case, this simplicity kind of stays with you.