Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail

by Roland Mueser

Blending sage advice with personal experiences and anecdotes, this unconventional book is an unusually thoughtful account of long-distance trekking on the Appalachian Trail. Mueser draws upon interviews and questionnaire data gathered from over 100 long distance hikers hoofing it through the Applachian Mountains.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Outdoors, Sports

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1997

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book and AT resource. The author polls hikers on AT and in doing so provides a great resource for those interested in the AT.

[Trice · Rating 3 out of 5]

totally disagree with what i wrote before - I don't know if I was wanting more of a story/narrative, but overall this is a good resource for its topic, including brief anecdotes along with a compilation of individual hikers' experiences with various types of equipment, preparation, and with the Trail in general. Sadly I think my family has made me too focused on at least a veneer of practicality to take up my pack and go out on the trail for 3 months... but at the same time, considering my path to where I am now, I am glad to note that no destination or particular occupation in life is certain

[Mackenzie Dickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the stats and hard figures.

How about Mueser does another one for hikers in this century? I'd love to see more recent data.

[Varrick Nunez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up because I've been thinking of getting back into distance backpacking, with an eye towards a long-distance hike of two weeks, or more, after retiring; possibly the whole AT if I can manage it.

This was well done. Nearly all of the conclusions are based on data taken from surveys of long-distance hikers, and the rest the author was clear to say he felt the data set was too small to make conclusions. He adds his perspective as a successful end-to-end AT hiker.

There's a lot of timeless recommendations for the new hiker about what works and what doesn't. It also conveys some of the joy & pain of such endeavors. I agree with the author that it's your determination that will carry you through, in the end.

Of note, it's been some 24 years since the publication date (1997), figure 25+ years since the data was taken. The specific equipment has changed, hopefully improved over the years. I think most of the manufacturers and brands are still relevant, but it would be wise to grab the latest "Backpacker" magazine gear issue for the most up-to-date advice, capabilities and data.

[Rob Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well-researched book, although the data is now probably too old (1989) to be of much use to prepare for a thru hike. Some of the basics are still the same, so it’s still worth the time to read. It was less a memoir and more of a scientific and statistical analysis of long distance hiking. Interesting from a historical perspective, if nothing else

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. The only book you really ought to read if you're thinking about a long-distance hike on the AT. Gives you real numbers about what's important (pack and shoes) and what's not as important (tent and sleeping bag) and what's downright ridiculous (bear attacks and finding a girl on the trail). Some of the gear information is a bit dated, but if you're commonsensical about it you can readily extrapolate the information. There are more encyclopedic gearhead resources, but Mueser's text exudes the sort of practical thinking that is a much better guide in your preparations (you're putting a bag of stuff on your back and WALKING -- the rest is peripheral).

[Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little of the advice is getting a bit on in years; it questions whether you should bring your cell phone "brick" that never gets signal, and of course, the popular brands of different gear has shifted in some cases. Nevertheless, the book is indispensable advice for a long-distance hike, as it combines practical advice from hundreds of hikers into one book. The author has no delusions that his personal advice is best, and seemed to have a genuine interest in helping future hikers as much as possible.

[Andrés · Rating 3 out of 5]

A practical book, not a romantic one. It goes over the fundamentals of a long hike: packs, food, tents, and offers advice based on a survey of 136 long-distance hikers. The prose is not riveting, but it gets the job done.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Results of personal experience & numerous surveys of mostly thru-hikers. Nice blend of statistics, good advice, & stories.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book has lots of useful in formation for anyone who is planning a thru-hike. The only downside is that it was written over twenty years ago so it is a little out of date.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just in case I ever hike the AT....

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

great stories on hiking the AT