“tintin aU appalachian Trail”
Aim:
In March of 2010 I aim to ‘thru-hike’ the longest continuous marked footpath in the world, the Appalachian Trail, at approximately 2,178 miles. The trail extends between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, traversing through 14 states. A ‘thru-hike’ is an attempt to hike the entire distance between termini of the official Appalachian Trail in a single continuous journey. It takes approximately 5 million footsteps to walk the entire length of the Trail and 6 months of time. En-route, I hope to visit local education providers and mental health projects to see what is being done to tackle stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness in the Unites States. The principle aim of the expedition would be to complete the trail whilst simultaneously tackling the stigma associated with mental illness and fundraising for ‘Change through Challenge’.
Proposed Plan:
The Appalachian Trail, completed in 1937:
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•Is a privately managed unit of the national park system.
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•Is the nation's longest marked footpath, at approximately 2,178 miles.
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•Is the first completed national scenic trail, designated in 1968.
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•Crosses six other units of the national park system.
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•Traverses eight national forests.
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•Touches 14 states. Houses more than 2,000 occurrences of rare, threatened, endangered, and sensitive plant and animal species at about 535 sites.
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•Crosses numerous state and local forests and parks.
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•Is maintained by 30 trail clubs and multiple partnerships.
Facts about the Appalachian Trail:
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•Lowest elevation: 124 feet – near the Trailside Museum and Zoo at Bear Mountain, New York
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•Highest elevation: 6,625 feet – on Clingmans Dome in Tennessee
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•There are 165,000 blazes along the length of the Trail.
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•More than 10,000 people have reported hiking the length of the Trail.
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•It takes approximately 5 million footsteps to walk the entire length of the Trail.
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•More than 6,000 volunteers contribute about 200,000 hours to the Appalachian Trail every year.
Donate to Change through Challenge
Post Expedition Plans:
I fly into Boston on the 5th of March and plan to hit the trail on the 15th. I have my brother’s wedding to attend mid-September so this start date should give me ample time to finish the trail in its entirety. I would hike northbound (Georgia-Maine) as the section in Maine is considered the most difficult and therefore, more manageable after 5 months on the trail.
I would carry all the equipment I needed for the entirety of the hike. This would include a sleeping system, cooking equipment and clothes for all climate conditions, as there can be dramatic changes in the weather. There are several outdoor shops on the trail so any problems with equipment can be rectified. I would carry between 3-6 days of food on the trail (dependent on trail difficulty and availability of suppliers), as there is the possibility to leave the trail and buy food along the way. The trail also passes through State Parks (60), all of which have supply shops and food outlets. Food procured will be cooked on a portable camping stove.
For the past 4 years I have been an active member in a Speaker’s Bureau run by Shift: an initiative to tackle stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health issues in England. As someone with a mental illness, completion of this expedition would challenge stigma associated with people suffering from a mental health condition. It would allow me to reach new audiences for my speaking-work and expand the range of speaking I already do.
"A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world." (Paul Dudley White)
Outdoor activity and undertaking challenges have been instrumental in my recovery. I have already started working on my outdoor qualifications and I begin my Bushcraft Instructor course almost as soon as I get back to the UK. I firmly believe in the positive benefits that outdoor activity, challenging expeditions and bushcraft skills can have on a person’s mental health. In the US such an approach has enjoyed huge success under the guise of “Wilderness Therapy”. I am working towards creating my own Bushcraft and Expedition school that will work with young people at risk of social exclusion. This is a long-term plan, but I believe that I am laying the foundations for this to be an attainable and achievable objective. Challenge through Change is part of that plan. I hope for some support along the way!
Not only will this expedition present a massive challenge, it will also serve as a platform to continue my efforts to raise awareness of mental health issues, to challenge stigma and change attitudes.
I will also be using it as an opportunity to raise money for the charity I have helped create: Change through Challenge.
Change through Challenge is dedicated to promoting outdoor activity whilst supporting young people in reaching their full potential by engaging in personal challenge, both at home and abroad, to ensure a healthier, more inclusive society.
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Many thanks,
Stuart
