The Appalachian Trail: How to Prepare for and Hike It

After having read Jan Curran's account of his hike of the AT over the course of two seasons("A Journey of Discovery" and "Onward to Katahdin") of which I thought were good, I read "The AT-How to Prepare for & Hike It". Potent, and packed with information, I clearly felt this was an excellent book. Written in a no-nonsense way, the book is perfect for anyone contemplating or planning a long distant hike on the A.T. It is especially good for the newbies, like myself, who are out looking for knowledge. I have been planning a thru-hike of the A.T. for a long time, and have read a lot of books on the subject, including different hiker accounts of their attempts and successes. This book covers many different issues regarding what one needs to know in order to be prepared. However where this book really shines is in alerting the aspiring thru-hiker to the "emotional battles" that one must overcome in order to be successful. One needs to realize that hiking in sunshine and high spirits will only be some of the adventure. Hiking in cold rain, soaked, and covered in mud will be something the hiker will be faced with. Being hungry, tired, sore and/ or injured, and the sheer massiveness of the endeaver will be something the hiker must be prepared for. I recommend this book to anyone considering hiking the A.T, as in my opinion it is a very good read.

This was the first book I read in my studies of the AT. I found it very informative for the novice backpacker(me) and great starting point for researching the AT for your Thru-hike. It discusses the importance of mental conditioning which is absent in all other hiking/backpacking books I've read since. It also provides continued inspiration for my thru-hiking dream until it becomes a reality.

A short volume that gets to the point. A practical guide to planning your AT logistics. Stresses there is more than one solution to a problem depending on the person. Doesn't candy coat or judge and recognizes that the mental side of the trip will be the real test.

My wife is considering hiking the trail and gave this book high marks.

The book provides a general overview of the many issues that face Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. It is well-organized, beginning with the trail's history, moving through planning and equipment/food, injuries and first aid, etc. Also covered are animal issues, sanitation and etiquette. The final chapter lists some information about portions of the trail which might be interesting to those who only wish to hike certain pieces of the trail.Most useful are the appendices, which provide necessary information about equipment manufacturers, Post Offices near the trail, ATC trail-maintaining clubs and maps.The book could be more detailed, however it does provide a lot of information in a small format.