Somewhere South of Solitude

Before I ever stepped foot on the AT, I anticipated being mostly alone. Getting to the top of Springer I found myself surprised as I stood there with at least twenty other people -- some fellow thru-hikers, some section hikers, and some tourists. Hiking off Springer there were quite a few people who passed me going the other way. Not long after, I crossed a parking lot with a flurry of activity. Then at Stover Creek Shelter, where I spent my first night, I ate dinner and turned in for the night alongside about 20-25 other people, some in the shelter, some in their tents.

The next few days were similar. I would often run into people while hiking, commonly while stopping for breaks. Then, when stopping for the night, I would find myself with many others at a shelter location. This all made sense, though. The first weekend in April is the most common time to start, and the shelters are located near water and often have a privy. Even so, there were times when I felt like a lemming just following the masses, and wished for the days when hiker traffic would thin.

Since those early days, patterns have begun to change. The faster hikers have long since disappeared around the next bend, and I have begun to put more distance between myself and slower hikers -- some have a slower pace, some walk fewer miles, and others enjoy more downtime and rest days. The result is that I see fewer people during the day, and when staying at shelters I have fewer neighbors. I am also starting to camp at non-shelter locations more frequently.

Left: "Tent City" beside Blue Ridge Shelter, my fifth night on the trail

Even with the quieter days, I still haven't found much solitude. I don't expect that to change much in the Smokies. There, all hikers are required to stay at shelters, and tourists compete with thru-hikers for beds. However, I do expect it to change north of the Smokies and into Virginia. As I begin walking in "home" country, I expect to have most of each day to myself. I'm looking forward to it, even though I'll miss sharing the trail with some of the other hikers I have met who I now consider friends.

There will, of course, be others who I don't miss at all.