Today we’re talking all things thru-hiking on a super special Q&A episode featuring three New York City-based hikers, who are all aspiring to hike the Appalachian Trail this year! Alyssa, Micaela, and Haley have participated in many Girl Gotta Hike day hikes, snowshoe excursions, and weekend backpacking trips over the last couple of years, and it’s been a blast getting to explore the outdoors with them. Hiking the Appalachian Trail had a huge impact on my life, so I was stoked when I learned that they were all independently gearing up to take their backpacking to the next level and give this thru-hiking thing a go!   Escaping regular life to embark on a five-to-six-month journey by foot is no easy feat, and there’s no right or wrong way to prepare for it. There’s a lot to consider in the lead up, and these future hikers had some questions about what to wear, what to eat and how to stay safe out there. To help set them up for success, I invited everyone to gather upstate in the Catskills, and enlisted two of my most favorite thru-hikers and regular podcast guests, Kelley “NoSeeUm” Blosser and Lauren “Woodchuck” de la Vega to weigh in on the lessons they’ve learned along the way.   No matter if you’re a newbie to the backpacking scene or a seasoned thru-hiker, this episode is sure to teach you something, or at the very least make you laugh along with us. So go ahead and grab a snack, your favorite brew and settle in for some trail talk! Show Notes for Episode 26 : Anjali’s Cup Turmeric Blends — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKE” for 15% off your cart at anjaliscup.com Gossamer Gear — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Check out GG’s amazing backpack lineup here: Mariposa (60-Liter) Gorilla (50-Liter) G4-20 (42-Liter) Kumo 36 (36-Liter) 1-Hour Coaching Call with Click – use code “EXTRAHELP” for 15% off three or more sessions at girlgottahike.com Previous thru-hiking themed episodes: Episode 1 – A.T. Trail Besties Talkin’ Trail Episode 13 – Talkin’ Trail with Woodchuck, NoSeeUm & Click Episode 17 – The Slackpack Series with Sprout, Woodchuck, NoSeeUm & Click Episode 19 – Liz Forkel, Fitness Coach & Future Thru-Hiker Episode 24 – Kelley “NoSeeUm” Blosser on the PCT Follow these hiking adventurers on Instagram: @alyssa.on.the.at - Alyssa @kkbgotgame – Kelley “NoSeeUm” Blosser @westmountainguideco – Lauren “Woodchuck” de la Vega