With world traveler Bill Bryson’s best-selling novel A Walk in the Woods making the leap to the silver screen, some filmgoers are getting their very first glimpse of the historic Appalachian Trail. The story shares the true tale of a then 44 year old Bryson’s attempt to reconnect to his American homeland after spending 20 years abroad. While the film’s stars, Robert Redford and Nick Nolte, are considerably older, they do a superb job of portraying the determination and frustration that accompanies the mind boggling attempt to hike this 2,189 mile path.
The book is filled with many historical and ecological tidbits about the trail, more than could fit into a two hour flick, but the film still captures many of the heartwarming and laugh-out-loud moments that make Bryson’s writing so entertaining. What the film does expand upon is the glorious images of the Trail itself. The rolling green hilltops, rushing waterfalls, and heart dropping overlooks are enough to inspire anyone to want to strap on a pair of boots, grab a walking stick and hit the road! But the iconic AT is not quite that simple.
Completed in 1937, the Appalachian Trail stretches through 14 states from Georgia to Maine. Through hikers, those who attempt a start-to-finish run, take five to six months to complete the trek! Others conquer the AT in chunks, returning year after year to pick up where they left off. Naturally, there are those who push the limits even further, going for speed records or other accolades. Just this past summer, both the supported (meaning you have people who will meet you at resupply points or bring in replacement gear as needed) and unsupported (you’re either carrying everything you need, or getting your own supplies along the way) records were broken. Scott Jurek completed his supported hike in just 46 days, 8 hours — an average of 50 miles per day. Heather Anderson now holds the record for an unsupported through hike, finishing her trek in 54 days, 7 hours.
The hike is a strenuous one, with very little flatland. Black bears and venomous snakes are known to populate the areas the trail runs through, though your greatest threat might be from mosquitoes and ticks, along with the mice that tend to congregate around the various lean-tos and shelters scattered throughout the trail. This is a hardcore hike. Spring snow storms are not uncommon. Nonetheless, some 2,500 hikers flock to the trail each year, most starting in George and working their way north. One can’t help but expect this number to increase now that movie goers have had a chance to get a glimpse of this historic natural landmark.
Images via USDAgov, Nicholas_T
