GS trio hikes through 14 states in record-fashion
Adventure loving students spend four months hiking the Appalachian Trail
Wilson Calhoun (left), Dillon Calhoun and Christian Scott overlook the top of Mount Katahdin, their last stop on their 4-month long journey along the Appalachian trail. The hikers completed the trail July 15, 2021.
August 26, 2021
Surviving off of cold instant mashed potatoes, ramen noodles, and tortillas for 138 days, the trio of thru-hikers were constantly hungry, everyday worrying about the amount of food they had. Survival on their mind, they know calories burn fast on the trail. Only one in four make it all the way through.
Over the summer one trio of Georgia Southern students traveled endlessly through the Appalchian trail. The 2,193 mile trail stretches from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin Maine, making this trail the longest footpath in the world.
The trek began for these students in February of 2021 and ended July 15th, taking them exactly four months and 17 days to complete their hike, three months faster than the average hiker.
“I have been an avid outdoorsman and adventurer my entire life, so it was only natural that sooner or later we would attempt a trek like this,” said Georgia Southern student Christian Scott. “We made the decision my freshman year at Southern, and after purchasing all of our equipment, gear, and made our plans… We were ready to go.”
Only carrying standard backpacking equipment, the group traveled this extensive trail which featured 90 miles of elevation gain and loss; making this trail one of the most complicated long distance trails in the United States.
Christian’s backpack weighed only nine pounds when not carrying food or water for the time of this adventure. Needless to say, Christian experienced a multitude of experiences during this time, his favorite being “the 4 state challenge.”
According to Christian, “The goal is to hike across 4 states in a single day. We camped in Virginia, got up at 2am, hiked through West Virginia, crossed the Potomac River into Maryland, walked all the way across Maryland, and entered Pennsylvania 17 hours later. We had our full pack weight, stopped only 3 times, and covered a total of around 52 miles. “
Alongside Christian was a fellow Georgia Southern student, Wilson Calhoun, who recalls his time on Mt Katahdin as an “unforgettable moment of sheer beauty and power”. Thus, making this ending moment of the trail, an all time favorite.
Wilson recalls back to the time where they “had so many experiences with friendly strangers. In one instance, a lady gave us a $20 bill simply because we were hikers.”
While in the wilderness for 138 days, the hikers typically ate a lot of cold instant mashed potatoes, ramen noodles and tortillas.
“Our diet did not vary much, but when we got into town we would feast on as much as we possibly could,” said Calhoun, “We were also constantly hungry during the whole hike. You burn more calories than you eat when you’re hiking.”
After this experience, both Calhoun and Scott assured this adventure will most definitely not be the last and that they both are excited for new experiences to come.
“I am not slowing down in the slightest. I’m training for an Ironman Triathlon, writing a book, continuing to work on my wildlife and adventure photography and keeping all of my options open. For the next few months, I’ll be doing a lot of running, climbing, biking, paddling and taking pictures. After that… we’ll see” Scott said.
Anyone inspired to do a hike similar, can sign up on the Appalachian trail conservancy website. Although, this is optional and you are able to show up at the beginning of the trail to start at any date.
