Exploration - Austin Augsburger

AZT Day 5 – The biggest rattlesnake in Arizona

Stats

Start: Forest Road – Mile 83
End: Red Bank Well – Mile 113
Elevation Max: 5.428
Elevation Min: 3,400
Elevation Change: 2,995 up & 4,787 down
Average Heart Rate: 116
Walking Time: 9 hrs 27 minutes

The Walk

I’m laying in the middle of the Arizona desert. My body hurts. I’m exhausted. I hiked 30 miles today. What the heck was I thinking? Between finding water and then finding a decent campsite, we hiked from dawn till dusk.

This morning I rolled over and saw 5:00 on my watch. It was time to start moving. I had a decent sleep. The exhaustion must be forcing my body and mind to accept sleeping in a tent. I slept for 4-5 hours in total. I stole a backpacking tip from salsa and slid my extra clothes under my air mattress as a pillow. My pillow situation went from 1 star to 4 star.

As I got out of my sleeping bag I noticed just how chilly it was. The outside of my bag was damp. And there were shiny crystals all over my tent. It frosted last night. Brrr.

I wasn’t going to warm up sitting in damp gear. The best options was to start walking. Plus we had 15 miles to water and I drink less water when it’s cold. So I threw on an extra layer, packed up camp, grabbed an apple from the trail magic and hit the trail.

My body felt relaxed and strong. I was relieved nothing hurt from the day before. I hiked 5 miles in my puffy before the sun rose and warmed me up.

At 11:30 we had 15 miles done and got to a large, muddy lake. I used other hiker’s footprints to avoid the marshy areas where I’d sink in. The water had plenty of hiker lettuce, but it filtered clean and tasted okay. After lunch and 3 liters of water in my pack I was ready to keep moving.

In the late afternoon we made it to interstate 10. The trail turns into a tunnel that goes below the interstate. Rumors warned that a large rattlesnake lived at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel was dark and sandy. Salsa and I were keeping an eye out for snakes as we walked through the long tunnel and out the other side. I even used my phone flashlight to help. We found the biggest rattlesnake in Arizona on the other side and we shared a laugh.

The desert had turned greener after highway 10, but I was too tired to notice. My legs stiffened up at mile 27.5 miles. Thank god we hit our water source, a nice creek at 28 miles. I was ready to find a camping spot. But the only things in site were desert bushes, rocks, and cactus. No flat spots to sleep. We kept walking and walking. And walking some more. I thought there would be a spot at mile 29 by a fence, but we got there and nothing. I was exhausted but there was nothing we could do. Except walk.

Finally at 30 miles we saw a flat spot without large rocks. It was good enough. The sun was setting so I turned on my headlamp for night chores. I used the rest of my energy to kick big rocks off the my spot and immediately set up camp. I knew as soon as I stopped moving I’d be too sore to move around. After setting up my sleeping system I grabbed Raman noodles and beef jerky and hobbled over to Salsa’s spot for dinner.

Raman tasted great. Hunger is the best flavor. It was chilly and the warm meal was nice. I had a spicy rice and bean rehydrated meal that was not nice to my stomach last night. So the soup was a nice change. There is no way I replaced all the calories I burned today. But oh well.

Tomorrow we are headed to Colossal Cave. It has a cafe. And I will eat as much as I can. I’m going to bed excited. We only plan to hike 20 miles tomorrow, so it should be a day to recharge. It will be a welcome relief after days of 26 and 30 miles. My body will appreciate the rest.

My body is fatigued and sore all over. But I feel stronger than I ever have. Mentally and physically, the outdoors is fuel for my soul.

I hope this will be my first full nights sleep in trail. I think I’m tired enough to sleep anywhere.

AZT Day 4 – Sliced finger on a windy day

Stats

Start: Temporal Gulch Trailhead – Mile 58

End: Forest Road – Mile 83

Elevation Max: 6,656

Elevation Min: 4,628

Elevation Change: 5,130 up & 4,219 down

Average Heart Rate: 109

Walking Time: 8 hrs 24 minutes

The Walk

5:00 came early. I didn’t sleep well but rolled out of my sleeping bag and got ready. It had to be a big day. We needed to average 25 miles the next two days to leave us a 12 mile hike into Colossal cave, which is 62 miles ahead. After yesterday’s 6 hour stop in Patagonia I was rejuvenated and ready to walk.

I had two hot spots (potential blisters) on my toes closest to the big toe. I felt my toes banging into the top of my shoe during steep downhill sections, but nothing I could do to stop it. I decided to take 5 minutes to wrap them in moleskin to prevent blisters.

I packed up camp quick. And got to work on the moleskin. I needed to cut it down to size. The moleskin was tougher than I expected. In a morning daze I sliced my right index finger with my knife. I didn’t cut it deeply, but in 10 seconds it was bleeding all over.

I tossed the moleskin to Salsa and focused on cleaning and bandaging my finger. An alcohol wipe, bandaid, and duct tape worked great. Salsa used a rock and knife to cut the moleskin and we were off at 5:30.

The morning started with rough road. It felt like walking through a dry riverbed with large rocks. We had 6 miles of rough road. Then started to climb Mount Wrightson, a 2,800 foot climb. I felt strong. I popped in my headphones for the first time and climbed to the top.

The trail opened up to a beautiful view of surrounding mountains. Then switchbacked down 3 miles to a creek. The weather was cool and snow peppered the ground. We took a break at the creek and I properly redressed my cut with alcohol and antibiotic.

Then we were off to Kentucky Camp, an old gold mining settlement. Along the way we read plaques about the hydroponic project and history of gold mining in the area. One of the few times we stop during the day.

We cheered when we saw a picnic table at Kentucky Camp! Two other thru hikers joined us for lunch. The little things matter out on trail. Then we headed out for the final 7 miles of the day.

We climbed a few miles through rolling dirt road and to a flat plain. Up here the wind was ripping at 45 mph. It was exhilarating. The trail traversed an open plain with beautiful Mountain views. I felt the power of the outdoors and felt so insignificant against the wind. At the top of our final 1k climb I turned to yell into the wind. A gust acted as a counter to me leaning forward. My voice was swallowed. No match for the wind.

We hiked the final miles to our camp site. My feet were sore and I was tired. As we crossed the road to camp we saw something leaned up against the cow fence. It was trail magic! There were lawn chairs, food, drinks, water, and even trail supplies. I felt like an 8 year old at Christmas. The trail angles resupply the spot each night, and I was so thankful for their hospitality.

Salsa and I cheersed with chocolate milk and oranges. I also had cookies, hummus, banana, apple, Gatorade, and Pepsi. The perfect way to end a long day.

The wind died down around 6 and we set up camp. I tweaked my lower back while walking to look for cell service. That was the second time today. I was nervous I aggravated a recurring injury. The first time my foot slipped out from under me and I put my whole pack weight in my lower back. If it tightens up in the morning I’ll be out of commission for a few days.

Tomorrow will hopefully be a long day, but I’m really sore. We will see how the body recovers by the morning. Fingers crossed for a good nights sleep.

AZT Day 3 – Town Day!

Stats

Start: Ted Bank Well – Mile 40.7

End: Temporal Gulch Trailhead – Mile 58

Elevation Max: 5,323

Elevation Min: 4,056

Elevation Change: 2,568 up & 2,130 down

Average Heart Rate: 112

Walking Time: 5 hrs 17 minutes

The Walk

Town day! I huddled in my sleeping bag at 5:15 not wanting to move. It had only been 2 days, but the thought of real food got me going real quick. Patagonia was just 9 miles away. I could be there before 10 if I left by 6.

I puttered around camp to wake up Salsa and broke down my tent. I had time to boil water for oatmeal. It only took a minute. I shoveled down the oatmeal and we were off.

When the sun came up, the trail opened up and mountains rose around us. Even taller mountains framed the bowl we were hiking through. And it made for my favorite section of trail so far.

9 miles went by quick and we were in town by 10. Number one item on the list. Shower. The town had 3 options. Option 1 was an RV park. We road walked to the park and found a locked up bathroom. The owner came out and shooed us away. Strike one. The state park with free showers was option 2. I finally had service and checked google maps to look for the state park facilities. But they were 7 miles away. Strike two.

We kept moving and found our last option. TerraSol camp site. The owner was reluctant since we weren’t staying the night, but offered a 5 gallon porch shower with warm water for 5 bucks. Deal. It was worth 20 bucks.

Clean and hungry, we went to The Wagon Wheel, a local restaurant. I got a breakfast sandwich with chips and enjoyed every bite. My body wasn’t used to the grease but damn was it good! I did sink laundry and headed out for more town chores.

Next up a trip to the post office to resupply. I sent WAY too much food. I even had a few meals left in my backpack because we were going twice as fast as planned. I shared the food with Salsa and left the rest for other hikers. It was plenty to get to the next resupply, 70 miles ahead to Colossal Cave.

We lounged around for a few hours and charged our electronics. Then headed to the other restaurant for meal number 2. I had a salad with lots of nuts and avocado. I was craving avocado.

We popped by the market for a few things and headed out for our last 6 miles to the Temporal Gulch Trailhead. The whole hike was on a gravel road. I threw some music in and enjoyed the scenery. The last mile opened up to a beautiful view of tomorrow’s climb.

We got to the trailhead but didn’t see much for camping. There were one or two okay spots, but we would need to clear a lot of rocks. I was ready to call it, but Salsa suggested we keep going. I felt pretty good, opened my bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos from the market and followed. About a half mile up trail we saw a flat spot where 3 men set up camp and joined. A beautiful orange sunset lit up the sky while I made camp. One of those moments where you are at peace and truly appreciate the beauty around. I had no phone service and nothing else to do. I climbed up a hill and watched the sunset. Well, I could have finished setting up my tent or made dinner. But my belly was full from Patagonia and it didn’t feel rainy.

I settled in for the night and looked at the upcoming trail. My next Resupply is at Colassal Cave. 62 miles to Colassal in 2.5 days. The best way to do a town is to camp 10 or less miles out so you can get in early. Relax while there, then walk a few miles before dark. Two big days will set us up for 10 miles into Colossal Cave. Plus there is a rumor of trail magic and apple pie 25 miles ahead.

I had an apple and orange waiting for breakfast! I went to bed excited for the climb in the morning.

AZT Day 2 – The Staring Cows

Stats

Start: The Windmill- Mile 17.1

End: Red Bank Well – Mile 40.7

Elevation Max: 5,283

Elevation Min: 4,009

Elevation Change: 3,223 up & 4,825 down

Average Heart Rate: 125

Walking Time: 8 hrs 16 minutes

The Walk

I met more cows than water on day 2.

My body wanted to crash on night one. But I had a hard time falling sleep. I woke up every few hours and at 5:30 noticed a headlamp at the campsite. Salsa was up and starting morning chores. I could have fallen back asleep but decided to get an early start. We were aiming for 24 miles. Mostly due to the long distance between water.

I rolled out of bed and broke down camp. I had a liter and a half of water from the night before which was plenty to make it 5 miles to the next water source. I used my headlamp to keep an eye out for snakes as I took down the tent. The sun wouldn’t be up for another hour.

We broke camp around 6:00 using headlamps to see the trail. The only sound was a person rustling around in their tent a quarter mile into the hike. The sun came up and brought good vibes and a goal of 10 by 10. 10 miles before 10am. This is helpful to set up a big mile day. It’s hard to hike faster than 2.5 mph. Hiking time is the controllable.

About 5 miles into the hike we came to a creek flowing across the trail. This was a welcome sight and the first time I heard running water on trail. I cameled up (drank a liter) and filled 3 liters for the 18 miles ahead to the next water source. The rest of the morning was peaceful and took us over the first large climb. We ended up with 9.6 miles at 10am, which is great for day two.

Then the sun came. 75 and not a cloud in the sky. I was used to 30 degree days and snow. It felt like 90 and was a shock to both Salsa and I. But we kept walking and rationing our water. I was happy to have liquid IV to add flavor and hydrate faster. We passed a few cow ponds. I didn’t want to drink the water unless I had to. The trail flattened out and opened up to beautiful mountain views.

Two miles after the final climb we stopped at a trailhead for lunch. I opened the bear box and saw gallons of water left by a kind soul. I couldn’t help but smile and drank a liter of water. The extra buffer for the final 10 miles was perfect.

We were 18 miles in for the day and I was tired. 24 miles felt like a stretch. I still needed to be careful with water in case our campsite turned out to be dry. My body had no idea what I was doing to it. I didn’t prepare very well.

Miles 18-21 were rough. But we’re filled with amazing views. And a ton of cows. In a pinch I could have shared water with cows. But I didn’t need too. Luckily I had enough to skip the cow pond with too many cow pies floating. We even had our first cow standoff. A big one stood in the middle of trail and wouldn’t move. I slowly walked by and the cow didn’t move. It wasn’t a bull, so we weren’t too worried.

I took a break under a shade tree/bush 3 miles away from camp. A handful of jerky and granola bar helped. I felt better heading into camp. The tank full of water was a welcome relief. I downed my chicken and dumplings then set up camp.

We camped at a rocky spot with some cows. At sunset I heard 30-40 doves flying around looking for bugs in the watering trough. The tour bus’s story of Arizona as a birding destination must have been true. It was a nice way to the end night. The stars shown bright with no moon in sight.

Tomorrow we’re walking 10 miles to our the first trail town. Patagonia. Time for a pizza, resupply, and a shower! Hopefully I won’t wake up too sore.

AZT Day 1 – Finding the trail and Mt. Miller

Stats

Start: US Mexico Border – Mile 0
End: The Windmill – Mile 20
Elevation Max: 8,764
Elevation Min: 5,043
Elevation Change: 5,463 up & 5,063 down
Average Heart Rate: 141
Hike Time: 7 hours 11 minutes

The Walk

I’m wiped. My watch shows 7:30 pm. Today was wild. I planned to do 13.2 miles and ended at 20.7 with 5x more elevation than any of my training hikes. I want to melt into my sleeping bag. My body is sore and tired. But I made it. I feel content.

A shuttle picked up Mayra, Salsa, and me from Tuscon at 6AM. I rushed out of the hotel a minute late because I triple checked my gear. We hopped in at 6:05 and started the hour and a half ride to the border. The bus played an audio tour during the ride, which gave us a few cool facts about the area. Like Sierra Vista is famous for birdwatching and has the most hummingbird species in the world. Random. But cool.

The shuttle dropped us off at the Coranado National Memorial. Salsa asked where the trailhead was. “That’s for you to figure out” said the driver. Then he slammed the door and pulled away. Great start to this trip. At least he gave us a free water bottle for the ride.

I opened the FarOut app and realized we were a mile and a half away from the trail. Closer than this morning, but not close enough for 150 bucks! 1.5 miles didn’t seem bad, until it was all uphill. 1155 feet up and 8 down.

Okay, a mile and a half. Oh well, we’re on the trail now, right? Kind of. We were at mile 1 of the trail. Which meant we had our first choice.

Hike a mile south to the border or start a thruhike northbound. Going south meant we would turn around at the border and rehike the same mile of trail. The first thruhike purist test! We made a quick decision to hike the extra mile to start the mile zero. 2.5 bonus miles to start the day wasn’t what I planned. But I was on trail and ready to go!

The first 10 miles of the AZT isn’t kind. you better be ready for elevation, sun, rocky trail, and climbing . I wasn’t. climbing halfway up Miller Peak at 9,090 feet sapped all my energy. Salsa and I were going a similar speed and kept the feet moving. I looked back and saw the trailhead parking lot full of cars. We must have been an hour ahead of the bubble.

After a few hours of sweaty climbing with a heavy pack I made it to the top. A bathtub full of water greeted us. We found a nice log, refilled our smart water bottles, and ate lunch.

During the climb I saw a mix of 20 day hikers and thru hikers. But after bathtub I didn’t see anyone. I might have stopping at bathtub spring for the day if it was at lower elevation. It’s usually below freezing at the peak and I sleep cold.

So we took off . Mostly downhill this time and the miles went fast. The views on the way down were beautiful. I slipped a few times on loose rocks while staring into the distance. But didn’t roll an ankle!

At 16.7 miles (13.2 trail miles) my feet and legs were toast. I had finally arrived at Sunnyside Canyon, my first planned camp site. I was a few minutes ahead of Salsa, so I threw down my pack and sat in the middle of the trail. Might as well accept the dirt.

Salsa came around the corner and we sat there for a minute. There was no water close and we were low. So we had to keep going. The pack went back on.

Away we went. Fortunately the miles weren’t bad. The trail wasn’t rocky and sloped a little downhill. We hiked to under 6k elevation, which was a welcome relief for me. The miles of 7-8k wore me out. I was more tired than normal and lost my breath more quickly (Illinois is pretty darn flat and low). 4 miles later we found a trickling stream beside an old windmill (trail mile 17.1) The mediocre camping spot felt perfect.

I set up camp, rehydrated chicken and rice for dinner, and laid down. Tomorrow’s hike only has two water sources. One at 5 miles and one at 23 miles. I don’t want to camp in between them and 5 miles seems pretty short. So it’ll be another long day ahead.

Arizona Trail Gear List

All the things I stuff in my backpack, except food and water… and the occasional shower. My base weight (weight carried in the backpack – food and water) is around 16 pounds. My target base weight is sub 15, so I’ll get rid of stuff that I don’t use!

I recommend all the gear except for these three I’m using for the first time.
1) duplex tent
2) altra shoes
3) garmin watch.

Happy Trails.

Arizona Trail Full Gear List

Backpack

Hyperlite 3400 Junction

2 lbs / 907 g

Waterproof Liner

Hefty Trash 18 GAL Compactor Bag

2 oz / 56 g

Sleep System

Tent

Zpacks Duplex

19 oz / 539 g

Tent Stakes

9 DAC J tent stakes

3.42oz / 97g

Footprint

Tyvek House Wrap

9.2oz / 262 g

Sleeping Bag

Western Mountaineering Versalite

2 lbs / 907 g

Stuff Sack (Sleeping Bag)

Sea to Summit 20L Waterproof stuff sack

1.8 oz / 51g

Sleeping Pad

Term-a-rest NeoAir XLite + Pump Sack

12oz / 340 g

Clothing

Sun Hoodie

MEN'S SOLSTICE LIGHTWEIGHT PULLOVER HOODIE

Ridge Merino Solstice Lightweight Pullover Hoodie

8.7 oz, 145 g

T-shirt

Ridge Merino Ritual T-Shirt

5.2 oz 145 g

Shorts

Patagonia Strider Pro

3.9oz 111 g

Pants

Arc’terx Gamma LT

12.5 oz, 355 g

Base Layer (Top)

Patagonia Capilene Midweight Crew

6.2 oz 176 g

Base Layer (bottom)

REI Lightweight Base Layer

6 oz / 170 g

Fleece

Patagonia R1 Pullover

11.7oz 332 g

Down Jacket

Patagonia Nano Puff Insulated Hoodie

12.8 oz / 363 g

Rain Jacket

Arc’terx Zeta FL Jacket Men’s

7.2 oz / 205 g

Shoes

Lone Star Altra

22 oz / 624 g (pair)

Insoles

Superfeet Trailblazer

0 oz (replaces shoe insole)

Socks

Men's Hiker Quarter Midweight Hiking Sock

Darn Tough Quarter Midweight Hiking Sock x 3

2 oz / 57 g (pair)

Underwear

ExOffico x2

1.76oz 49.9g (pair)

Head Net

Sea to Summit Head Net

1.2 oz / 34 g

Gloves

North Face Apex+ Etip

(need to weigh)

Bandana

CoolNet UV Insect Shield

1.2 oz / 34 g

Warm Bandana

Polar Buff

2.3 oz / 65 g

Warm Hat

Smartwool NTS Merino 150 Beanie

0.56 oz / 16 g

Sun Hat

Tilley LTM6 Airflo

4 oz / 113 g

Gaiters

Altra Trail Gaiters

2.6 oz / 74 g

Backpacking Gear

Stove

Pocket Rocket Delux
2.9oz / 83 g

Cooking Pot

MSR Titan Ultra-Lightweight Camping Kettle

4.2 oz / 118 g

Water Treatment

Sawyer Squeeze

3 oz / 85 g

Headlamp

Biolite 200

1.76 oz / 50g

Food Storage

Ursack Major Bear Sack 10L

7.6 oz / 215 g

Personal Locator Beacon

Garmin inReach mini

3.5oz / 99 g

Utensil

Snow Peak Titanium Spork

0.6 oz / 17 g

Water Bottle

1L Smartwater Bottle x3

1.2 oz / 34 g (per empty bottle)

Addtl Water Strorage

Osprey Hydraulics Reservoir – 2 Liters

7.4 oz / 210 g

Gear Repair

Noso Puffy Patch X
+ repair kit from mattress pad

Stove Fuel

MSR IsoPro Fuel Canister
7.4 oz / 210 g

Bathroom

Trowel

TheTentLab The Deuce #2

0.6 oz / 17 g

Insect Repellant

Sawyer Picaridin Insect Repellent

(repackaged)

Pre-Trail Repellant

Sawyer Permethrin Pump Spray

(not carried)

Anti-Chafe Balm

Bodyglide For Her Anti-Chafing Skin Protectant

2 oz / 57 g

Hand Sanitizer

Easy Care First Aid Hand Sanitizer

2 oz / 57 g

Lip Balm

Chap Stick SPF 15

0.15 oz / 4 g

Sunscreen

Neutrogena clear face 55 SPF

3.2 oz / 91 g

Toothbrush

Toothbrush with half handle

0.5 oz / 14 g

Toothpaste

Crest Travel Size

0.85 oz / 24 g

Toilet Paper

Charmin

1 oz / 28 g

Med Kit

NOLS Med Kit 1.0

3.65 oz / 103 g

Blister Kit

NOLS Blister Kit

1.5 oz / 43 g

Other Meds

Benadryl, Ibuprofen, Imodium, Daily Contacts x4

Electronics

Power Bank

Charmast Slim Thin 26800 mAh

15 oz / 425 g

Headphones

Air Pod Pro with charging case

2 oz / 57 g

Phone Case

Smartish Wallet Slayer

1.3 oz / 37 g

Wall Charger

Anker Power Port II

5.3 oz / 150 g

Watch

Garmin Enduro Titanium GPS Watch

2.2 oz / 61 g

Phone

iPhone 13

6.14 oz / 174g

Carried on Body

Trekking Poles

Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ-Z Trekking Poles

12.7 oz / 360 g

Fanny Pack

Thrupack Summit Bum Classic

2.5oz / 71g

Fanny Pack Strap

Thrupack The Comfy Strap

2.2oz / 62 g

Sunglasses

Ray ban New Wayfair with Prescription and foam case

(not sure)

The Rest

Lighter

mini bic

0.39 oz / 11g

Compass

Silva Polaris Compass

1 oz / 28 g

Knife

Gerber Mini Swagger

2.9 oz / 82 g

Pen

Le Pen

0.1 oz / 3 g

Chargers

1x Lightning (Iphone / Airpods), 1x Mini USB (PLB/ headlamp), 1x watch charger

2 oz / 57 g

Other

Extra smart water bottle cap; 2-3 wraps of leukotape and duct tape around the water bottle used for dirty water, debit card, credit card, ID

(not weighed)

Luxury Items

Sleeping Bag Liner

Western Mountaineering Tioga Silk

3.6 oz / 102 g

Sun Gloves

REI Co-op On The Trail Sun Gloves

1.06 oz / 30 g

Massage Ball

Trigger Point Performance Massage Ball

2.7 oz / 77 g

Camp Shoes

Xero Z-trail Sandals

10.8 oz / 306 g

Stuff Sacks

Hyperlite Small (Tent Stakes), Hyperlite Medium (Electronics), Hyperlite Large (Clothes)

1 oz / 28 g total

Nail Clipper with file

Bassett nail clippers

2 oz / 57 g

Preparing to Section Hike the Arizona Trail

On January 9th I moved my PCT start date from May 28th to April 3rd. The date change is amazing for multiple reasons, like avoiding the desert heat in Southern California and giving myself an extra month to finish before Washington is covered in feet of snow. The issue is with my number one Chicago winter sport. Hibernation. I hadn’t been on a backpacking trip since August. So I opened Google and typed “Trails to backpack in February or March without freezing.”

The Arizona Trail, Florida National Scenic Trail and Ozark Trail all have reasonable weather, a social element, and beautiful scenery. In other words, Alligators, Ticks, or Rattlesnakes. I don’t like any of the options, but I’ve never been to Arizona.

The first two weeks of March I’m LASHing (long-ass section hiking) the Arizona Trail. The hike gives me a chance to test my gear and body before starting on the PCT.

With the new date approved and coming fast, I moved out of Chicago a week early to visit family and train for the AZT (there are mountains in the desert). It started out great. In four days I hiked 5 miles, 10 miles, and 11 miles and felt good. Then I got sick and had to cancel prep. I’m feeling better and hope to get one more training hike in before I fly to Arizona on Feb 28th. But I’ll manage.

I think overplanning is pointless for a thru-hike but helpful to visualize a shorter hike. It’s important to know how much food to put in my resupply boxes! Here’s my itinerary for the southern portion of the AZT.

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