SummitPost.org

I thought I should share this photograph with the hiking community. It's a queen of the west meets queen of the east sort of thing. Jennifer had her husband Brew and daughter Charlotte along. Heather and Jennifer had many questions for each other and it was neat to see the interaction. It was obvious that the two had looked up to each other for a long time.



Heather Anderson currently holds the unsupported speed record on the Pacific Crest Trail which is 2,663 miles long. She hiked an average of 45 miles a day for 60 days without any support.

Jennifer Pharr Davis currently holds the supported speed record on the Appalachian Trail which is 2,179 miles long. She hiked an average of 47 miles a day for 46 days with support and resupply from her husband. She was named the National Geographic adventurer of the year in 2012.

These women's accomplishments leave me speechless! I didn't think it was even possible to hike 45 miles a day for 60 days straight, and without any support. Did she have food caches for every few days on the trail?
I think I'll quit hiking all together.

She did not have any caches, but she did mail several packages to towns along the way. For the most part she carried everything with her and hiked to side towns to resupply.

gimpilator wrote:]
Heather Anderson currently holds the unsupported speed record on the Pacific Crest Trail which is 2,663 miles long. She hiked an average of 45 miles a day for 60 days without any support.

So, does that mean she hiked the whole thing without a brassiere?

Maybe it's just me, but I find the idea of hiking speed records anathema to the whole purpose of hiking; but then the idea of hiking an entire trail starts heading away from what hiking is about as well. I guess I'm just not masochistic enough or maybe I'm not Type A enough.