Relatively few young people have the grit and determination to finish a 2,200-mile, 900,000-vertical-foot hike like the Appalachian Trail. That only makes Linda “Nana” Vanderloop’s trip more impressive. On October 28, Linda became the oldest woman ever to thru-hike the AT when she climbed to the summit of New York’s Bear Mountain at 74 years old with her daughter Hanna, beating a 10-year-old record set by . For Linda however, the record was an afterthought.

”I did not go into that even knowing about [Reisinger],” Linda says. “Finishing the trail was something I wasn’t sure I was going to be doing.”

The idea of an thru-hike came about after Linda Vanderloop completed the Ice Age Trail in her home state of Wisconsin in 2020. Linda’s daughter, Hanna, became envious of her mom’s experience and began her own adventure.

“I would call her and she would be on the trail and I would be super jealous,” Hanna recalls. “She had this big goal she was chipping away at. So,I started hiking the blue blaze trail network in Connecticut.”

One of the sections of that network was part of the Appalachian Trail. As she began tackling those miles, Hanna realized she was hungry for more of that challenge, and made it her long-term goal to hike the AT. When she quit her job earlier this year to start working her way through the trail in 100-mile segments, her mother decided she wanted to come too.

From the start of the journey, the duo’s flip-flop approach was unconventional. They planned to begin on Bear Mountain in New York, but quickly had to pivot after discovering the peak was closed. Instead they began their hike between Bear Mountain and Harriman State Park in New York. From there, they hiked New Jersey and Pennsylvania before heading south to tackle Georgia, Tennessee, and most of North Carolina before heading north, sometimes hiking segments independently of one another.

“We only had two rules: [We passed] every in 365 days, and we almost always hiked northbound,” says Hanna. “Piece by piece, the pair hiked large swaths of the trail, occasionally meeting up with other family members to share the experience and accept support along the way.�� Both Linda and Hanna found that their unconventional methods provided a more solitary experience outside of the bubble, which they liked.

As they neared the end of the trail, they discovered that Reisinger’s birthday (she also finished her hike at 74) was later in the year, and realized that Linda had a chance at beating her record. Besides being older than Reisinger by six weeks, she also completed her hike later in the season.

Obtaining the new title was a perk for Linda, but her experience was inspiration in other ways, too.

“We met so many people on the trail that were older,” she says. “And you felt so good that people still feel they can do this. You don’t have to be young. Anybody can walk. It was kind of neat to even see some trails that could even accept a wheelchair,” she said.

Linda’s journey was mostly devoid of injury, although she hiked Kinsman with food poisoning and wound up with about 20 yellow jacket stings in North Carolina. Still, she admits, the trip was far from easy.

“There is a reason 1 in 4 people only finish,” she says. “It lives up to its reputation of being one of the toughest and longest hikes.”

Since Reisinger set her record in 2014, many hikers have attempted to beat it. In 2023, Pamela Clark came close to claiming the title at age 76, but came up just shy of the ATC’s 12-month requirement. currently holds the oldest overall Appalachian Trail record, which he obtained at the age of 83 in 2021.

When asked if she’s plans to tackle other long trails in the future, Linda responded, “I’ll never say never.”

“If the opportunity arises I’ll probably be out there,” she says. “It’s kind of hard not to keep the legs going once you start.”

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Brad Smith hiked into Damascus, Virginia, on the Appalachian Trail just as the rain from Hurricane Helene thickened into a torrent.

“The last 6 miles was the worst weather I’ve been outside in, and I’m 49…I could have kayaked off the mountain if I had one,” he wrote in a message. “The trail was a small river. Guessing I was one of the last customers at the Damascus Diner before Laurel Creek took it and the street over.”

More than are dead and many more are missing after Helene carved a 500-mile-long path of devastation through the southeastern United States with 30 people losing their lives in North Carolina’s Buncombe County alone. Among the hardest-hit communities were trail towns in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia that some of the AT’s best-known businesses and trail angels call home.

Drew “Birdman” Glines, an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker, rafting guide, and North Carolina local told Backpacker that the “devastation” inflicted on riverside communities was hard to describe.

“Roads and bridges have been completely destroyed, making some areas still completely inaccessible to even emergency vehicles,” he wrote in an email.

While destinations like the Nantahala Outdoor Center, the Western Smokies, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Ford escaped major harm from the hurricane, other areas were not so lucky. Glines rattled off a list of landmarks affected by the hurricane.

“ in Roan was flooded. Hot Springs was hard hit…as was Hartford,” he wrote. “ is devastated.” The majority of western North Carolina is out of cell service, water, and power, although ‘disaster roaming’ has allowed locals to connect to any functioning network in the wake of the tragedy. The town of Asheville is still largely isolated due to infrastructure damage and washed-out roads.

On Trail When the Hurricane Hit

Smith wasn’t the only hiker caught in the weather. Lisa Woodward was hiking through Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee when the hurricane struck.

“[We] experienced torrential downpours and wind gusts of up to 80 miles per hour or so at almost 6,000 feet elevation,” she wrote in a message. “Had to take a zero on Fri. at TriCorner Knob Shelter to wait out the worst of it. Made it out on Sunday via the Low Gap Trail to Cosby CampGround, where Ken from Discerning Hiker Hostel ‘rescued’ us.”

Mollie Dembek was on trail near Hot Springs when the weather turned.

“I was at Flint Mountain Shelter, north of Hot Springs, NC when it started raining HARD on Tuesday,” she wrote. “I decided to hike the next day to Hemlock Hollow Hostel and Campground in Greeneville, TN the next day to get out of the rain. I am SO GLAD I did. I stayed the night there, warm and dry, but was watching the weather and news the entire time growing more and more anxious,” she said.

Dembek was able to make it to Asheville to stay with a friend. On Saturday, they decided to leave the area. Strangers lent her gas money at a station in Weaverville that was only accepting cash. (“They said it was ‘trail magic,” she recalls. “I absolutely started crying.”)

“They ended up following us over the mountains because we were able to get turn by turn directions from my friend using my Garmin InReach,” she wrote. “I was able to communicate with friends and family using my Garmin and got seven people to safety because of the technology. I was never so grateful to get to Maryville, TN and get a cell signal.”

Hot Springs, North Carolina. My grandfather’s summer mountain pasture was over on Spring Creek, near this lovely little town.

— Anne Margaret Daniel (@venetianblonde)

While locals are still fighting for their lives, other members of the trail community are rallying to support them. Trail Angels like “” Hensley of Erwin, Tennessee are scrambling to support flooded communities in the wake of the tragedy. Matthew “Odie” Norman, a thru-hiker, trail angel, and former owner of the Hiker Yearbook, was in New Jersey for the hurricane but is preparing to drive south to support local trail communities.

Trail Organizations Warn Hikers to Stay Away for Now

Determining when hiking should resume in the southern part of the Appalachian Trail is a sensitive topic. Norman said that “most hikers should not attempt to hike in the south at this time.”

In a statement, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) warned visitors to stay off trail between Springer Mountain (NOBO Mile 0) and Rockfish Gap (NOBO Mile 864.6).

“Over the coming weeks and months, the ATC will be working with the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and state and local partners to inventory the damage to the treadway, trailheads, bridges, overnight sites, privies and other A.T. features,” the organization said. “Landslides and falling trees could continue for some time, so we ask volunteers and trail crews to pause work on this section of the Trail and to coordinate closely with regional ATC teams.”

Hensley said that the devastation in trail communities like Damascus and Hot Springs is “dire.”

“These communities are asking us to please stay away…They cannot handle the infrastructure or any people walking into town,” she said. In the event that hikers choose to continue hiking through southern Appalachia and they get into trouble, she adds, emergency services are unlikely to be able to help in a timely fashion.

Hensley said that hikers should stay informed and start making plans once they reach Virginia.

“When people come through the Shenandoah they need to be deciding what they’re going to do,” she said. “But hiking through this area would be ridiculous and it’s going to put lives on the line.”

Norman said he recognizes that as the weeks stretch on, deciding when it’s the right time to hit the trail again could pose a difficult question—and that different hikers could have different answers.

“The hiking community will be walking a tightrope in the next few months. Should hikers continue their hike? Would it be detrimental to the trail towns? What if there’s an emergency and emergency services are already stretched thin?” he said. “But there are other questions: what if hikers have nowhere to go? What if they’re hiking off war, drug addiction, any number of traumatic events? What if they’re hiking to help?”

One thing Norman is certain of: When hikers are able to come and help, they will.

“I can tell you for a fact that I watched hikers assist trail towns in 2020 and they will do it again in 2024,” he said. “It will not be publicized on Facebook, it will not be filmed, it is not done for recognition, it is done because that’s what hikers do.”

Readers looking for guidance and direction around post-hurricane support can find more information from the . Official trail closures are available on the .��

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Baxter State Park is a busy place as the fall hiking season draws to a close. The energy in the park is invariably buzzing: families are getting in their last trips before school, leaf-peepers are making the pilgrimage to see the changing foliage, and Appalachian Trail thru-hikers are making their way to the summit of Katahdin. For years, restrictions around the AT’s northern terminus have caused the park to gain notoriety among thru-hikers. For some long-distance hikers bringing their journeys to a close, navigating the park’s crowds and camping reservation system can feel uninviting at best, and like a downright stressful end to the trip of a lifetime at worst.

In 2015, tensions between thru-hikers and park administration came to a head when ultrarunner on the AT and celebrated with his team with a bottle of champagne on the summit of Katahdin. Officials him for consumption of alcohol inside the park, hiking with a group larger than 12, and littering (spraying champagne in the air). The incident kicked off a debate about the commercialization of the outdoors and the park’s relationship with AT hikers.

A few weeks later, I made my way to the northern terminus feeling anxious about . Word on the trail was that the rangers were mad at the example Jurek had set for other long-distance hikers, and that they were strictly enforcing rules to fight back. At that time, Katahdin already had the reputation of being a logistical challenge for long-distance backpackers: standard campsites fill up months in advance, and the park has just one 12-person walkup shelter reserved for thru-hikers. As rangers were up in arms about the regulations, thru-hikers like myself felt entitled after traveling 2,200 miles to make it to Katahdin, and might’ve even considered breaking the park’s rules if the camping reservation process proved difficult to follow.

The scene I found upon my arrival was nothing like my nightmares. The Birches shelter, where thru-hikers can camp, was far from full. And it was actually really easy to follow the rules: My trail partner and I picked up permits for Katahdin before waking at 3 a.m. for a sunrise summit. At the time, my anxieties about finishing my hike at the northern terminus left me wondering how we got here—and even whether there might be a place better-suited to handling the AT’s growing crowds. Katahdin could live without thru-hikers, but could thru-hikers live without Katahdin?

While Baxter State Park itself is home to hundreds of miles of trails, it’s best known for Mt. Katahdin, which sees the majority of traffic within the region. The park faces a unique challenge in that it’s not only the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, but it’s also held in a trust with very specific guidelines surrounding its management. The park’s former owner, Percival P. Baxter, released it for public use in 1931 under an endowment that required limiting vehicle size and the number of campsites within the park. As a result, officials are not allowed to develop new campsites even as the park becomes more popular.

Leah Beck, the Maine Regional Manager for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), told me that in 2015, officials realized they needed to come up with a plan to balance thru-hikers’ and visitors’ needs with park regulations. While 2015 was the most notable example of the strain between hikers and rangers in the park’s history, every year, a few hikers set a poor example in Baxter State Park by doing things like “stealth camping” in undesignated areas and otherwise ignoring the rules.

One of the ways that officials have monitored unruly hikers is by crowdsourcing information both in Maine and south of the region. Baxter State Park, Search and Rescue members, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy regularly work together to create awareness about big groups of hikers or known rebels who are headed to Katahdin. Since a monthly meeting was established to address these issues, “we hear very few reports of any summit behavior issues,” said Beck.

In addition to regularly discussing community and hiker concerns in the region, an ATC ranger is stationed at Abol Bridge—the gateway into —to assist hikers looking to find camping. It’s often easier than many thru-hikers imagine, since the thru-hiker shelter seldom fills up. When it does, rangers help hikers find other legal camping options in or near the park

“It’s actually less common than people think for the Birches to be full and for them not to have additional sites at Katahdin Stream or another campground,” said Beck.

Baxter State Park Ranger Bruce White told me that nearly 3,000 thru-hikers came through the park in 2022 compared to about 2,000 in 2015. Yet the park’s rules and regulations remain largely the same.

“As far as restrictions, there really aren’t a whole lot other than we do require them to be in designated campsites,” he said. “….But I think there’s a little animosity. People feel that they won’t get a site in Baxter Park. And in August that is a possibility.”

Occasionally, the park receives really big groups of thru-hikers, which causes another technical strain on the trail since group sizes are limited to 12 people within the park. Adhering to this regulation forces officials and hikers to collaborate to ensure that the park remains within its legal trust limits.

White added that since 2015, the nearby town of Monson has also made it much easier for hikers to shuttle to and from the park, with several privately-owned businesses like offering rides to reduce the stress of finding a camp spot in park bounds. Still, since Baxter State Park cannot legally change campsites and permits issued to accommodate growing traffic, if hiker numbers keep growing, there will come a point when it will have to turn people away with more regularity.

Interestingly, Katahdin wasn’t always the end point of the AT. When the idea of the Appalachian Trail was born, according to Beck, the original maps Benton MacKaye drew designated Mt. Washington as the northern terminus, with potential extensions or “branch trails.” One of those branches became the 330-mile route between Mt. Washington and Katahdin that hikers tackle today. It wasn’t until four years after that early map that Katahdin was labeled as the northern terminus, and the designation became official in 1928. As of 2024, Mt. Washington is the only northern terminus aside from Katahdin to ever formally be considered.

A benefit of considering an alternate terminus is that there may be fewer camping and summiting restrictions in place, which could alleviate some of the stress of finishing the trail. The ATC suggests that moving the northern terminus to a location with fewer legal limitations could resolve some of the camping and usage issues of Baxter State Park, but wouldn’t solve problems related to hiker behavior.

“Moving the terminus to an area with different management mandates will likely have no impact on the behavior of the very small percentage of AT hikers causing the problem,” said Beck. “There could be fewer restrictions for them to bump up against, depending on where the terminus moves, but the problem behavior will still exist.”

Despite recognizing some of the benefits of an alternative northern terminus, neither the ATC nor Baxter State Park currently has plans in place to advocate for such a monumental change. Doing so would involve obtaining trail rights in areas where they don’t already exist, and working with private landowners to acquire access in non-public areas.

Thru-hikers’ anxieties remain high during peak season and in October, when the park seasonally closes Mt. Katahdin to hiker traffic. Even in optimal conditions, climbing Katahdin involves light bouldering, lugging yourself up iron rungs, and tackling extremely steep terrain. When winter comes, those conditions are generally considered to be unsafe for hikers by Baxter State Park.

Even if authorities decide that a change as drastic as moving the terminus is eventually necessary, that point would be years away at least. The number of hikers on the AT has held steady or even dropped since Covid, suggesting that nothing needs to change yet. But growing interest in one of America’s most beautiful and difficult trails could flip the narrative.

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“Yellow blazing,” or hitchhiking past trail miles, has a bad rap. Most thru-hikers agree that it’s the cheapest and most disappointing way to complete a trail. But catching a ride or leaving the official route for an alternate for a couple miles (also called blue blazing) is a relatively common experience due to simple logistics, or even the side trails that lead in and out of shelters.

and I hiked about 2,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail together as purely (without skipping miles or stepping off-trail) as we could in 2015. But over the years, and as our trail miles grew, our perspectives shifted about whether or not your thru-hike still counts if you miss a few miles. Here’s what we think.

Wrecker: Mile-Skipping Degrades the Integrity of the Hike

Wrecker was a purist from day one on the AT. “I feel like self exploration is the only point of it,” he says today. Wrecker saw the endeavor as an act of discipline, demanding devotion and mental stamina in addition to physical fitness. As a result, there were many times when I followed Wrecker while he retraced his steps on blue blazes in and out of shelters instead of skipping small sections of trail.

By the time we made it to Virginia, we’d already hiked a marathon day at a blistering pace that left many of our companions irritated at our intensity and devotion. “I needed to prove to myself that I was capable of more,” he says.”

Over the years, Wrecker has also tackled the , which only seemed to deepen his commitment to each on-trail mile. But he doesn’t judge others who take a more liberal approach.

“I’m maybe more of a purist [now] than ever before,” he said. “For me, I need the structure to feel any reduction in anxiety. But that’s just what’s best for me. I’ve learned that what’s best for others is different.”

While discipline and testing physical and mental limitations is Wrecker’s greatest trail motivator, he still recognizes that the “right way” to hike a trail varies by person and that would-be thru-hikers should “hike their own hike.”

Mouse: Routes Change Every Year, So the Official Trail Route is Arbitrary Anyway

The beginning of my AT thru-hike was a debacle. I was new to the mountains, which resulted in my best friend and I meandering around winding, steep roads in a crappy vehicle hoping to find one spring morning. After the check engine light came on, we decided to leave the mountains and regroup. On our way out, we found a random AT crossing, and the next day she dropped me off there and waved goodbye.

My original plan was to hike backwards to Springer, but shortly after leaving, I burst into tears next to a stream and decided that going against the grain to reach the southern terminus of the trail simply felt wrong. Instead, I abandoned my resolve to complete every mile of the trail and started heading north, a fact I was ashamed to admit through the entire thru-hike. To this day, I still have yet to complete the first 16 miles of the AT, plus a few other short sections due to hitchhiking logistics and a mystery illness that by a few miles.

Since 2015, I’ve accumulated more trail miles than I can count. The longer I hike, the less I care about touching every single mile marker on a trail. The length of the AT grows every year due to trail maintenance and development. Even if I’d chosen to chase a completely pure thru-hike, the trail I completed would be different from any other AT in a given season.

What really pushed me off of my high horse, however, was an experience I had in the White Mountains. There’s a section of the that takes hikers through a valley instead of meandering over the region’s 6,000-foot peaks (likely due to the area’s reputation for dangerous weather). I chose to hike the valley on a perfect bluebird day to follow the official AT route, and a friend went on to “blue blaze” all of those spectacular peaks. To this day, I think I made the wrong decision. Being able to improvise and tag off-trail peaks is much more fulfilling and exciting than blindly following a trail.

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After thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, I thought the would be a breeze. I could hike it in a month instead of four and a half; it’d be way less committing, allowing me to stretch my legs without causing complete upheaval in my off-trail life. Sure, the elevations would be higher, and conditions could be more extreme as a result, but I felt confident enough in the skills I’d acquired on my previous hike to begin at the end of August—a late start for the Colorado Trail. Despite my confidence, there were a few surprising discoveries I made along the way.

Water Sources Can Be Gross and Unreliable

After where water is plentiful and often pristine, I was shocked at the quality of Colorado’s water sources. Within the first few days of my hike, I encountered a raging river that smelled like cow excrement and a muck puddle that doubled as a water source if you were lucky enough to find it. I’d packed a filter, but even after using it on those questionable sources, the water often had an unappealing color and flavor. As I hiked further south, conditions only became more dire. It was late in the season, which meant that some sources that were previously fueled by snowmelt were suddenly dry, so there were a few sections of trail where I had to investigate two or three potential sources before actually finding water. While I never ended up in a precarious situation, my unfamiliarity with western water sources resulted in a few thirsty miles.

Pro tip: Starting earlier in the season makes it much more likely that water sources will still be running. Just keep in mind that the earlier you hike, the more likely you are to run into snow at high elevations.

Bear Hangs Are Nearly Impossible

On my first thru-hike, I got used to bear bagging. A proper bear hang for your food should be the ground, 5 feet away from the trunk of a tree, and 5 feet away from the branch on which it hangs. In places with large deciduous trees like the AT, this is a relatively feasible challenge, but in Colorado where the majority of trees are pines, it’s near-impossible. As a result, you either have to get really creative with your bear hang (which takes a lot of time and effort), or you need to use a different system to protect the local wildlife. I settled for a rodent hang, placing my food far away from my campsite and a few feet off the ground to keep wildlife away from my tent, but it was less than ideal.

I ran into a lot of hikers on the CT who chose to hike without bear-resistant food storage since they’re not legally required, but the idea of sleeping with my food made my skin crawl. Some hikers carried puncture-proof sacks like the Ursack AllMitey paired with odor-proof Opsaks. The ultra-rare hiker , but these were few and far between due to their weight. If I were to hike the CT again, I’d carry an Ursack for peace of mind.

Afternoon Storms Are Common in the Alpine

When I made it to Twin Lakes, two weeks into my thru-hike, I had the option to hang a right and hike above treeline for a few days or dip down into a valley. I already knew which way I was going to travel. The west offered stunning vistas, solitude, and 360-degree views in spots, and I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see them. But on my first afternoon above the treeline, I looked up and realized that lightning was flashing all around me, and I was pretty much the highest object around. After my heart stopped in my chest, I scrambled down the side of the peak and found cover amidst a grove of trees. The storm eventually passed. I didn’t get burned to a crisp, but I had a newfound appreciation for lightning while hiking above 10,000 feet.

Mail Drops Are Irreplaceable in the South

Towns like Breckenridge and Salida make it easy to resupply without issue on the northern section of the trail. However, as you travel south, as most hikers do, the food options become more and more sparse. South of Salida, hikers should expect limited convenience-store-like food options which usually come with a hefty price tag. Fortunately, in towns like Lake City where hikers might post up for the night at a hostel, mail resupplies are simple and straightforward. Some hostels and stores even hold packages for the whole season, making it easy to time their arrival with your crossing. So, you could theoretically mail them to yourself before you even start the trail. I researched local hostels and stores that would hold mail for me before I left. Then, I mailed myself a weekly drop before leaving for the trail. Unfortunately, I found that mail drops were unnecessary for the first two weeks. This meant that instead of eating whatever I wanted in town, I had to stick to my previously chosen meals. But late into the trail, I was really grateful to have my mail drops because food options had become scant.

It’s Not the Rain That Will Wreck You—It’s Hail

Before beginning the Colorado Trail, I worried about late-season monsoons. I knew Colorado was famous for its arid climate, and that my gear would dry out quickly if it got soaked, but the thought of torrential rains kept me up at night. It was just a matter of time before I got caught in a storm, but it was actually the hail—not the rain—that was most catastrophic. On one stretch of trail, marble-sized pieces of ice rained down on me for about an hour. I found shelter beneath a sturdy pine tree, but days afterwards, I ran into a group of hikers who said that the hail had shredded their tents, and they had to find the nearest road crossing to hitch into town once the weather passed. I found that the best way to approach hail was to keep myself updated with the latest weather reports and try to keep myself at lower elevations when inclement weather was expected. In cases where I couldn’t predict the forecast, I took shelter as soon as conditions became unfavorable.

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The search and rescue team gathered on the edge of the ravine in California’s Point Reyes National Seashore. They gazed down and scratched their heads. The patient was bigger than they were used to. Much bigger.

Rescuing hikers and dogs in the backcountry is hard enough. However, human beings tend to be relatively easy to lift, load into litters, and helicopter out. Horses, not so much. And yet, every now and again, backcountry SAR teams are called to assist with equine rescues. These efforts often take dozens of people, ropes, pulleys, and complex problem solving. Case in point: the rescue that occurred early last week in Point Reyes.

Last Tuesday, a horse and rider slipped on a section of damp soil and toppled down the side of the National Seashore’s popular Coast Trail. The rider managed to dismount just in time, but the animal fell about 30 feet down a steep hillside and became stuck in a narrow ravine. The rider called local authorities, who launched a rescue operation. The mission ultimately took seven hours.

The Coast Trail—a multi-use path frequented by hikers, bikers, and equestrians—is relatively mellow, but going off trail lands you in terrain that’s “quite steep and densely vegetated,” Park Ranger Sierra Frisbie told Backpacker. That made getting to the animal pretty tricky.

First, rescuers confirmed that the horse was uninjured. There were no signs of bone breaks or bleeding. But that didn’t mean they were in the clear: The 20-year-old Arabian was lodged in a narrow spot and unable to get its footing.

“Horses are large animals. They can weigh over 1,000 pounds. If there’s any way you can help the horse help itself, you want to do that,” explained Frisbie. “So one of our biggest priorities was to get that horse to its feet. But first we had to get it unstuck.”

The first thing that rescuers attempted was a forward assist, Frisbie said.

“You get straps underneath the horse. And you give it a big tug to try to see if it needs just a little help to get it back to its feet,” she explained. Unfortunately, the horse had been struggling for a while, so by the time rescuers got to it, it was exhausted. A forward assist wasn’t enough. The volunteers quickly realized they were going to have to haul it out by hand.

So, the local Marin Search and Rescue team deployed its low-angle rope rescue squad. This is a group of volunteers trained to rig complex pulley systems to haul victims up tricky terrain.

“They set up a system of anchors and ropes,” Frisbie said. “We were able to extricate the horse by hauling it out and packing it on a rescue sled, which is basically a massive litter.” The team took turns pulling on the ropes, laboring to haul the animal more than 30 feet up the side of the ravine. The entire operation took about seven hours and the assistance of 15 to 20 people.

Although the Coast Trail is known for its idyllic views and gentle promenade, the region hosts its fair share of traffic. Frisbie noted that fully involved animal rescues like this one are pretty rare. The last time the park’s animal rescue team assembled was for a lost horse. It took a few hours to locate the horse, but the animal was ultimately found safe.

Conversely, “This [rescue] was all hands on deck,” Frisbie said. “It took a lot of troubleshooting.”

Last fall, the park hosted a large-animal technical-rescue training, which paid off in this scenario. “Unlike human patients, [animal rescuers] are working with a very large, somewhat unpredictable patient. There are a lot of moving pieces that determine the safety of the rescuers,” Frisbie said. Fortunately, she added, their rescue team was ready for the complexity of the incident. It also helped that the horse and the rider were supportive of their efforts, she added.

Once the horse was back on solid ground, it was and walk the last several miles back to the Palomarin Trailhead.

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There’s an old adage among mountaineers: “Climb high, sleep low.” It takes time to adapt to a lower-oxygen environment; in theory, this strategy aims to periodically expose the body to higher altitudes, which avoids putting too much stress on climbers all at once. But in practice, acclimatization isn’t so straightforward. The process varies widely depending on factors like general fitness level, the particular mountain, and home elevation. When tackling a high-elevation peak like (19,341 feet), most guides recommend at least a week of acclimatization in the region prior to attempting a climb. But what should hikers do?

The difference in elevation that climbers experience on the Rockies’ highest peaks is less extreme than that of Africa’s highest summit, though not necessarily less dangerous. Altitude sickness is just one of a variety of potential hazards they face; fortunately, most evidence suggests that even a single night spent at high elevation can reduce health risks that come with high-altitude climbs—and the more time you can spend at elevation before the trek, the better. Here’s what we know about pre-acclimatization and sleeping at elevation to prepare yourself for a big climb.

Baseline Altitude

Climbing high-elevation peaks reduces blood oxygen levels, which is why many people develop altitude sickness. In the immediate acclimatization process, you more often and your body forces blood into the pulmonary arteries in the lungs. There are variations, however, in the long-term adaptation process and timeframe. Determining if or how long to acclimate depends on an individual’s starting elevation.

“I think it’s in part a question about who we’re talking about,” says Matt Formato, a lifelong athlete and founder of Mile High Training, an organization that specializes in home altitude training systems. “If it’s a person that lives in Colorado, they’re likely acclimatized to some degree even at moderate altitudes in Boulder or Denver. They’re tremendously more acclimatized going into that 14,000-foot peak than someone who is coming from Houston.”

, from sea level, it takes about 3 weeks to fully acclimate to 6,000 feet of altitude, 4 weeks to acclimate to 8,000 feet, 5 weeks to acclimate to 10,000 feet, and 7 weeks to acclimate to 14,000 feet. So, those who live at a higher elevation have an advantage when preparing to climb a peak.

Sleeping at Elevation Before a Climb

One of the challenges that new climbers face is unfamiliarity with common symptoms of altitude sickness, such as headaches, dizzy spells, and feeling nauseated and weak. But even in the absence of these symptoms, high elevations place a lot of strain on the heart and lungs. This is how many athletes manage to push themselves beyond their limits without even realizing it.

Research has shown that even a single night of sleeping at altitude significantly reduces the risk of while in the high country. Dr. Robert Shapiro, a cardiologist for Boulder Community Health, notes that even a single day spent at elevation before a climb can reduce the likelihood of sudden cardiac death . Furthermore, a randomized study published in the journal of the that sleeping in a mildly hypoxic state at home (in an altitude chamber or with a mask on) can help to reduce altitude sickness symptoms as well, meaning that hikers do not necessarily need to travel to prepare for the strain of elevation.

Anecdotal evidence from hikers suggests that spending time at the trailhead or at a campsite below a peak can make a difference, and many medical professionals agree. Aspen Hospital, which is located at an elevation of 8,000 feet, recommends a slow acclimatization process for best climbing results. The hospital suggests that visitors from out of state plan on sleeping in Denver for a night before ascending to Aspen. The  “not to sleep higher than 1,600 more feet per day,” a number that the emphasizes as well.

Timing the Ascent

In addition to evaluating how to train or where to sleep prior to a mountain ascent, timing the ascent in relation to acclimatization can be complicated. Formato said that it “depends on how much time you have and how high you’re going.”

Beginners should err on the side of caution and attempt to give themselves extra time at altitude before scaling a peak.

“Certainly, for anyone [who is inexperienced and] going to do a 14,000-foot peak [in Colorado], go slowly. Go to Denver for a night. Breckenridge for two nights, then make your push,” says Formato.

“Your body starts producing red cells immediately, but it’s not going to be a mature cell for weeks,” he says. “If you’re trying to pre-acclimatize, you want to give yourself a couple days ahead of time … It can take about for the body’s red blood cells to catch up with the low oxygen levels.”

The key for hikers looking to scale high-altitude peaks this summer? Provide your body with just enough encouragement to begin to adapt to the high elevations. In situations where it’s difficult to acclimatize before a climb, Formato said that you can reduce oxygen saturation levels manually at home through altitude simulation tents, chambers, or hypoxicator masks. Purchasing these products can be pricey, but there are plenty of workarounds. Don’t want to buy an altitude tent? one in the weeks leading up to your trip. Also, for Denver locals, you can test what it’s like to work out in low-oxygen settings: is a gym with an altitude studio formally only for elite athletes. Now, anyone can book a free class and work out in a studio simulating anywhere from sea level to 18,000 feet.

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A hiker wearing just a cotton hoodie narrowly escaped death after becoming lost in a snowstorm on one of Colorado’s high peaks late last week, prompting local rescuers to warn would-be adventurers about the importance of preparing for winter conditions.

According to (CCSAR-N), the unidentified hiker had attempted to climb a 13,000-foot ridge near Mt. Princeton in west-central Colorado.�� While the hiker reached the top, the weather soon turned, and they found themselves high on the mountain with no shelter, food, water, or extra layers. With darkness descending, the hiker attempted to make it back to the car quickly by taking an alternative route down an avalanche chute, where they became stuck.��

At about 7:00 p.m. the hiker called for a rescue, prompting a team of 25 SAR members from CCSAR-N and Chaffee County Search and Rescue South to race the snow storm to find the hiker. While the hiker was unable to provide GPS coordinates to rescuers, they were able to tell responders that they were located near Cottonwood Lake. While the hiker attempted to move downslope at rescuers’ suggestion, search teams began to comb several avalanche chutes in the area, one of which was extremely steep and icy. At about 1:00 a.m., SAR found footprints in the freshly-fallen snow, which had piled to a depth of roughly 6 to 8 inches.��

“This team continued to follow the footprints until they came upon an unusual looking rock at approximately 2am,” CCSAR-N officials wrote. “Upon further investigation it was determined it was not a rock but the subject sitting upright in a fetal position covered in snow. The subject was assessed and found to be alive but very hypothermic.” It took the team about 3 hours to warm the hiker enough to begin the descent.�� 

Rescuers began using a rope system to lower the hiker. Soon thereafter, the hiker regained some mobility and aided the rescue by walking. About 12 hours after the initial rescue call, the hiker made it to an ambulance.��

Despite an overall on Colorado’s high peaks, this isn’t the first time this year that an unprepared outdoorsperson has had to call for a rescue due to poor preparation. In one case, rescue teams plucked off of the Diamond on Longs Peak after they were unable to complete their climb and didn’t have sufficient gear to spend a night on the summit. In another, required rescue from Lake Como after becoming too cold and tired to hike out on their own.��

In response to most recent rescue, CCSAR-N encouraged adventurers to ensure that they pack the any time they’re headed into the backcountry, and to consider bringing a GPS-enabled device with two-way communication and an SOS button, since this type of device gives rescue officials much more information about a user’s location.��

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Shenandoah National Park officials closed two trails on Saturday after the Quaker Run Fire breached a containment line and entered the park. The entire Wilhite Wagon Trail and the Graves Mill Trail from Staunton River Trail to the Rapidan Fire Road are closed until further notice.

The Quaker Run Fire ignited on October 26, just outside of the park boundary. It began as a 20-acre brush fire but slowly grew to a size of about . As of Monday, of the park were engulfed by flames.

Although the fire has been slow to grow, high wind and drought conditions have made it difficult to contain. Kevin Dawson, a spokesman with Virginia’s Department of Forestry : “When we originally started with this, we were hoping to keep this as small as possible, but the terrain on the side of the mountains, the steep terrain and the amount of rock, made it difficult for our crews to reach it.” He added: “The perimeter has gotten larger because of that.”

On Friday, November 3, the fire drew close to a powerline on the east side of the park, prompting officials to shut off the power. The Big Meadows area was most impacted by the shutdown, causing early seasonal closures and limited services. The Big Meadows Lodge, restaurant, and retail outlet is now closed for the season, nearly two weeks earlier than expected. The remaining end-of-season reservations have been canceled.

The Big Meadows Wayside, Visitor’s Center, Skyland Resort, and Lewis Mountain Cabins remain open and operational through the use of generators, although some services may be suspended until further notice.

While no structures have been impacted by the fire, the Madison County Sheriff’s office is encouraging nearby residents to evacuate the area.

In addition to the trail closures, officials issued a hiking advisory for Whiteoak Canyon and the park’s most popular peak, Old Rag. A states: “Visitors will encounter smoke in some areas of the park due to a fire burning on private, public, and park land on the eastern boundary near Whiteoak and Old Rag. Please avoid the area.”

While the trails are currently open, smoke levels could reach unhealthy to very unhealthy levels. Since both trails require a fair amount of exertion, officials are encouraging visitors to stay away. On Tuesday, the park also announced it was .

Currently, smoke levels are thickest in the central area of the park and in the surrounding communities. Those who venture into the park are encouraged to take precautions and to evaluate the air quality via the . Updates to the park’s operations and closures can be found .

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One of the most popular national parks in the United States is seeking public comment on a plan to make its three-year-old timed entry permit system permanent—and several others parks aren’t far behind.

Between 2012 and 2019, Rocky Mountain National Park experienced a percent increase in visitation; in 2021 alone, boosted in part by the well-documented pandemic-driven spike in interest in outdoor participation, the park hosted 4.4 million visits. In response, officials began implementing a timed entry pilot program in 2021. The program required visitors to secure a visitation slot in advance, and allowed them to enter the park during a 1-hour period on their selected date. Even with the pilot program in place, visitation stayed high, with the park recording some of its busiest seasons ever.

Despite the park’s growth in popularity, the program was effective enough at managing congestion and cutting down waits at entrance stations, leading officials to implement the same program again in 2022 and 2023. Now, officials want to make it permanent.��

Like the timed entry pilot program, the long-range visitor management plan aims to maintain quality of the visitor experience, staff safety, and the protection of the park’s terrain, which includes delicate alpine tundra and essential wildlife habitat. “This plan is needed to provide day-use visitor access in a way that protects resources while creating opportunities for high-quality visitor experiences,” officials wrote.��

Pending public feedback, the future program would look similar to the pilot program, enforcing two timed entry systems (one for the Bear Lake Road Corridor, and one for the remainder of the park) that give visitors a one-hour window to enter the park.��

Rocky Mountain National Park isn’t the only park that may make its reservation program permanent. Visitation to Utah’s Arches National Park increased by 73% between 2011 and 2021, making the park one of the most rapidly growing outdoor destinations in the country. When the park service’s decision to implement a reservation system at Arches cut crowding and wait times in 2022, the agency announced it would extend the program by another year. And last month, Arches officials announced that they, too, were seeking public feedback on a long-term visitor management plan.

“We have learned a lot from these past two years of pilot timed-entry programs and now we’d like to hear from the public about what has worked, where there are still challenges, and what longer-term visitor use management could look like.”  

Like Rocky Mountain and Arches National Park, the future of the park’s visitor management system, although it isn’t yet clear if those efforts will translate into a permanent timed entry program. At the moment, officials are gauging the public experience to determine how to move forward in 2024.��

Meanwhile, Yosemite, which ended its timed entry pilot program earlier this year, is considering bringing it back after visitors this summer to enter this park.

While there’s nearly universal agreement that crowding at many national parks is hurting the visitor experience, determining the best way to maintain access to these destinations while protecting resources isn’t a simple matter.��

Organizations like the National Parks Conservation Association claim that limiting the number of visitors in the park has already contributed to a healthier environment. Last year, the association’s outreach and engagement coordinator, Cassidy Jones, : “Thanks to managed access, visitors to Arches, Glacier and Rocky Mountain saw more wildlife and wild [sic] lands than brake lights and traffic jams the last several years.” But not everyone agrees that limiting the usage window is the best strategy. In places like Yosemite National Park and Mountain Rainier, rock climbers have historically expressed frustration at such systems, citing an increase in early-morning traffic from those who are trying to get around the timed entry system as a reason for concern. Organizations dedicated to diversifying outdoor participation also argue that reservation systems effectively remove access to public lands for those who don’t have the means or ability to snag a slot in advance.��

Those who are on Rocky Mountain National Park’s future visitor management plan can do so until December 14.

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