I’m a little late on posting this (and by a little late, I mean very late… specifically over 2 weeks after starting my thru-hike), but I’m excited to announce that I’ll be thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail southbound in 2025, starting 7/3/25! This has been a dream of mine for many years, ever since I caught the hiking bug in graduate school, specifically at McAfee Knob, Dragon’s Tooth, and Tinker Cliffs. After many years of finding excuses not to take on the trail, I finally decided it was now or never. This decision was made easier by my wonderful family, friends, and coworkers, who could not have been more supportive of me.

To prep for the gargantuan task of walking 2,650 miles from Canada to Mexico, I took on a local challenge known as the SHEN 500. This involves hiking all of the official trails in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, as well as trails in some adjacent areas (e.g., Rapidan Wildlife Management Area). As the name suggests, there are roughly 500 miles of unique trails that one must hike for the challenge, all of which are detailed in the official spreadsheet available on the “Shenandoah National Park Hikers” Facebook page. The SHEN 500 challenge was started in 2014 by long-distance hiker Lauralee Bliss, and since then over 100 people (and at least 3 dogs) have completed the challenge (as of May 2025).

I was already well familiarized with the SHEN 500, having completed it once before on April 11, 2023 (my 30th birthday!). The trails range vastly in scenery and difficulty, from the scenic and famous Old Rag loop, to the heinously steep Leading Ridge Trail (seriously, who designed this trail??), to the overgrown and unmaintained Onemile Run Trail (which is misleadingly 4.3 miles). Approximately 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail also run through the park and straddle Skyline Drive, and while this ridge walk is typically viewed as one of the easier sections of the AT, most of the trails required for the SHEN 500 descend from the ridges into the foothills, making them a lot steeper.

I’ve found that each and every trail in the challenge has something unique to offer, whether that be beautiful scenery, stories of inhabitants from prior to park establishment, record of the distant geologic past, or personal discovery. I’m deeply grateful for Shenandoah National Park, my home (not so far) away from home, and cherish the times I’ve spent there and the memories made with loved ones.

I began my second SHEN 500 in April 2023 and finished it on 5/17/25, just a few weeks before starting the trail. I’ve included some statistics below that describe my journey:

• Days elapsed since map #1 completion: 767
• Cumulative miles hiked in SNP since map #1 completion: 817.6 mi.
• Cumulative feet of ascent hiked in SNP since map #1 completion: 157,000’
• Number of days hiked in SNP since map #1 completion: 76 days
• Favorite day on trail: Bear Church Rock & Staunton River lollipop hike, 11/25/23, 15.4 mi., +/- 3200′
• Least favorite day on trail: Doyles River & Browns Gap Rd, 7/14/24, 5.5 mi., +/- 1100′
• Highest observed temperature on a hike: 84 degrees F, Whiteoak Canyon, 8/10/24
• Lowest observed temperature on a hike: 14 degrees F, Leading Ridge, 12/22/24
• Highest mileage for a single day: Mount Marshall area, 11/29/24, 27.1 mi., +/- 5000′
• Highest elevation gain for a single day: Area between Sams Ridge, Buck Hollow, & the AT, 12/7/24, 24 mi, +/- 5800′
• Favorite trail: Brown Mountain
• Least favorite trail: Stull Run
• Hardest trail: Leading Ridge
• Easiest trail: Stull Run
• Favorite district: Southern
• Least favorite district: Northern
• Number of black bear sightings: 0 (where were they??)
• Number of bobcat sightings: 0, though I did see one on the AT during map 1
• Number of coyote sightings: 0
• Number of deer sightings: ∞
• Best post-hike (and sometimes pre-hike) meal: Spelunker’s in Front Royal… seriously, check this place out

I’ve also included some of my favorite photos from my second lap around the park:

Leaving for the PCT, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to pursue this lifelong dream of mine. I’m so grateful for the people who have made this trip possible, and I intend to embrace each day on trail with open arms.

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The Alpaca farm alternate has been by and large the best alternate to date (and I’m writing this after completing the whole Big Sky alternate). Despite the long road walks necessary to get there, it was an oasis worthy of walking hundreds of miles of roads.

Very early in the day, Burgs, Dustin, and I stumbled into a whole train of people at a trickle of a water source – The Brits SAS and Jugular, Numbers, Rocket, Weatherman, Matcha, and Freighter. We Congo-lined down the trail until it met with the dirt road and from there we began to disperse. For the remainder of the morning and afternoon until reaching the Alpaca farm, Dustin, Hamburglar, Freighter, Matcha, and I suffered the hot gravel and dirt together.

We sang and danced down the road, anything to break up the monotony. It felt long and all at once short when we finally saw the first glimpse of the farm. Despite the rush to get there, the last mile or so was slow going. The tree lined road opened up to bald rolling hills reminiscent of an elementary school computer screen saver.

There were horses along the fence line that walked over as if asking to be petted and so we obliged. There was also a half sunken wooden shed lying lopsided in a shallow pond. Whether it was in my head or out loud, I repeated, Get out of my swamp! And when we saw a long row of old bicycles lined up against barbed wire, it was apparent that we had indeed finally reached the Alpaca farm.

We splayed out on the front porch of the farmhouse with a sandwich in one hand and a cold drink in the other- I chose a Pepsi. That was the magic of the Alpaca farm, hikers and bikers were pampered at no cost and with simple directions to respect the property, the Alpacas, and to pay it forward.

I laid on the bottom front step on my back, feet propped up on the top step. It seemed that the flatter the path, the more painful the walk and my feet were swollen and thriving from the heat. We rested for a while attempting to decide to hike on or stay for the evening. The pull of full stomachs and an indoor abode was strong and soon after, we met the hosts of the farm and were certain we would stay for the night.

After placing my backpack inside the little cabin marked with our names written in dry erase marker, I retreated once more to the shade at the front of the house and splayed across the bench swing. I typed out trail journals until Dustin joined me and one of the hosts stopped by to talk with us. He introduced himself as John. “Think of us like John Mayer and Barbara Straysand”, he said , since apparently the famous John and Barbara names they used to use didn’t quite register with the young people anymore. He began his monologue about farm rules and the purpose of the farm. I listened with intent because I’d do anything to support and preserve this little slice of heaven.

Once he finished speaking, I thanked him profusely for everything we’d been afforded there over the last hour or so and asked if there was a way to donate. Using a no bull tone, he said they didn’t take any donations. He continued on with a bit more humor saying something along the lines of, “If you give me 20$, I’ll go buy beer. If you give the person or hiker behind you 20$ you may have just turned their day around. If you’re stupid enough to still leave money after this speech then it goes towards helping bikers or hikers get bike gear fixed or new shoes. Bottom line, don’t leave money. Pay it forward.” And with that we all nodded in agreement and went about the rest of our relaxing evening.

I filled my time by laying in the grass beneath a frigid sprinkler with Dustin. Though neither of us lasted very long because each time to water showered over us, my muscles tightened in response and it was not quite the relaxation I was looking for. So we retired to the chairs beneath a small gazebo amidst the shed to cabin converts. Cyclists and other hikers filtered in throughout the afternoon and well into the evening. The small crew behind us finally trampled in along with Super Noodz and much later that evening, Plan B, who’d been hiking hard from Augusta to catch up to everyone since he had to stay extra days waiting for new shoes.

Before it got too crazy though, I took my turn in the shower silo. I pumped lukewarm water over my body and methodically placed my dirty clothes beneath my feet to absorb my soapy water run off. It wasn’t fancy but it was better than nothing. When I was finished, I felt so much cleaner without dust covered legs and sweat slicked hair. I felt human again.

The remainder of the evening was spent sitting amongst other hikers and bike packers again, sharing stories and a bottle of wine graciously provided by the hosts. Dustin was kind enough to make a whole family sized box of spaghetti for a few of us, who topped it off with remaining packets of tuna and crackers from our own food bags.

Eventually we all retired to our little sheds or tents. Plan B came running into the grassy area as the sun set behind the mountains and I offered him our 4th bunk. Not too long after, we were all tucked quietly into our 2’x6’ bunks trying not to shift too loudly in the stifling heat of the windowless shed.

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To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.

Monday, July 21, 2025