Heartwood

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

The Appalachian Trail is a long-distance hiking trail in the eastern United States that extends nearly 2,200 miles from its southern terminus at Springer Mountain in Georgia to its northern terminus at Mount Katahdin in Maine. It winds through 14 states and is one of the longest hiking trails in the world. A popular site for both day hikers and backpackers, it draws more than 3 million visitors each year. Only a small portion of those are thru-hikers like Valerie, however: Fewer than 1,000 people typically hike the entire trail in one season. Along with the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, it is considered part of the United States’ “triple crown” of hiking, and many accomplished thru-hikers set their sights on completing all three.

The Appalachian Trail was completed in 1937, although improvements and changes are made each year. The trail is managed by multiple different clubs and volunteer organizations, as well as by the National Park Service, the US Forest Service, and the nonprofit Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Much of the trail runs through wilderness, taking hikers into dense forests, up and down mountains, across streams and rivers, and through rocky, hard-to-traverse terrain. The difficulties that Valerie endures reflect the trail’s rugged conditions, and many thru-hikers undergo rigorous training and even take trail courses prior to beginning the trek. In addition to navigating treacherous topography, hikers are likely to encounter wild animals along the way. Black bears, venomous snakes, elk, and moose can all pose potential dangers to hikers, especially since hikers must choose their supplies judiciously: Each item adds weight to their pack, and individuals already burdened with necessities like camp stoves, sleeping bags, and dry changes of clothing may not deem objects like emergency flares, whistles, and bear spray necessary.

“Rocksylvania,” as Valerie calls the rocky, Pennsylvania sections of the trail, is an actual nickname given to the portion of the trail that runs through Pennsylvania. The landscape is particularly harsh there, making it one of the hardest portions of the trail to complete. The Maine section of the Appalachian Trail is also difficult. Whereas the forested sections of the trail that run through the southern states are mostly newer and thus have thinner growth, Maine has dense evergreen forests, several alpine regions, and tricky elevation changes. The trail is marked throughout its course with white marks on trees, called “blazes,” that are strategically placed to guide hikers along their way. However, in areas of the trail with denser forest, these blazes can be hard to spot, and once hikers step off the trail, they can have difficulty finding their way back.

Hikers typically bring their own tents, but there are also shelters placed throughout the trail that provide hikers with more protection and also offer the opportunity to socialize: Multiple hikers often share shelters for a night, resulting in friendships like that of Valerie and Ruben. Thru-hikers can form a particularly tight community, and the practice of taking trail names, as Valerie and Ruben do, is common. By contrast, violent crime of the kind that the novel depicts is rare, as hikers do not typically encounter anyone other than their fellow hikers. Moreover, while the trail mostly traverses wild lands, it does sometimes run alongside roads and into towns. Hikers are generally welcomed, and “trail angels” even purchase cold water, ice cream, or other treats for thru-hikers they encounter.

The biggest hazard that hikers encounter is weather. Valerie notes the many rainy days she endures: The Appalachian Trail is known as the rainiest of the triple crown trails, and hikers often report spending multiple days in wet, rain-soaked clothing. Additionally, thru-hikers must consider the changing seasons when timing their hike. It takes months to complete the entire trail, and northbound hikers in particular must choose their start dates wisely. If they begin their hikes too late in the season, winter is likely to foil the last leg of their trip.