Shakedown and training before the Appalachian Trail

Now that I have officially announced my hike on the Appalachian Trail, I have been inundated with the same question: How do you start preparing for something like this?

My answer is simple, consistent miles. I hike almost every weekend and spent most of last summer and fall backpacking. Enough miles and nights outside to gain strength and momentum, and finally break up. «This could work» of “This is not at all like that.”

After about 400 miles and 25 nights outdoors, I learned what takes up space in my pack and what gets left behind on my Appalachian Trail hike.

Over the next week or two, I’ll share a full breakdown of the gear I plan to carry on the AT. But this post is less about the gear list and ounces, and more about training, gear testing, and a recent winter night I completed in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

The equipment I took on this trip is not exactly what I will bring in the AT, but it is close.

Training before the AT

Although 2025 was full of hiking and backpacking, my last overnight trip was in mid-October. Since then? Not many big miles. However, living in Vermont helps. I live in the state capital and have direct access to Hubbard Park, which has become my favorite training ground. When I can’t go out and hike a mountain, I head there. I can usually go 7 to 10 miles on mixed terrain, not rough, but enough to keep my legs honest.

From now on, I will start carrying my fully loaded backpack on Hubbard. The goal is simple: not to let my body be completely shocked by the weight when I climb the AT in March.

A Winter Night at Gray Knob Cabin

Now, let’s talk about this epic winter on the night of MLK weekend.

My hiking friends and I have had our eyes on Gray Knob Cabin for a while now. Managed by Randolph Mountain ClubIt is located on the north side of Mount Adams and makes for an amazing winter basecamp. This was my third time hiking the Presidential Range and the first time I experienced it in winter.

Packing for the whites in winter

The Appalachian Trail actually runs just below the summit of Mount Adams, and hikers can choose whether or not to bag the summit. Since this was a winter mission, I packed for every possibility: snowshoes, microspikes, ski goggles – all winter in the Whites’ tool kit. You never really know what conditions you will find yourself in there and not being well prepared is not an option.

This is the Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 that I will be wearing on the Appalachian Trail. It’s a workhorse and perfect for four-season adventures; It held my microspikes and snowshoes like a champ.

As for sleeping, the cabin had foam mattresses for each guest, so I left my mat at home. Since we had a warm, solid shelter, I also left my tent behind. Instead, I brought my 20-degree pillow and down comforter, the same ones I plan to bring on my hike. I also packed all the clothes I plan to sleep in along the way: a microgrid fleece, merino base layer tights, and extra socks.

Package Weight: Reality Check

By leaving my tent and sleeping pad at home, I shaved about two pounds from my pack, but I more than made up for it with snowshoes, multiple layers (including three pairs of gloves and mittens), down booties, microspikes, ski goggles, and a Nalgene instead of Smartwater bottles. In the end, the weight of my pack was probably very similar to what I will be carrying on the Appalachian Trail. Honestly, I was surprised at how well my body handled a fully loaded backpack after almost four months of not backpacking.

A new addition to my team and something that willpower The one that comes with me on the AT is the new Garmin inReach Mini 3 Plus. This was a gift from one of my friends, so I didn’t have much time to familiarize myself with it before the trip. While at the cabin, I was able to activate it and let my fiancé at home see my location, which was reassuring. That being said, I still need more time to experience an adventure before doing a full review. That will come later when I officially delve into my gear list.

The rise to the gray goatee

Now to the hike itself.

The climb from the Appalachia Trailhead to the cabin is 3.5 miles with approximately 3,000 feet of elevation gain. I have always found winter hiking easier in some ways. This time of year, rocks and roots are buried under snow, which can make trails easier to navigate.

There was plenty of fresh snow, a true winter wonderland. We probably should have put on our snowshoes sooner, but it seemed like more work to stop and shift gears. Finally, we reached the cabin and stacked our snowshoes, poles, and spikes outside the door.

When we entered, the temperature was around 30 degrees. The caretaker tended to the wood stove around 4:30 pm and little by little the cabin became more and more cozy. At 8 pm, it was 60 degrees and feeling downright homey, the perfect end to a cold, snowy day.

Arriving at Gray Knob Cabin, located at 4,372 feet, just below the rock outcrop of Nowell Ridge.

Above treeline on Lowes Path

The next morning, over breakfast and coffee, we talked about our plans for the day. We were hesitant about attempting to summit Mount Adams. The forecast called for strong, furious winds and subzero wind chills. Since most of us had already climbed Mount Adams, we decided that the summit was not the goal. Instead, we just wanted to get above the tree line and see what kind of views the mountains were willing to give us.

So we put on our snowshoes, bundled up and headed out. At a junction we turned onto Lowes Path to climb above the tree line and immediately realized we would be breaking up the trail. There were no tracks ahead, only thigh-high drifts of snow rising steeply uphill, with visible swirls of snow blown from the ridge by the wind. That was our cue to stop, put on the goggles, and add whatever layers we wanted before entering a whole new vortex.