My name is Aiden Harwood. I am raising money for my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in March. I have been preparing for this trip for a couple of years and am raising funds so that it is possible.

The AT is a thru-hiking challenge, spanning 14 states over 2,200 miles with a gain/loss of elevation equivalent to 18 Mt. Everests (~520,000 ft). Most of the money I am raising goes directly to food. Being a 5-month hike, this is the largest cost. I am grateful for any support, big or small. The opportunity you are helping provide me is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, thank you!

I'd love to hear from you! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to share your email using the contact button below. I plan to make an email list for those who want intermittent updates about the trail.

I also will be posting videos and shorts on my YouTube channel @AidenHarwoods_Trail. If you want to follow the journey, feel free to subscribe.

Into the Weeds

Me:

I, Aiden, am a 17 soon to be 18-year-old. I currently live in Worthington, Minnesota. I love hiking and singing. While my singing repertoire is rather advanced, including All-State Choir and National Honor Choir, I am looking to add to my hiking accomplishments. I have completed some associate's degrees at my community college this winter so I'm done with school before my hike. I have 5 awesome siblings and enjoy finding peace in the extreme. Whether that is dealing with 5 siblings, kayaking frozen lakes, singing like a soprano, or hiking.

Beginning of the Dream:

I have lived in 8 very different places throughout my life. I have had the opportunity to experience a snippet of nature's beauty and grandeur. If you ask me, the favorite place I've lived would be Afton, Virginia. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, all of 2 miles from a section of the AT, it was beautiful, and for the two years I lived there, I enjoyed hiking and going on adventures in the surrounding mountains. After Virginia, my family moved to Worthington, Minnesota, in the Midwest with geography to match. My heart longed for the mountains. So, after a trip back to Virginia, I decided I wanted to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.

Framing my life:

Being homeschooled since the start of COVID, I have a flexible path. When I decided in my sophomore year, I would hike the AT I began to figure out how to make it happen. I had started at our community college and ended up condensing 81 credits into 4 semesters to graduate early. This allows me to leave March 20th.

Preparing for the Trail:

One thing that I have loved is finding my gear. Having light or ultralight gear is crucial on the AT. Whatever you bring, you are carrying on your back for thousands of miles. From watching European hikers to reading AT prep books, I have tried to make myself as ready as possible without hiking the trail. I won't list all of my gear, but if you have questions, I'd love to answer them and tell you more about the gear. Some of the big pieces are a Big Agnes ultralight tent, a Southwest Hyperlite backpack, and Salomon 6 trail runners.

The Plan for the Trail:

I plan to hike the large majority of the trail solo. Starting on March 20th and ending around August 10th, I will hike for nearly 5 months across rugged, old mountains. I will start on Mt. Springer, Georgia, and hike north to Mt. Katahdin, Maine, the end of the AT. I will hike 15-20 miles a day, starting slowly and building up as I get my "hiker legs". With trail towns or resupplying points every 3-7 days, I will be able to stock up on food relatively often. Days will consist of waking up with the sun, eating breakfast, hiking for 4 hours, eating lunch and taking a break, hiking another 4 hours, setting up camp, socializing, eating dinner, and falling asleep around 9. I will also get to take rest days about once a week, a day to recharge, freshen up, and reset for the miles ahead.