Steps to Prepare for a Thruhike

Common tasks to complete prior to beginning a thruhike.

Friends, Family, and Employment

• Find a person or service to handle your mail
• Notify your landlord and employer
• Ensure a trusted person has access to important personal documents and passwords in the event of an emergency

Logistics & Life Organization

• Arrange travel to your starting point.
• Learn which phone carriers are most reliable for your trail, and consider switching, if necessary.
• Setup your blog/social media/etc.
• Put your belonging in storage.
• Set your email vacation reminder.
• If you have a vehicle that will be placed in storage or not driven, have someone routinely run the vehicle, or disconnect the battery and add a fuel stabilizer to the gas tank

Gear

• Figure out section-specific gear. Will you need warmer layers? An ice axe? Extra water capacity?
• Check the condition of your gear, and make any needed repairs.
• If bringing an external battery pack, consider the longest possible stretch between charges, and determine your needed capacity.

Trail Planning & Resupply

• Obtain all necessary permits for trail, campsites, and campfires.
• Confirm that water sources will be available during your intended timeframe.
• Learn about the resupply options on your trail. Determine if and where you would like to send resupply boxes.
• Keep an eye on the snowpack, if applicable.

Bills & Finances

• Cancel your car insurance and, if applicable, surrender plates/registration. Depending on location, local laws may require comprehensive-only/parked car insurance, even if a car is in storage.
• Cancel or pause subscriptions.
• Ensure all bills are set to autopay with email and text notifications turned on for payment status
• Notify your credit card company you’ll be traveling. Make sure you know your debit PIN.
• Check the expiration date on credit and debit cards, drivers license, passport, and so on. Renewing while on the trail can be difficult.
• Lock credit reports
• File taxes

Physical Training & Skill Building

• Research and physically train according to the conditions expected on trail.
• Practice snow traversal with microspikes/crampons and self-arrest using your ice axe.
• Review the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace.
• Go on some shakedown hikes to test your gear and comfort levels.
• Practice throwing a bear hang, if necessary.
• Learn to identify plants such as poison ivy, poison oak, and poodle-dog bush, and learn how to safely remove ticks.
• Learn wilderness first aid skills.

Health

• Visit your doctor for a check-up, and renew prescriptions for the duration you expect to be on trail.
• Obtain vaccinations/boosters.
• Make a dentist appointment.
• Purchase health insurance that provides coverage for the entirety of the trail. Some healthcare plans now include optional coverage for wilderness rescue.

Navigation, Cell Phones, and Apps

• If bringing a GPS device/beacon, set up the subscription, configure the device, and practice using it. Share GPS tracker access information with key family/friends.
• Learn how to configure your devices, e.g. cell phone and GPS device, for optimal battery life. Common options include backlight timeout, airplane/low power mode, and disabling background apps and services. See the article, How to Conserve Phone Battery Life While Hiking.
• Download books, movies, and music for offline entertainment when no cellphone connectivity exists
• Download both navigation apps and offline mapping

References

• https://thetrek.co/pacific-crest-trail/pct-thru-hiker-checklist/
• https://thetrek.co/appalachian-trail/the-appalachian-trail-thru-hike-checklist/