Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike - Tarzan

APPALACHIAN TRAIL

In 2012 I quit my job and thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, spending 136 days walking 2,184.2 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine. The adventure changed my life. Not only is this where I got the name Tarzan, the trek also inspired me to create the AntiComfortable lifestyle I live today. Each evening I sat in my tent and studiously tapped out posts on my Blackberry keyboard and every few days I used spotty public wifi in towns to publish updates to my blog. These videos and posts chronicle the places, people and stories from the AT that I’ll never forget.

Chris ‘Tarzan’ Clemens
NoBo Thru-Hike 2012

Appalachian Trail Videos

Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike 2012

Full AT Film – Part 1

Full AT Film – Part 2

Appalachian Trail Highlights

Getting My Trail Legs - Springer Mountain

Starting The Appalachian Trail

Published: March 12, 2012

Finishing The Appalachian Trail

Published: July 24, 2012

Scott Jurek On The Appalachian Trail

Published: August 7, 2015

3 Days In The 100 Mile Wilderness

Brrrr, It’s Cold In Here!
Published: April 13, 2012
April 10. Woke up in the hotel in Erwin and had a busy morning getting things done, sending home a package, mailing cards, eating at the Huddle House, and hanging…
Read More Brrrr, It’s Cold In Here!
The Roan Highlands
Published: April 18, 2012
The Roan Highlands were not as cold as we had been in recently, but one night Brian did wrap his emergency blanket around his sleeping bag in his tent. Our…
Read More The Roan Highlands
Hiking With The Father Of The Bride
Published: April 21, 2012
April 16. Amy’s dad Rod arrived at the Kincora hostel this morning to hike with us. We left after our food shipment arrived and quickly taught Rod about the white…
Read More Hiking With The Father Of The Bride
Snow Day!
Published: April 25, 2012
April 21. After a relaxing morning at the coffee shop and the outfitters store we headed out of Damascus for the trail. Before leaving I weighed my backpack…40 pounds with…
Read More Snow Day!
The Hiker Week
Published: April 25, 2012
We have been talking on the trail and we thought the weekly cycle of a thru-hiker is a bit different than the weekly 7 day cycle of most everyone else….
Read More The Hiker Week
Torrential Downpours and Flash Floods
Published: May 1, 2012
April 26. We left the hotel around 9 AM but made sure to stick around to get the latest local weather forecast first. The TV anchor said “Severe thunderstorms, torrential…
Read More Torrential Downpours and Flash Floods
From 3 Amigos To 2…
Published: May 4, 2012
May 2. After spending all day yesterday in town for a zero day we were ready to get back on the trail. Meat needed to do a few more things in…
Read More From 3 Amigos To 2…
What’s In My Backpack…
Published: May 7, 2012
Just thought I should post an update about my pack and what I am carrying…I attached a photo of my pack, and here is what is in it! Inside –…
Read More What’s In My Backpack…
2 Months and 722 Miles
Published: May 8, 2012
May 7. We woke up after it had rained all night and luckily it stopped raining so we could pack our wet gear…but we were heading into town today so…
Read More 2 Months and 722 Miles
Flosser’s Firsts
Published: May 9, 2012
Meat and I really enjoyed hiking 700 miles with Brian Sarvis, aka Flosser, aka Kilimanjaro. I won’t mention his age, but if Abe Lincoln was talking about Flossermanjaro-AT he would…
Read More Flosser’s Firsts
Moving To Ultralight
Published: May 10, 2012
May 10. Woke up in a hotel in Daleville for the 3rd day in a row…time to get back on the trail! Although I wished we had left town a…
Read More Moving To Ultralight
Drinking My Dinner
Published: May 13, 2012
May 11. Frozen! We tried our new 45 degree sleeping bags last night and it got cold! I woke up in the middle of the night and put on just…
Read More Drinking My Dinner
36 Miles To Waynesboro
Published: May 16, 2012
May 12. Cold! Woke up cold but my preventative measures helped keep me decently warm last night. We packed our bags and started the 15 mile downhill to the James…
Read More 36 Miles To Waynesboro
City Camping
Published: May 17, 2012
May 17. I spent the rest of a lazy day yesterday enjoying the town of Waynesboro. I sat at the library a little longer, relaxed in the shade on a…
Read More City Camping
Hiking With Seatbelt & Aunt Karen
Published: May 23, 2012
May 19. As I sat having coffee and researching lightweight sleeping bags in the lobby of the hotel the news show on TV did a spotlight on a new way…
Read More Hiking With Seatbelt & Aunt Karen
Leaving Shenandoah
Published: May 27, 2012
May 22. My first day back on the trail on my own at my own pace. After 4 nights staying in town and 3 relaxing hiking days I was worried…
Read More Leaving Shenandoah
Harpers Ferry
Published: May 27, 2012
May 26. Woke up in my tent on the tent pad at the shelter. It was going to be an interesting ride for the day. We took off early and…
Read More Harpers Ferry
From 3 Amigos, to 2, to 1
Published: May 29, 2012
When Meat left Waynesboro for his sister’s graduation I hiked on ahead for a few days. The plan was to get back together when he returned to the trail and…
Read More From 3 Amigos, to 2, to 1
To The Mason-Dixon Line
Published: May 29, 2012
May 27. After spending a few hours at the AT Conservancy I packed my gear and headed for the historic downtown of Harpers Ferry. One new item I picked up…
Read More To The Mason-Dixon Line
HALF WAY DONE!
Published: June 1, 2012
May 29. Woke up to a nice morning, a little cooler than the last few. I packed up and walked about a tenth of a mile to Pen Mar Park….
Read More HALF WAY DONE!
Zero Day At The Doyle
Published: June 1, 2012
May 31. I woke up early because I wanted to put in another big day of hiking and make it to Duncannon by night. I was on the trail a…
Read More Zero Day At The Doyle
Rocks + Rain = PA
Published: June 8, 2012
NOTE: This blog post includes a lot of information…it is kinda long. Since I know everyone has a busy life if you don’t have time to read it all I totally…
Read More Rocks + Rain = PA
3 Days With Amy
Published: June 11, 2012
June 7. Amy called and said that she was at the post office waiting for me…unfortunately I was also at the post office, just in one town over. Once we…
Read More 3 Days With Amy
Jersey Baby!
Published: June 11, 2012
June 10. Amy dropped me off at the trailhead in Deleware Water Gap at 11 AM. We snapped some pictures and then she was on her way to the airport…
Read More Jersey Baby!
Hello New York!
Published: June 14, 2012
June 12. Happy Birthday to my wife Amy! I woke up in my tent this morning in the back lawn of the local tavern…guess there is a first time for…
Read More Hello New York!
The AT Zoo
Published: June 14, 2012
June 14. Woke up in my tent. Unfortunatley I had set it up on uneven ground and I was sliding down the hill all night. I was pretty tired still…
Read More The AT Zoo
Got My Mojo Back!
Published: June 15, 2012
June 15. Before we went to bed everything in the field we were camped in was covered with dew. When I woke up at 5 AM one look at my…
Read More Got My Mojo Back!
Welcome To Connecticut
Published: June 17, 2012
June 16. Up early and on trail by 7. The guys who stayed in the shelter hadn’t moved yet so I was back to spider web patrol. Since I had…
Read More Welcome To Connecticut
Welcome To Massachusetts!
Published: June 18, 2012
June 17. As I left town and walked a mile back to the trail I ran into another hiker. We talked for a bit and I asked his name and…
Read More Welcome To Massachusetts!
Hiking In The Berkshires…
Published: June 22, 2012
June 19. I woke up late again, seems to be a trend since I got out of Pennsylvania! I had set up my tent on the tent pad the night…
Read More Hiking In The Berkshires…
Hello Vermont!
Published: June 22, 2012
June 22. Today was a trail Friday, and I was pumped! Trying to sleep through the night was like trying to sleep through December 24th when you were a kid. …
Read More Hello Vermont!
My Bennington Experience…
Published: June 25, 2012
June 23. Woke up in the hotel…let me tell you a little about the Autumn Inn in Bennington. When the owner picked me up yesterday and drove me to the…
Read More My Bennington Experience…
Vermont Trail Magic!
Published: June 25, 2012
June 24. We woke up early and started out for a 28 mile day. I was hiking with Rat Bucket and Rayo and our plan was to get to mile…
Read More Vermont Trail Magic!
Rainy Vermont…
Published: June 27, 2012
June 25. We finally said goodbye to Sunshine, Nick, and Josh around noon and stopped by the local deli to get food before hitch hiking the 10 miles back to…
Read More Rainy Vermont…
What Next?
Published: June 28, 2012
So what next? I know I am not even done with the Appalachian Trail, but as it is winding down (I still have 480 miles to hike!) I have been…
Read More What Next?
Vermont Hills
Published: June 29, 2012
July 28. Woke up in the lodge…4 hikers and our gear in one room, it did not smell very good. The coffee brewing downstairs did though and we all headed…
Read More Vermont Hills
New Hampshire!
Published: June 30, 2012
June 29. Woke up before 6 and thought about getting an early start on the day. Around 4 it had started to sprinkle so my tent was a little wet…so…
Read More New Hampshire!
Big Mountains Coming!
Published: July 1, 2012
June 30. I woke up in the basement of the fraternity house around 7:30 AM and started moving around. The frat brothers were going to have Saturday Cleaning Day starting…
Read More Big Mountains Coming!
Into The Whites!
Published: July 2, 2012
July 1. This morning I did not want to get up and hike. The hike out of Hanover had been a good one, pretty tough, and I was not looking…
Read More Into The Whites!
Franconia Ridge
Published: July 4, 2012
July 3. Woke up in the hotel at 5 AM and thought about getting going…but I rolled back over and slept until 7. This was another hotel with shower soap…
Read More Franconia Ridge
A Presidential 4th of July
Published: July 5, 2012
July 4. We woke up a little before 6…the cook was in the kitchen making breakfast for the guests and we needed to clear the dining room. We packed our…
Read More A Presidential 4th of July
Mount Washington
Published: July 7, 2012
July 5. Woke up in the dungeon of the Lakes of the Clouds Hut…it was nice and quiet until breakfast upstairs. Everyone was moving the tables and benches and each…
Read More Mount Washington
Out Of The Whites
Published: July 7, 2012
July 6. We had stealth camped near a visitors center and lodge so I wanted to be up early and on the move. Besides, today was a Trail Friday and…
Read More Out Of The Whites
Zero Day In Gorham
Published: July 8, 2012
July 7. I could finally sleep in a bit in a nice hotel bed! We did not have time to resupply yesterday so we had some town work to do…
Read More Zero Day In Gorham
Welcome To Maine
Published: July 10, 2012
July 8. Four months ago today I started hiking the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain, Georgia. Today I woke up in New Hampshire, 15 miles from Maine, and 298 miles…
Read More Welcome To Maine
Mahoosuc Notch
Published: July 10, 2012
July 9. Woke up early in my tent…not because I wanted to, but because someone’s phone alarm clock was going off. Another hiker rolled in late, after dark, not a…
Read More Mahoosuc Notch
Andover, Maine
Published: July 11, 2012
July 10. The plan was to wake up early and get into Andover by 8:30 when the post office opened…but after the 26 mile, 15 hour hike yesterday it was…
Read More Andover, Maine
Rangeley, Maine
Published: July 12, 2012
July 11. Woke up in our stealth camp around 7…I woke up earlier but I really didn’t want to move. I had slept for 10 hours but I felt like I…
Read More Rangeley, Maine
Saddleback Mountain
Published: July 13, 2012
July 12. Another lazy morning…which seems to happen in towns and hotels. We finally decided to get up and start moving around 8:30. It is harder and harder to get…
Read More Saddleback Mountain
Stratton, Maine
Published: July 14, 2012
July 13. Happy Trail Friday! We were going to town! It is a lot easier waking up and going to town rather than leaving town. We started moving around 5:30…
Read More Stratton, Maine
2,000 Miles
Published: July 15, 2012
July 14. I went to bed stuffed with a stomach ache from the fish fry and drinks. At 3 AM I got up to use the restroom and realized I…
Read More 2,000 Miles
The Kennebec River
Published: July 16, 2012
July 15. It was a hot night…and something kept running around my tent all night. I think it may have been a frog or a mouse, either way it kept…
Read More The Kennebec River
Fording Rivers…
Published: July 17, 2012
July 16. The beds were rock hard and the AC shut off during the night so it was hot and stuffy in the room in the morning…I think I would…
Read More Fording Rivers…
Monson, Maine
Published: July 17, 2012
July 17. We woke up before 6 AM…we were heading into Monson today for a resupply. The hike was going to be a mostly flat 9 miles. We made it…
Read More Monson, Maine
100 Mile Wilderness – Day 1
Published: July 24, 2012
July 18. Woke up this morning…there had been no storm overnight and the sky was clear…shoot. A wasted afternoon in town yesterday but now it was time to get after…
Read More 100 Mile Wilderness – Day 1
100 Mile Wilderness – Day 2 (40 Miles!)
Published: July 24, 2012
July 19. First night sleeping in the 100 Mile Wilderness…cold! Around 3 AM I woke up frozen…probably because I sent home my 15 degree sleeping bag in Monson and traded…
Read More 100 Mile Wilderness – Day 2 (40 Miles!)
Wilderness Done & Baxter State Park
Published: July 24, 2012
July 20. Another cold night in my fleece sleeping bag liner, but another night closer to being done and back in a warm bed! I was up again at 3…
Read More Wilderness Done & Baxter State Park
Katahdin – I AM DONE!
Published: July 24, 2012
July 21. SUMMIT DAY! I wasn’t too cold overnight…which was good, but it also meant that I slept in until 5 AM. No matter, I thought if I woke up…
Read More Katahdin – I AM DONE!
Heading Home…
Published: July 25, 2012
July 22-23. I went to bed in the hotel room last night, with no more hiking or camping in my near future. As I drifted off to sleep though I…
Read More Heading Home…
The Beard Update
Published: July 26, 2012
I have been asked a lot about how long I plan to keep the beard (mostly from Amy, with a bit of an agitated and annoyed tone). Well, even though…
Read More The Beard Update
What is this “Day Hiking” you speak of?
Published: August 20, 2012
The alarm rang at 5:45 AM.It was only a little over a week since I’d finished the Appalachian Trail and I’d been mostly relaxing, but I was ready to get…
Read More What is this “Day Hiking” you speak of?
Sweet Home California
Published: August 20, 2012
Three weeks have already gone by since I reached the summit of Mount Katahdin and I don’t know where the time has gone. I spent two weeks traveling across the…
Read More Sweet Home California
MEAT Completes The AT!
Published: August 27, 2012
Hot off the press…my hiking buddy (and college roommate) Meat just completed his 2012 thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail! We hiked the first 900 miles together and then both “hiked…
Read More MEAT Completes The AT!
A Hiker In The City
Published: August 29, 2012
It is well over a month now since I completed the AT. I have been working on settling back into “reality” and I’m not sure if I’m being successful or…
Read More A Hiker In The City
Giving Presentations
Published: August 30, 2012
As I settle into the “real world” after the trail I’ve realized one thing…that I like talking about the trail! I don’t mind rounds of rapid fire questions about me,…
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Getting Published!
Published: September 5, 2012
Shortly after returning from my Appalachian Trail thru-hike I was asked to contribute a feature article to a fitness magazine. The focus was to be on the sport of “Fastpacking”…
Read More Getting Published!
The Hometown Newspaper
Published: September 7, 2012
My hometown newspaper (the same one I used to be a paperboy for) included a story about my Appalachian Trail journey last week! The article started with a big front…
Read More The Hometown Newspaper
Humor – I’m Going To Hike The Appalachian Trail
Published: September 13, 2012
A little bit of humor today, Appalachian Trail style.This video showcases a typical conversation when you tell someone you are going to hike the Appalachian Trail. I don’t think that people…
Read More Humor – I’m Going To Hike The Appalachian Trail
A Tribute To Kilimanjaro
Published: October 4, 2012
Here is a tribute video to Kilimanjaro (aka Flosser, aka Brian Sarvis, aka Flossermnajaro-AT)…the man of many names… Kilimanjaro hiked with us for the first 700 miles of the Appalachian…
Read More A Tribute To Kilimanjaro
Running Shoes – Brooks Cascadia Review
Published: August 14, 2014
Strava keeps sending me emails. At first I thought it was nifty. You can document the shoes that you used for your run, you know, so other people could see…
Read More Running Shoes – Brooks Cascadia Review
Adventures in Self-Publishing
Published: May 2, 2015
Ever had a bad case of writers block? Yeah…well, that’s not what happened to me. After returning from my Appalachian Trail thru-hike I had no problem writing, proofing, and re-writing…
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Scott Jurek on the Appalachian Trail
Published: August 7, 2015
When Luis Escobar asks “Do you want to do something epic?” you should either sit down, or run away. You never know what to expect. You might end up hitchhiking…
Read More Scott Jurek on the Appalachian Trail