Andy’s Upcoming SHT Thru-Hike

Thru-hiking has always been on Andy’s mind ever since his first backpacking experience back in 2014. Andy hiked a small section of the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) back then with a group of friends. He found backpacking to be a very humbling and rewarding experience that resets oneself to the present and connects one back to the meaningful. His love for backpacking has never ceased. Fast forward 5 years and Andy is now planning to complete the entire trail that gave him his first taste of backpacking.

The term thru-hike describes hiking a trail in its entirety from end to end in a continuous attempt. The SHT is a 310-mile trail in MN following the north shore of Lake Superior. A thru-hike of the SHT typically takes people 3-4 weeks to complete. Andy is planning to finish in 3 weeks (21 days) which means he needs to hike an average of almost 15 miles/day. The extended duration of a thru-hike takes more planning than your typical section hike. Andy will be beginning his thru-hike on September 8 and be traveling southbound. He will be documenting his hike daily, so stay tuned for updates.

The biggest change from planning a section hike to planning a thru-hike is the resupply. This is something we have never done before. The longest we have ever backpacked is 5 days, so we were able to carry everything on us. Andy’s trip, however, is 21 days and there is no way to carry all that food. Resupplying food, fuel, and other items that may run low is a must to keep pack weight low which will make those 15-mile days more manageable.

Clothing and gear are the other two packing considerations. Packing these things though is a bit more familiar to Andy but will differ slightly from what we are used to on our shorter trips. He needs to consider weight at all times which means he will be leaving some comfort items home. The lighter the pack weight, the less wear and tear on your body over the course of the thru-hike. Andy used a spreadsheet to create a packing list and categorize items. As he packs, there will be a pack shakedown and he will end up leaving some things.

Planning the resupply route and packing the resupply boxes has been the most challenging part of preparing for this thru-hike, but also the most fun. You have to consider the distance between towns/pick up locations along the trail, the distance of each town/pick up location from the trail, and how many miles you are capable of going each day. This will all determine what you need to pack in each resupply box and where each resupply box will be picked up.

Andy was pretty excited to plan the resupply route. He pulled up a spreadsheet while we were on our summer road trip and started developing a plan. The Superior Hiking Trail Association also has some good resources on their website for planning a thru-hike. They have an excellent reference sheet that provides trail milages to each campsite and trailhead. Andy used that to calculate the resupplies.

After some quick math, Andy figured he will be resupplying 5 times every 3-4 days. Those could be combined into a 7-day supply and skip every other resupply, but Andy decided not to do that for a couple of reasons. First, he wants to keep the pack weight light. The food won’t add a lot of weight but ounces add up especially when attempting 15 miles/day. The variance in weight will also be less when you go from no food and resupply to 4 days of food instead of 7 days of food. Less food also means more room for additional clothing layers which will be critical in the cooler month of September (more about clothing below).

He also chose to limit the food to the edge of just enough so that he didn’t get stuck with extra food. If he discovers the quantity of food is not enough, he can supplement in town every 3-4 days instead of waiting a week. The other reason he chose to do more frequent resupplies was to limit the loss if a critter got into his food. Ideally, critters won’t get into the food with good food management practices, but he’d rather lose 4 days of food instead of 7 days if it did happen.

Convenience also plays a big factor in deciding the resupply route. Luckily, there are towns close to the trail fairly frequently. There is also a shuttle service on the Superior Hiking Trail that you can arrange resupply drop-offs at trailheads instead of having to walk all the way into town. One of the most common ways to have your resupply package delivered to town before your hike is to mail it. We are trying to stay frugal though and plan to drop them off as we drive up to the beginning of Andy’s hike. The Superior Hiking Trail Association offers a list of businesses that may hold your package, just be sure to call ahead of time to make arrangements to do so.

Andy finds clothing to be the next most challenging consideration when packing. This is because you need to find a balance to not overpack but also have enough to be prepared for the varying weather conditions. September in northern Minnesota can vary greatly. During the day it can be up in the 70’s and at night down into 30’s, so packing layers will be crucial to staying comfortable. Wind and rain also need to be accounted for.

Andy has done his fair share of fall camping and a little bit of winter camping so he is well aware of his cold tolerance. He has a fairly high cold tolerance whereas Sarah has a fairly low cold tolerance. When we fall hike together, the clothing we pack is vastly different. You will need to be aware of how your body responds to varying temperatures and weather conditions to avoid a miserable trip.

The gear Andy is packing will be a slimmed-down version of what we normally take on a shorter section hike. Andy decided to ditch the tent in exchange for a more packable hammock and tarp for his shelter. Other than better packability, the hammock also stays off the ground which will be great if it rains – no wet or muddy tent to deal with. An underquilt around the underside of the hammock will keep Andy nice and warm during the chilly nights. Using just a sleeping bag in a hammock will not provide any insulation on the underside because the sleeping bag gets compressed under your weight and loses its insulating properties. A topquilt is preferred over a sleeping bag by most hammockers due to better packability and lighter weight. Andy decided to sacrifice that though and go with his sleeping bag instead of purchasing a topquilt.

Another change to the gear was the cookware. Packing for only one will be a bit more simple. Only a couple of things are needed and the larger items can stay at home. Andy plans to cook only meals that involve no cleanup, mainly Mountain House freeze-dried meals and oatmeal packets. These require only a cup to boil water in and then add the boiling water to the package to cook the meal. Andy will be carrying a small backpacking stove and fuel to boil water. He could save weight and try to start a fire every night, but if the wood is wet it will be a cold dinner. The rest of the food won’t require cooking, so the only other thing needed is a spork to eat with. Sporks are by far the best eating utensil – it is both a spoon and fork in one!

The last of the gear is what we call the essentials. This gear is things like a first aid kit, headlamp, water purification, etc. Andy will also bring some “gadget gear” to record and document the thru-hike. This is non-essential but will keep him busy as he hikes. He’ll be bringing an action camera, battery pack to charge camera and phone, and possibly a solar charger.

For more on Andy’s preparation for his SHT thru-hike, check out the podcast below and look for more to come.

Listen to more podcasts from Hiking Thru Life!

Peace, love, and hike thru life!