The Triple Crown of hiking consists of the Appalachian Trail (AT), the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), and the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). Each of these trails stands as an epic adventure in itself. Backpackers who wish to accomplish a thru-hike pick one of the great trails and normally allow five or six months to complete the journey. The north-south orientation of the routes, along with elevations up to 13,000 feet, requires careful planning to avoid dangerous weather situations. Snow can fall on parts of all three trails any month of the year.
The charm and accessibility of the AT draw crowds of hikers, and thousands have completed thru-hikes between Maine and Georgia. Many have hiked from Mexico to Canada on the PCT through terrain ranging from scorching desert to alpine tundra. Far fewer have accomplished thru-hikes of the CDT, a much more demanding trek border to border through rugged mountains where there is often not even a trail, but merely a general direction of travel. A number of backpackers have captured the Triple Crown, thru-hiking the three trails in separate years for a combined total of more than 7,300 miles. Only once before have all three trails been hiked in a single year. |
