As of March, 2001, the ATC records show that 5,963 people have reported completing the AT. Of these, about 70% were Northbounders, 20% Section-hikers, and 10% other (Southbounders, Flip-floppers, other).
Completion Time
Again, according to the ATC, it takes a little over 6 months on average for someone to complete a thru-hike.
Length of AT
During the year 2000, the official length of the Appalachian Trail was 2,167.1 miles. But this changes from year to year due to relocations.
Success Rate
Hard figures seem to be hard to come by, but recently it seems upwards of 3000 people may attempt a thru-hike in a given year, and perhaps 15% make it.
Current Numbers
In response to a request, Lauren Post of the ATC sent me the most
recent figures, though the numbers are still coming in.
"For the year 2000 so far, our numbers for Northbounders :
Beginning at Springer Mountain: 2900
Passing through Neels Gap: 2600
Passing through Harpers Ferry: 764"
As of 2/12/2001, there have been 518 reported completions for year 2000 (these numbers WILL INCREASE):
Northbound: 379
Southbound: 43
Flip-Flop: 27
Section: 69
Personal:
Pack Weight
With 2 liters of water and 6 days worth of food, my pack often topped out at 50 to 55 pounds. No, I'm not very proud of that fact.
Weightloss
When I began the trip I weighed about 220, but by the time I returned I had dropped down to almost 165, a loss of about 55 pounds! I wont say how much I've put back on since I returned.
Mileage
Including 12 zero-days, I averaged about 12.4 miles per day overall during the hike.
Cost
The cost for hiking the AT is roughly $2000 to $5000. I don't have an exact figure, but I estimate I ended up near the high end of that range. Keep in mind, I ate restaurant meals at every opportunity and often sprung for motel rooms even when cheaper options were available. The AT can be hiked for much less than I spent.
