Katahdin is the Northern terminus of the AT, and one of the trail’s most iconic mountains. As Matt attempts to reach Katahdin’s summit and finish his thru-hike, we explore some of the controversy surrounding Baxter State Park, where Katahdin is located. Park leadership has clashed with both Indigenous governments and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy over the past few decades, and some say that the AT might need to find a new Northern terminus.

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Matt enters Maine, the last state of his AT journey, and by far the most remote section of the Appalachian Trail. We explore recent plans to protect large swaths of the 100-mile wilderness - but Indigenous leaders from the Wabanaki Alliance have different ideas about what constitutes land protection.

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Matt, Candy and their tramily continue through the White Mountains, reaching New Hampshire’s highest peak, Mt. Washington. A frustrating experience with the Appalachian Mountain Club’s alpine hut system inspires Matt to explore the history of these unique high elevation hotels. 

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While Candy prepares to return to the trail, Matt connects with a fun group of hikers and forms a “tramily.” As Candy rejoins, the group enters New Hampshire’s White Mountains, famous for both spectacular views and extremely challenging terrain. We explore the balancing act that land managers are playing between protecting sensitive ecosystems and allowing access to these spectacular landscapes.

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As Candy is forced off trail, Matt experiences numerous obstacles as he tries to continue the hike. He learns of a Native American reservation in Connecticut that threatened to shut down the trail, and he is nearly stopped in his tracks by a bite from a tick. 

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Matt and Candy experience some of the most challenging terrain along the entire AT during an intense thunderstorm. The weather is changing, and that makes an AT thru-hike more dangerous and difficult to plan. We explore how climate change is altering the trail and the trail experience. An injury forces Matt and Candy to reevaluate their plans.

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Candy reflects on how few older women she sees thru-hiking the AT, and we dive into the history of Appalachian Trail thru-hikes. This history begins with Grandma Gatewood, the woman who popularized the concept of a thru-hike in the 1950s. 

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As Matt and Candy reach Harper’s Ferry, known as the psychological mid-point of a thru-hike, we explore how the trail went from simple footpath to a uniquely shaped National Park. The AT’s history is also a history of racial segregation, and we talk to historians and modern hiking guides who are using the trail to teach about the underground railroad.

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Matt and Candy experience tragedy on the AT. A friend and fellow hiker loses his life in a tragic accident, forcing Matt to reflect on the loss of his dad, and his reasons for thru-hiking. The AT was born out of grief, and we explore how the trail’s origin story is connected to loss and reflection. 

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Matt and Candy hike their first 20 mile day, despite Candy’s fear of injury. There are other things to fear on the trail too - Matt and Candy have their first encounter with a Timber Rattlesnake, and they start to explore the ecological history of the Appalachians.

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