By: Lyla “Sugar” Harrod
Bio: Lyla “Sugar” Harrod is a 38-year-old sober, queer transgender skilled thru-hiker and LGBTQ+ advocate. She is the primary recognized transgender girl to finish the Triple Crown, the primary trans girl to carry a excessive profile FKT (New Hampshire’s 48 4,000 footers), and the creator of the three,000 mile Divide to Crest Route throughout the deserts of the American West. Sugar additionally based Trail QTs, a free mentoring program for first-time queer and trans thru-hikers.
I’m about to set out for my largest problem but… a self-supported Fastest Known Time (FKT) try of the Appalachian Trail. FKT’s are what hikers name pace data for numerous trails and routes. The present self-supported report of the Appalachian Trail is held by Gossamer Gear ambassador, Heather “Anish” Anderson, with a time of simply over 54 days.
The Appalachian Trail is the most effective recognized path within the nation, and perhaps even the world. With anti-trans laws and violence at an all-time excessive, it’s necessary to me that I proceed to face proud and supply trans illustration within the mountaineering neighborhood, a neighborhood that has supported me as I’ve shared my life publicly since 2021. I hope we are able to create a dialogue about how we as hikers can help transgender folks whilst trans folks’s rights are being stripped at each degree and a few media shops attempt to persuade folks there’s something incorrect with us, and that we’re harmful.
The Appalachian Trail was my first thru-hike in 2021. That hike marked the start of a brand new chapter in my life. After two years of specializing in my sobriety and gender transition, I offered all of my issues, moved right into a backpack and by no means appeared again. The AT represents a time the place I adopted my coronary heart and started chasing my desires as an alternative of doing what was anticipated of me. More than 4 years later, I’ve made the White Mountains of New Hampshire my residence. I’ve labored at a gear store and a hostel alongside the path. I choose up fellow dirtbags after I see them with a thumb out. I’ve embraced the deep worth of place-based neighborhood and the intimate data of the mountains by which I reside. Attempting an FKT on the Appalachian Trail is my approach of embracing these mountains, expressing my love for our tradition, and of the communities that decision the Appalachians residence.
My try can be “self-supported”, which is an official designation outlined by FastestKnownTime.com. Self-supported means you might have as a lot help as you possibly can handle or discover alongside the best way, however not from any factor or particular person only for you; any help you use have to be equally out there to anybody else. This can embrace:
- Caching provides upfront
- Purchasing provides alongside the best way
- Staying at motels
- Finding or requesting meals or water.
I’ll ship myself resupply bins with meals, substitute gear and different provides. I’ll cache meals the place I can throughout lengthy stretches between cities so I don’t have to hold quite a lot of days of meals at a time. I plan to eat meals like another thru-hiker would. A weight loss plan excessive in sugar, carbs and fats to maintain myself fueled, and don’t overlook loads of protein to assist restore and replenish my muscle mass. This means a number of excessive calorie snacks, sweet and vitamin bars whereas on path and as a lot “town food” as I can pack in after I come throughout cities. I’m keen on ice cream, cake, pizza and bacon cheeseburgers. I’m positive there’s a extra skilled, much less “dirt-baggy” approach of fueling myself, however that simply wouldn’t be my fashion. I count on to burn over 5,000 energy a day, so I want low cost, bulk energy nevertheless I can get them!
One distinctive problem related to FKTs is fixed GPS monitoring. The Appalachian Trail is taken into account a “Premier Route” and subsequently it’s inspired that I’ve two types of GPS monitoring always. This is a tall order, as a result of GPS watches and gadgets are costly, and so they require common recharging. Therefore, I’ll have to hold two exterior battery packs simply to maintain up with the vitality calls for of my GPS watch, my InReach system, my telephone and my rechargeable headlamp.
Gossamer Gear is supporting my effort with some important items of substances. I’ll be utilizing the DCF Whisper shelter with a trimmed polycro sheet as a floor fabric. At simply 9 ounces, the Whisper is wildly spacious and has a bug netting skirt to maintain the mozzies at bay. I’ll sleep on the GG ⅜” Torso Foam Pad, a tremendous new tremendous light-weight possibility that gives consolation for my shoulders and hips. Lastly, I’ll use the LT5 Carbon Trekking Poles, weighing just below 5 ounces every, to barter my approach by means of probably the most rugged and steep sections of path with out weighing me down.
You can help my hike by following me on Instagram @seltzerskelter and if you wish to ship some digital path magic, you possibly can Venmo me at @lyla-h. I’ll share tidbits from my journey after I can, and I’d love to listen to any positivity and encouragement you’d prefer to share with me in my feedback, or ship me a DM to say hello! Thank you to Gossamer Gear and to all of you for supporting me and different trans athletes who want your voice and vitality now greater than ever.
Want to listen to extra trailblazing path tales? Check out associated articles on the Light Feet Blog: