I'm hitting the trail again, well rested and freshly fattened up thanks to my quick break!

I'm returning to my original starting point of Max Patch, NC, and heading south this time. My hope is to make it all the way to the southern terminus of the trail, Springer Mountain, GA. Whether or not I make it will depend on how cold it gets at night and how much of a wimp I am.

Below is the gear set I'm heading out with this time. It's getting genuinely chilly up there in the hills but I can't bring myself to give up the hammock for a tent, so I'm carrying some extra layers (fleece, thermals, and down). Not pictured because it was hiding in my pack is a compass. Don't hike without a compass. Also not pictured because it's shy is a shovel. Don't hike without a shovel.

You can roll your mouse over the image to see a labeled version (click here if you're on mobile), or if you want it in list form with weights, here you go you monster.

The only change from the above gear set is that I decided to switch back into my slightly larger pack (an Osprey Exos 46L). I love the Kumo pictured above and used it for the last 120 miles of my first section, but on this section I'm planning on only resupplying once, which means carrying about 10 days worth of rations at a time... that's a lot of food and I'll have a hard time fitting it in the 36 liter Kumo. For visual reference, the blue bag in the bottom right of the photo is my food bag loaded with only 5 days worth of food. So double that, roughly.

As with last time, I'll update whenever I get a strong enough signal. Until then, adios!