Plan a thru-hike: permits, resupply, and gear
A thru-hike fully planned and ready to start — permit secured and start date set, a resupply schedule built town by town with mail drops and food plans, base weight audited against a target with a final gear list, training and shakedown hikes completed, and emergency communication, contacts, and finances arranged.
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Included with every copy
- Your own copy — keep it forever
- Gets better over time — free updates included
- Run it on web and mobile
- Invite a partner to go through it with you — you share the same progress
- 3 knowledge checks to test what you've learned
- The playbook's community — ask questions, get additions, and see how other buyers improve it, right on the step
Who it's for
Long-distance hikers preparing a multi-week or multi-month thru-hike of the AT, PCT, CDT, or a comparable route. Suited for first-time thru-hikers who have some backpacking experience but need a systematic planning framework.
About this playbook
This guide walks you through every decision needed to plan a multi-month thru-hike — from choosing a route and securing permits to building a town-by-town resupply schedule, auditing your gear against a base-weight target, and setting up safety and logistics. You start with route selection and permit deadlines, then build a resupply plan that accounts for food weight, calories, and mail-drop timing. A full gear audit helps you hit your weight goals, and a shakedown hike confirms everything works before you go. This does not cover on-trail navigation, first-aid training, or physical conditioning programs — those are separate skills. The result is a complete, departure-ready plan you can execute with confidence.
What you'll do, step by step
Free preview — these steps are open to read in full before you buy.
Phase 1: Route and timeline
0/3Choose your trail, set a start date, and build a staged itinerary with daily mileage targets that everything else depends on.
- 0/41 hour
- 45 min
- 0/41 hour
Phase 2: Secure every permit for the trail
0/3Research, apply for, and confirm every permit your route requires — national park backcountry permits, wilderness permits, fire permits, and any special-use authorizations.
- 1 hour 30 min
Phase 3: Build your resupply schedule
4 stepsPhase 4: Audit gear and hit your base-weight target
4 stepsPhase 5: Arrange logistics, budget, and safety
3 stepsPhase 6: Shakedown, pack, and finalize
4 stepsDetails
What you need first
A chosen route or shortlist of routes you are considering. Basic backpacking gear, even if outdated or heavy, to use as a starting point. Access to a digital scale accurate to 1 gram or 0.1 ounce. A flexible calendar with a 2–6 month window before your desired start date.
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About the creator
I write playbooks about hiking, mountains and the outdoors. Step by step, in the order things actually happen.