The 100 Mile Wilderness

When I was 20 years old, I hiked 122 miles on the Appalachian Trail (AT), through the “100-Mile Wilderness” of Maine with my dad, my brother, and a dog. I was a young and healthy individual, and fully believed I was up for the task. We had 12 straight days of hiking – approximately 10 miles a day – up, over, down, and around the mountains ahead of us. Having never taken on an adventure quite like this, I did some moderate hiking to prepare, but I truly had no idea what I was in for. Little moments of doubt would creep in, but I had great self-confidence and a lot of faith in myself to succeed.


The thing you have to realize about the 100-Mile Wilderness is that it is the longest contiguous section of trail on the AT. Once you start it, there is no turning back. There is no quick or easy way to exit this section. Technically, before you even start the 100-Mile Wilderness, you have to climb 5.1 miles to the top of Mount Katahdin, and your descent from the top is the start of the AT hike. So, we went up and down Mt. Katahdin in one day, where I earned the trail name “Flat Rock” because I would stop and lay on any flat rock I could find. Then we spent the night in a hostel. The next day, we were dropped near the trailhead for the 100-Mile Wilderness. And to this day, I remember seeing the sign at the entrance, warning us: there are no routes to exit this section; do not go forward unprepared; do not take this lightly. I also remember thinking, We are prepared, we have food. I’m with my family. I think I can handle this.  

The warning sign before you enter the 100-mile wilderness

Fourteen years have passed since this adventure, and the memories are fuzzy, but a few stand out. Overall, we had an amazing experience. It was a very healing journey for my brother, and I am so grateful I was present to share that with him. For me, though, I really learned to put my trust in my family to keep me safe, and they put their trust in me to keep going. 

My dad, my Brother and I pose with our dog Moose!

At approximately the half-way point of this wilderness, there is a service road. There is no traffic on this road, but technically you could walk a couple miles and be off the trail…but you’d just be on another road, still in the middle of nowhere. But as we crossed this road, knowing we had another six days ahead of us, I tempted my family: 

“We could just end it now, what do you guys think?” 

There was this small glimmer inside me that wanted to end it that day. I thought, Sure, I can keep going, but haven’t I done enough? Who am I proving anything to by continuing? And don’t get me wrong — I wasn’t really struggling on the trail. Everything had been very manageable and reasonable up to this point. It was just challenging enough. 

The winding trail


But we all kept going. And that’s when my dad told me we have our steepest ascent ahead of us…that same day. Not the longest, but the steepest. 

So half way through our journey, my brain was given this glimmer of hope to end this huge mental and physical challenge, and my family pushed me to keep going…and we went right into what seemed like the hardest hike yet. That was the first time I cried on the trail. I had to stop a lot and rest. My calves were absolutely burning. My mental fortitude seemed non-existent. Hiking at such an incline was a hard pill to swallow, knowing that I could’ve ended this a few hours prior. But I just kept telling myself, I can do it, and I made it to the top. 

I did something that felt absolutely impossible while I was doing it. I thought for sure that steep ascent would be the end of me. But it wasn’t. I found a new version of myself at the top of that mountain. 

I don’t even remember the mountain’s name, but it doesn’t matter. After that day, I had a new perspective for the rest of the hike — BUT, wow, I also learned my biggest life lesson. So here it is, in my own words, and then summed up in one of my all-time favorite quotes, which I found shortly after the AT trail hike. My body and my mind are capable of so much more than I know.

I couldn't tell you what day it is or what mountain we are on.

“I found that I could find the energy ... that I could find the determination to keep on going. I learned that your mind can amaze your body, if you just keep telling yourself, I can do it ... I can do it ... I can do it!”


 - Jon David Erickson

So here I am now, 14-ish weeks pregnant. Preparing for the home birth I’ve always envisioned. Reading beautiful birth stories. Watching birth videos. And learning how they embraced the same strength I found as I climbed up that mountain, as I hiked 122 miles through the wilderness of Maine. 

It’s not just the physical fortitude that matters, but your mentality, how you speak to yourself, and the people who surround you during your pregnancy and at your birth. You set the tone for what you will accomplish. And, just as I did at the top of that nameless mountain, you will meet a new version of yourself when that baby is born.

I wrote this in November 2024 shortly after I found out I was pregnant for the first time at 34 years old. I cannot tell you how many times I have referenced this moment on my Appalachian Trail hike whenever I was enduring through life. Once again it proved its relevance as I began to mentally and emotionally prepare for a home birth. I look forward to more reflections as I step into parenthood.