Virus pandemic disrupts Appalachian Trail dreams

When Alexandra Eagle first mentioned plans to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alongside her new husband, her sister told her they'd either be divorced in five months or married forever.

Eagle, 33, and Jonathan Hall, 36, had just moved out of their Brooklyn apartment when they married on March 2, the three-year anniversary of the blind date that brought them together.

They had talked about the Appalachian Trail in their first conversation and, when it came time to plan a honeymoon, they decided to make the hike.

The couple spent a year researching, training and saving before setting off on the 2,190-mile (3,525-kilometer) journey just seven days after their wedding.

They knew about the new coronavirus spreading across the globe but considered themselves lucky to be trading Brooklyn for a tent on the trail, especially as New York fell under restrictions to prevent to the virus's spread.

As the pandemic grows, hikers face the difficult decision to postpone their dreams or ignore warnings and forge ahead.

Like virtually every other entity in the U.S., the Appalachian Trail Conservancy began issuing COVID-19 safety guidance in mid-March. But social distancing and hand washing suggestions soon shifted to urging all hikers to leave the trail immediately.

Shelters and privies were shut down and volunteer programs were halted.

On Wednesday, the conservancy and 29 other trail-maintaining clubs asked federal officials to close the trail until the end of the month.

Though more than 3,000 "thru-hikers" set out to traverse the length of the trail each year, only about 25% successfully make the hike from Georgia to Maine, which typically takes about six months.

Eagle and Hall never considered any scenario but finishing.

They picked up speed as they moved into the Great Smoky Mountains along the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

They woke to sunrise on Clingmans Dome — the trail's highest point — a view that seemed to sum up exactly what they'd hoped for from their newlywed adventure.

At the same time, families across the United States braced for lockdowns as COVID-19 spread through cities and towns claiming more lives.

Days would pass before Eagle and Hall had enough cellphone service to see just how dire the crisis had become.

Kimberly Selvage quit her job, rented out her house in Las Vegas and started her hike on Feb. 26.

The 51 year old said she thrives by herself and set out to hike the trail alone, so when whispers of possible closures and restrictions started to spread, she wasn't too concerned and pressed on.

But as more and more trails closed and communities issued shelter-in-place orders, Selvage made the decision to throw in the towel for the time being after hiking 470 miles.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Image Source: Unsplash/Representative