After spending six months backpacking on the Appalachian Trail (AT), reaching the end felt like a joyous celebration. But there was a sadness lurking just around the corner. Reaching the end meant saying goodbye to the truly unique community of people on the trail, and it also meant the end of a routine focused on extreme exercise and exploring new places.
Post-trail depression is a common topic of conversation amongst thru-hikers on the AT - most hikers understand that the transition back into the real world can be challenging. But depression probably isn’t the right word for what most thru-hikers experience when their journey comes to an end - it’s more akin to grief or sadness. But for some, trail’s end can lead to real, clinical depression. That was the case for one of the members of my trail family, Chop Chop.
Chop Chop’s reason for embarking upon a thru-hike of the AT was drastically different from my own. I had been dreaming of hiking the Appalachian Trail since I was a kid - I spend years planning the trip. For Chop Chop, the AT was a lifeline. It was his last resort - the only thing that he thought might help when he found himself lost in a deep depression.
Despite our differences, Chop Chop and I connected immediately when we met on the trail. We first met in Virginia, and our paths criss-crossed regularly until Vermont, when we connected with a few additional hikers and formed an impromptu trail family. The time that we spend on the trail together was largely joyous and celebratory. But as I got to know Chop Chop a bit more, he started to open up about his struggles with anxiety and depression.
These conversations continued after we completed our hike. Chop Chop was one of the most vocal fans of my Common Land podcast series, and we began talking about sharing his story in an episode of the show.
It’s been a slow and intentional process - we recorded our first interview over a year ago - but we’re both extremely proud of what we’ve put together. Chop Chop’s primary goal in sharing his story is to inspire others who may be struggling to get outside, go for a hike, and find their own safe space in nature.
-Matt Podolsky