Greetings,
My name is Domonick Zanarini. I’m currently a graduate student at the University of Washington in Seattle studying environmental and occupational health. I’m planning on setting out to hike the Appalachian Trail after I’m finished with my studies in July, 2011. I’ll be starting at Mount Khatadin in Maine and hiking south 2,175 miles to hopefully finish at Springer Mountain in Georgia sometime in November or December.
Some people wonder why I’m doing it. To be honest, I don’t quite understand why. Some of it has to do with accomplishing such a large and hard task, and some of it has to do with my love for hiking and the outdoors. I have been backpacking since I graduated high school in 2005. My first big trip was a hike through the Sierra mountains in California, on a section of the John Muir trail heading to Mount Whitney. After spending 7 days out there, I was hooked. It was, to me, one of the coolest things I’ve done in my life. Being outside, immersed in the scenery, having such a straightforward objective for the day (walk, eat, sleep) – all of it was new and exciting and amazing. After that trip I started hiking more regularly and backpacked when I got the chance. My second big trip was a week long trip in the Grand Canyon. It was spectacular. The desert was something that opened my eyes to the amazing geology of the United States and the contrasts of the land. During college between 2006-2009, I spent time hiking the high peaks of the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. In the summer of 2009, I also hiked part of the Long Trial in Vermont, which was my longest trip yet. I didn’t finish the trail as I skipped around a bit and visited friends, but I hiked over 100 miles of the trail. It was during that time that I started really considering thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail.
I grew up in Springfield, MA. It’s about a 40 minute ride to get out to the western part of the state where the AT in Massachusetts can be found. I hiked parts of it during the summer of 2009, and had a great time. By the end of that summer, I had more than made up my mind to hike the trail in its entirety after completing graduate school.
At the end of 2009, I moved to Seattle, WA. I sold my car, packed what little I owned, and flew across the country to a place where I didn’t know anyone. At first I was blown away by the scenery. I remember driving north along I-5 and looking behind me. There, looming ominously in the distance, was Mount Rainier. The prominence of the mountain was breathtaking as it stood thousands of feet above everything else. Continuing further on I-5 I saw the Cascade Range to my east. Sharp snowy peaks speckled the horizon. And to my west, the Olympic Mountain range which was equally beautiful, stood graciously over the Puget Sound. At that instant, I knew I was going to love Washington. Not having a car was a real bummer, but I managed (and still do) to get out and hike whenever possible. I’ve hiked several mountains in the Cascades and also the Olympics, and have done too short backpacking trips in the Cascades; one was a three day trip on the PCT, and the other was a two day end to end backpack of the Enchantments in the Central Cascades. Both were amazing trips, with beautiful alpine lakes and wonderful varied vegetation and geology to look at. The most impressive hiking trip was a short car camp trip out to the Olympic National Park coast. The rock formations that stood just beyond the shoreline were impressive. As the sun danced along the blue water and hundreds of birds flocked overhead, I remember thinking to myself – this is what life is about.
I hope to keep this journal to document my journey on the Appalachian Trail. This will be a place where I discuss anything related to the hike to share with family and friends and anyone who wishes to read. In the next several entries I’ll highlight what I’ve planned so far, what still needs to be done, and the gear I’ll be bringing.