Page 23 - 2023 AMA Spring

Walking along the famous Appalachian Trail
for the more inexperienced navigators. I was the pacemaker ensuring the wannabe PTIs weren’t getting too carried away. Although the walk was planned in very fine detail, the one thing the instructors didn’t account for was Instagram. There were definitely a few aspiring influencers within the group making sure they had the correct angle of waterfalls when taking a boomerang selfie.
Another unfortunate day of deteriorat- ing weather struck which caused us to pull from the camp site and return to more comfortable accommodation. This decision wasn’t made lightly and the weather seemed to be the opposite of what was forecasted before our departure from the UK. We opted for a simple, more local route the next day due the conditions, taking into account the heightened risk of accident. It was nonetheless still an enjoyable albeit wet day.
Over the next few days, we carried out our plan of walking along a section of the Appalachian Trail which was within the Shenandoah National Park. We visited Rapidan Camp on one of the trails which was very interesting. This was a summer retreat which was bought by the 31st president of the United States, Herbert Hoover (not to be mistaken for Henry Hoover the dust sucking robust smiley face). The fear of snakes cut our visit short and we carried on with our hike. The scenery was truly spectacular throughout the trail and the company was just as good as we chatted along the routes, putting the world to rights, whilst being interrupted periodically by Capt Kennaugh who had seen another bear – the only person to see a bear might I add.
Cold nights in camp but warm days walking was the nature of the following days. We finished off the main part of the expedition with a 34km route to reach the top of Old Rag Mountain. I highly recommend this if anyone ever plans to
Walkers enjoying views along the Appalachian Trail
visit the Shenandoah National Park. This was probably the best day we had in terms of weather and the views were just out of this world. We relaxed at the top, ate lunch and enjoyed views of the national park, all whilst the aspiring influencers searched for the best spot to upload a story. This was the toughest walk of the week and led to a few members cutting it short by around 5km; picked up by our reliable drivers at an alternate location.
With the expedition complete and a ‘cool down’ walk the next day, we made time to visit souvenir shops to buy gifts for family and friends, and to remember our experience of the Shenandoah National Park. This was followed by a day of kit cleaning ready to be packed and transported back to the UK. As a lot of our kit was from the loan pool, we had to ensure it was all cleaned to a high and acceptable standard. This was concurrent to Cpl Gyanendra doing his final finance checks and receipt tallying whilst SSgt Rabin began the all important PXR. The trip was finished with a very nice evening meal in a local diner. As you’d expect in West Virginia, a very meaty and delicious meal was had by everyone. The next day, after a long sleep, we travelled back to the UK where we carried out the usual
Having a rest after a walk along the Appalachian Trail
close down procedures of kit checks, inspections, packing and sorting the loan pool items.
This was a great experience for all members of the expedition and one to remember. A trip that was incredibly enjoyable from start to finish, and I would love to see more of the Appalachian Trail in the future. Civilians literally pay thousands of pounds for it, yet we completed it for a fraction of the cost under the auspices of adventurous training grants and personal contributions. Several SMFs were awarded which made it all the more valuable to our junior soldiers.
Washington DC visit
On the top of Old Rag Mountain
ARMY MOUNTAINEER / 23