So how did I prepare? Great question! I had some experience from day and weekend hikes but I knew this was going to be a different animal. Simply put, I did a lot of research from many sources.
Here are some of my favorites.
Websites on Hiking Generally
Andrew Skurka - A hiking legend, Andrew has written what I think is the best "how to get started hiking" article. If you’re interested in hiking, start here. Lots of solid tips, gear recommendations, and how-to's on the site as well.
Adventure Alan - My favorite. Best gear lists and reviews out there, IMHO. If you are looking to buy some gear to start hiking or upgrade some older gear, this is where you should start. He focuses on lightweight and ultralight gear but in a smart way. Lots of other great tips as well. I relied on his advice for a lot of my gear choices and he was money.
SectionHiker - A NH-based hiker's site of gear reviews, how-to's, and trip plans. If you want to hike in the White Mountains but not sure how to do it, his planning guides are a great resource. It's how I planned my three-day Pemi Loop hike. He explains where to go, how to get there, where to camp, where to find water sources, what the terrain is like, etc.
The Trek - This site focuses on hiking long trails, mostly the Big Three, aka, The Triple Crown of trails - the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail - but also some of the shorter long trails (like The Long Trail!). It shares hikers' stories, discusses hiker culture, and provides tips and advice for future hikers.
Websites on the Long Trail
Green Mountain Club - The steward of the Long Trail and the trails of Vermont's Green Mountains. The official source of all things LT.
A Guide to Long Trail Planning - Info about the Long Trail, how and where to resupply, what food to take, what gear to take, etc., for a thru-hike or section hike.
Down on the Trail - Another site for helping plan a hike of the Long Trail. Dated but still useful.
YouTube
Adventures in Backpacking - Aly/Pug Dog and Bud/North Star have completed two thru-hikes of the Long Trail (a SOBO and a NOBO) and had their first attempt thwarted by weather and a tight timeline. Their vlogs give a good feel for the trail and their advice videos on the LT are spot on. Met them on my first day as they were completing their second thru.
Homemade Wanderlust - If you've used YouTube for anything hiking-related, you likely are familiar with her content. A prolific vlogger, Dixie has dozens and dozens of videos on gear and general tips and advice for the aspiring hiker. She's also a Triple Crowner.
Darwin on the Trail - One of the better production-value YouTubers, Darwin provides lots of great advice on his channel.
Outdoor Adventures - Frozen just finished the AT in 2019 but created a bunch of content for the aspiring hiker in the years prior.
On the Trail: Hiking Through Vermont on the Long Trail - A short 15-minute documentary on hiking the Long Trail from Vermont PBS.
Walking Home - A two-hour documentary about hiking the Appalachian Trail from the PBS station in Maine. Follows a handful of hikers who hail from Maine (hence the title), but mainly focuses on a father and son's journey on the trail. It's a little slow but otherwise well done.
Books
Long Trails: Mastering the Art of the Thru-Hike by Liz Thomas
The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide, Second Edition: Tools and Techniques to Hit the Trail by Andrew Skurka
If you ever get the itch to hike, I hope you find some of these resources helpful.
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