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Jennifer Pharr Davis
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Five-Star Trails: Asheville

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

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Overall Appalachian Trail speed record holder, Jennifer Pharr Davis, released her brand new hiking guide book today.

Five-Star Trails Asheville: Your Guide to the Area's Most Beautiful Hikes explores the best 35 trails in and around Asheville, NC. The book provides in-depth trails descriptions, directions, and commentary on what to expect along the way. Each hike features an individual trail map, elevation profile, and at-a-glance information, helping readers quickly find the perfect hike while in the Asheville area.

Sized to fit in a pocket, the book's detailed trail descriptions will help readers find their way on and off the trail. Driving directions and GPS trailhead coordinates will help with navigating the myriad of unnamed roads. The trails covered range from those best suited to the novice, families, experienced hikers, or backpackers.

Jennifer is also the author of Becoming Odyssa: Adventures on the Appalachian Trail and Best Hikes Near Charlotte.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Jennifer Pharr Davis is one of National Geographic's nominees for Adventurer of the Year

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

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"Clingmans Dome in Tennessee. I got there just after sunset. There was this afterglow in the Smokies. You could see the lights of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Usually there are a lot of tourists, but I was up there all alone. It was still and silent."

That quote is from Jennifer Pharr Davis in an interview on the National Geographic website. The North Carolina native has been named as a nominee for National Geographic's Adventurer of the Year for setting the speed record of 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes on the Appalachian Trail earlier this year.

For seven years, National Geographic has combed the globe to find Adventurers of the Year, each selected for his or her extraordinary achievement in exploration, conservation, and adventure sports.

You can vote for Jennifer by clicking here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Jennifer Pharr Davis Breaks the A.T. Speed Record!

Sunday, July 31, 2011

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Roughly an hour ago team Davis posted this blurb on Jennifer's blog:

After 46 days, 11 hours and 20 minutes Jen has finally finished the 2,181 mile trail. She reached the end at 3:26 p.m. today. Hard to express how proud of her we are. Pics and more stories from the trail to come soon.

The now previous overall Appalachian Trail speed record was 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes. That means Jennifer has shattered the record by 22 hours!!

This also means she averaged almost 47 miles per day!

Here's an official press release from her publisher.

Major kudos and congratulations!


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com


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Much Pharr-ther down the road

Saturday, July 23, 2011

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Since the last time we checked-in on her, Jennifer Pharr Davis has made some serious progress in her quest to break the overall record for the fastest hike of the Appalachian Trail.

By my calculations she's hiked 1656 miles through 36 days, and has averaged 46 miles per day! During one 5-day stretch Jennifer put in a whopping 261 miles!

Although the terrain in Maine is quite tough, I was a little concerned that her daily mileage was a little low after averaging "just" 40 miles per day over the course of the first 10 days. But once she got into New York her daily mileage really picked up.

On the latest blog posting, which is likely through July 20th, her crew estimates that she will be finishing up at Springer Mountain in Georgia either on Sunday night, July 31st, or Monday morning, August 1st.

As of that last posting she was in southwest Virginia, and has 524 miles to go, meaning, she expects to average roughly 47.6 miles per day over the final 11 days of her quest. This also means she will have surpassed the current record of 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes, by roughly a half day!


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Keeping Up With The Pharr Davis's

Sunday, July 10, 2011

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Last time we checked-in with Jennifer Pharr Davis she had already completed 242 miles of the Appalachian Trail, and was on her way to tackling the Presidential Range in New Hampshire.

Two weeks later, Jennifer is now in New York with another 460 miles under belt (through 18 days reported on her blog).

Davis is attempting to break the overall Appalachian Trail speed record of 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes. Jennifer will need to average roughly 46.5 miles per day. So far she's averaging a little more than 42 miles per day, but this includes some very tough terrain in Maine and New Hampshire.

Around day 5 of her A.T. odyssey she started feeling severe pain from shin splints. Using a regimen of tape, ice, ibuprofen and compression socks, she's been able to manage the pain, and seems to be on the road to recovery.

While in the White Mountains she also had some stomach problems, and saw a lot of nasty weather - rain, wind and sleet. But in the last few days her quest seems to be hitting stride.

You can keep up with her adventure by visiting her blog.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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How Pharr will she go?

Sunday, June 26, 2011

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Jennifer Pharr Davis is now one week into her attempt to break the overall Appalachian Trail speed record. In order to break the current record of 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes, she will have to average roughly 46.5 miles per day. So far she's averaging just above 34.5 miles per day. However, she's traversing through some very tough terrain, including the Mahoosuc Range, which is considered to be the toughest mountains on the trail.

In just seven days, and 242 miles, Davis has already completed the Maine portion of the AT, and appears to be on pace for her record breaking attempt up to this point. Today she'll enter the Presidential Range in New Hampshire.

Jennifer has already paid a steep price for pushing through all that tough terrain at the pace she's on. Sometime during day 5 she started experiencing shin splints on her left leg. She described it on her blog as the most painful injury she's ever had. This will be something that will be hard to shake off as she proceeds down the trail.

Here's Jennifer crossing the Kennebec River:

Ms. Davis has already seen a bear and several moose along the way. You can read more details about her adventures and follow her progress on her blog.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Jennifer Pharr Davis set to begin A.T. odyssey this week

Saturday, June 11, 2011

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If all goes as planned, sometime this week Jennifer Pharr Davis will begin her much anticipated attempt at breaking the overall Appalachian Trail speed record. Jennifer already owns the Women’s Speed Record for the fastest thru-hike of the A.T., setting the record in 2008 after completing the trail in just over 57 days.

To break the overall record she'll have to hike the entire 2,180-mile trail in less than 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes. That's an average of 47 miles a day!

She plans on making a southbound hike on this occasion. Her start date will depend on trail and weather conditions in northern Maine, and she'll only depart from Mount Katahdin if there's a clear forecast.

As part of her strategy, when possible, she plans hiking up mountains and running down them. To get through her 16-hour days she'll consume at least 6,000 calories per day. This is 3 to 4 times what the average person typically consumes in a day!

As you might expect, Davis has generated quite a bit of publicity after making her formal announcement of the attempt back in April. Women's Adventure Magazine published a nice feature article on her in late May, and earlier in the week, National Geographic Adventure published an excellent Q&A with her.

Also, take a look at author Johnny Molloy's interesting piece in Blue Ridge Outdoors about the recent phenomenon of "speed hiking".

I'm not sure how often her team will be providing updates, but she told me in an email that people will be able to keep up with her progress on her blog.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Jennifer Pharr Davis Sets Sights on the Appalachian Trail’s Overall Speed Record

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

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I heard a few rumblings about this a few months ago, but wasn't sure if it was true or not. But now comes confirmation from a press release that Jennifer Pharr Davis will indeed attempt to break the Appalachian Trail’s Overall Speed Record this June. To break the record, she will have to hike the entire 2,180-mile trail in less than 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes.

Davis is the current holder of the Women’s Speed Record for the fastest thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

To break the overall record, Davis will have to hike an average of 47 miles a day! She will have trail support from legendary ultra-runner and former AT and Pacific Crest Trail speed record holder David Horton, as well as veteran AT expert Warren Doyle and Davis’ husband, Brew Davis. Her record-breaking fastpacking career and influence in the industry is remarkable, given that she picked up the sport just six years ago.

“Whenever I’m not on a trail, I am being pulled back to it. Hiking is not only something I enjoy, it’s my passion, my career and my calling,” says Davis. “It’s so fulfilling that I have people I love supporting this next speed challenge. I hope to elevate awareness of the sport and the outdoors, and to get more people involved in sharing a similar passion.”

Davis wrote a memoir, Becoming Odyssa, sharing an intimate look at how thru hiking can help shape a person in many ways. The book, released in the fall of 2010, details how Davis, as an inexperienced hiker fresh out of college, tackled a steep learning curve on the Appalachian Trail, learning about herself and falling in love with the sport along the way. The book has been applauded by seasoned thru hikers, but also inspires adventure, strength and discovery on a broader scale. Davis recently wrote two guide books, Best Hikes Near Charlotte and Best Easy Day Hikes Charlotte. She is the owner of the Blue Ridge Hiking Company, which offers coaching, guiding and public speaking services.

Jennifer has hiked more than 9,000 miles of long-distance trails and has trekked on six continents. In addition to the Women’s speed record on the AT, Jennifer also holds endurance records on the Long Trail and the Bibbulmun Track. She has also completed Ironman Florida and multiple road marathons and 50k and 50 mile trail marathons. Jennifer lives in North Carolina with her husband and hiking partner, Brew Davis.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Jennifer Pharr Davis to discuss adventures on the Appalachian Trail

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

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Jennifer Pharr Davis will at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville this Saturday to discuss her book, Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail.

The book chronicles her adventures, experiences and challenges during her first A.T. thru-hike just out of college in 2005.

Davis became a local celebrity in 2008 when she set the women's speed record by completing the entire length of the 2175-mile Appalachian Trail in just 57 days, 8 hours and 35 minutes - averaging 38 miles per day - with no rest days!

Blue Ridge Books is at 152 S Main Street in Waynesville, and the book discussion will begin at 6 p.m. Click here for more information.

You can also click here for more information on the book.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Hiking and National Park related Gift Ideas

Monday, November 29, 2010

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So we're less than four weeks away from Christmas and you're still looking for some gift ideas, or maybe just trying to find a simple stocking stuffer for that outdoor lover in your life.

Let me offer a few ideas that would make any hiker or fan of the Great Smoky Mountains a happy camper on Christmas morning:

Where are the best places to hike and take pictures in the Smokies? You now have the option to take the latest technology with you into the park to guide you to the places you want to go. This summer Travel Photo Guides released its iPhone App for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The App offers the best places to hike, the best places to take pictures of beautiful vistas, rivers and waterfalls, and where to find wildflowers and wildlife. It even provides camera settings and GPS coordinates.

So maybe that hiker is a little old school. How about a couple of trail maps? National Geographic Trails Illustrated recently published two new maps for the Smokies: one for Western Smokies that includes Cades Cove and Elkmont, and the other for the Eastern Smokies that includes Clingmans Dome, Mt. Leconte and Cataloochee. The maps show much greater detail, including backcountry campsites, footbridges, fords and stream crossings, nature/interpretive trails, as well as detailed trail mileages.

Just last month a brand new collection of photos from Ansel Adams was published. The book is the most comprehensive collection of Ansel Adams' photographs of national parks and wilderness areas. It includes more than two hundred photographs - many rarely seen and some never before published.

How about two old classic board games with a new National Park twist? Check out the National Parks Edition of Monopoly or Yahtzee.

Although spring is still a few months away, the Great Smoky Mountains Association has an excellent wildflower field guide for the Smokies (one that I own myself). The book is packed with color photographs and explains how to identify wildflowers in the field. It also includes sections on suggested walks, hikes, and drives in the park as well.

Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail, is the brand new book from Jennifer Pharr Davis - the current female Appalachian Trail speed record holder. The new release chronicles her experiences during her first hike across the 2175-mile trail out of college.

Calendars also make for great stocking stuffers - and Amazon sells hundreds. For hikers, check out the Zen of Hiking or the Appalachian Trail wall calendars. How about the National Parks calendar, or the Blue Ridge Mountains wall calendars. The Ansel Adams calendar is always a popular choice as well.

And then of course there's always gift cards and gift certificates: Patagonia, Nantahala Outdoor Center, Backcountry.com and Amazon all offer gift cards or certificates in any amount you wish to purchase.


For more ideas, and a full list of book and maps related to the Great Smoky Mountains and the surrounding Southern Appalachian region, please visit the: Smoky Mountains Day Hikers Store


Thank you!

Jeff
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Jennifer Pharr Davis announces speed record attempt on A.T.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

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In an article published today, North Carolina native, Jennifer Pharr Davis, announced that she will be attempting to break the overall speed record on the Appalachian Trail this coming June.

In 2008 she became the women's speed record holder by completing the entire length of the 2175-mile Appalachian Trail in just 57 days, 8 hours and 35 minutes - averaging 38 miles per day - with no rest days!

Davis told writer Marty Basch in a recent phone interview that she plans to tackle the overall speed record, held by Andrew Thompson who completed it in 2005 in only 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes. Next June, Davis plans to depart from the northern terminus of the trail at Mt. Katahdin in Maine.

Davis is also the author of a new book - Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail. The book chronicles her adventures, experiences and challenges during her first A.T. thru hike just out of college in 2005.

Incidentally, I'm quite familiar with the author of the article. I've read a couple of books written by Marty Basch - an accomplished adventurer himself. Against the Wind, about his solo bicycle ride from Maine to Alaska, is a particularly good read.





Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Female AT record holder to speak at SCC

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

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The women’s Appalachian Trail Record Holder, Jennifer Pharr Davis, will be at Southwestern Community College on Wednesday, Oct. 14, to speak to students, faculty and the community about her journeys and adventures.

Last year, Davis smashed the women’s Appalachian Trail record when she completed the 2176-mile trek in just 58 days. The previous women’s record was 87 days.

Davis will share her insight on what hiking more than 8,000 miles of trails has taught her about goal setting, sacrifice and achievement. “Jennifer will inspire and teach you to experience the woods and life in a new and exciting way,” said SCC’s outdoor leadership director Paul Wolf. “In her presentation, she stresses you are never too young to set goals and never too old to dream.”

This two-session event, a part of SCC’s “Discover America Series,” will take place in the Balsam Building on the Jackson Campus. Following pizza at noon, the program titled Life Lessons from the Appalachian Trail will be 12:30-2 p.m. in the auditorium.

In session two, “How to Plan, Prepare for and Execute Adventure Events,” from 2 to 4 p.m., Davis will provide in-depth discussion about the logistics, planning and execution of such adventures, including nutrition, gear, training, schedules, budget and more.

All students, faculty and the public are invited.

Southwestern Community College in Sylva, NC can be reached by calling 828-586-4091 or 800-447-4091.


Find great deals on hiking and camping gear at Amazon:




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.
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Jennifer Davis Smashes Appalachian Trail Record

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

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As reported in a previous blog of mine, 25-year-old Jennifer Pharr Davis was close to smashing the women’s speed record on the Appalachian Trail.

Confirmation of the new record was reported today on BlueRidgeNow.com.

Davis completed the entire length of the Appalachian Trail when she sprinted across the finish line at Springer Mountain on Saturday afternoon. It took her just 58 days to complete the 2176-mile trail. The previous women’s record was 87 days, set by Jenny Jardine in 1993, which was an unsupported hike. Davis received support from her husband along the way.

Davis wrapped up the record in style. She hiked 300 miles during the final week of her journey, including a whopping 64.8 mile trek on her second to last day on the trail! “It’s the longest-known day of any of the record holders,” she was quoted as saying in the article.

Davis also said that “there are only four men that have hiked it faster” than her now. She may have to bump that number up to five soon if Karl Meltzer has any say so. On August 5, Meltzer set-off to break the overall fastest record of 47 days.

Completing the Appalachian Trail is a major feat in and of itself, but doing it the way Ms. Davis did is truly remarkable.

Congratulations!

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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New Speed Record on the Appalachian Trail

Saturday, August 16, 2008

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If all goes as planned this weekend, 25-year-old Jennifer Pharr Davis will set the women’s record for the fastest assisted thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

If she reaches Springer Mountain in Georgia by today she will have completed the entire Appalachian Trail in just 58 days. Her initial goal was to complete the trail in 60 to 80 days. Currently, Jenny Jardine holds the women’s AT speed record, setting-it in 1993 when she and her husband hiked the trail in 87 days.

There’s one key difference between the two treks though: Jardine hiked the trail unsupported, whereas Davis is hiking the trail with support from her husband, whom she married just days before launching her quest. Jennifer’s husband supplies her with food and water at road crossings and takes her camping gear to the next overnight spot. She only carries food and water in a waist-pack and doesn’t carry a backpack.

Davis began her southbound hike on June 20 at Mt. Katahdin in Maine. Once completed, she will have covered the 2,176 miles on the world-famous path for the second time. For most thru-hikers, this trek usually takes five to six months.

This is no fluke for Davis. She holds records for the fastest unsupported hikes on the 270-mile Long Trail in Vermont and the 660-mile Bibbulman Track in Australia. She has also completed the Appalachian Trail in 2005 and the 2650-mile Pacific Crest Trail in 2006.

Each day, Davis covers almost 37 miles during 13 hours of hiking, while burning an incredible 4,000 calories. She estimates that she’s run about 30 percent of the miles along the way. She’s also gone through 10 pairs of shoes so far.

Davis has undertaken this personal challenge, in part, to honor victims who have been murdered while hiking within the last year. She is honoring Meredith Emerson who was killed while hiking on Blood Mountain in Georgia this past January, and John and Irene Bryant, an elderly couple who were murdered in October while hiking in Pisgah National Forest. She hopes her record hike will assure others that, despite these isolated tragedies, they shouldn’t fear the woods.

You can follow her journal entries at: blueridgeoutdoors.com/content/category/Pharr-Out/

BlueRidgeNow.com is also covering her trek.

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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