LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville native is back home in Kentucky after spending the last several months climbing, hiking and sleeping outside.
Charity Stoltz, 22, who currently lives in Oldham County, just hiked the Appalachian Trail.
"14 states, 2,193.1 miles," she said.
Stoltz's journey took months, from April until September.
"I just always had a passion for being outside and that grew over time obviously," she said.
Stoltz originally started her hike alone, with just a goal to complete the trail in sections over the next several years. However, once she got started, she decided she couldn't stop until she had hiked the entire trail on this trip.
"I started with the intention to only hike for a month, or try to at least hit 300 miles, and then I fell in love and couldn't leave," she said.
She deferred her acceptance to graduate school and kept going on the trail. Stoltz met a group of friends along the way from across the country and continued her hike alongside them.
"They'll be lifetime friends for sure," she said.
Charity Stoltz says she finished her hike with her "trail family"
Stoltz said usually she would sleep outside in her hammock. She began thinking positively about the rainy days, referring to them as "free showers," and wore through three pairs of shoes. Every four to five days she would stop in a town somewhere and buy food to get her through the next stopping point.
"The physical challenge of it, I think, was the most hard," she said. "I think especially during the middle when we were really tired."
According to Stoltz, each day consisted of 16 to 17 miles of hiking. The most hiking she did in one day was 44 miles, she said.
But Stoltz kept pushing forward, one foot in front of the other. State through state, she documented her journey on her phone with notes, pictures and videos.
Image from Appalachian Trail taken by Charity Stoltz
"My favorite part was definitely the people," she said. "Even my first day I met some really awesome people that really encouraged me to follow my dreams."
Stoltz said this hike gave her a new sense of confidence and independence.
"I'll be continually realizing what I've learned about myself along the way," she said.
Stoltz already has dreams of furthering her hiking experiences. She said she wants to tackle the Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail. Those two, along with the Appalachian Trail accomplishment, would give Stoltz a "triple crown of hiking" title.
Since she deferred grad school to complete this hike, Stoltz has already applied to other schools and soon has an interview. Her goal is to go into physical therapy.
Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
