Planning and Pivoting on the Appalachian Trail: Real-Time Information Gathering, Assessment, and Sharing Strategies of Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers.

Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail is a significant endeavor that requires notable preparation and planning by the hiker before they begin the trail. Additionally, given the variety of environmental, social, physical, and mental circumstances that thru-hikers encounter, they must be able to acquire and apply real-time information to adjust their plans to account for emerging, changing, and potentially difficult situations while on trail. Through thematic analysis of data collected from semi-structured interviews with seven adults who have successfully completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, this study demonstrates that real-time information gathering, assessment, and sharing practices on the Appalachian Trail are inherently dynamic and social practices. Additionally, it illustrates that planning and preparation continue as active practices while on trail. This research influences the understanding of information behavior of hikers of long-distance trails such as the Appalachian Trail and may assist aspiring thru-hikers of long-distance trails prepare for thru-hikes.