Trans Adirondack Route (tar) Thru-Hiking Challenge

Erik established the 236.4-mile Trans Adirondack Route thru-hiking challenge in 2010. This wild and demanding long-distance path traverses the entire Adirondack Park of Upstate New York. It connects 189.3 miles (80%) of trails, 37.1 miles (16%) of roads, and 10.0 miles (4%) of cross-country travel to get from one end of the park to the other. If you're interested in attempting the Trans Adirondack Route thru-hiking challenge, begin by purchasing a copy of Blue Line to Blue Line and the official map set from our Books+ page. In recognition of thru-hikers, the managing body of this challenge, Friends of the Trans Adirondack Route, offers a thru-hiker certificate, patch, and rocker patch. Contact us for details. Be sure to print and bring route updates with you. They're available at the bottom of this page. 

Reported attempted non-winter thru-hikes = 57

Reported successful non-winter thru-hikes = 32

Reported attempted winter thru-hikes = 3

Reported successful winter thru-hikes = 1

2010: Erik Schlimmer (1)

2011: no thru-hikers – route in development stage

2012: two failed attempts

2013: Emma Gibson (2), Molly Gibson (3), Tim Shmigel (4), plus at least two failed attempts

2014: at least three failed attempts

2015: Marilyne Marchand-Gouin (5), Natti Nassiff (6), David Rothrock (7), CJ Smith (8)

2016: Dave Giese (9), Matthew Hess (10), Chip Moeser (11)

2017: Hannah Seacord (12)

2018: Erik Schlimmer (13) plus at least two failed attempts

2019: at least three failed attempts

2020: Shaun Rowe (14), Shane Stringfellow (15), Yuliya Semenova (16), Zack Kerr (17), Natalie Parker (18), Jonathan Korte (19), Andrew Kulikowski (20), Craig Miles (21), Blaine Vossler (22), plus at least five failed attempts

2021: Thaddeus Merriman (23, winter thru-hike), Jeff Sargent (24), Jeremy Marble (25), Mike LeMay (26), Michael Green (27), Jake Zehnder (28), Tony Oehler (29), plus at least two failed attempts

2022: at least two failed attempts

2023: Jeff Love (30), Kyle Nicholas (31), plus at least six failed attempts

2024: Ruth Larkin (32), Shaun Rowe (33)

Fastest Known Time

In adventure sports parlance, a fastest known time, often shortened to "FKT," is a record of who traversed what the fastest. Friends of the Trans Adirondack Route recognizes FKTs that adhere to four simple rules.

1) Follow the entire route and carry your own gear

2) Resupply yourself or be resupplied up to two times

3) Stay in accommodations (motels, hostels, camper vans, etc.) up to two nights

4) Navigate with map and compass only (no use of GPS, phone, satellite devices, etc.) 

In 2010 Erik Schlimmer hiked the route in 12 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes (19.7 miles a day)

In 2015 Marilyne Marchand Gouin hiked the route in 10 days, 6 hours, 46 minutes (23.0 miles a day)

In 2024 Shaun Rowe hiked the route in 10 days, 3 hours,0 minutes (23.3 miles a day)

Erik established the 267.9-mile High Peaks Wilderness Area hiking challenge in 2016. It is no easy task to hike each of this wilderness area's 79 trails. If you're interested in attempting the High Peaks Wilderness Area hiking challenge, begin by purchasing a copy of Among the Cloud Splitters from our Books+ page. This book contains the official list of trails, with mileage. In recognition of hikers, the managing body of this challenge, Friends of the Trans Adirondack Route, offers a hiker certificate and patch. Contact us for details.

2016: Erik Schlimmer (1)

2017: no completers

2018: Jared Whalen (2)

2019: no completers

2020: Colleen Porter (3), Loring Porter (4), Kyle Edele (5), Amanda Riggs (6), Nancy LaBaff (7)

2021: Lois Swears (8), Charles Langlois (9), Jonathan Zaharek (10), Andrew Puckey (11)

2022: Thomas Penders (12), Duane Martin (13)

2023: Chad Wilkes (14), Troy Tetreault (15)

2024: no completers

* In 2018, 192,000-acre High Peaks Wilderness Area was expanded to 275,000 acres and dubbed High Peaks Wilderness Complex. This expansion added approximately 35 miles of trails, but there's no need to hike these "new" trails. Anyone who started or finished their High Peaks Wilderness Area hiking challenge prior to 2019 will be grandfathered in.