Challenge conquered: 5-year-old hikes Appalachian Trail before starting kindergarten
A 5-year-old’s adventures normally are kept close to home — the backyard, neighborhood or a park. But Harvey Sutton went on an adventure of a lifetime that would be too much for many adults.
Days before he is scheduled to start kindergarten, he and his family finished the Appalachian Trail on Aug. 9, The Associated Press reported.
According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, while thousands start a thru-hike, only about 1 in 4 people complete the entire trip over five to seven months.
Harvey was 4 years old when he took the first step of the 2,193-mile trek starting in Springer Mountain, Georgia, in January.
Harvey and his family finished the trail earlier this month on Mount Katahdin in Maine.
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Harvey kept going as he studied all the wildlife along the paths and kept his energy up, thanks to Skittles stuffed into peanut butter tortillas.
He told the AP that he was never bored on the 209-day trip.
They slept in a tent, woke up at 5:30 a.m. and hiked all day. It was the routine and friendships they made with other trail hikers that kept them engaged.
One hiker, Karl Donus Sakas, traveled with the Suttons from Pennsylvania to the end of the trip.
Sakas, also known as “Sugar Man,” would create a treasure hunt for Harvey to keep him engaged while in New Jersey. Sakas hid toys and glow sticks for Harvey to find.
The excursion also logged more than just miles for the Sutton family, who hail from Lynchburg, Virginia.
“It gave us a bond and a strength that we hadn’t realized before,” Cassie Sutton told the AP.
“We’re closer than ever before,” Sutton added.
This wasn’t the first hike for the Sutton family. They’ve been conquering the wilderness since Harvey was 2.
You can see their trek on YouTube and Instagram.
Click here for more information on hiking the Appalachian Trail, including registering for a hike and getting a list of supply points and camping regulations.
Pink Skies fill the area as the sun sets and the beautiful blue ridge mountains put on their rich blue tones. Taken from Beauty Spot along the Appalachian Trail.
Sign for the Appalachian Trail at the entrance to a section of the trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.
McAfee Knob ledge at sunrise on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia.
Sunset view of the Potomac River, from Weverton Cliffs, near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia along the Appalachian Trail.
Appalachian Trail
A stone shelter offers backpackers rest atop Blood Mountain, the highest point on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia.
Boy walking with his dog in the woods into the sunset on a clear autumn day on the Appalachian Trail.
Browns Creek cascading waters lined with autumn colors of hardwood forest in the Green Mountains of Vermont
Appalachian Trail sign marking the distance to Clingmans Dome. At over 6,000 ft. Clingmans Dome is the highest point on the AT. Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tennessee.
A group of friends begins a three-day hike on the Appalachian Trail, starting in Grayson Highlands State Park at Elk Garden, on Highway 600. The first night will be spent near Mount Rogers.
Appalachian trail approach sign at Amicalola Falls state park in Dawsonville Georgia.
