Students are stocking up on gorp, flair and moleskin in preparation for the 50 this weekend, in which a group of 32 hikers will embark on a 53.6-mile hike from Hanover to the Mount Moosilauke Ravine Lodge.
Hikers interviewed by The Dartmouth said they are most looking forward to the opportunity to bond with their groups while on the trail, though some worry about the physical toll of such a long hike.
"I'm really excited about being able to bond with people more than I normally get to do in day-to-day interactions," Ben Waller '12, who plans to hike the 50 this weeked, said.
Emily Niehaus '12, a fellow student-hiker, said that the hike is a great opportunity to spend quality-time with close friends.
"I think I'm most excited about doing [the 50 because of] the three girls that I'm hiking it with, to share the experience with them and go through it together," Niehaus said.
Niehaus said she has been resting and eating healthily in preparation for this weekend.
"I think it's going to be one of the hardest things I've ever done," she said.
The 50 is extremely physically demanding on hikers, according to Heather Reiley '12, who has volunteered at support stations twice before and will also hike the 50 this weekend.
"I've seen how beat up people's feet are," she said. "I'm kind of nervous about the physical battering."
Eric Ross '11, who has helped direct the 50 twice before, said he is looking forward to helping at the support stations this time around instead of hiking.
"Supporting is a ton of fun because you get to dress up and act crazy and help [hikers] have a good time," he said.
A total of six support stations, which are camps along the trail, are manned by volunteers who dress up in flair and attend to the hikers' various needs.
Support staff members might help refill water bottles, patch up blisters, feed the hikers or even provide a back massage, Ross said.
Favorite support stations from past years have included a Hogwarts-themed station complete with wands made out of sparklers and a staged fight between characters from the "Harry Potter" series, according to Stephanie Crocker '12, who directed the 50 twice and will hike it herself for the first time this weekend.
A "Yellow Brick Road" directed hikers to an Emerald City support station in previous years, and a student dressed up as the Cat in the Hat belayed from a tree to welcome hikers to a Dr. Seuss-themed station, according to Crocker.
Students who completed the 50 in the past advised Niehaus to "take the hike one support station at a time," she said.
Experienced hikers warned her against looking too far ahead, since doing so can be "daunting," she added.
Due to the reduced size of the student body during the Summer term, the directors of the 50 must focus on recruiting enough volunteers to work at all the support stations, Brynne Weeks '12, one of the directors this term, said. A group of approximately eight volunteers is required to staff each of the six stations along the trail.
Although many students wanted to hike the 50, only 30 percent of the applicants were accepted this term, according to Weeks.
"A ton of people applied, more than usual," she said.
Preparations for the 50 have been similar to those in previous years, Weeks said. Hikers completing the 50 over the summer, however, will face the additional hazards of insects and heat.
Hikers of the Appalachian Trail can also present complications for students hiking the 50, Weeks said.
"[Appalachian Trail] hikers can be a little dangerous," she said. "You don't want them coming in and crashing the support stations."
There is also the risk of hikers getting lost during the night, though participants will have cellphone reception throughout the majority of the hike, Weeks said.
