We we're just discussing things over lunch and my wife casually mentioned giving the Appalachian Trail another thru-hike attempt as an alternative to our trip out west. The thought hadn't really crossed my mind but would be an option that would also have little to no contact with people for a six month period. Might just have to seriously consider it!
https://wildeast.appalachiantrail.org/explore/plan-and-prepare/hiking-basics/health/covid19/The ATC President and CEO is asking hikers to postpone their AT thru hikes.
I was planning on hiking the AT this year after postponing it two years in a row due to injury then due to the terminal illness of a close family member. It's been a tough 18 months and I was so looking forward to going so I understand you and your wife's disappointment in cancelling or postponing your trip. I truly do.
But please consider doing so. I've decided to wait until the beginning of May to make a final decision but as things are right now, I won't be able to go...again.
Personally, these were the considerations that went into my decision:
1) Somewhere between some to most of the parks will probably close at some point this spring and/or summer and I would be forced to stop.
2) The vast majority of thru hikers depend on shuttles and buses to get to towns for resupply, of which some to most will not be running.
3) If supply chain disruptions continue, it would be difficult to adequately resupply in many towns.
4) If more places in the country move towards a full Italian style quarantine, all non-essential business will close including many that thru hikers rely on such as hostels, hotels, outdoors stores and laundromats. If it was a true quarantine, you possibly would not legally be able to travel through the area.
5) There is confusing and conflicting information on this, but it appears that "mild" cases of COVID-19 go from asymptomatic to just avoiding needing to go to the ER and be put on a ventilator. A person in the upper range of those symptoms would have great difficulty in hiking back to a place where they could recover. I would consider myself negligent if I diverted medical bandwidth to rescue me on the trail instead of helping someone else if our healthcare resources were operating above capacity.