As a general rule of caution, the Appalachian Trail is not considered beginner-friendly. It’s a challenging hike thanks to the significant elevation changes, rocky terrain, and long distances.

The Appalachian Trail: Google celebrates the 2,193 mile path with interactive doodle. ... White Mountain National Forest, and more, the trail traverses about 450,000 feet of elevation changes.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy rates Pennsylvania with a 3 overall difficulty rating and a range from 1 ("flat and smooth") to 9 ("rock scrambling that is difficult and extended").

That's still pretty fast, likely putting him in the top 10 times for completing the trail. "When I first looked at this on a map in terms of elevation climb, it made my hands get a little sweaty ...