GARDNERS, PA — For hikers trekking the grueling Appalachian Trail, a sweet—but punishing—tradition awaits at the halfway mark near Gardners, Pennsylvania. The Pine Grove Furnace General Store challenges “thru-hikers” to down a half-gallon of ice cream in one sitting, a feat that’s become legendary over the last 40 years.
Sam Cooper, a 32-year-old dairy farmer from Tennessee with the trail name “Pie Top,” recently completed the challenge after a 7-mile rainy hike. Despite finishing all 2,500 calories of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in nearly 40 minutes, he described the experience as “pure misery,” joking that “nobody should be doing this.”
The challenge is a rite of passage among the few hikers who attempt the entire 2,197-mile trail in a single season. Calorie needs on the trail can reach 6,000 per day, but hauling and consuming that much food in rough terrain is no small task.
Hikers like Stephan Berens (“Speedy”) from Germany have embraced the tradition, finishing their ice cream in under 30 minutes after long miles on the trail. The fastest recorded completion was under 4 minutes, set two years ago.
Those who finish earn a commemorative wooden spoon and a spot on the store’s wall of fame, though many admit the challenge is tough enough to make them question their life choices.
Beyond the ice cream, the Appalachian Trail is dotted with quirky traditions—from confession logbooks to a canoe ferry—making the journey as memorable as it is demanding. Only about a third of hikers complete the entire trek, which typically takes six months, though the record is just 40 days.
For now, thru-hikers face long miles and tough terrain ahead, but the half-gallon ice cream challenge offers a sweet, if punishing, milestone on the journey north.
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