⚡ Things got a little “extreme” at Weaverville Elementary School (WVES), as Jennifer Pharr Davis, National Geographic Explorer and former Appalachian Trail speed record holder, regaled fourth graders with her experiences conquering the 2,198-mile trail.
WVES students have been learning about life in extreme environments. During a presentation in the school’s gym on Monday, Davis connected those lessons to her own harrowing journey through snow, cold, and storms. She shared tools of the thru-hiking trade, like a sturdy backpack, tent, sleeping bag, headlamp, and dehydrated food. She spoke of a love for nature that awoke in her during her hike, but she got the biggest reaction when she talked about getting struck by lightning while trying to shelter from a storm on top of a mountain.
“I made the mistake of getting under a tin roof,” she said. “I was lucky, because it hurt a lot but I didn’t get injured.”
She then demonstrated the “lightning pose,” a method for protecting oneself against lightning strikes while outside.
“Get away from any other people if you’re in a group, crouch down, and put your hands behind your head,” she explained. “If you have something like a backpack or a camping pad, put that between you and the ground. Stay away from trees or anything metal.”
Later, she described waking up to eight inches of snow while she was in a remote part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Even with her cold weather gear, the constant falling snow and wind left her damp and freezing cold as she barely made it to shelter. At another point, she described feeling deeply connected to nature while exploring Roan Mountain.
“The outdoors can be unpredictable, but even so, the beauty is undeniable,” she said. “We live in such a biodiverse and special place, and I want the kids to understand how valuable it is to go out and explore, with safety in mind, of course.”
Davis grew up in Western North Carolina and graduated from Hendersonville High School. She has covered over 14,000 miles, exploring trails on six different continents and in all 50 states. She has hiked the Appalachian Trail three times, and in 2011, she became the first woman to hold the overall record - or Fastest Known Time - by completing the 2,190-mile path in 46 days, for an average of 47 miles per day.