View Full Version : Straight up Yo-Yo?
I've become fascinated by the Idea of Yo-Yo hike, how often does this actually happen? must be fairly common to have its own slang term n'all. Did a search & only found threads that were a couple years old (minnesotasmiths was full of good info tho), so has anyone done, or heard of it being done in recent years? any general info on yo-yoing will be appreciated. Just want to be clear that I am not claiming that I'm going to attempt a it anytime soon, I will thru again for sure, but as right now its mainly just the idea of an nonstop yo-yo.
Thanks. . .
Ape. . .
Lone Wolf
07-11-2008, 07:32
I've become fascinated by the Idea of Yo-Yo hike, how often does this actually happen? must be fairly common to have its own slang term n'all. Did a search & only found threads that were a couple years old (minnesotasmiths was full of good info tho), so has anyone done, or heard of it being done in recent years? any general info on yo-yoing will be appreciated. Just want to be clear that I am not claiming that I'm going to attempt a it anytime soon, I will thru again for sure, but as right now its mainly just the idea of an nonstop yo-yo.
Thanks. . .
Ape. . .
it doesn't happen often. i've only known 1 person in last 20+ years that did a yo-yo. most hikers are sick of hiking by the time they reach katahdin/springer.
Gotta agree with Lonewolf on this one. by the time hikers reach Katahdin (since most go northbound, I shall reference them) the last thing they want to do is hike ANOTHER 5-6 months south. Many hikers were complaining about having had enough of walking back inthe Mahoosics are before.
Now surely one heres some talk about doing a yo yo hike (some one thru hiking to Katahdin then turning right around and hiking south to Springer). However, I have not heard of anyone to have actually done it! Does any one here know of some one who actually HAS yo yo'd? would love to hear about it.
DavidNH
Lone Wolf
07-11-2008, 08:33
ward leonard
Cedar Tree
07-11-2008, 08:35
In 2000, Albatross started Jan. 1st. I started Feb. 13th. I caught him in NH and we eventually summited Katahdin together. He told me he was Yo-yoing. I never talked to him again, but I heard he did it.
CT
It's something that has been in the back of my mind. The thing that is my main obstacle to seriously planning or considering this is the many other trails that are calling out to be hiked as well. I may just spend the first few years of retirement traveling from one trail to the next - plenty out there, could take years to hike them all.
I have done an 11 month hike, with a few weeks off in the middle for renewing finances. I didn't find that unworkable or even uncomfortable. In fact I was very sad when it ended, but one year was my plan at the outset. I think that would have a MAJOR impact on your mental state. If the goal was to do a yo-yo, then I don't think you would have mentally thought of Katadin as the end, so would not have emotionally anticipated being done. Another difference was the fact that my 11 month hike was not confined to one trail, but included much more variety, including many road walks. Probably makes a substantial difference.
Just my $0.02 worth.
edit: Didn't someone finish a yo-yo of the PCT in the past few years? Seem to remember something about that, it was his second or third attempt at a yo-yo.
edit: Didn't someone finish a yo-yo of the PCT in the past few years? Seem to remember something about that, it was his second or third attempt at a yo-yo.
Yeah Scott Williamson. He's done it twice after about 3-4 attempts. Altho a PCT yo-yo would be easier on the body than an AT yo-yo, the weather window is soo tiny.
While an AT yo-yo is totally feasible (February-July, July-December) that would be quite the impact on ones body.
_terrapin_
07-11-2008, 09:21
In recent years on the AT, an older fella named Eagle has done the trail something like 4-5 times back-to-back. But when I met him at a shelter near Front Royal last year, he seemed to have given it up.
Barefoot Sister's did a yoyo not long ago and wrote a couple books about it, one for each direction.
Eric D also did a PCT yo-yo (last year I think). This year he may hike the PCT north, CDT south.
Scott and Tatoo Joe are trying to break the unsupported record of 79 days and hope to do it in 72 days.
Eric D also did a PCT yo-yo (last year I think). This year he may hike the PCT north, CDT south.
Scott and Tatoo Joe are trying to break the unsupported record of 79 days and hope to do it in 72 days.
Yeah, Eric D did it last year (07). Ran into him coming SOUTH in Oregon while I was still heading north :) Guy is a machine and is already in Oregon now I hear.
The amazing thing about Scott and Eric is that they both seemed like the kindest, nicest guys on the trail-and both were happy to stop and chat for 20 minutes, even with 40+ mile days
The Old Fhart
07-11-2008, 12:37
The February 1987 National Geographic article on the A.T. mentions "Yo-Yo" Nuckolls having done it but I don't know if the name "Yo-Yo" was used to describe a NOBO then SOBO before then or if the name came from him.
minnesotasmith
07-11-2008, 12:43
Gotta agree with Lonewolf on this one. by the time hikers reach Katahdin (since most go northbound, I shall reference them) the last thing they want to do is hike ANOTHER 5-6 months south. Many hikers were complaining about having had enough of walking back inthe Mahoosics are before.
Now surely one heres some talk about doing a yo yo hike (some one thru hiking to Katahdin then turning right around and hiking south to Springer). However, I have not heard of anyone to have actually done it! Does any one here know of some one who actually HAS yo yo'd? would love to hear about it.
DavidNH
I don't see how a thruhiker in even average shape for having just done the whole AT would need 5-6 months for the second leg of a yo-yo. I think 4 months (or less) would be more expectable at that point.
Ed Speer did most of a yo-yo. He started NOBO, got a stress fracture in southern VA, and got off. The next year, he started where he left off, hiked to Katahdin, spent three days in Millinocket, and then hiked the whole trail SOBO. My memory of the numbers are hazy, but I think it was close to 4000 continuous miles.
As long as we're speaking of yo-yos, Francis Tapon and the Onion both yo-yo'ed the CDT last year.
Awsome, thanks for all the replies, I read the article in Outside about the dudes Yo-yoing the CDT, that might've planted the seed. Figure if money is no object doing a triple crown in say 2 years would be the optimum for "ultradistance hiking" but if you just wanted to hike, but had more time then money, a yo-yo might be the ticket.
Ape. . .
Figure if money is no object doing a triple crown in say 2 years would be the optimum for "ultradistance hiking"
Squeaky did the Triple Crown in just under 8 months.
Started with the PCT, then the CDT and finally the AT.
7,530 miles. May 4 2005 - Dec 29 2005.
Squeaky did the Triple Crown in just under 8 months.
Started with the PCT, then the CDT and finally the AT.
7,530 miles. May 4 2005 - Dec 29 2005.
Man that is super cool, I have to think that getting from trail to trail back to back would take a slice of cash tho. But if I could get it I'd love to try, maybe at a slightly more relaxed pace. . .
Ape
jessicacomp
07-12-2008, 21:09
In recent years on the AT, an older fella named Eagle has done the trail something like 4-5 times back-to-back. But when I met him at a shelter near Front Royal last year, he seemed to have given it up.
Yeah, I know this guy really well. He actually came 500 miles away from doing a double yo-yo of the AT before he decided he wasnt having fun anymore and stopped.
LIhikers
07-12-2008, 22:12
August of 07 my wife and I meet Traveler on the trail in VT and he was working on a yo-yo of sorts. He said he had stated in Virginia and gone north to Katahdin, and was headed southbound to Springer. From there he was going to head north again to where he had started in VA. Although he gave us his e-mail address we didn't keep in touch and I have no idea if he made it or not.
grrrhaha
07-13-2008, 02:48
anyone yo-yo'ed the Int. AT?