View Full Version : complete list of all thru-hiker challenges?
David@whiteblaze
10-21-2009, 21:01
Does anyone have informaition regarding this? I CANT SEEM TO FIND MORE THAN;
1: the ice cream challenge
2: te milk challeng; ad
3: the quad-state challenge
David@whiteblaze
10-21-2009, 21:01
caps-lock, sry.
The six pound burger challenge at Fattie's Diner here in Damascus. A hiker won the four pound challenge and another hiker won the five. Now we need a hiker to put down the six...
David@whiteblaze
10-21-2009, 22:34
maybe my brother... but hes not into hiking, too bad for the six-pounder, itll just hang there in infamy...
-value menu challenge at McDonalds. Eat one of everything on the McDonalds Value menu. Not that hard tho, everyone in our group finished.
-eat as many fries as miles you have done. It took six of us to finish 1300 french fries (equal to 15? king size fries at Burger King). It was disgusting, way worse than the half gallon challenge.
Lone Wolf
10-22-2009, 00:36
maybe my brother... but hes not into hiking, too bad for the six-pounder, itll just hang there in infamy...
it's not a hiker challenge. it's for anybody. the current record holder just happens to be a hiker
Schuetzen
10-22-2009, 08:25
Eating anything at McDonald's is a challenge.
The only one that matters: finish.
But seriously, it looks like you have the big ones from what I've read. Some people will have personal big mileage challenges, like hiking 30 miles in a day. Or other challenges like the quad state challenge (40+ miles). Some crazies even try to do the state of Connecticut (~50ish miles) in a day. I'd rather enjoy it, myself. But to each their own!
Cabin Fever
10-22-2009, 09:24
A select few try to go from Kincora to Damascus in a day. The last 30 miles is easy terrain. First 30, not so much. Mostly thanks to my dear old Pond Mountain and the climb up to ridgeline from Watauga Lake.
buff_jeff
10-22-2009, 09:29
Friendly's to Friendly's hike:
North Adams, Bennington, Manchester Center
Not really a challenge, just a joke we had this last year. Friendly's is some damn good hiker food
Ran into some SB hikers that were doing Connecticut in 24 hours. They called it the _________ Connecticut Challenge.
A select few try to go from Kincora to Damascus in a day. The last 30 miles is easy terrain. First 30, not so much. Mostly thanks to my dear old Pond Mountain and the climb up to ridgeline from Watauga Lake.
I heard of that, but the group that I saw doing it was going from Watauga Lake Shelter to Damascus, which I think is a bit over 40 miles.
They said a guy bet them a pair of yellow bootlaces if they did it. One of them made it, the other two didn't. I remember he was really happy to lace up the yellow.
peakbagger
10-22-2009, 16:14
There is a challenge on the AT route in the whites, but generally done by day hikers which is to hike the presidential ridge in one day, traditionally on June 21st. What exactly counts as the official route is up for debate, but for most it starts (or ends) at the summit of Madison and ends (or starts) at the summit of Pierce. Day hikers have to add in the climb from RT 2 via the Valley way to Madison and the hike back down to Crawford Notch via the Crawford Path. The long route usually runs from Madison to the AT crossing of Rt 302. Variations are to do it at night during a full moon. I suppose to keep it all AT, start at Crawfords Notch at the AT crossing an end down in the great Gulf.
Extra points are given for doing it at night during the winter (yes people have done it and some claim its easier!)
There's a challenge in Erwin at a restaurant, I forget the name but it was right down the street from Miss Janet's place. You eat their HUGE burger and fries and it's yours for free. That burger was as big around as a large dinner plate, with all the fixins, and lots of it.
JoshStover
10-23-2009, 00:28
What is the quad state challenge?
Mighty Mouse
10-23-2009, 01:51
What is the quad state challenge?
It's hiking in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania in a day (24 hours). You begin at the VA-WV border and end at the MD-PA border.
JoshStover
10-23-2009, 01:53
It's hiking in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania in a day (24 hours). You begin at the VA-WV border and end at the MD-PA border.
About how many miles is that?
Mighty Mouse
10-23-2009, 02:13
About how many miles is that?
My data book is in storage, but if I remember correctly, it's just shy of 60 miles from the VA-WV stateline to the MD-PA stateline.
JoshStover
10-23-2009, 02:52
Wow. Thats some serious mileage for a single day of hiking. I take it they hike through the night???
harryfred
10-23-2009, 03:15
I believe if you are headed north. You start just south of where you cross the Shenandoah on 340, and head for Penn Marr. It's like 41 or 42 miles. Doable in the summer months, just not for this old fat guy.:D
Trying to go back to the life you had before your thru-hike.
Some pack up a u-haul and move 2000 miles away simply because they can't face that challenge anymore. :)
Ox97GaMe
10-23-2009, 10:29
I actually did the Whites challenge on my hike. Not because I was attempting it, but because it just happened. I was in great shape and the day turned out just perfect for it. Crawford Notch to Pinkham Notch in a single day with a pack. I was at Mt Washington for lunch. From there I planned to stay at Osgood, but never saw the sign. Got to Pinkham just after sunset It was a long/hard day of hiking for sure and my reward was a free night at the Victorian Bed and Breakfast.
flemdawg1
10-23-2009, 17:40
There's a challenge in Erwin at a restaurant, I forget the name but it was right down the street from Miss Janet's place. You eat their HUGE burger and fries and it's yours for free. That burger was as big around as a large dinner plate, with all the fixins, and lots of it.
What restaraunt is that?
Jester2000
10-23-2009, 18:30
I believe if you are headed north. You start just south of where you cross the Shenandoah on 340, and head for Penn Marr. It's like 41 or 42 miles. Doable in the summer months, just not for this old fat guy.:D
The amusing thing to me about most folks who do this is that they start on the South side (AT-wise) of the 340 bridge, completely unaware of the fact that they're already in West Virginia before they cross the bridge. The majority of folks who think they've done the four state challenge have only done three states.
What about the Damascus by dawn challenge? Start at Partnership Shelter early morning and get to Damascus by the next morning. Pretty difficult, I'd say at 63 miles. I've also heard it as Atkins to Damascus, but at 73 miles, that seems impossible.
max patch
10-23-2009, 19:13
One of the toughest is the white blaze challenge. Start at one GA and hike only the white blazes all the way to ME. Or vice-versa. No blue. No yellow. Allowed to take as long as you want. Even so, only something like 1 out every 25 who attempt the white blaze challenge succeed.
Jester2000
10-23-2009, 19:43
I tried to not shower for all of New Hampshire. Tragically, just short of completing this challenge, a bout of near-hypothermia forced me into Gorham, where I sat in a hot shower for about an hour.
Lone Wolf
10-23-2009, 23:10
One of the toughest is the white blaze challenge. Start at one GA and hike only the white blazes all the way to ME. Or vice-versa. No blue. No yellow. Allowed to take as long as you want. Even so, only something like 1 out every 25 who attempt the white blaze challenge succeed.way too OCD/anal
Isn't there a Pancake challenge somewhere along the AT?
All you can eat in x time, as you get closer to the record, the pancakes get larger.
Lone Wolf
10-23-2009, 23:29
Isn't there a Pancake challenge somewhere along the AT?
All you can eat in x time, as you get closer to the record, the pancakes get larger.
Weasies. Waynesboro
XCskiNYC
10-23-2009, 23:36
How does the half-gallon ice cream challenge work? Do you have to purchase the ice cream? Do you get a prize or something for finishing or just the satisfaction of knowing you polished off a whole half gallon of ice cream?
Sleepy the Arab
10-24-2009, 00:50
I tried to not shower for all of New Hampshire. Tragically, just short of completing this challenge, a bout of near-hypothermia forced me into Gorham, where I sat in a hot shower for about an hour.
I managed to go from Vernon, NJ to Great Barrington MA without a shower, about 225 miles.
You know, I probably shouldn't admit this too often.
Blissful
10-24-2009, 15:29
Did someone mention the 50 mile challenge heading into Damascus and the CT challenge - doing the state in one day?
Blissful
10-24-2009, 15:32
How does the half-gallon ice cream challenge work? Do you have to purchase the ice cream? Do you get a prize or something for finishing or just the satisfaction of knowing you polished off a whole half gallon of ice cream?
You buy the ice cream. If you eat the whole half gallon, you get to put your name in some "official" book in front of the store. Big whoop.
My son and I shared one - I ended up in the ER with a full blown gallbader episode in Carlisle two days later. The other hiker with us was smarter - he bought a cup.
Different Socks
11-06-2009, 00:45
Friendly's to Friendly's hike:
North Adams, Bennington, Manchester Center
Not really a challenge, just a joke we had this last year. Friendly's is some damn good hiker food
Lived in New England before I did my hike. Dreamed of eating at a Friendly's from the moment I took my first steps at Springer. Now whenever i visit that part of the country, I always stop in for a 5 scoop sundae with tons of peanut butter sauce!!
jersey joe
11-06-2009, 15:19
This isn't a challenge that i've heard of, but what about "Zero Zeros". No zero days from GA to ME???
jersey joe
11-06-2009, 15:22
One of the toughest is the white blaze challenge. Start at one GA and hike only the white blazes all the way to ME. Or vice-versa. No blue. No yellow. Allowed to take as long as you want. Even so, only something like 1 out every 25 who attempt the white blaze challenge succeed.
This is indeed a challenge. Much harder than it sounds for our mentally soft society!
Friendly's Reese Cup sundaes are amazing.
I made it from AFSP to Watauga Lake without having to dig a cat hole. The irony is that I was less than a mile from a public restroom, but I guess it was time. That was challenging.
Magic Man
11-06-2009, 18:34
You buy the ice cream. If you eat the whole half gallon, you get to put your name in some "official" book in front of the store. Big whoop.
My son and I shared one - I ended up in the ER with a full blown gallbader episode in Carlisle two days later. The other hiker with us was smarter - he bought a cup.
Don't forget the fancy wooden spoon you get for finishing!
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=262901
Magic Man
11-06-2009, 18:47
Close-up of the coveted wooden spoon
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=262925
ShelterLeopard
11-06-2009, 19:04
Ran into some SB hikers that were doing Connecticut in 24 hours. They called it the _________ Connecticut Challenge.
Sounds good to me!
ShelterLeopard
11-06-2009, 19:09
Clearly, the spoon is reason enough!
Does the white blaze challenge mean you pass every white blaze? Like you can take a blue blaze path, then come back to the white blaze you left? Of can you not even go near a blue blaze? 'Cause that'd just be weird...
Clearly, the spoon is reason enough!
Does the white blaze challenge mean you pass every white blaze? Like you can take a blue blaze path, then come back to the white blaze you left? Of can you not even go near a blue blaze? 'Cause that'd just be weird...Hikers who consider themselves "Purists" attempt to do the whole trail by not missing any of the white blazes, so say if they take a blue-blazed trail to get water, and it loops back to the AT, they wouldn't use the loop, but instead hike back to where they had originally left the AT so as not to miss any of it. Not much fun if you ask me.
johnnybgood
11-06-2009, 20:39
Hikers who consider themselves "Purists" attempt to do the whole trail by not missing any of the white blazes, so say if they take a blue-blazed trail to get water, and it loops back to the AT, they wouldn't use the loop, but instead hike back to where they had originally left the AT so as not to miss any of it. Not much fun if you ask me.
Geez... Where's the adventure in that ? Half the fun is breaking up the monotony and hiking your own hike.
modiyooch
11-06-2009, 20:56
Geez... Where's the adventure in that ? Half the fun is breaking up the monotony and hiking your own hike.
I guess it means you are doing something that 96% of the people are not doing, according to previously posted stats.
jersey joe
11-06-2009, 21:31
I think the arguement for being a purist is that missing parts of the AT is a slippery slope. It starts with a small blue blazed section and before you know it you are hitching rides up the trail and calling yourself Bryson.
PUNKINPUSS11
11-06-2009, 21:35
did someone say man week????? doing 7 consecutive 30 mile days....
jersey joe
11-06-2009, 21:35
did someone say man week????? doing 7 consecutive 30 mile days....
I like this one!
ShelterLeopard
11-06-2009, 22:49
Yeah- I just wasn't sure if it was just the normal "purist" whiteblazer, or some really weird challenge about AVOIDING all blue blazes from the way it was phrased (and I'm super tired and easily confused right now). Like you're not allowed near shelters or water sources. (Which I thought was really strange)
I think the arguement for being a purist is that missing parts of the AT is a slippery slope. It starts with a small blue blazed section and before you know it you are hitching rides up the trail and calling yourself Bryson.
I think slippery slope is a fair analysis. I failed out of college once, because I missed a class, which led to many missed classes. When I decided to hitch a ride five miles up the trail, I decided that I should leave the trail for a while, and by a while I mean two years.
I'm no purist, but if I missed parts of the trail and nobody knew about it, I'd know about it.
BTW I like Bryson.
SassyWindsor
11-07-2009, 23:05
Smokies Challenge Adventure Run (SCAR)
GSMNP on the AT in 24 hours
http://www.unc.edu/~mkirk/scar.html
ShelterLeopard
11-10-2009, 13:24
Hmmm- I think they might call that one "scar" for a reason... (But then again, what the heck do I know about the smokies? Nothin'.)
ARambler
11-10-2009, 14:32
Seems like there are two sets of challenges: Those that are meant for bragging on WB and those that are done for personal reasons.
Speed Challenges:
The WB challenges seem to require the hiker to spend more time in town (recovering from something silly) than on the trail. I've met lots of hikers that spent a little less time in town to finish the trail in 4 months (or even 100 days), yet I don't see them Challenging their friends to do the same.
Other Challenges:
What is more impressive: being an anal purist, spending x nights in a hammack, > / < n nights in town... or something like attending Hardcore, or sending > 50 Thank You notes at the end of your hike?
Rambler ...doesn't even write mom:(
Jester2000
11-10-2009, 14:48
Seems like there are two sets of challenges: Those that are meant for bragging on WB and those that are done for personal reasons.
Speed Challenges:
The WB challenges . . .(
I wouldn't confuse the fact that these are being listed on Whiteblaze with thinking these are "Whiteblaze" challenges. The Four States, as dumb as I think it is, existed long before whiteblaze.net.
I think it's entirely possible to want to do a "speed challenge" for personal reasons, although I think from my time in Harpers Ferry I can say the Four States seems to be mostly a weird peer pressure thing.
A challenge for me would be going to Shanachie and not having a great time . . .
CrumbSnatcher
11-10-2009, 15:10
The amusing thing to me about most folks who do this is that they start on the South side (AT-wise) of the 340 bridge, completely unaware of the fact that they're already in West Virginia before they cross the bridge. The majority of folks who think they've done the four state challenge have only done three states.
i think this happened in the movie TREK, don't you need to start south of the david lesser memorial shelter?
ARambler
11-10-2009, 16:02
I wouldn't confuse the fact that these are being listed on Whiteblaze with thinking these are "Whiteblaze" challenges. The Four States, as dumb as I think it is, existed long before whiteblaze.net.
I think it's entirely possible to want to do a "speed challenge" for personal reasons, although I think from my time in Harpers Ferry I can say the Four States seems to be mostly a weird peer pressure thing.
A challenge for me would be going to Shanachie and not having a great time . . .
Of course, those that brag on Whiteblaze brag in other places as well. All these challenges originated someplace else, but only on whiteblaze could there be a dozen posts on what a purist is or where the VA border is. I think the Maryland challenge is much more reasonable than the 4 state challenge.
I also agree that you can do a speed challenge for personal reasons. Even those that are not interested in testing their bodies to the limits, may want to do an extra long day to get to a Billville hiker feed, to town, or to catch up to friends, etc.
I almost used your 4 trash bag challenge as an example of a good challenge.
Finally, I have to admit that I really like the silly challenges. I took Stumpknocker's leaf catching challenge, until after I caught the first leaf, I looked around to see if anyone was watching me. The ice cream challenge would be great, but the store was closed for me. I like the no warm shower challenge, but I'm probably the only one;)
Rambler
neighbor dave
11-10-2009, 16:25
i held a turd for the whole state of georgia
Lone Wolf
11-10-2009, 16:32
i held a turd for the whole state of georgia
in which hand?
Jester2000
11-10-2009, 16:33
i think this happened in the movie TREK, don't you need to start south of the david lesser memorial shelter?
I'm not sure where exactly you cross into WV on the trail -- you walk along the ridgeline of Louden Ridge for quite a while, and that's the border. I suppose if you went to the ridgeline before it starts heading down to the river and then backed down the Eastern face a bit you'd guarantee that you were in VA, but you'd also be off-trail.
Alligator
11-10-2009, 20:49
I'd have split all the purist talk but the opening salvo wasn't appropriate for a thread start. Back to thru-hiker challenges topic, the purist debate is just a way to beat on each other and was a thread hijack.
The best (and funniest) challenge I heard of is the 007 challenge. It's fairly complex:
1) Take two zero days.
2) Hike 7 miles the next day.
I'm not sure if I completed it on my thru-hike on the AT, but I did for sure on the CT this summer.
Many will attempt, few will succeed. Good luck!
Deluxe
ShelterLeopard
11-11-2009, 11:56
I almost did this, this past summer! I did a two week shakedown in PA, and on day three I beasted out 19 miles because the water source (on my 1986 guidebooks... completely my fault, I know) wasn't there anymore because the trail had been relocated. Soooo dehydrated at the end of that day. And I had tons of blisters, one the size of a half dollar. So, I did the 027 the next days. (A zero, a two mile day, and a seven)
One I heard about on the PCT last year is the "24 Challenge". Not specific to any particular trail, and IMO very much not recommended, but the idea is to put in a 24 mile day in a 24 hour period and consume 24 beers along the way. Perhaps more realistic on stretches of the PCT that are a bit more mileage friendly than I understand the AT to be.
My suggestion to anyone dumb enough to try this would be to go with lite beers and use aluminum cans (not bottles!). I suspect that the few people who have tried this have all been under 30 ... (and that in general it hasn't ended well, but I dunno).
neighbor dave
11-13-2009, 11:17
J.B. did that at every town stop, and he's 67:D
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=28704&catid=searchresults&searchid=28271
ShelterLeopard
11-13-2009, 12:09
One I heard about on the PCT last year is the "24 Challenge". Not specific to any particular trail, and IMO very much not recommended, but the idea is to put in a 24 mile day in a 24 hour period and consume 24 beers along the way. Perhaps more realistic on stretches of the PCT that are a bit more mileage friendly than I understand the AT to be.
My suggestion to anyone dumb enough to try this would be to go with lite beers and use aluminum cans (not bottles!). I suspect that the few people who have tried this have all been under 30 ... (and that in general it hasn't ended well, but I dunno).
Technically, that shouldn't be a problem as technically it takes apprx. one hour to get rid of one serving of alcohol from your system, depending on body size, muscle mass, amount of body fat and gender, etc... (I used to do bartending a bit- I know, a 19 year old bar tender??? Weird.) But I dunno- you'd get readlly dehydrated and you'd have to carry 24 cans of beer before they were all gone!
1/4 moon
11-19-2009, 03:37
in 2007 there was the one night in jersey challenge(one night of sleep), which was countered by mangrove, dash and j-beard's formal 14 which was to zero at each shelter injersey
we also had the deli challenge, which was to eat a deli sandwich for lunch, as many consecutive days as possible.
there was also the 20/20 which was to hike twenty miles twenty days in a row.
Do they still offer the Pancake Challenge at the restaurant in Andover, ME ??????
mweinstone
12-09-2009, 11:11
elms. erwin had the elms challenge. the elms dinner. and it was never free.you ate. then you pay.it was like a meatloaf on a loaf of bread.ordered two once. blubird and abandon ate the second one at miss janets. they didnt charge me for it cause they knew i had no idea what i was ordering. then she took off the shake cause im a hotty.
warraghiyagey
12-09-2009, 11:14
Do they still offer the Pancake Challenge at the restaurant in Andover, ME ??????
Not in the last 4 years that I know of. . . . but they do serve a pretty good breakfast there. . . :sun