The prejudice we face.

[Amanita]

Quote from this thread. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ry-Start/page3

I honestly believe this young women should not take on this journey. Although the information being provided for the most part is excellent for a winter hike, encouragement is not responsible IMO.

I've been backpacking, canoeing, spelunking since I was a kid. And I have a 25 year old daughter who has only limited backpacking experience (for the most part she always had other things to do when Dad wanted her to come along).

If she came to me wanting to hike the AT and asking advice I would be ecstatic. I would help her in anyway I could. But if she came to me with the idea of a solo January start I would strongly advise against it. She is an athlete, was captain of her College Swim Team and in excellent shape. She now competes in Triathlons. It still doesn't matter. She does not have the experience to succeed in a solo winter hike. And my daughter is 25 and at 25 most would agree she has a better set of life skills than she would have had at age 20 like the OP.

Might I feel different if it was my 22 year old son who has some decent experience on the trail? Sure. First he has some experience and secondly, and I suppose this will be construed by many to be sexist, but he is a male. He does not have to deal with the woman issues that are inherent to the trail. A young female hiking alone where she does not have the protections of a group is simply asking for trouble IMO.

THIS is the kind of attitude that keeps girls from wanting to take part in outdoor activities like hiking. THIS is why there is a whole thread about "where are all the girls?" THIS is the kind of attitude I expect from someone who has never been hiking, and never raised a daughter. It makes me sad that there are wonderful, athletic, adventurous girls who will be shuffled into "girl sports" and "safer" sports because of people like this.

I think that most ladies would agree that they have never been in a situation where they felt in danger on the trail because of their gender. And if we do I think it can be handled just as you would handle it in "civilization."

So how do we get young women out on the trail in the face of attitudes like this?

[Lone Wolf]

pay no attention to him. he lives near the trail but doesn't long distance hike

[Lone Wolf]

and it's also my observation that women are tougher mentally and physically than men on the AT.

[Ender]

and it's also my observation that women are tougher mentally and physically than men on the AT.

I completely agree with this. A lot of the men out there whine incessantly, but very few of the women do. At least from my experience.

[Trailbender]

and it's also my observation that women are tougher mentally and physically than men on the AT.

I'd have to say this is unlikely, purely on a biological standpoint.

[10-K]

This is anecdotal of course but I would agree that women are not "tougher" but they do tend to be "smarter" when it comes to making decisions.

But it's not black and white. As we all know, there are crazy men and women out there - no gender has a lock on being better (or worse).

[max patch]

Listen to the FatMan...an inexperienced backpacker - man or woman - should not start a solo thru in mid-january.

[curtisvowen]

"purely on a biological standpoint" define that.
Women naturally have more leg muscle mass, conducive if applied to hiking long range.
More body fat? Yes, helps when you're near death....
Ever had a baby? Pain tolerance?
Mother Nature created women for survival....not Man....he's a dime a dozen.
I'm just saying that if a women puts her mind into a "project" then it will be done.
I've 2 pre-teen daughters.....they'll be raised to kick your ass and look good while doin' it.....but most importantly they'll know how to get out of stupid circumstances brought on by the "male" species.

[Cookerhiker]

...I think that most ladies would agree that they have never been in a situation where they felt in danger on the trail because of their gender. And if we do I think it can be handled just as you would handle it in "civilization."...

I'm glad you said "most" and not "all" because it does happen - and has been reported publicly on WB and trailjournals.com plus I'm aware of other instances not reported on-line.

and it's also my observation that women are tougher mentally and physically than men on the AT.

Agree for the most part. Anecdote FWIW: last winter about 10 of us WBers did a winter day-hike together. One woman and the rest were guys. Guess who was the strongest hiker?

As a parent of a young woman, I disagree with him 98%. The safety issue is real, and if my daughter was 45 I would still not want her out on the trail alone. Many times I've come up on a shelter that was close to a road and dunken partyers were there all messed up. We read worse things every day.

Not likely in the dead of winter. For the case in point, the more serious concerns are weather/season related.


I would note that most of the respondants encouraging the OP to go ahead with her winter hike are guys and the detailed advice they're rendering re preparation, gear, etc. is not gender-specific.

[OkeefenokeeJoe]

Ever had a baby? Pain tolerance?

No, never had a baby, but have you ever been kicked in the balls?

I've NEVER heard a person who has been kicked in the balls say he would like to have another some day ..... can't say that about women and childbirth.

Must not be that bad.

BOOM ... case closed.

OkeefenokeeJoe

[MedicineWoman2012]

I appreciate the encouragement all of you have given! I am a 39yo mom of a 9yo boy that lives to set up his next shelter along the white blazes. I would like to say the trail has taught him so much about self reliance and respecting mother nature. He may forget all of the wonderful gifts he gets from his friends or family on holidays but he will never forget witnessing a mother and her cubs settling in for the evening in their den or meeting the biggest electrical storm after setting up shelter just past a Gregorys Bald. I owe alot of thanks to the folks her on WB for all of their insight and years of making it magical for women and men of all ages. I can truly say he would perfer to goto the AT for a section hike than a summer vacation at Disney World! Thats hands down..makes me very proud of him and the skills have learned thru years of hiking with him in my back pack (began it at 6mths old when he could barely talk or sit up on day hikes). I have yet to experience an encounter in the woods that I couldnt handle better than in the city. As a medic in a high crime area (Durham, NC) I can honestly say its much safer with him on the AT

[MedicineWoman2012]

Ooops...forgot to mention we go at it alone but we do not announce our where abouts to everyone thru out the hike or prior.

[Cookerhiker]

I appreciate the encouragement all of you have given! I am a 39yo mom of a 9yo boy that lives to set up his next shelter along the white blazes. I would like to say the trail has taught him so much about self reliance and respecting mother nature. He may forget all of the wonderful gifts he gets from his friends or family on holidays but he will never forget witnessing a mother and her cubs settling in for the evening in their den or meeting the biggest electrical storm after setting up shelter just past a Gregorys Bald. I owe alot of thanks to the folks her on WB for all of their insight and years of making it magical for women and men of all ages. I can truly say he would perfer to goto the AT for a section hike than a summer vacation at Disney World! Thats hands down..makes me very proud of him and the skills have learned thru years of hiking with him in my back pack (began it at 6mths old when he could barely talk or sit up on day hikes). ....

You are an awesome mom! And you have an awesome son!

When I thruhiked the Long Trail in '07, I ended a day at Stratton Pond and was enjoying the water after having taken a swim. Heard voices and 2 9 year-old kids - boy and girl twins - came running up. They were so excited to see the frogs squatting on the logs and salamanders floating near shore. It was clear they had been outdoors a lot and loved it. I was so touched, my eyes actually welled up - that never happens to me.

Tallking to the parents as they came by, I learned all their family vacations were camping and backpacking. And I thought the same as you - so much better than Disney World.

[jenpharr]

The trail does not discriminate. Only people do. Women are capable of doing anything on a long-distance trail that men can do. My journeys were made possible through the support and encouragement of the men in my life. Women are capable of incredible accomplishments on and off the trail - if they have the right people, male and female, to help them along the way.

[Praha4]

my observation is young women on the AT tend to attract young men on the AT, like a moth on a lightbulb. The young women rarely hike alone for long.

This psychological support, companionship/friendship/bonding will definitely help young women continue on the hike, on days when some might feel like quitting. There is motivation in trying to stay with the "group", not being a quitter, not leaving behind their newly made friends just to go back to their former life. It's true of any thru hiker, male or female, having friends on the trail provides motivation for them to continue and not stop.

[Stubby]

Hi, treading lightly, I hope,
I am the father of a 23-year-old daughter. I would be concerned if she wanted to solo hike the AT.
Not because she's not strong - she is capable and tough and skilled and smart and driven - she'd be more likely to finish than me. And I have a lot more experience.
My concern is safety from men on the trail. I know that the vast majority of males on the trail would be gentlemen, and that the majority would not hesitate to intervene when appropriate.
But I know the AT can be very isolated at times. And there are some bad apples in the world.
So, I would worry. Its my prerogative as a dad to always worry.
I would encourage her to take a friend. I would make sure she had some (multi-use) bear spray, and I would give her my multipoint safety awareness talk that she could give better than I could. 'Cause I'm the dad.

And I would be proud of her.

[Red Beard]

Quote from this thread. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ry-Start/page3



THIS is the kind of attitude that keeps girls from wanting to take part in outdoor activities like hiking. THIS is why there is a whole thread about "where are all the girls?" THIS is the kind of attitude I expect from someone who has never been hiking, and never raised a daughter. It makes me sad that there are wonderful, athletic, adventurous girls who will be shuffled into "girl sports" and "safer" sports because of people like this.

I think that most ladies would agree that they have never been in a situation where they felt in danger on the trail because of their gender. And if we do I think it can be handled just as you would handle it in "civilization."

So how do we get young women out on the trail in the face of attitudes like this?

In all honesty, attitudes like this are purely bigoted. I believe that women should have the same opportunity to hike the trail, as anyone else. This is how it is done in a free society. That said, this thread has turned into a feminine aggrandizement echo-chamber. Folks don't even realize they're being just as bigoted towards men with statements like:

and it's also my observation that women are tougher mentally and physically than men on the AT.

Men, get over yourselves, women get over yourselves! No sex is better than the other. The differences make us who we are, and frankly I prefer it that way.

[10-K]

........................

[corialice81]

In 2009, when I thrued the AT, it was the year of the women! Solo women, women with partners, women in groups, young women, old women... all out there. Best part... all the women I knew (over a dozen) that started in March COMPLETED the trail without any incident involving "creepsters". Booyah!

Trust your gut and you'll be fine.

As far as winter hiking...I would worry about the weather and how much winter backpacking experience you have regardless of gender. Weather is the great equalizer!

[Sailor (The other one)]

........................

Sorry, but I've never understood what that means.