A Few Questions For Thru Hikers - For An Important College Paper

[WGC Student]

Hello,

I have been conducting semester long research to classify the Appalachian Trail as a rite of passage. I'm mainly looking for what spurred you to set out for your first thru hike of the AT and at what point in your life (after college, losing a job, retirement, marriage, divorce, etc.), and how you came away from the trail in terms of spiritual or social (within hiking communities such as this or your every day life) changes. I'm in need of a few first hand sources and figured that such a thriving community such as this forum would be the best place to go to.

Thank you very much

[RockyRoo]

Hi,
My fiance and I haven't done the AT yet - planning for March next year. What spurred us: a combination of things really! I've known about the trail for many years and have always wanted to see if I could do it. I've been at university for the past 4 years and my fiance for the past year and a half, so we want to do something completely different before going back to 'real life'. Someone in our town recently did her thru-hike and put her photos in one of the local hiking stores, which inspired us even more to attempt it. At the moment, attempting the AT works in really well with our lives as we won't have jobs/house/kids etc to hold us down (apart from a visa stipulating we can't stay too long in the US!)

[Hikemor]

The reasons for thru-hiking are as varied as those who attempt it. That said, IMO, for most, completing the AT is an immense ego trip. It is fairly unique/difficult yet nicely quantifiable and can be accomplished by anyone in reasonable health. Finishing is a very satisfying personal accomplishment.

There are quite a few first person memoirs that may be better resources for your research. David Brill's "As Far As The Eye Can See" and Lynn Setzer's "A Season On The Appalachian Trail" are two that come to mind.

I don't see that thru-hiking the AT is a "rite of passage", not in the same sense that getting a drivers license or opening a bank account is. An AT thru-hike is totally optional. Maybe I am misreading your point. Certainly, intentionally or not, a thru-hike can be a transitional event between life stages (i.e. from college to "real world", from "real world" to retirement, etc.) but, given the range of folks out there, generalization is difficult.

Good luck to you.

[Grampie]

I thru-hiked the AT to celebrate my retirement. Retiring was a turning point in my life. I wanted to do something special to celebrate this turning point.
How a thru-hike changes an indivigual depends on what the particular person is like before they start. For one thing the time spent hiking will give you a enormous amount time to think. These thoughts can take you on all kinds of new avenues of life. If you are someone between chapters in your life you will definately discover a track to follow after you have finished.

[4shot]

I left a professional job after 30 years due to mental fatigue/boredom. I did the trail because it was a bucket list kind of thing. I was 51 y.o. when I started.For me it reaffirmed the idea that I could do anything I set my mind to... However I already knew that so when people ask me what I learned about myself (they assume it's a spiritual pilgrimage)... I tell them I learned that I can walk very far with a pack on my back and that is all. Realistically I found out what primitive people have always known....I know what it is like to pray for water, comfort and shelter. I am also aware of the "luck' factor involved in finishing....many people who were more 'capable' than myself ended up getting off trail due to injury, illness or somethng back home.

[Del Q]

So 4shot............how have things turned out???

[prain4u]

Hello,

I have been conducting semester long research to classify the Appalachian Trail as a rite of passage. I'm mainly looking for what spurred you to set out for your first thru hike of the AT.....

"That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run (hike). So I ran (hiked) to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run (hike) to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run (hike) across Greenbow County. And I figured, since I run (hiked) this far, maybe I'd just run (hike) across the great state of Alabama. And that's what I did. I ran (hiked) clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept on going. I ran (hiked) clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going. When I got to another ocean, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going. When I got tired, I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. When I had to go... you know... I went. " FORREST GUMP

[Spokes]

When thru hikers are asked why they thru hiked the AT the 3 consistent answers are: retirement, college graduation, or some live changing event i.e., divorce, death of spouse/child, etc...

Spiritual or social changes? (LMAO) I came back realizing some people ain't got no zen. You can quote me on that?

[Papa D]

I worked in an outdoor store in Atlanta - summers when I was 16 / 17 - thru-hiking the AT was the holy grail - the gold standard (if you will) for practiced accomplished backpackers -- or people who wanted to be practiced accomplished backpackers -- I was green as grass, scared, lost, alternately very happy and satisfied with myself, and (at the end) lonely as hell -- it was a absolutely fantastic thing though but took a long time for me to really properly digest (as an 18 year old) -- it took me a very long time to realize that I got a whole lot out of it that I didn't even realize - culturally, geographically, self reliance wise, etc. - now that I have a clue - 25 years later, I'm re-hiking the trail -- I now have the best gear and am a strong able confident hiker and think that I have more "purpose" in my steps but only rarely do I approach the freedom and wonder and innocence of just tearing down the trail like I did at 18 without a care in the world -- no real plan at all - just making it up as I went along - heck - I don't think I learned to read the guidebook and maps properly then for about 500 miles -- I'm where? - oh, cool.

[fiddlehead]

For me it was the boy scouts.
We used to hike up on the AT once in a while and I always thought to do the whole thing would be a life-time goal.
Then I tried it.
It was a life-changing thing for sure.
Started the ball rolling to where I am now.
When folks ask me why I live in Asia, I always reflect back to my first AT thru-hike and how it got me loving that sense of adventure. (which later turned out to be adventurous travel)

But I still like my time in the woods. (the more adventurous the better)

[Six-Six]

I planned on doing the AT after I retired in about 5 years. I got divorced a couple years ago and went on a personal kick to get physically healthy and fit once again. I wanted to hike the AT to get in a final good health that would last for many years. I was just waiting for retirement. Lo and behold, cutbacks at work led to layoffs and one of the waves caught me. So now I am unemployed with time on my hands sooner than expected. It's off to the trail come April, 2012. I guess I match up with your list in several ways - for health/fitness reasons, for life-changing events reasons (divorce and job loss). I will leave it to you to put me in whatever category you need to.

[Pony]

Spiritual or social changes? (LMAO) I came back realizing some people ain't got no zen. You can quote me on that?

One night after I came home somebody asked me, "what did you find out there". meaning, was there some sort of great spiritual awakening, or did I figure out the meanig of life or anything along those lines. My response was "I mostly just thought about food".

Seriously, I do feel different. There was no epiphany or anything like that. Not sure I could even put it into words, and I'm not saying there was any sort of spiritual transformation. I think it just changed my perspective a bit. I find it now even harder to tolerate b.s. and whiny crybabys. I think it made me more relaxed and patient too.

[4shot]

. I find it now even harder to tolerate b.s. and whiny crybabys. I think it made me more relaxed and patient too.

? ...Not sure if this is sarcasm or unintentional irony but I got a laugh out of this.

[Pony]

Probably the latter, I never thought about it when I wrote that. I think what I meant is that I am more patient with the curves life throws, but I have a hard time feeling sorry for someone that is mad because their blackberry isn't working, or whining because it's cold when it's only 45*. As far as b.s. goes, I've never dealt very well with that. Can't stand someone that tries to take the easy way, then act like nobody knows how hard they have it. Unfortunately this is a lot of people. Perhaps I just like people less than I used too. That is funny now that I read it again.