Don't we need some firm definitions and terms about thru hiking ??

[Kookork]

Here are the questions that has come to my mind:

1-What do you call a hiker that has thru-hiked AT multiple times? A thru hiker?

2- What do you call a hiker who has thru-hiked AT just once in one calendar year? A thru-hiker??

3- What do you call a hiker who is on the trail to attempt a thru-hike for the first time? A thru-hiker???

4- What do you call a hiker that has hiked all the AT from end to end in two summers for instance?
A thru-hiker????

5- What do you call a hiker who has hiked all the AT from end to end in sections in ten years for instance? A thru hiker?????

Personally I think we need to choose some terms or phrases specifically for each and every of these five groups and use it here in Whiteblaze and stick to it to the point that it gets popular first here in WB and second hopefully over the AT . This way we can differentiate these five different categories for the matter of reference and discussions.

My suggestion for the terms of these five categories is like this:

1- Multiple thru-hiker
2- thru-hiker
3- thru-hiker to be
4- Chunk thru-hiker
5- section thru-hiker

And finally:
6-what do you call a guy like me that has zero miles on AT and rambles all the time online about AT ? My Suggestion: Cyber thru-hiker or zero thru-hiker or bored thru-hiker...!!!???,,,

Love to know about your terms and definitions?


Yours

Kookork

[Monkeywrench]

Every evening when I take my pack off and set it down in camp, I'm thru hiking. Then I start again the next morning.

BTW Your numbers 4 and 5 are both section hikers. The rest are all thru-hikers. Why make it so complicated?

[hikerboy57]

a thru hiker is someone whos completed a thru hike.
why all the subcategorization? would you classify yourself as a heavy breather, a shallow breather, an inhaler, an exhaler, a power breather?a breath holder, a take your breath awayer?a one lunger?
i am beyond all categorization. and humble about it.

[rocketsocks]

Here are the questions that has come to my mind:

1-What do you call a hiker that has thru-hiked AT multiple times? A thru hiker?

2- What do you call a hiker who has thru-hiked AT just once in one calendar year? A thru-hiker??

3- What do you call a hiker who is on the trail to attempt a thru-hike for the first time? A thru-hiker???

4- What do you call a hiker that has hiked all the AT from end to end in two summers for instance?
A thru-hiker????

5- What do you call a hiker who has hiked all the AT from end to end in sections in ten years for instance? A thru hiker?????

Personally I think we need to choose some terms or phrases specifically for each and every of these five groups and use it here in Whiteblaze and stick to it to the point that it gets popular first here in WB and second hopefully over the AT . This way we can differentiate these five different categories for the matter of reference and discussions.

My suggestion for the terms of these five categories is like this:

1- Multiple thru-hiker
2- thru-hiker
3- thru-hiker to be
4- Chunk thru-hiker
5- section thru-hiker

And finally:
6-what do you call a guy like me that has zero miles on AT and rambles all the time online about AT ? My Suggestion: Cyber thru-hiker or zero thru-hiker or bored thru-hiker...!!!???,,,

Love to know about your terms and definitions?


Yours

Kookork

Do we need?Simply put....No,what wood we talk about?

[kayak karl]

Cyber thru-hiker or zero thru-hiker or bored thru-hiker...!!!???,,,

Packsniffer?

[rocketsocks]

Packsniffer?

Gram Wennie

[rocketsocks]

Gram Wennie

I blew the shift

[STINGER1]

Until a thruhike has been completed your a wannabe thruhiker, right?
As far as inhaling I'm guilty.

[Rocket Jones]

A lot of overthinking going on here.

[Sarcasm the elf]

A lot of overthinking going on here.

One of the laws of the Internet, but I agree.

The trail was never built with the intention of being hiked end to end. As far as I am aware there is no governing body that recognizes thru hikes or speed records, the ATC will give you a patch when you complete hiking the whole trail, but even that is based on the honor system.

My favorite line is still: Thru hiking? I'll never be through hiking!

[MuddyWaters]

plenty of section hikers routinely hike longer "sections" than a very large % of attempting "thru-hikers" who never make it past GA. A lot of these failing may never pick up a pack again.

Some are attempting to walk all the way in one season or calendar yr, (which is in itself a totally arbitrary time frame), some take longer, some have no intention of ever walking it all. Who really cares?

No one.

What about someone that hiked a thru hike 25 yrs ago, and hasnt hiked since? So maybe you need a category for " inactive retired thru-hikers".

If they still hike some they can just be "retired thru hiker "

What about the people forced to hike it by parents or significant others, but they hated it. "Thru-hiker under duress" seems appropriate.

What about those that flip-flopped? "Flip flop thru-hiker" Their experience is different, so we have to describe it. North -south-north, etc.

For those that took a few shortcuts and still consider themselves thru-hikers we can have "non-rigorous thru-hiker"

And if they never spent a night off the trail "Ultimate thru-hiker god" sounds good to me.

To me, everyone is simply a hiker, for their own reasons, as their own schedules permit. If they can complete it in a short timeframe, kudos, thats great, it takes a physical, and sometimes psychological, toll on a person and it is an accomplishment, just not one the rest of the world cares about. When it comes down to it, its just walking.

[Sarcasm the elf]

And finally:
6-what do you call a guy like me that has zero miles on AT and rambles all the time online about AT ? My Suggestion: Cyber thru-hiker or zero thru-hiker or bored thru-hiker...!!!???,,,

Love to know about your terms and definitions?

Packsniffer?

And now, to contradict my last post!

I do think that this one deserves a term. My favorite term for this is "Internet expert". I don't mean people who have lots of hiking experience on other trails but not the A.T., I mean the folks who like to post comments such as:

I've done tons of research on (insert type of gear or hiking subject) and decided that (insert decision here) is clearly the best and therefore all hikers should do it this way... I'm all ready for the spring and have put my affairs in order and cleared off six months of my life to do a thru hike even though I've never been backpacking before, but I've made sure to plan an overnight shakedown trip before I go so that I can try out some of my gear before I start. What could go wrong?!



Before anyone calls me out, I'm guilty of this myself from time to time.

[kolokolo]

And finally:
6-what do you call a guy like me that has zero miles on AT and rambles all the time online about AT ? My Suggestion: Cyber thru-hiker or zero thru-hiker or bored thru-hiker...!!!???,,,

Love to know about your terms and definitions?

Originally Posted by kayak karl
Packsniffer?



And now, to contradict my last post!

I do think that this one deserves a term. My favorite term for this is "Internet expert". I don't mean people who have lots of hiking experience on other trails but not the A.T., I mean the folks who like to post comments such as:

I've done tons of research on (insert type of gear or hiking subject) and decided that (insert decision here) is clearly the best and therefore all hikers should do it this way... I'm all ready for the spring and have put my affairs in order and cleared off six months of my life to do a thru hike even though I've never been backpacking before, but I've made sure to plan an overnight shakedown trip before I go so that I can try out some of my gear before I start. What could go wrong?!

Kayak Karl was right. The term is 'Packsniffer.'

[Biggie Master]

To me, everyone is simply a hiker, for their own reasons, as their own schedules permit.

Exactly... I hike when I can, and the end goal is to walk every mile of white blazes sometime before I die. I probably won't get the opportunity to attempt what most would define as a "thru hike" until I retire, and I'm good with that -- because when I'm out there, the satisfaction isn't about what someone calls me, or how many miles I logged today, it's simply being on the trail... I long for the smell of the decaying leaves on the forrest floor, and the sound of the wind in the trees at night... It puts everything in perspective.

[4shot]

To the OP...I see that you are in Canada. here is an American solution to your question. It's all about inclusion...how about this - let's make either a) everyone or b) no one a thru-hiker. No one feels left out, discriminated against and we all can feel good about ourselves!

[Hooch]

How about forgetting labels and just enjoy the hike, regandless of what others think or brand you as? I know the idea sounds nuts, but it just might work.

[MuddyWaters]

Ponies for everyone!!!

[Sarcasm the elf]

Ponies for everyone!!!

Do the ponies bite?

[dillard]

The ATC has already provided us with this definition. From their website:

"A thru-hiker is a hiker or backpacker who has completed or is attempting to walk the entire Appalachian Trail in one uninterrupted journey. Completing the entire estimated 2,180 miles of the Appalachian Trail in one trip is a mammoth undertaking. Each year, thousands of hikers attempt a thru-hike; only about one in four make it all the way."

[rocketsocks]

Weeeee!!!!