Mental Toughness for a thru hike

[HikerMom58]

What I have or haven't done is completely irrelevant to the point of this thread. But to answer your questions.....Yes and Yes. This is the second time you have asked me whether I have ever thru hiked.
http://postholer.com/journal/viewJou...entry_id=20018
So does this qualify me to quote statistics that were provided from both the Ranger school and the ATC?

Of course, you are Malto. Everyone should know who you are... I'm tellin ya, I need some of that speedy drink. Congrats on ur son starting Ranger school!! Awesome!!

[q-tip]

Best of luck to your son, he must be a very special man indeed even to be chosen for Ranger School. It is a great sacrifice and a great honor to server our country.

[4shot]

. I doubt anyone would seriously suggest that a walk down a trail is even remotely as intense as the 61 days of Ranger school or any other elite military training. But you are being a bit elitist if you don't see any similarities between the mental component of the both activities and the ways to combat the mental component.

the shorter the test, the more likely one can gut it out. and the AT is pretty easy to quit while I am sure it's not easy to quit Ranger school. Those two things, along with the prescreening, account for the higher % success rate in ranger school vis-à-vis the AT. OTOH, being a thru hiker means that once you are done, the game's over. Getting out of ranger school means the $^!# may have just begun to hit the fan. best wishes to you and your son.

[double d]

Since the AT has about a 25% success rate and Ranger school has about 50% I would say that a thru hike, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ATTEMPT it, is every bit as mentally tough. I believe most would say that the AT is physically tough but wasn't the point of the thread.

I agree, tough is still tough and hiking six months over 2,170 is hard work. LW gives about 1 nano second thought to anything he writes.

[ChinMusic]

have you been in the military or thru-hiked?

He won't say it but I will. Malto could hike circles around you.

[ChinMusic]

I agree, tough is still tough and hiking six months over 2,170 is hard work. LW gives about 1 nano second thought to anything he writes.

This .......

[Lone Wolf]

He won't say it but I will. Malto could hike circles around you.

well that may or may not be true but walkin' on a trail for 6 months doesn't compare to elite military training. the AT is a vacation. walk a few days, take a day or 2 off. slackpack a few days while stayin' in town eatin' and drinkin'. no big deal

[double d]

well that may or may not be true but walkin' on a trail for 6 months doesn't compare to elite military training. the AT is a vacation. walk a few days, take a day or 2 off. slackpack a few days while stayin' in town eatin' and drinkin'. no big deal

Really-that's your answer? I've rarely ever posted anything in responds to you, but 28,000 posts and you got nothin' to say but smart a## comments to well meaning people who seek out information from each other, while you contribute what?

[Lone Wolf]

Really-that's your answer? I've rarely ever posted anything in responds to you, but 28,000 posts and you got nothin' to say but smart a## comments to well meaning people who seek out information from each other, while you contribute what?

yeah that's my answer to chin music. mind your own posts

[double d]

yeah that's my answer to chin music. mind your own posts

I'm making it my business, what are you gonna do about it? And its the same old LW answer-28,000 posts and got nothing to say.

[Lone Wolf]

you're a strange sorta stalker

[Likeapuma]

Since the AT has about a 25% success rate and Ranger school has about 50% I would say that a thru hike, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ATTEMPT it, is every bit as mentally tough. I believe most would say that the AT is physically tough but wasn't the point of the thread.

First & foremost, congrats to your son on being selected for Ranger school & big thank you for the sacrifices he & your family have made for our country.

I haven't hiked the AT, so I can avoid the mudslinging that's occurred already. I think your stats, though, are a bit misleading. Rangers must first be vetted, & are usually excellent soldiers to begin with & don't know the meaning of "failure" & "quit".

As many on here have said in other posts, a large majority of wishful thru-hikers are unprepared & clueless about the task ahead... That definitely contributes to the lower percentage of successful thru-hikes.


Ok, the keyboard warriors can continue

[quasarr]

Really good advice there! From the Ranger School link....

The tendency is also to think you are the only one that is having this negative thought. This isolates you in this new harsh environment. You start looking around and thinking “everyone else is adjusting fine and seems to be stronger than I am.”

WOW I really relate to this. Wish I had read this briefing before starting the PCT!! I had these thoughts all the time, that everyone else was tougher than me and I wasn't strong enough. But I guess I was after all.

PS Good luck to your son, Malto!!

[blainem]

Awesome post but horrible comments.

I've heard from many people that the AT changes you, puts you in touch with the goodness and love of people, renews faith in humanity. I don't believe this thread is an image of that realization.

Best of luck to your son.

[oldbear]

OP
I think that what you're missing is the fact that the military doesn't believe in HYOH

[4shot]

OP
I think that what you're missing is the fact that the military doesn't believe in HYOH

I don't think many of the internet warriors and hikers do either unfortunately.

[Dogwood]

I think Malto started the thread to make some parallels on how obtaining mental toughness with the Ranger programs could be used by hikers. I seriously don't think he wanted the parallels and techniques to turn into a pissing contest on which was more mentally tough, however.

Did some miss this when he obviously clarified his intent because some of you are still proceeding down a side road? "....if you don't see any similarities between the mental component of the both activities and the ways to combat the mental component. The advice that was given on the original link could be reworded for hiking and 90% of it would apply."

[double d]

OP
I think that what you're missing is the fact that the military doesn't believe in HYOH

Good point, but the OP is a military vet and long distance hiker, so he may have thought of that before he posted his question. Good luck to his son as he enters and completes Ranger School.

[garlic08]

All I've got to say it that if you enjoy walking every day, a thru hike is not mentally tough at all. For some, it's actually a pleasure.

From all the comments about the mental rigors of hiking, it appears a minority of hikers feel this way.

I bet there's a similar minority of any well-trained professional branch who feels the same way--military, athlete, firefighter, engineer, medical, (add your profession here)....

[Just Bill]

Sigh- just in case LW is unavailable- here's a quick guide to filling in for him while he's on vacation.
1- find a generally positive thread or topic and post a discouraging remark. Preferably dilute the original topic into an A or B situation.
2-if anyone argues on behalf of A, then support B- and visa-versa as needed.
3-once argument has failed, ask the original poster for a portion of their resume- even if you know that the poster is a qualified individual you can at least cause confussion.
4- once you have sufficiently offended another poster that they comment- shift your focus to that poster- and ignore all other posts.
5-once the first offended poster has ignored you, accuse any other posters who attack or defend of stalking, as your comment was only meant to offend one person and it's really strange that they got involved at all.
6- take a break from the thread, maybe head to café for a beer.
7- once the thread is completely trashed, pop in to some inane thread and make a positive comment- just for fun, bonus points if the positive comment is in complete opposition to a comment you previously made.
8- Log off, pat yourself on the back and go back to the real world where you are a fairly nice guy who helps out hikers all the time.
Maintain balance in all things and remember- I learned it from watching you Dad.