How many people from outside the U.S. have you met on the AT?

[Dogwood]

On Greggphoto's thread, Hiking movies: good or bad for trails? Rickb posted "I expect that the movie might help attract more hikers from abroad. That would be a wonderful thing for everyone, I think."

As I've recently been going through my AT trail journals this had me thinking about all those hikers from abroad I noted on my AT thru-hike in 2006 alone(not counting the untold number of other times I've hiked on the AT meeting hikers not from the U.S.). I probably forgot some other nationalities but here's a list of the 2006 hikers, mostly other thru-hikers, who declared themselves arriving from abroad to hike the AT: Austria, Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Croatia, England, Germany, Ireland, Israel, France, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Serbia, and Switzerland.

Does anyone else care to elaborate on the number of different foreign hikers they've met on the AT?

[rickb]

As I've recently been going through my AT trail journals this had me thinking about all those hikers from abroad I noted on my AT thru-hike in 2006 alone(not counting the untold number of other times I've hiked on the AT meeting hikers not from the U.S.). I probably forgot some other nationalities but here's a list of the 2006 hikers, mostly other thru-hikers, who declared themselves arriving from abroad to hike the AT: Austria, Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Croatia, England, Germany, Ireland, Israel, France, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Serbia, and Switzerland.

While I expect the number of thru hikes completed by foreign nationals is under reported, your post makes me think they could be very much under reported.

if you look at the ATC's list for 2006, you will see just a handful of hikers from abroad-- and only from the countries of England, Canada and Australia.

Here is the link: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/abou...s-listing/2006

[Deacon]

During my Long Trail thru in 2013, on the 105 mile southern portion of the trail shared with the AT, I met five people from Germany. They weren't in a group but independent of each other. I thought that was unusually high or 105 miles. This was in July when the main bubble was passing through.

Wonder what the attraction was in Germany.

[Kaptain Kangaroo]

As I've recently been going through my AT trail journals this had me thinking about all those hikers from abroad I noted on my AT thru-hike in 2006 alone(not counting the untold number of other times I've hiked on the AT meeting hikers not from the U.S.). I probably forgot some other nationalities but here's a list of the 2006 hikers, mostly other thru-hikers, who declared themselves arriving from abroad to hike the AT: Austria, Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Croatia, England, Germany, Ireland, Israel, France, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Serbia, and Switzerland.

I was one of those Aussies on the trail in 2006 & the only nationality I could add to your list would be South African. I was surprised at how few foreign hikers there were. I guess I expected more on such a well known trail.

[garlic08]

To add to the list, I met one Japanese, a couple of Chinese, one Argentinian, one sub-Saharan African (forgot the country--Liberia?) and one Kuwaiti. I briefly exchanged greetings with a few more Asians, but didn't have the chance to ask if they were foreign nationals. One of the more obviously foreign groups I talked with was a Mennonite family. I was pleased with the diversity of hikers I met.

[colorado_rob]

During my Long Trail thru in 2013, on the 105 mile southern portion of the trail shared with the AT, I met five people from Germany. They weren't in a group but independent of each other. I thought that was unusually high or 105 miles. This was in July when the main bubble was passing through.

Wonder what the attraction was in Germany.

Seems like there were way more Germans than other non-US nationalities, apparently there was a German-language documentary about the AT on television in that part of Europe a couple/few years ago.

Excellent! Bring 'em on.

Same deal in the SW US (SW Colorado, Utah, Arizona); seems like way more German tourist out here than other European nationalities.

[lemon b]

Lost count long time ago.

[Gambit McCrae]

Lost count long time ago.

Diddo,

Australia, Austria, Switzerland, Lots from Germany, Canada, lots of other places as well.

[RED-DOG]

Most of the Forgeiners i met was during my 2006 GA-ME, i met people from.
1, Germany ( Hanzel & Gretel )
2, Japan ( their was a group of 15 from Japan that couldn't speak a bite of english ).
3, Australia
4 Canada
5 Switzerland
6 Great Britian
7 South Africa
8 Mexico

on my 2012 GA-ME and my section hikes between my thru's i met a few forgeiners but nothing like the numbers i saw in 06 and on my 96 flip flop i didn't see any forgeiners, so yes i agree the numbers of forgeiners hiking the AT and other trails is greatly under reported especially for 2006 i probably met more forgeiners than domestics.

[FlyPaper]

My List...

Canada, Germany, Japan, France, India, Canada, England, and I'm fuzzy on a few others.

[RED-DOG]

Most of the Forgeiners i met was during my 2006 GA-ME, i met people from.
1, Germany ( Hanzel & Gretel )
2, Japan ( their was a group of 15 from Japan that couldn't speak a bite of english ).
3, Australia
4 Canada
5 Switzerland
6 Great Britian
7 South Africa
8 Mexico

on my 2012 GA-ME and my section hikes between my thru's i met a few forgeiners but nothing like the numbers i saw in 06 and on my 96 flip flop i didn't see any forgeiners, so yes i agree the numbers of forgeiners hiking the AT and other trails is greatly under reported especially for 2006 i probably met more forgeiners than domestics.

The total number of people i have met NOT from the USA is in the Hundreds possibly thousands.

[Dogwood]

While I expect the number of thru hikes completed by foreign nationals is under reported, your post makes me think they could be very much under reported.

if you look at the ATC's list for 2006, you will see just a handful of hikers from abroad-- and only from the countries of England, Canada and Australia.

Here is the link: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/abou...s-listing/2006

Thanks for posting that Rick. I theorize that it may be because a greater number of foreign AT thru-hikers aren't interested in declaring themselves formerly as being thru-hikers, having completed an AT thru-hike, or after a 2000 mile certificate compared to U.S. citizen AT thru-hikers. All those foreigners weren't thru-hikers either.

Additionally, the way one hikes, personality, and goals can account for meeting so many foreign nationalities. For example, on my AT thru in 2006 I tended to bounce around often not staying in one bubble of hikers throughout the hike. My miles hiked per week averages fluctuated greatly from a low of about 100 to a high of about 190. I had greater opportunities to meet a wider variety of other nationalities just as I would think Red-Dog did on his AT flip flop but he said he met no foreigners on his flip flop which surprises me. BTW, one reason why I started this thread was that I hoped other 2006 ATers would chime in jogging my memory about foreigners they met. I forgot about that group of Japanese section hikers who I also met. Thx Red Dog. Another example is that I make it a priority in life that carries over to my hiking to meet and greet foreigners.

I was one of those Aussies on the trail in 2006 & the only nationality I could add to your list would be South African. I was surprised at how few foreign hikers there were. I guess I expected more on such a well known trail.

I remember you KK. Who were you hiking with?

[Sugarfoot]

Years ago, I met a guy from Yap Island in Micronesia. I think that would be my rarest sighting.

[The Kisco Kid]

Ok so that didn't work, but let's just say their ancient currency was as big and cumbersome as the lines of text above.

[Sugarfoot]

Like most hikers, he didn't carry change out of town. A good thing in his case.

[shelb]

Each time I have hiked, which covered between 55 - 120 miles, I have always encountered at least one person from outside of the United States. Sometimes, it has been a solitary hiker - other times a pair. It is great to talk to them!!