View Full Version : An average AT thru hiker on average will:
Let’s determine some real numbers about an average AT thru hiker:
So according to what you have seen on trail or heard or read on trail journals an average AT Thru hiker on average will:
1-Lose … pounds of weight
2- Takes … days to finish the trail
3- Takes …. Zero days
4-Carries a backpack weighing …. Pounds
5- Sees … numbers of bears
6- Will face … number of rainy days
7- Wears out … number of trail runners
8- Sleeps …. nights in hostels(or huts or hotels or motels or…)
9- Falls down …number of times
10- Spends … dollars to finish the trail
If you are interested to take part in this survey(ish) please write down the numbers you think makes sense in front of the number of question.
When we gather enough (20 ,50 and hopefully 100) answers I will calculate the average numbers and sum up the thread when reaching to the before mentioned number of answers .
Thanks in advance for spending your time answering this survey(ish)
Starchild
05-04-2014, 20:46
Let’s determine some real numbers about an average AT thru hiker:
So according to what you have seen on trail or heard or read on trail journals an average AT Thru hiker on average will:
1-Lose … pounds of weight
Zero for me, no wasting but higher $$$, need high consumption of protein all the time. This also helps mitigate the thru hiker funk.
2- Takes … days to finish the trail For me 5.5 months
3- Takes …. Zero days
Have no idea, but m first zero was a double zero because someone I love came to visit.
4-Carries a backpack weighing …. Pounds
Known weight limits (excluding slack packing) 11 to 27 lbs
5- Sees … numbers of bears
:( :( :( only 2 in the Bear Mtn zoo
6- Will face … number of rainy days
I hiked 1/3 of the trail with 'Splash' enough said on that besides contentious rain, other then that either clear or snow.
7- Wears out … number of trail runners
5 or 8, I lost count.
8- Sleeps …. nights in hostels(or huts or hotels or motels or…)
Many and many gifted to me, have no idea and don;t care to calculate it
9- Falls down …number of times
I=Once that I cryed that I wished that angels heard, ones in Mohosic Notch, once visiting a former g/f. the last one was the saddest.
10- Spends … dollars to finish the trail
More then any estimates that I have heard
If you are interested to take part in this survey(ish) please write down the numbers you think makes sense in front of the number of question.
I think one hundred and fourty two such a number but I have no idea what you mean here.
When we gather enough (20 ,50 and hopefully 100) answers I will calculate the average numbers and sum up the thread when reaching to the before mentioned number of answers .
OK
Thanks in advance for spending your time answering this survey(ish)
Yes, and be sure to help thru hikes that you meet. Thanks for your participation.
2) Take 169 days to finish.
3) Take 21 zero days.
I don't have an educated guess on the other questions.
Zero for me, no wasting but higher $$$, need high consumption of protein all the time. This also helps mitigate the thru hiker funk.
For me 5.5 months
Have no idea, but m first zero was a double zero because someone I love came to visit.
Known weight limits (excluding slack packing) 11 to 27 lbs
:( :( :( only 2 in the Bear Mtn zoo
I hiked 1/3 of the trail with 'Splash' enough said on that besides contentious rain, other then that either clear or snow.
5 or 8, I lost count.
Many and many gifted to me, have no idea and don;t care to calculate it
9- Falls down …number of times
I=Once that I cryed that I wished that angels heard, ones in Mohosic Notch, once visiting a former g/f. the last one was the saddest.
More then any estimates that I have heard
I think one hundred and fourty two such a number but I have no idea what you mean here.
OK
Yes, and be sure to help thru hikes that you meet. Thanks for your participation.
Thank you starchild for your answers.
I don't have any AT experience yet but My questions preferably is not about personal experience one may have had on AT thru hike but is more about what you think is an appropriate number for any question for an average AT thru hiker.
For example you did not lose any weight on your thru but it is not really a feasible number for an AT thru hiker. From what I have heard they all lose some weight especially in the first half of the trail
so if I answer the questions it will be something like this:
1- 20 pounds
2- 160 days
3- 15 zero days
4- 25 pounds backpack( without food or water)
5- 3 bears
6-30 days of rain
7-4 pairs of trail runners
8-30 nights on hostels
9- 5 fall downs
10- 4000 dollars spent
1-Lose … pounds of weight
2- Takes … days to finish the trail
3- Takes …. Zero days
4-Carries a backpack weighing …. Pounds
5- Sees … numbers of bears
6- Will face … number of rainy days
7- Wears out … number of trail runners
8- Sleeps …. nights in hostels(or huts or hotels or motels or…)
9- Falls down …number of times
10- Spends … dollars to finish the trail
This is like guessing the number of jellybeans in a jar, right? You asked for average. 5 and 9 are particularly unsuited for that metric. 3 and 8 (in my opinion) are almost the same number. Most if not all zero days are taken in town.
1. 25
2. 160
3. 20
4. 30 (avg. incl. food & h2o)
5. 1
6. 30
7. 3
8. 20 (same ans. as #3)
9. 20
10. 4000 (not incl. gear or fares to start/end)
illabelle
05-05-2014, 04:58
1-Lose … pounds of weight
2- Takes … days to finish the trail
3- Takes …. Zero days
4-Carries a backpack weighing …. Pounds
5- Sees … numbers of bears
6- Will face … number of rainy days
7- Wears out … number of trail runners
8- Sleeps …. nights in hostels(or huts or hotels or motels or…)
9- Falls down …number of times
10- Spends … dollars to finish the trail
1. 30
2. 160
3. 28
4. 33
5. 3
6. 45
7. 3
8. 32
9. 16
10. 4400
These are guesses. I am a section hiker.
Starchild
05-05-2014, 07:19
Thank you starchild for your answers.
I don't have any AT experience yet but My questions preferably is not about personal experience one may have had on AT thru hike but is more about what you think is an appropriate number for any question for an average AT thru hiker.
If I'm reading this correctly this would make your survey a survey of what people think is the correct number, not based on actual numbers (which are obtainable), but opinions of what the number may be based on what people believe to be true.
I would venture that the number-of-falls or number-of-bears-sighted is basically unknowable, and varies hugely from one hiker to the next such that an average is meaningless.
CarlZ993
05-05-2014, 07:37
Let’s determine some real numbers about an average AT thru hiker:
So according to what you have seen on trail or heard or read on trail journals an average AT Thru hiker on average will:
1-Lose … pounds of weight
2- Takes … days to finish the trail
3- Takes …. Zero days
4-Carries a backpack weighing …. Pounds
5- Sees … numbers of bears
6- Will face … number of rainy days
7- Wears out … number of trail runners
8- Sleeps …. nights in hostels(or huts or hotels or motels or…)
9- Falls down …number of times
10- Spends … dollars to finish the trail
If you are interested to take part in this survey(ish) please write down the numbers you think makes sense in front of the number of question.
When we gather enough (20 ,50 and hopefully 100) answers I will calculate the average numbers and sum up the thread when reaching to the before mentioned number of answers .
Thanks in advance for spending your time answering this survey(ish)
From my 2013 hike:
1. 12 lbs
2. 152 days
3. 12 zeros (miscounted & erroneously put 10 zero days in my YouTube video)
4. ~17 lbs base pack weight
5. 5-6 bears (including one on top of Bear Mountain NY; not just the zoo)
6. A lot of rain; no really, a lot of rain
7. Finished in my 4th pair of trail runners
8. 61 days in hostels/motels or other indoor lodging (See #6)
9. Falls? Can't count that high. (bent 3 hiking poles; broke 2 hiking poles)
10. ~$6500
If I'm reading this correctly this would make your survey a survey of what people think is the correct number, not based on actual numbers (which are obtainable), but opinions of what the number may be based on what people believe to be true..
You are correct Starchild. My survey(ish) is not about finding average numbers of Whiteblaze members. I think WhiteBlaze members does not represent a good sample of average AT hikers. Here in WB folks are more experienced than an average hiker,especially the people who frequently comment here. I guess if we have a survey about WB members and compare it with what an average hiker will perform there will be a gap.So if for example somebody says that he/she has thru hiked the AT in 95 days I will not include the number in the survey since it does not represent an average hiker in any shape or form.
Francis Sawyer
05-05-2014, 12:12
A guy wrote a book about this exact subject. I shall consult my library.........
Francis Sawyer
05-05-2014, 12:16
Roland Mueser,Long Distance Hiking:Lessons from the AT.
Roland Mueser,Long Distance Hiking:Lessons from the AT.
Thank you Sawyer. I did not know about it. It could be interesting to compare the numbers we gather with the numbers of the book. I guess there will be some difference between these two.
I'm familiar with the Roland Mueser book -- just be aware that it's a bit dated. It's from the day when the MSR Whisperlite and Coleman Peak-1 were the thru-hiking stoves of choice.
Compared to when that data was compiled, present-day thru-hikers are generally carrying considerably lighter loads. Even so, there's a lot of useful insight. On average, thru-hikers aren't moving all that much faster now than they were 20 years ago.