View Full Version : What's the most miles you have hiked in a 24 hour period?
hikernutcasey
05-30-2014, 15:02
For me the number is pretty low...a 23 mile day hike but I'm only a section hiker and never have the opportunity to really get my trail legs under me.
The reason I ask is I am reading Texaco's journal this year http://www.2180miles.com/trail-blog and in honor of his grandparents 60th wedding anniversary and because he was on the trail and couldn't get them a present, he hiked 60 miles in 20 hours and 32 minutes:eek:
That's just under 3 mph for 20 straight hours! Now granted he did it from Harpers Ferry north bound which is a flat section but still. That's getting it done!
Also, if anyone would like a good journal to read his is a good one. Posts almost every day and is a good writer.
colorado_rob
05-30-2014, 15:05
50. Every spring we do a grand canyon rim-rim-rim, 42-50 miles depending on the route. done it 12 times.
About 45. Was trying for more but had trouble with navigation on the BMT in the dark.
FarmerChef
05-30-2014, 15:40
My wife, kids and I did 29 miles in Georgia this Spring. That was our biggest day yet and we finished before dark :)
I think it's funny to hike 60 miles to honor someone's anniversary. If he's keeping a journal, surely he could have gone online and bought something. I mean what are those miles going to do for his grandparents?
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hikernutcasey
05-30-2014, 16:50
I think it's funny to hike 60 miles to honor someone's anniversary. If he's keeping a journal, surely he could have gone online and bought something. I mean what are those miles going to do for his grandparents?
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Read the journal entry and you will understand.
The hike down to where I was married has proven to be a very long one...
Read the journal entry and you will understand.
I'm too cynical to fall for that long distance dedication story. He hiked 60 miles to show how tough he is and used his grandparents to brag about how tough he is while making people think he's not bragging at all he's just a really sensitive guy who really loves his grandparents.
Lone Wolf
05-30-2014, 17:36
40 miles. and did it in just under 12 hours
Ricky&Jack
05-30-2014, 17:39
I guess 17.
Its my only actual hike. But I left Amicalola at 9am... hikes to black gap shelter to camp... then made it back to amicalola 10am the next time. so 18mi in 25hrs
20-30.
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Starchild
05-30-2014, 18:41
Most is 36 miles under unusual circumstances but within a day (sunrise to sun set none of this 24 hour nonsense). Without those unusual circumstances it was 29.9 miles.
the unusual circumstances were:
1 - stopping early the day before due to a intense rain while I was at a shelter
2- Falling asleep in that shelter till dark
3 - waking up the next day fueled by the excessive rest + wayside resupply and real food + the desire to get back into my social bubble.
ChinMusic
05-30-2014, 18:46
25.5
Fairly tame for a thruhiker.
From the Finland Trailhead to Lutsen Highlands on the Superior Hiking Trail -- 52 miles. It was a trail race but since I spent more time walking than running I'm going to call it a hike:rolleyes:.
40 miles along the C&O Canal. Nice and flat.
Ricky&Jack
05-30-2014, 19:19
57.4 the Georgia loop.
ugh. this shows my lack of hiking knowledge so far..... I live in georgia (near chattanooga) and didnt know about the georgia loop.
I hiked the approach trail 2 weeks ago for the firs time. But now I need to look into the georgia loop. A loop would be great so I can park and not have to back-hike to it.
rocketsocks
05-30-2014, 19:53
57.4 the Georgia loop.
That is some freakin crazy miles, good for you! I don't no how you guys do it.
22 point somethin is my personal best.
FooFighter'12
05-30-2014, 21:38
41 in the 100 Mile Wilderness. Would love to go back and do that section much slower and without a deadline.
Yankytyke
05-30-2014, 21:44
40 miles along the C&O Canal. Nice and flat.
How did you do that without dying of boredom?
ive done 16 miles of the C&O. That was pushing the limits of my sanity.
kolokolo
05-30-2014, 22:00
43. I did the 3 state challenge with a buddy a few years back. PenMar to Harpers Ferry. I think my buddy could have done at least 10 more, but I was spent.
fudgefoot
05-30-2014, 22:03
50 miles on a Batona Trail end-end hike in about 18 hrs. I think I've done 60+ in some 24 hr ROGAINE races (all walking).
fiddlehead
05-30-2014, 22:22
ON our SOBO (supported) hike in the winter of 2001/2002, we did 39.3 on Dec 21 (biggest miles on the shortest day) and finished about 5PM.
But, on a speedhike of the JMT in 2000, we did 70 miles in about 27 hours to finish.
Afterwards, I was in a line for an AYCE, and they tried to throw me out, thinking I was a homeless guy. I guess I looked pretty bad.
joshuasdad
05-30-2014, 23:07
27ish on a day hike over Max Patch. Hit close to this several times in 24 hour period (bridging 2 days).
Ricky&Jack
05-30-2014, 23:45
yeah, bridging 2 days for 24hrs is kinda less exciting... because you can walk all day, and then only sleep a few hours and then continue in the morning.
How much we can hike before legs giving out and us calling it a night is different. Sleep re-engergizes us.
garlic08
05-31-2014, 08:28
From dawn to dusk, I can keep a steady 30 miles per day, and have done 100 miles in three days before. I just don't like pushing long days for the sake of a personal record, because I always want to be able to hike well the next day. I've heard Mags say something like it's not so important how many miles you can make in one day--it's how many miles you can make the second day.
In the biking world there's a thing called a S24O, or sub 24-hour overnighter. I often do something similar on a hiking trip--take off at noon one day and return by noon the next day. Trips like that I can cover 40+ miles easily and can sometimes hit a 2 mph average including a decent night's sleep, but I have never exceeded 50. But I'll be able to do it again the next day.
johnnybgood
05-31-2014, 08:59
27.2 . It was before I realized that not making it to the next shelter wasn't a deal breaker.
I've heard Mags say something like it's not so important how many miles you can make in one day--it's how many miles you can make the second day.
I also agree completely with this.
Ricky,
as far as hiking the Georgia Loop, there's a reason they call it the toughest hike in Georgia. there is almost 16k feet of elevation gain and the same loss. It makes the approach trail seem like a cakewalk. It would not be high on my list for a beginner multiday hike.
colorado_rob
05-31-2014, 09:39
... I've heard Mags say something like it's not so important how many miles you can make in one day--it's how many miles you can make the second day... We're not talking strictly on the AT are we??? I didn't think so, but it reminds me: I just remembered the stupidest thing I've ever done, mentally blocked it out because it was so painful: there is a trail in Denver called the Highline Canal trail (a tow-path which follows an old irrigation canal), 70 miles from Waterton canyon (where the CT starts) to DIA (Denver airport). Even though as the crow flies it's about 35 miles, it winds around through the city along a serpentine route for 70 miles, maybe 70% soft surface, 30% paved. I walked that damn thing in it's entirety in 23 hours 45 minutes with Gerry and Jennifer Roach (we were determined to break 24 hours and we barely did), and maybe 20 others who did it partially.
Stupid! the next day was Easter and my feet were so beat up, I don't think I walked more than 20 feet the entire day. Sore feet for a couple weeks. Stupid! But strangely, "fun". All these ultra things are somehow "fun". Emphasis on the quotes.
44 miles i did the 4 state challenge in 06 and attempted it again in 2012 and came up 2 miles short, but when i am on a Thru-Hike i do between 20-30 MPD every day, day in and day out no matter what the terrain is like. How many Zero's did your friend have to take to recupperate from the 60 miles ?
garlic08
05-31-2014, 11:39
...How many Zero's did your friend have to take to recuperate from the 60 miles ?
That reminds me of a guy I met on the AT as he started hiking 50 miles in one day in the Hundred Mile Wilderness. He did it as part bar bet and part fundraiser, a chance to get friends to donate over $5000 to charity sometime during his AT thru. He was successful. I passed him the next day as he was nursing his beat-up feet at a shelter and I gave him some supplies from my first aid kit. He was going to be out of commission for at least another day. It was a great philanthropic and personal challenge, but hardly a good strategy for his thru hike.
Patrickjd9
05-31-2014, 15:28
How did you do that without dying of boredom?
ive done 16 miles of the C&O. That was pushing the limits of my sanity.
I've done about 60 miles of the C&O. If I do the rest, it will be on a bicycle.
As for the original question, 20 miles, two different times. Once on the C&O, once on the AT.
peakbagger
05-31-2014, 15:44
Folks are routinely doing the pemi loop in the whites in under 24 hours. About 1/3 of the loop is the AT over Franconia Ridge over to Garfield and Guyot before splitting off and heading over to the Bonds and back to where they started. Some folks are running it in around 8 hours.
DeerFriend
05-31-2014, 20:03
I completed a 40 mile hike in a little under 24 hours last week. In an adventure race I have probably done 30-40 in 24 hour period and 50-60 overall, though it is really hard to count miles when you are not on trails, getting lost and not sleeping.
I did 31 miles from Bryds Nest shelter to hwy 522 Front Royal last week. 123 over 6 days from Simmons Gap to Harpers Ferry.
Violent Green
06-01-2014, 22:44
38 miles in the Smokies. Averaged 2.8mph.
Ryan
jimmyjam
06-01-2014, 22:56
Forty in 24. my error it was 40 miles in 30 hours. I'm on the fast side, but not that fast.
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28 miles. By accident. I lived in Mendocino County and had a few days off so I took off for the Redwoods National Park. I already had a hike planned but I noticed a short hike on the way so I stopped and did that trail. I went on to the Redwoods. Parked and began the hike. I miscalculated since I had not planned on the trail being so steep. I knew the mileage but I didn't know the elevation since it didn't state the elevation in the book I was referring to. I never did that again. My legs hurt for a week and it didn't help any that I worked on the fifth floor of the court house which had mezzanine floors without an elevator. Nice. I learned that lesson.
fiddlehead
06-02-2014, 02:20
I ran Leadville one year and the following day, we went to start a 100 mile section of the CDT (Wiminuche from Wolf Creek pass to Silverton),
Only did 8 miles that first day.
But we were doing 25's in about 3-4 days
Love Colorado.
Last Call
06-02-2014, 03:00
24.2 miles on the Black Creek Trail, lower Mississippi below Hattiesburg last fall.
Last Call
06-02-2014, 03:04
Ohhh in 24 hrs..... I mis-read the question, I thought is was in one stretch. I'd have to add on about 12 the next morning back to the truck...only because a shuttle driver bailed on me....
Close to 30 miles from Birch Run Shelter to Boiling Springs including a couple of short road walks not on the AT.
Over 34 from calf mountain hut to hightop hut in Shenandoah. Was a gorgeous day, barely saw anyone on the trail, and was able to take a nice long lunch with a milkshake. Just a great day on the trail. Followed it up with a 24 and a 28 before a nero into Front Royal where I destroyed a disgusting amount of food.
bamboo bob
06-02-2014, 05:53
39 miles on the PCT nobo into Snoqualimie Pass in the rain at night. I died when we got there at 1:30 in the AM.
35 plus or minus a couple a few times. Racing the weather.
full conditions
06-04-2014, 07:30
Seventy miles - Davenport Gap to Fontana Dam in 1981. Hard day - started at midnight and finished just before 11:00 p.m. that same day.
I'm too cynical to fall for that long distance dedication story. He hiked 60 miles to show how tough he is and used his grandparents to brag about how tough he is while making people think he's not bragging at all he's just a really sensitive guy who really loves his grandparents.
This post made me laugh pretty hard. I assure you I wasn't out to prove how tough I am. Tangible gifts be damned, and the memory of doing it for them is something I'll have forever.
--
Just found this thread...
It's really cool to read through everyone's stories on this thread and see how you've all challenged yourself. Happy trails and comfy feet!
lyagooshka
11-16-2016, 21:17
In my 3 days worth of "experience" on the AT, it was 17 miles.
From Dahlgren back pack camping area to Harpers Ferry.
lyagooshka
11-16-2016, 21:21
From the Finland Trailhead to Lutsen Highlands on the Superior Hiking Trail -- 52 miles. It was a trail race but since I spent more time walking than running I'm going to call it a hike:rolleyes:.
I honestly think I could do that.
If I found a hike that had ZERO elevation change, I would probably hike it regularly.
Uphills are too hard and downhills kill my knees.
I was thinking of biking the C&O.
Heard it was a good trip.
lyagooshka
11-16-2016, 21:23
I honestly think I could do that.
If I found a hike that had ZERO elevation change, I would probably hike it regularly.
Uphills are too hard and downhills kill my knees.
I was thinking of biking the C&O.
Heard it was a good trip.
Crud!
Hit the wrong button.
Meant to reply to the C&O post.
My goof!
Without resorting to jogging/running, which starts about 4.5 mph, to the best I can tell 68 miles mostly on PCT single track but with a 23 mile broken up stretch on pavements because of trail closures from fire. It happened near Quincy Ca on a PCT NOBO thru. It was not a hike without a backpack. I was not using a daypack. I had a kit and consumable load of about 14 lbs. It was not a level hike, avg about 5500 ft elevation as a rough estimate over the 68 miles, and a 88* day in July. I had to descend off the ridge and ascend back up several times. The pavement part all occurred during daylight. I rarely stopped moving. It was a solo experience. I was in the Zone....riding a backpacker's high.
Interestingly, I've never done a greater MPD even on backpacking days of mixing in breaking into jogging or running or outings where I'm just running without a LD kit.
22 or so. As far as I recall. Best two-day distance was 41 miles, in SNP.
One of those 22 mile days began with a 19 mile bike ride.
I was thinking of biking the C&O.
Heard it was a good trip.
I did the GAP, which includes the C&O, this spring. Great trip, I'll do it again for sure.
http://terrapinphoto.com/wp/galleries-3/vacation/great-allegheny-passage-may-11-18-2016/
MuddyWaters
11-16-2016, 23:01
About 40 here
25 mile day, ate, rested a couple hrs, napped 1 hr, then another 15 at night.
While I'm doing long days quite often, it usually doesn't mean big miles (or kilometers), due to rough terrain and elevations.
My biggest so far was a 24hr Three Peaks Challenge http://www.gotellitonthemountain.net/three-peaks-egypt-the-intel/ running for roughly 40km and 2500m elevation gain (and going down the same), which we did at a relaxed 19hrs.
This was with light luggage only, a daypack with some essentials and some food.