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View Full Version : The 14th thru-hiker just summitted Katahdin!



lobster
09-30-2005, 19:53
Of course, I'm only referring to those who actually hiked all the miles.

Smile
09-30-2005, 21:12
Do you have any trail names?

max patch
09-30-2005, 21:46
Is that the 14th this year or the 14th ever?

lobster
09-30-2005, 21:51
in 2005 !!!!

Old Spice
10-01-2005, 00:41
That doesn't seem like that many for this late in the year. Am I wrong in thinking this? Where can I find statistics fo past years finish dates?

Almost There
10-01-2005, 01:04
I guarantee that more than 14 have summitted this year. What are you using to base your number on?

Lone Wolf
10-01-2005, 05:47
lobster the s**t stirrer. :D

Moxie00
10-01-2005, 09:12
I've seen more than 14 summit Kathadin in one day and I can gaurentee they all did the miles. That is in past years but this year could be no different. There were alot more than 14 thru hikers at the Caratunk Hikers feed and all of them have sumitted by now.

lobster
10-01-2005, 11:50
Out of those Caratunk eaters, half took the Creeper Trail and only a quarter walked that piece between the road and Fontana Dam.

Almost There
10-01-2005, 12:09
Of course I get it now...Lobster if they hike the required mileage they are through hikers, get off the high horse and HYOH!

lobster
10-01-2005, 12:18
Well, isn't that what a thru-hiker is supposed to be?

Whistler
10-01-2005, 13:35
Here we go...

The Old Fhart
10-01-2005, 13:53
lobster is either envious or full of tomalley. :D

Blue Jay
10-01-2005, 16:59
Out of those Caratunk eaters, half took the Creeper Trail and only a quarter walked that piece between the road and Fontana Dam.

Lobster, I was there where the trail crosses Route 9 in Vermont when you hiked thru. You did not take the trail through the parking lot on the other side of the road. You walked straight across the road to the bridge. Sorry under your own definition you are not a thru. Now get back up there and finish, you slacker.

Moxie00
10-01-2005, 20:06
When I was at ATC HQ in Harpers Ferry I asked for their defination of a thru hiker. The consensus of the staff that day was, any hiker that hikes from Springer to Katahdin, generally following the trail, that doesn't skip any sections or take any shortcuts that make the trail any shorter is a thru hiker. They also went on to say that with so many re-locations every year no one ever hikes the same hike from year to year. They did not feel it was necessary to stay exactly on the trail as long as you hiked the miles. Others have their own definations and don't consider anyone a thru hiker that slack packs or hikes a section north to south. Some feel you have to pass every blaze, My question is, who gives a damn? Every hiker knows what he or she hiked and every hiker decides themself if they are a thru hiker or not. It is not the responsibility of others to judge or decide who is or isn't a thru hiker and anyone who feels he or she can sit in judgenment is a pompus snob and shows the brilliance of a small appliance bulb.:mad:

Moxie00
10-01-2005, 20:08
When I was at AYC HQ in Harpers Ferry I asked for their defination of a thru hiker. The consensus of the staff that day was, any hiker that hikes from Springer to Katahdin, generally following the trail, that doesn't skip any sections or take any shortcuts that make the trail any shorter is a thru hiker. They also went on to say that with so many re-locations every year no one ever hikes the same hike from year to year. They did not feel it was necessary to stay exactly on the trail as long as you hiked the miles. Others have their own definations and don't consider anyone a thru hiker that slack packs or hikes a section north to south. Some feel you have to pass every blaze, My question is, who gives a damn? Every hiker knows what he or she hiked and every hiker decides themself if they are a thru hiker or not. It is not the responsibility of others to judge or decide who is or isn't a thru hiker and anyone who feels he or she can sit in judgement is a pompus snob and shows the brilliance of a small appliance bulb.

Almost There
10-02-2005, 02:02
Ah yes, but didn't you hear, Lobster was appointed the sheriff of thru hikers, so if you miss that tenth of a mile because you walked across a field to get back on the trail after taking a krap, rather than going back the way you came to get on the trail, well, you will be stripped of your thru hiker status upon reaching Katahdin.

Seriously, dude, although I am only a sectioner at this point due to family responsibilities I have known enough people who have made the entire trip, and as their friend I find it incredibly insulting that you would belittle their effort because they did not do it YOUR WAY!
Also please enlighten us as to the proper way to hike the PCT and CDT as well, as neither of those trails are marked as well as the AT, what constitutes a thru hike on those trails. As long as were stripping thru hikers of their titles lets get on the other two major trails as well. You've got your work cut out for you, but I am sure you can handle it!

lobster
10-02-2005, 02:13
I'm not talking about missing a tenth of a mile when you got lost, coming out of a shelter on a blue-blaze, walking around a blowdown, etc.

I'm talking about skipping SECTIONS of trail INTENTIONALLY.

rusty075
10-02-2005, 02:40
Lobster did you actually follow each and every one of these "imposter thru-hikers" around for their entire hikes, just to verify that they did, or didn't complete the entire thing? It's amasing that you found the time to hike at all!

TAMBOURINE
10-02-2005, 06:42
There Are 2 Hikers Out There Now I Just Saw At Snp At Big Meadows Last Weekend That Are Thru Hikers Headed Sobo Name Moondog Hope They Dont Get Stuck In The Cold ...god Speed To Them

Blue Jay
10-02-2005, 07:58
It is not the responsibility of others to judge or decide who is or isn't a thru hiker and anyone who feels he or she can sit in judgement is a pompus snob and shows the brilliance of a small appliance bulb.

Actually Lobster has no life, therefore really dumb responsibilities are very important to him. It is our responsibility to laugh at him.

saimyoji
10-02-2005, 09:50
This thread brings to mind something discussed here in the past:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=7448&highlight=trail+passport

Youngblood
10-02-2005, 11:31
There are all these 'definitions' that attempt to classify AT long distance hikers. Let's have a little fun with this. We have at least these fundamental ones:

White Blazer
Blue Blazer
Yellow Blazer
Aqua Blazer
White Blaze Purists
Backpack Carrying Purists

Got that train of thought? Now, what is the most oxymoronic type combination?

I've thought of a Yellow-Blazing White-Blaze Purist, where someone Yellow Blazes sections for some reason on their first pass but comes back later to White Blaze them.

What would you classify someone who substitued old sections of the AT that are now Blue Blazes for the newer White Blaze sections of the AT? At this years SoRuck, Chris came up with the term Blite Blazer, as a combination of Blue Blazing and White Blazing for this special case.

So... from this point of reference, would a Yellow-Blazing White-Blaze Purist be know as a Whellow Blazer?

Youngblood

Icicle
10-02-2005, 11:32
14 is a really low number!! When my husband (Snowman) summited on Tuesday the 27th (with me tagging along) his paper from the ranger had a number in the 200's.

And I can assure you that Snowman hiked every INCH of the trail!

We came down off Katahdin on the Abol trail and he was fussing over the fact it was blue blazed...but reckoned he could do that now he was finished! LOL

Youngblood
10-02-2005, 11:42
...We came down off Katahdin on the Abol trail and he was fussing over the fact it was blue blazed...but reckoned he could do that now he was finished! LOLI just checked the rule book and if you backtrack it erases that section of the trail from your completed mileage, so your hubby did the right thing.

... just kidding of course. :)

Youngblood

Fly By Mike
10-02-2005, 12:00
Do you have any trail names?
I day hiked the Hunt Trail to Katahdin yesterday and there was quite a crowd up there and someone told me there were fourteen who finished yesterday and bunch more finishing today. I didn't get all the trail names but do know that Stiltz, Domino, Tree Tops and Ivy were up there at the top yesterday.

Old Spice
10-02-2005, 18:07
Was their an actual point in starting this thread other than being a devisive prick? Is this funny? I would be extremely pissed if some self appointed hiker snob started telling me I didn't hike the entire trail.

titanium_hiker
10-02-2005, 18:39
wouldn't someone who took all the longer, tougher sections (white blue whatever blazed) be MORE of a thru hiker than someone who solely whiteblazed?
who cares? "I'm sorry, you aren't really a father because you only had 1kid, not 2, and you arn't married to the mother" -same logic.

aquablazing sounds like fun. I'm gonna have to try it.

titanium

Traction
10-03-2005, 02:01
do i get to be counted mr. lobster man?.. I swear.. I didn't skip any of the trail.. really i didn't.. hah, what a joke this thread is. Good times though, good times.. I like to laugh, and you make me laugh. well done, well done.

Ah, hell.. I just remembered that time that I tripped over a root while I was scuffling my feet (so as to cover every inch of the trail).. that damn root made me get airborne.. I was so dazed I forgot to cover that two feet of trail I flew over. Oh well.. I guess I'm not a thru-hiker. damn, and I tried so hard...

does this mean I have to go tell my mommy and daddy that I lied to them about being a thru-hiker..? "Mom, dad, I lied.. i'm sorry, don't spank me.. I couldn't help it.. I tripped.. it was raining, and I was going down hill.. and that root just popped up out of no where.. don't disown me.. please!"

Heater
10-03-2005, 04:15
do i get to be counted mr. lobster man?.. I swear.. I didn't skip any of the trail.. really i didn't.. hah, what a joke this thread is. Good times though, good times.. I like to laugh, and you make me laugh. well done, well done.

Ah, hell.. I just remembered that time that I tripped over a root while I was scuffling my feet (so as to cover every inch of the trail).. that damn root made me get airborne.. I was so dazed I forgot to cover that two feet of trail I flew over. Oh well.. I guess I'm not a thru-hiker. damn, and I tried so hard...

does this mean I have to go tell my mommy and daddy that I lied to them about being a thru-hiker..? "Mom, dad, I lied.. i'm sorry, don't spank me.. I couldn't help it.. I tripped.. it was raining, and I was going down hill.. and that root just popped up out of no where.. don't disown me.. please!"
Well... you have until Jan 1 to go back and re-do that step if it really bothers you that much. :bse :D

Red Hat
10-03-2005, 09:19
I've been keeping a list of my "Characters of the Day" from my trailjournal so I can update those who have finished. I have 23 of them who have finished so far and more on the way. Of course, that's just the ones I met and selected as Character of the Day! A few of them did aquablaze... but some of those went back and hiked the section after the aquablaze. I am so proud to have known each and every one. Red Hat

Jaybird
10-03-2005, 10:03
I've been keeping a list of my "Characters of the Day" from my trailjournal so I can update those who have finished. I have 23 of them who have finished so far and more on the way. Of course, that's just the ones I met and selected as Character of the Day! A few of them did aquablaze... but some of those went back and hiked the section after the aquablaze. I am so proud to have known each and every one. Red Hat

Howdy OldKathy...AKA "REDHAT"


Did you see "GRITS" or "Birdhouse Bob"?
How about "Apple Pie" or "Hopeful Hiker"?

I know "Beantown" summitted on Sept 14th. :D

these are just a few "characters" i hiked with in my 3+ weeks on the A.T. this year.

Cookerhiker
10-03-2005, 10:27
[QUOTE=Jaybird]Howdy OldKathy...AKA "REDHAT"


Did you see "GRITS" ......../QUOTE]

I also remember Grits from my 2-week NV-TN section hike in the Spring. I finished another section hike Sept. 15 in Maine. I believe Grits finished about 3-4 weeks earlier. Since he generally tented rather than stay in shelters, I didn't see his name in the registers but he did sign the register at the diner in Stratton - in early August as I recall.

Blister
10-03-2005, 10:33
I'd love to throw that damn lobster in a pot of boiling water. Listen for his scream and eat him! Does this make me a cruel person?

lobster
10-03-2005, 11:09
Like I said before, I'm not talking about folks who take a * in the woods and come out 30 feet up the trail, miss 20 feet of trail going around a blow-down, hitchhike into and out of a town and miss the 25 feet of tar between the two sides of the road, etc.

I'm talking about folks who skip sections whether by walking an alternate route, aquablazing, yellow-blazing, etc. Walking around Pond Mountain or skipping the 2-3 mile section between the road into Fontana and the dam are just two examples.

Instead of wasting your time typing that you'd like to boil this lobster, get back out there and complete those miles you missed!

Note, if you complete your miles more than 12 months after you started, you don't qualify as a thru-hiker, but as a 2000 miler. Though, you still can receive a patch for your efforts.

shades of blue
10-03-2005, 11:25
Grits summited on August 17th...the day before I did. I leap frogged with him from Andover...then hiked with him from Monson through Chairback.
Grits was a funny guy....real nice.

shades of blue
10-03-2005, 11:38
Lobster....
Why is this so important to you? (if you are being truthful and not the s*** stirer that L. Wolf believes you to be). If someone skipped a section of the trail...took an alternative route....took the ferry and not the ford at Kennebec (according to mr. Doyle).....why the anger?

Some people skip a section to keep up with their friends...they get something, but lose something (keep their friendships for a little longer...miss some of the trail). The thing is...it's their choice...not mine, or yours. I understand not liking people to claim something that isn't true....but some people would say the same thing about you...did you ford or canoe? Did you take a blue blaze shelter loop trail (lots of discussions about that) did you follow the actual trail through the mahoosuc notch (or like me scramble to try figure out where the hell those blazes were really going...but couldn't choose when they seemed to go two different ways).

Someone could go insane trying to be a purist of the lilly white degree. In the end you have to make a choice what you are comfortable with...then let others make their own choice.

Youngblood....I would add the Ivory blaze hiker...
kinda like the woman who wears ivory instead of white at her second wedding.
It's awfully close to white...

Stabes
10-03-2005, 14:32
Hopeful Hiker flip-flopped, I saw him at the white House landing about two weeks ago maybe? Time is a blur to me, and I am pretty sure Apple Pie summitted at least a couple weeks before me. (I summitted 9/27). I did, however inadvertantly miss 5.9 miles of the trail in Virginia and took the Mar-Har trail instead of the three ridges, so I guess that I am only a section hiker. In my mind it is justafiable to miss 14 miles of the trail to account for the Approach trail and the desent of Katahdin which don't count towards your mileage. It is my hike after all and I can make my own rules.:bse
Howdy OldKathy...AKA "REDHAT"


Did you see "GRITS" or "Birdhouse Bob"?
How about "Apple Pie" or "Hopeful Hiker"?

I know "Beantown" summitted on Sept 14th. :D

these are just a few "characters" i hiked with in my 3+ weeks on the A.T. this year.

lobster
10-03-2005, 16:41
How do you inadvertently miss that many miles? Hitchhike driver mistakenly takes you to the wrong trail crossing?

rickb
10-03-2005, 17:22
Earl Shafer missed even more than that, Lobster.

He failed to have his maps mailed on time, and ended up taking hte wrong trail in the Whites as a result.

At least thats what he told the ATC right before they recognized him as the first 2,000 miler thru hiker.

Me thinks Stabes is in good company!

Congrats, on a completed thru!

Rick B

Blister
10-04-2005, 11:18
Lobster - I have way more miles under my belt than you do at this point and probablly more than you'll ever have. I'll be thru hiking the CDT next year - would you like to tell me how to hike that trail? Would you even be able to navigate your way on a trail that wasn't marked every ten feet with a blaze. I don't really care what a bottom feeder has to say. I do know for a fact that many of the people I met this year while doing trail magic would not slack pack and were determined to hike in a purism manner. I congratulate all those out there that have had a great adventure whether purist, flip flopping, blue blazin, red blazin, aqua blazin or pink blazin for that matter. I hope you don't become one of those hikers, Lobster, that hike the AT once and believe they are a god and expert. I actually look down at those A**H****!

saimyoji
10-04-2005, 13:39
Don't feed the troll.

rhjanes
10-04-2005, 14:17
todays stats.


146 completed a NOBO thru. 10 percent of the starters. winners, everyone who has a dream and even does a day.

Miss Janet
10-04-2005, 16:36
What about WebBlazers??
If you can talk about every inch of the trail (without ever seeing a inch of it), critique every piece of gear ever invented (without ever actually using it) or advise wanna be AT thru hikers from the comfort of your home in the middle of BoFunk Nowhere...
You might be a WebBlazer...

Youngblood
10-04-2005, 16:37
I like that Miss Janet, thanks.

Spartan Hiker
10-04-2005, 16:38
You might be a WebBlazer...Would be a great trail name for someone (if they ever showed up on the trail)

neighbor dave
10-04-2005, 18:15
todays stats.


146 completed a NOBO thru. 10 percent of the starters. winners, everyone who has a dream and even does a day.
that # is low. me and chickety summited on the 19th of august and we were 130 and 131,airbus was 132. i told the A.T.C. about their low #'s but they never fixed it or responded.
i think this thread is funny,i don't take it personally,and it's why i like whiteblaze.
p.s. we did pass EVERY white blaze on the trail. crossed every road and never blueblazed even out of shelters. i personally crawled over under and through every blowdown, even tunneled under one!!!!!! yippeeeee!!!!!:banana :jump :clap :welcome :jump :sun :banana :clap :jump :welcome :clap :sun :banana :jump :p

Youngblood
10-04-2005, 19:50
Which side of the street did you use when you went through Hot Springs?

Speaking of which, I was there about 10 days ago and they have this neat AT symbol embedded in the sidewalk... the side of the street the outfitter is on.

neighbor dave
10-04-2005, 19:54
what side of the fence was i on?? or street i was on???where's hotsprings????:jump :) :welcome :jump

Youngblood
10-04-2005, 20:04
Hot Springs has the watering hole where they sell the "I Walked the Entire Width of The Appalachian Trail" tee shirts... right across the street from the outfitter. Sounds like you had a great trip... Congratulations!

Youngblood

neighbor dave
10-04-2005, 20:07
we had a blast!!!

now it's trail less viewless nameless peaks in the northeast!!! yippeeee!!!!:clap :jump :clap :welcome :sun :banana :jump

Youngblood
10-04-2005, 20:09
There are all these 'definitions' that attempt to classify AT long distance hikers. Let's have a little fun with this. We have at least these fundamental ones:

White Blazer
Blue Blazer
Yellow Blazer
Aqua Blazer
White Blaze Purists
Backpack Carrying Purists

Got that train of thought? Now, what is the most oxymoronic type combination?

I've thought of a Yellow-Blazing White-Blaze Purist, where someone Yellow Blazes sections for some reason on their first pass but comes back later to White Blaze them.

What would you classify someone who substitued old sections of the AT that are now Blue Blazes for the newer White Blaze sections of the AT? At this years SoRuck, Chris came up with the term Blite Blazer, as a combination of Blue Blazing and White Blazing for this special case.

So... from this point of reference, would a Yellow-Blazing White-Blaze Purist be know as a Whellow Blazer?

Youngblood
I just remembered that the AT does share trailway in two places with the yellow blazed Bartram Trail... should the term Whellow Blazing be reserved for those two sections of trail and just call Yellow-Blazing White-Blazing Purist, Yellow-Blazing White-Blazing Purists?

Almost There
10-04-2005, 21:36
Lobster,

Not everyone's orienteering skills are as superb as your own. That brings me to another point that is making you sound like a little man. My buddy who thru'd in 99 skipped a small section of the trail to aid a friend who twisted a knee. After helping him to town. He was faced with the decision to go back the way he came or to jump back on the trail where he could hook up with a group of people he had been hiking over 700 miles with at that point. By your definition he's not a thru hiker, but my props go to anyone who is more willing to help their fellow man vs. making sure they count every single little white blaze. Considering road walks into town, the approach trail, and the descent from Katahdin, what does five miles matter? Unless, of course you need to feel all the more important, so you feel the need to belittle other hikers. Besides isn't it the journey that's more important? Oh no! I only hiked 2155 miles vs. 2162...THE SHAME...THE HORROR!!! Get a life!

rickb
10-04-2005, 21:51
Future thru hikers might want to check out this link to the ATCs 2,000 Miler Application. Just so its not a surprise.

http://tinyurl.com/9s8bm

Almost There
10-04-2005, 21:58
I think the application description is pretty self explanatory! For some however the ATC wasn't anal enough. Hey lobster maybe you should petition the AT to have check points, or maybe we could mount cameras in the trees to make sure everyone hikes it "your" way. Listen, if the ATC says "reasonable attempt", then that is the standard. You might hold to your own personal standard, but that doesn't mean everyone else must.

Spartan Hiker
10-04-2005, 22:49
I think the application description is pretty self explanatory! For some however the ATC wasn't anal enough. Hey lobster maybe you should petition the AT to have check points, or maybe we could mount cameras in the trees to make sure everyone hikes it "your" way. Listen, if the ATC says "reasonable attempt", then that is the standard. You might hold to your own personal standard, but that doesn't mean everyone else must. It could go puritan to the extreme. ATC could require thru hikers to wear a GPS ankle bracelet transmitter from start to finish followed by a grueling 6 hour battery of written exams concerning the AT, video replay and revirew of your GPS track checking for blue blazes, a blister count check and a trail shelter knowledge interrogation by trail elders....or we could just stick to the honor system....

Almost There
10-04-2005, 23:21
Spartan,
Where could I get one of those ankle bracelet thinga ma jiggies. I'll even volunteer to be the first guinea pig, although if I follow Warren's advice to ford the Kennebec it might short circuit...so you better make sure it's waterproof!!!

Youngblood
10-05-2005, 08:13
Spartan,
Where could I get one of those ankle bracelet thinga ma jiggies. I'll even volunteer to be the first guinea pig, although if I follow Warren's advice to ford the Kennebec it might short circuit...so you better make sure it's waterproof!!!Be careful what you ask for... someone might come up with one for you that is waterproof and has a seven month full time battery that weighs 20 lbs.

Almost There
10-05-2005, 08:50
Hey if it weighs twenty pounds does that mean I could use it as a shelter and fend off Bears with it too? Will it float? I could have my very own raft for fording!

Spartan Hiker
10-05-2005, 10:02
Spartan,
Where could I get one of those ankle bracelet thinga ma jiggies. I'll even volunteer to be the first guinea pig, although if I follow Warren's advice to ford the Kennebec it might short circuit...so you better make sure it's waterproof!!!Actually, the technology has been around for some time, and today's systems don't come close to weighing 20 lbs or need to be "ankle bracelets" (I used that only as an illustration). The more current versions are embedded in wristwatches or come in the same packge size of a small PDA. Give the lawyers and the puritan Nazis enough time to twist logic and they may justify something along this line in order to "earn" a title and a patch. Personally, I cherish the concept of a thru hike completion based on the honor system as written.

Spartan

Almost There
10-05-2005, 10:56
Spartan,

I hear ya! I'm just trying to have fun with the Hike Nazis out there. I believe in the honor system as well, and in truth I would never wear any type of tracking device, but then again I don't really need a patch to feel fulfilled. I hike because of what I gain from the experience. My friends on the trail know who I am, and if I said I did something then they at least know I am telling the truth.

UCONNMike
01-18-2006, 16:49
lobster, please just go away...

mweinstone
01-18-2006, 18:59
a person who smells.one who eats macaroni and cheese.humans who carry their trash with them.people with no underware or very dirty underware.those of us who enjoy no soft place to sit for months at a time.anyone who needs maps from 14 eastern seaboard states to get where there going.folks who like to poop in the woods.folks who are insect racists.also people who speed eat.

Heater
01-18-2006, 22:20
Hot Springs has the watering hole where they sell the "I Walked the Entire Width of The Appalachian Trail" tee shirts... right across the street from the outfitter. Sounds like you had a great trip... Congratulations!

Youngblood

Hmmmm....

I wonder what is the "widest" point on the trail?

Sorry. Just Web-blazin' here! :banana

ferryman
01-19-2006, 07:58
That's right folks! Between the 20th of May until the 19th of November, over 538 northbounders hiked from Springer Mtn to Katahdin. Whether all of these hikers connected all the dots, is totally up to the person. There were over 161 southbound hikers headed to Georgia, but it's too early in their journey to determine how far they got. Even if someone hiked one weekend a year, it's still better than staying home. Make 2006 your hike of lifetime! Steve