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dicaeopolis
06-22-2015, 22:13
I'm hoping to thru hike NOBO in 2016 or 2017. However, I'll still be in college at that time. I'm strong and have four years of martial arts under my belt, but I'm also 5'4" and the AT is a sausagefest. Anybody have advice for thru hiking as a young woman amongst largely older men? Particularly on the more social NOBO route. I'm pretty obviously gay but for some inexplicable reason men are often undeterred.


Notes: I am very much a creature of solitude, so getting a hiking buddy isn't for me. I briefly considered carrying a pistol, but decided it's not worth the extra weight and effort, especially since it could easily just be turned on me. I do usually carry a small can of pepper spray (the kind that clips onto your belt and extends out on a line when you pull it) when I hike, but I don't know if that will be enough.

Fredt4
06-22-2015, 22:34
Situational Awareness is your best advice. Not much crime on the trail and what little there is, is usually related to alcohol & drug abuse. Most are not concerned about whether you're gay or not, but there's always a fool around. If you don't make it an issue doubt anyone else will. Biggest problem you'll have is men trying to protect you. If you doubt that just read the posts about women being harassed on the trail. Learn to hike faster or slower, get up earlier or hike later than anyone that's annoying. Carrying a gun is unnecessary and illegal in many states. Don't know how often hikers encounter police on the trail but many LEO will find an excuse to search you and will certainly ruin your hike if they find a gun.

Just Bill
06-22-2015, 22:42
LOL, what does pretty obviously gay mean?
You have a buzz cut, wear men's clothes, and aren't overly feminine or wear makeup?
You mean you look like a hiker??? :D

Same advice- get on the trail- I think you'll mainly find this a bit less of an issue in the real world than on a cyber hike.
That said- town is dangerous- and worth a bit of concern.

Oddly- older men and women make pretty good trail partners say many folks of both sexes.
Paces tend to be the same and there's more of a Father Daughter vibe than anything else in those trail partnerships.
Other than hikers that enter a relationship, these seem to be some of the more successful partnerships.
But again, despite what you read, it's not hard to hike alone.

If nothing else- consider a SOBO, flip flop, or other itinerary to avoid crowds.

MuddyWaters
06-23-2015, 01:27
I'm hoping to thru hike NOBO in 2016 or 2017. However, I'll still be in college at that time. I'm strong and have four years of martial arts under my belt, but I'm also 5'4" and the AT is a sausagefest. Anybody have advice for thru hiking as a young woman amongst largely older men? Particularly on the more social NOBO route. I'm pretty obviously gay but for some inexplicable reason men are often undeterred.



If by "older" you mean like say 23-25, yeah, it will be full of lots of "older" men.

Your apprehensiveness about men is a bit out there. Take a preliminary hike and you will see, 99.95% of people are great on the trail, and look out for each other. You are pretty much safer than you are around town at home. There are NO barriers with age, income, even orientation, etc on the trail. People are pretty much all the same. they are hikers.

One of the greatest things about the AT, is the social nature of it, and the way there are no barriers between people. You may find your ideal hiking partner is a 70 yr old man. Seriously.

gsingjane
06-23-2015, 06:43
I'm not young and female on the trail but I have been female on the trail!

I think things will be fine. You are much better off not worrying about it and just seeing what happens. Things on the internet always look much worse than they are in real life. If you have a concern, just head out and take some days on the AT in Connecticut, it's beautiful, and try it out. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

It is like a lot of other scary things. If "it" were happening all the time, you'd be reading about it all the time... and since you aren't, you can pretty safely conclude "it" isn't happening quite so much as you might fear.

Is that to say you will never run into a sketchy person? No, nobody can guarantee that. I have run into creepy seeming people, but you just move on and try not to get spun up about it. Because the creepy people are out-numbered by the safe, fun, normal people about 1,000 to 1 if not more.

As I say, though, the best cure for this trepidation is just to get out there and you will quickly see, there isn't nearly as much to worry about as you might think.

Jane

Tipi Walter
06-23-2015, 07:48
Check out this thread---Especially the last page about the German Tourist woman---

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/104796-When-you-hike-alone

Rain Man
06-23-2015, 08:37
My daughter is smaller than you are. She began her thru-hike two days after turning 20, alone. She had a blast and says she'd love to do it again. She is sociable and gregarious and made many friends, men and women. Often she hiked only with women, sometimes one or another, sometimes groups of six or eight, all women. No gun and no pepper spray.

Then again, she also went to Argentina for a year as an exchange student when she was 15. Fear is not something that controls her life. :)

Your hike will be what you make of it.

My gallery is full of her pics, the first few pages, that is.

canoe
06-23-2015, 09:38
Check out red panda....and scout and tumbles. Red panda is young female who doesn't look 5' from her pics, she is having a great hike. Tumbles is about 16 i think she too is having a grey hike. neither are gay and neither are having difficulties with the male population on the trail. If you go looking for issues you will find them

Wülfgang
06-23-2015, 12:45
If by "older" you mean like say 23-25, yeah, it will be full of lots of "older" men.

Ew, yucky old men!

The short answer to the question is she'll be safer than she would on any college campus.

Water Rat
06-23-2015, 13:56
First, :welcome to White Blaze!

I see by another post that you are entertaining the idea of hiking the AT during summer break from college. Have you thought about maybe going to school for summer session and taking the fall off to hike? That would allow you the opportunity to do a SoBo hike and avoid a lot of the traffic. It might also buy you more time for your hike. Why rush through the trail? Putting a time limit on it will most likely detract from your experience.

Kind of consolidating my answers to both posts with this one post... A NoBo hike will mean more people (you said you prefer solitude) and more opportunities to run into those who are out there looking to do more than just hike the trail. A SoBo hike tends to draw those who are less into partying and want to focus more on hiking the trail. Just throwing that out there to give you something to think about.

If you do a NoBo hike, you are far more likely to run into the guys who are out the for the sole purpose of having a good time... But fewer than you will encounter on a daily basis in college. My experience on the trail is not that of it being a "sausagefest." Yes, there are guys who are looking to hit on gals out there, but the majority of the guys (regardless of age) will respect your space and wishes. I almost always hike solo and it has not been an issue in all the years I have been hiking. Besides, the trail tends to weed out the clueless people pretty fast.

You can take steps to avoid issues - Don't stay at shelters... Start your hike early each day and don't give out your number to anyone you wouldn't want to have call/text you. There are ways to be friendly with other hikers, yet firm about your wishes to not take part in the extracurricular trail activities. It is your hike - Make it what you want it to be. There is no need for a pistol, or pepper spray (unless it truly makes you feel safer to carry it). If someone is getting too friendly, just hike on and leave them in the dust. The odds of a random guy jumping out from behind a bush to club you and make you his cave wife....are far less on the trail, than they are in any city. The trail is by far more safe than any college campus. Just take the same precautions you do in everyday life and you should be just fine. And, in the event that you draw unwanted attention, there are many guys out there who will help you with telling the jerk "no."

A little time at college and you will come up with what works for you with regards to making friends, yet not drawing unwanted attention. Most of all - Enjoy your hike!

Firefighter503
06-23-2015, 18:16
Check out red panda....and scout and tumbles. Red panda is young female who doesn't look 5' from her pics, she is having a great hike. Tumbles is about 16 i think she too is having a grey hike. neither are gay and neither are having difficulties with the male population on the trail. If you go looking for issues you will find them

I was going to suggest you check out Red Panda's trail journal as well. She does address this issue a couple of times by my recollection. You might gain some ideas for your hike from hers.

Five Tango
06-23-2015, 18:30
I have a nifty rechargeable flashlight that is also a Million Volt stun gun.Makes an awesome sound and gives off plenty of light.They also make fake cell phone stun guns but as a hiker you would want a "double use" item.

WalkingStick75
06-23-2015, 19:10
I have a nifty rechargeable flashlight that is also a Million Volt stun gun.Makes an awesome sound and gives off plenty of light.They also make fake cell phone stun guns but as a hiker you would want a "double use" item. OMG you don't need a stun gun or any weapon of any type. Yes, some women have had stalker type issues but they are very rare and you will find the good guys will be there to rally around you if needed. Common sense is your best weapon. Enjoy your hike :)

Five Tango
06-24-2015, 19:00
Sorry to disagree but I am overly sensitive to the personal safety issue as I had a classmate who was murdered on a bicycle trail in Georgia a few years ago.

WalkingStick75
06-24-2015, 20:50
Sorry to disagree but I am overly sensitive to the personal safety issue as I had a classmate who was murdered on a bicycle trail in Georgia a few years ago. If you carry a weapon you have to assume responsibility for the security of that weapon. A couple murders on the AT were killed with their own weapons. As a former instructor for concealed weapons I use to tell people that wanted to carry on vacation. If you feel the need to carry while on vacation you need to reconsider your vacation location.

Lone Wolf
06-24-2015, 20:54
A couple murders on the AT were killed with their own weapons.

BS. post the facts

Praha4
06-24-2015, 22:02
Oh by Apollo, hike with Amphithius, and you won't have any problems on the AT.

Also, there's a Czech deli (Patak Meats in Austell, GA) just outside Atlanta, that has the best selection of smoked meats and sausages, better than any you'll find on the AT. My wife is from Ukraine, and any time we are near Atlanta, we have to visit Patak, most all their employees are Czech, Ukrainian or Russian, and it's well known in that area.

Five Tango
06-25-2015, 11:32
If you carry a weapon you have to assume responsibility for the security of that weapon. A couple murders on the AT were killed with their own weapons. As a former instructor for concealed weapons I use to tell people that wanted to carry on vacation. If you feel the need to carry while on vacation you need to reconsider your vacation location.

For the record,I did not recommend anyone carry a dangerous weapon.Pepper gas and "stun guns" are considered non lethal weapons.I don't think anyone is going to murder you with your own pepper spray or stun gun,just saying.If my classmate had had one at the time she needed one,there would have likely been a different outcome,just saying.

Hadley Hal
06-25-2015, 14:22
Hook -up with someone like me.I am seventy, all my life young woman liked hanging out with me. Everyone assumes I am somebodies father or grandfather,
which I am . I have granddaughters you age. Also, check around, there are lots of 20-or30-40 experienced women to hike with. I was just talking with my Calif. yuppie, liberal sister last nite, and mention my thru NoSob hike during the same time frame. I'm from Hadley ,Mass. give me a shout.

Rex Clifton
06-25-2015, 17:46
Watch out for Hadley, he sounds like a dirty old man!

Fredt4
06-25-2015, 23:12
BS. post the facts

Perhaps he meant that a couple of people who knew someone that heard about someone hiking the AT also knew of someone that read a story about someone being murdered.

Reality is that people that hike the AT don't need to worry about being murdered.

hayeskw
06-27-2015, 13:01
OK, someone earlier said "town is dangerous". Surely that's a little over the top. What towns? All towns? Any thoughts?

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Fredt4
06-27-2015, 13:37
OK, someone earlier said "town is dangerous". Surely that's a little over the top. What towns? All towns? Any thoughts?

Sent from my XT1019 using Tapatalk

Relatively compared to the trail. In the scheme of life Towns are safe. The only sites I avoid are sites near a road, even then they're probably still safe. Crime against strangers in the U.S. is very uncommon and has dropped over the past 30+ years. Given the social mix of hikers and the town's we hike thru crime is very low. Yes, occasionally there's an incident but it's probably much safer than your hometown.

Buttercup01
06-30-2015, 21:51
Despite the forum name - Buttercup -I'm a 52 year old guy. A lady at work gave me that name. I'm equally concerned about some of the people I meet - men and women! Seriously though, the oddballs seem to be within a few miles of a trailhead. Get away from the trailheads and you'll find people who are serious about hiking. We look out for each other. The best weapons you need are an assertive personality, willingness to build friendships, good physical conditioning, and a pair of hiking sticks.

One rule I have is if I say 'hi'to someone and they don't look at me or respond in a normal way, keep moving. Stay away from the drug and alcohol crowd.

I am amazed by the number of solo female hikers I meet. It's good to see them out there. Yes, I check in on them to make sure they stay safe - just as I do with the geriatric crowd.

IndyannieJones
07-04-2015, 22:37
Brand new to the forum so I'm commenting here so I can refer back to this later. I would be lying if I said I have zero fears of hiking alone but the excitement outweighs the fear by far. Many friends/family have volunteered to go with me when the time comes but this is one thing that I need to do on my own, to prove to myself that I can. So I'm going to do all the research I can to make sure when the time comes for my hike it will be fun and safe, don't need any kind of derailments to my goal :)
- Indy

Swimmer
09-21-2015, 11:39
Bear spray. Works on brazen bears and people who invade your personal space.
Lying is also good. "My friends are a little behind (ahead of) me." "I'm staying at X shelter tonight." (then bush crash a few miles beyond that well concealed from the trail).
You will find that most people are wonderful and will actually look out for you (both men and women) and you will feel safer in their company than alone. But trust your gut, even if it turns out to be nothing to worry about. If nothing else it will put your mind at ease.

Smoky Spoon
09-21-2015, 15:24
Wow, just wow. Roflmao, trying to figure out if this post is bait to upset the apple cart or really authentic.

I will for the sake of arguments sake go with a naive young woman really asking for helpful advice, so from one woman to another, you are after all 18 now, that makes you an adult so I am going to talk to you like one.

Let's begin with your intro, i am willing to bet, and the bet will be a large pizza of your choice that you will not find one other post on here before yours that the poster screams they are straight and very obviously so.

Announcing your sexual orientation is not necessary and in my opinion usually means the person screaming it may be doing an attention seeking behavior. Since you are asking for help on safety issues I am going to assume you are just young, and out loud and proud. Nothing wrong with that if you are in a gay parade or celebrating pride month etc, but really it has no place on here in your post. And this is not me or anyone else trying to silence you, this is common sense and safety. Some individuals, male and female can find that sort of thing as boisterous. And while you may be a solitary creature, trust me, when hiking a thru hike or any long distance hike you will want to make a few friends, if nothing else then for them to take your picture and to hitch hike into towns together.

Then you referenced the AT as a sausagefest. I do not have a sausage and I found that offensive. Considering that the first thru hiker was someone who had a sausage, Earl Shafer, and the fact I have a special fondness for him, your sausagefest comment while possibly funny to your friends is not so humorous to more than a few of us on this site. I understand the younger lesbian crowd is often all about asserting their independence and proving to the world they do not need a man but that does not give you the right to insult all men. Especially when you profess to be asking for help. If you wish for the world to accept you as a lesbians and not use derogatory terms when referencing you then please remember to follow that same rule when referencing males. The great women and men who fought hard to win gay rights did not do so for the younger LGBT to become arrogant and insulting to others.
Maybe reading some older books on your gay histories will give you a better appreciation of what loud and proud really means.

LOL I understand many of us girls find it annoying when men hit upon us when we are trying to do something that we put a lot of time and energy into as well as finance. But believe it or not, it is not exclusive to lesbians, most men who hit on women really are just looking for a piece of tail for the night. Do some men find lesbians more challenging? According to my guy friends maybe when they were younger and a bit intoxicated, but as they mature so does their choices they make in life just as it does for women. And please do not forget women hit on men on the trail too and on women. So being hit on is not going to be exclusively from males or older ones at okay? A good way to deal with it that usually works for me is looks them in the eye and "telling them while you are flattered by all the attention they are bestowing upon you, you are not interested. You are here to hike a trail and not get laid so please refrain yourself from future attempts at trying to hook up with me." Trust me, it works well and anyone sitting there immediately jumps in the next time the person makes another attempt with you, saying "she said she is not jnterested, so back off." Usually they back off once you say something, but sometimes the input of some one else works wonders. That is one of the positives of trail hiking, somebody is often around to stop harassing behaviors. And another reason you might not want to offend all the males you are getting to know with comments like sausagefest.

I have hiked many trails, i have been all over the world, and I usually hike in the mountains and back country. I have not needed a gun, not saying i don't always carry one but am saying my personal opinion is while on the AT you will not need a gun. But that is my opinion. You said you have four years of martial arts? So did Meredith Emerson and she had her dog with her too. She was only a couple years older than you. Martial arts is fine when in the gym, but in close combat like a quarter dome tent a bit more trickier to manage. On this I have personal experience. In fact I am willing to gander that a lot of the women on this site has had some sort of self defense class, martial arts experience or military training. The sad truth is, you can prepare as best as you can but if something is going to happen to you then it is going to happen to you. Just do your best to survive if it does, and please note that is a very big if.
The AT and most other trails truly are safe, especially when hiking in the main season. Even as a person of solitude, which I am, you can hike safely and keep your solitude on the AT.

Someone mentioned towns....for me I have found the biggest threat about towns is obviously hitch hiking alone whether male or female, but then again when is it not? The AT towns are used to hikers so really this is not such a concern there in my opinion, I am sure others may feel differently. And going to town, every now and then if you cannot get a ride a dog might get loose and charge after you. Waving the hands and hollering or blowing your whistle often brings them up short, and if it does not, and they keep coming, a good wack on the nose with your hiking stick sends them whelping off everytime.

The AT is a beautiful trail and I try to encourage everyone to hike it and our other national trails. I wish you best and hope in the future you take into consideration some of your wording when addressing a group you are asking for help from. We really are happy you are here, it's always refreshing to see more and more people interested in our trails.
Happy trails.




I'm hoping to thru hike NOBO in 2016 or 2017. However, I'll still be in college at that time. I'm strong and have four years of martial arts under my belt, but I'm also 5'4" and the AT is a sausagefest. Anybody have advice for thru hiking as a young woman amongst largely older men? Particularly on the more social NOBO route. I'm pretty obviously gay but for some inexplicable reason men are often undeterred.


Notes: I am very much a creature of solitude, so getting a hiking buddy isn't for me. I briefly considered carrying a pistol, but decided it's not worth the extra weight and effort, especially since it could easily just be turned on me. I do usually carry a small can of pepper spray (the kind that clips onto your belt and extends out on a line when you pull it) when I hike, but I don't know if that will be enough.