Green Blazing...?

[lilgodwin]

So I just saw that people have named other colors of blazing to mean different things. I skimmed the list and thought reach one was funny, or cool, or just interesting. But I saw green blazing - hooking while smoking pot - and it didn't even occur to me previously that this might be very common.

So that's my question: How often should I expect to be around smokers?

Whether it's pot or cigarettes, it's not something I want to be around, but I'll deal with it.

[JC13]

Just going to depend, we only had one night out of our 10 day section where we ran into green blazers actively smoking. Had another guy SOBO ask us if we had any smoke.

[TD55]

Avoid shelters if it bothers you that much. Otherwise, just politely move on if encountered on the trail while hiking, but don't let it drive you away from scenic overlooks and such.

[lilgodwin]

Thanks for posting your experience.

[Lone Wolf]

smokin' dope and drinkin' is a big part of the AT culture nowadays. plus tobacco use heavy

[Puddlefish]

In two months, I saw one old guy smoking in a shelter, until he got yelled at, whereupon he moved outside the shelter by five feet. I smelled cigarette smoke a half dozen times.

There were a whole lot of people smoking or vaping weed, but never where I got annoyed by the stench. It seems like there are a lot of high efficiency pipes and product these days, and the days of giant clouds of smoke are largely gone.

[Hangfire]

Yeah I was stunned at the amount of people that picked up smoking cigarettes on the trail. Not sure but it seemed that it was the cheaper alternative to smoking weed and the nicotine gave off some kind of kick that kept people going.

[egilbe]

I'm still puzzled why hikers smoke cigarrettes. Stuff is pure poison.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I'm still puzzled why hikers smoke cigarrettes. Stuff is pure poison.

They've got vitamins and fiber. :rolleyes:

[MuddyWaters]

I'm still puzzled why hikers smoke cigarrettes. Stuff is pure poison.

Knowing how bad many things are for you, Im amazed anyone would make the choices to do the things a lot of people do.
The only logical answer is....some people really dont care.

Pretty much a fact that smokers have a life expectancy 10 -25 yrs shorter than non-smokers, and can expect a lot of issues late in life as well. Certainly no secret. I figure that many people just dont want to live to see grandchildren grow up..

[rtfi]

Just hiked a week in Maine and didn't see anyone smoking tobacco or weed, and I stayed in a shelter every night. Other years, I have seen some smoking, but not too often. I think the difficulty of "re-upping" for weed smokers makes it hard to smoke too often.

[Uncle Joe]

David Gray noted on a his recent video of a section hike of the AT how surprised he was at the number of smoker (in general, I believe) there were on the trail.

[mattjv89]

A lot of people smoke pot but you won't see a ton of public use at shelter sites. It's usually done in an inconspicuous way motivated both by consideration for those who don't appreciate it, and/or a lack of desire to share with anyone who sees it and wants to partake in your supply.

The tobacco thing is surprising and I say that as someone who smoked for a lot of the trail, but nicotine is quite an addictive substance. There's the social aspect, always running into someone else for another smoke break. It's an immediate if brief antidote for some of the daily grind parts of hiking. Yeah it drags you down physically a bit but I feel like it kinda gets lost among all the other physical challenges of thru hiking. Tight chest climbing a hill blends right in with blisters, chafing, bug bites, sore this and pulled that... Cost is definitely a factor too, for hikers who didn't grow up in the south tobacco is absolutely dirt cheap in the first half of the trail. Makes it really easy to get hooked.

[Christoph]

Only a few times I saw people smoking cigarettes on the trail when I was trying my best at a thru last year. Those that I did see were not throwing butts on the trail or in fire pits or around the shelter, etc. I did run into a huge mass of pot smokers though, and while most asked if I wanted to partake, I said no and pressed on. Didn't really bother me much.

[-Rush-]

I could care less about green blazers on the trail, but cigarette smokers can go get ****ed.

[Starchild]

I'm still puzzled why hikers smoke cigarrettes. Stuff is pure poison.
It's lighter than alcohol???

[rocketsocks]

But I saw green blazing - hooking while smoking pot - and it didn't even occur to me previously that this might be very common.

So that's my question: How often should I expect to be around smokers?

lots a weed smokin' goin' on, but only once was I proposition...I turned her down!

[Leo L.]

In the Middle East countries I've done most of my LD hiking, 100% of the locals out in the desert smoke.
Usually homegrown tobacco which they claim to be less health-threatening thancigarettes from the shop, but they use weed heavily too.
I had been a cigarette smoker for a decade long past and can well understand the pleasure of smoking, especially when sitting around the campfire relaxing, socialising, waiting for dinner etc.

[Engine]

It's lighter than alcohol???

Alcohol in moderation has been shown to be okay, maybe even has some health benefits. Tobacco has zero benefits and LOTS of downsides...

[garlic08]

It's lighter than alcohol???

That's what I heard on the trail as I saw some young hikers take up the habit. Light weight "recreation."


lots a weed smokin' goin' on, but only once was I proposition...I turned her down!

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to notice (or comment) on that! I don't know if you're joking, but I actually did run into "Quickie" up in Maine in '08. I asked her how she got her trail name, she said, "Got twenty bucks?" And she was smoking, by the way.

[dudeijuststarted]

if you see people smoking pot you can just say hello and keep hiking. trust me, they won't be getting up to chase you.

[lilgodwin]

Don't mind passing it on occasion. But I certainly don't want to be dealing with it at camp. As long as people are respectful and I'm not really exposed to it, I won't care. I'm much less concerned with drinking, especially in moderation. I'm sure I'll have some alcohol from time to time. But I can't remember the last time I got stupid with it. Only ever at my place or a buddy's.

[egilbe]

Don't mind passing it on occasion. But I certainly don't want to be dealing with it at camp. As long as people are respectful and I'm not really exposed to it, I won't care. I'm much less concerned with drinking, especially in moderation. I'm sure I'll have some alcohol from time to time. But I can't remember the last time I got stupid with it. Only ever at my place or a buddy's.

Its not stupid drunk you that you need to worry about. Its all the othe stupid drunks that want to get rowdy. Ever see someone get rowdy smoking pot? Me neither.

[Bronk]

You'll be aware of it being around, but like others have said people will be discreet because they don't want to share.

[colorado_rob]

I was surprised by three related things when I hiked the AT:

1) the high percentage of tobacco smokers, yikes! must have been close to 50% in the southern states. I'm not passing judgement, just an observation.
2) the LACK of weed smokers that were evident. I guess I'm used to open pot smoking in CO, and folks back there are much more discreet, given the silly laws against it.
3) Cigarettes as trail magic! My wife and I were blown away (and kind-of tickled) when we stopped at a very busy trail magic station in NC (or TN?) where the guy was giving away machine-rolled cigarettes and moonshine. We did partake in the 'shine, of course....

[Secondmouse]

I was surprised by three related things when I hiked the AT:

1) the high percentage of tobacco smokers, yikes! must have been close to 50% in the southern states. I'm not passing judgement, just an observation.....

50%? really???

that seems unbelievably high as I live in ATL and hiked in all seasons through most of the southern states and never saw as many as 1 in 10 using tobacco. are you sure you're not exaggerating a little?..

[colorado_rob]

50%? really???

that seems unbelievably high as I live in ATL and hiked in all seasons through most of the southern states and never saw as many as 1 in 10 using tobacco. are you sure you're not exaggerating a little?..I'm not purposely exaggerating, and I didn't say "50%", I said close to 50%, and that sure is what it seemed like. Have you hiked in the bubble on the southern AT? It had to be 35-40%, if not actually close to 50%. Or, I'm completely deluded! But, again, I'm not purposely exaggerating.

[lilgodwin]

Ooo, homemade shine I presume/hope.

[LittleRock]

I see it (and smell it) all the time when I'm out there. Doesn't bother me one bit. Most folks are pleasant, if not fun to talk to when they're blitzed. I never indulge and most hikers don't even offer. On the other hand, drunk hikers can be some obnoxious a-holes.

[AfterParty]

I'd rather be around weed all day everyday then be around druck people. Personal preference. But if you ask nicely if its bothering you most weed smokers will be happy to move a ways or put it up. If your cool they will most times be cool back. Some people really do use it as medicine.

[Puddlefish]

A lot of opinions here conflict entirely with what I saw.

- Most of the stoners did offer to share, and asked if it bothered anyone before they lit up or vaped. Generally quite courteous.
- Some of the stoners were rowdy. As in not aware that they were speaking loudly, or what the time was. For that matter some sober people were rowdy and loud, but the drunk people were by far the loudest group as a whole.
- Some of the stoners were capable of moving at high speeds. There was one pair of guys who slept til noon, and then flew past me each day for a week. I'm fairly certain they were hiking high. I know one who shredded his feet with blisters initially because he was hiking high, and just didn't notice or care that his feet were a mess.
- I'd guess about 50% of the people on the trail were getting high. It wasn't always evident, as some only got high at night, and others spent the entire hike pretty much brainless.

Overall, people smoking barely impacted my overall experience and enjoyment of the trail. Unless you actively seek confrontation, no one is going to bother you.

[volleypc]

You see a lot of it at the beginning of the hike. They tend to be some of the first people to drop off the trail. There are exceptions, but in general, they don't last long. If you start the trail in Georgia in March expect to see it pretty much every night if you stay at a shelter.

[Berserker]

A lot of people smoke pot but you won't see a ton of public use at shelter sites. It's usually done in an inconspicuous way motivated both by consideration for those who don't appreciate it, and/or a lack of desire to share with anyone who sees it and wants to partake in your supply.
I'd say this is pretty accurate. I'm not a pot smoker and don't specifically look for it, and I've only noticed it being done maybe a handful of times. I've also run into some of the cigarette smokers, and that's usually not been a big issue either. I'm a bit surprised (as are others on here) when thru rolls in after doing 20 miles and then smokes a cigarette.

I wouldn't worry too much about the smokers on the trail, it's the "non-hiker hikers" that are the problem. These are the people that are out for their one big adventure of a lifetime, and they don't have any trail etiquette. For example, on my last hike I camped at Liberty Spring Campsite (in the Whites), which has 10 platforms and a fee, and some tool and his woman who were setup on the platform next to me were talking loudly until about 2 AM in the morning. I rarely see this kind of behavior from thrus, section hikers and other experienced hikers.

[Hangfire]

You see a lot of it at the beginning of the hike. They tend to be some of the first people to drop off the trail. There are exceptions, but in general, they don't last long. If you start the trail in Georgia in March expect to see it pretty much every night if you stay at a shelter.

As I recall people were still pretty respectful in the beginning say Georgia up until about Hot Springs they smoked more discretely. As the hike goes on the people that like to smoke find one another and form groups, then the discretion goes out the window. One thing I will say that in general when fellow hikers know that you don't smoke (either or) they are usually pretty respectful of your space, which I really appreciated.

[Secondmouse]

I'm not purposely exaggerating, and I didn't say "50%", I said close to 50%, and that sure is what it seemed like. Have you hiked in the bubble on the southern AT? It had to be 35-40%, if not actually close to 50%. Or, I'm completely deluded! But, again, I'm not purposely exaggerating.

fair enough, but to be clear, I am talking about tobacco use, not the wacky tabacky...

and no I've not hiked the bubble as I try to avoid the crowds in the woods (kind of not what I'm out there for) so you could be 100% accurate at the the time you saw it.

but I'd have to say that I have never seen tobacco use in anything other than a great minority. your mentioning it that you saw it on among NOBOs in the bubble leads me to believe it may have more to do with that than people from the South who hike...

[colorado_rob]

fair enough, but to be clear, I am talking about tobacco use, not the wacky tabacky...

and no I've not hiked the bubble as I try to avoid the crowds in the woods (kind of not what I'm out there for) so you could be 100% accurate at the the time you saw it.

but I'd have to say that I have never seen tobacco use in anything other than a great minority. your mentioning it that you saw it on among NOBOs in the bubble leads me to believe it may have more to do with that than people from the South who hike...Yes, I was talking about tobacco, not weed, which I saw (and smelled) surprisingly little of. Also: tobacco use seemed to drop off significantly further north.

BTW: even though I saw tons of smoking (cigs), it was never bothersome to me at all.