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Cairo
07-26-2006, 14:39
hey all, i'm a section-hiker (Cairo, aka Nefisa, section-hiking since 2002) who is also a TV producer. I'm working on a show for PBS about kids who do amazing things, and I know there have been some kids who have thru-hiked the trail. (by kids, we are looking for children between ages of 6 to 12)
the problem is tracking down what year and who they were, or if they are hiking now.
Does anyone know of any kids on the trail who completed the hike or who are planning to or any of that? any help in getting in touch with them and their families would be appreciated!

Lone Wolf
07-26-2006, 14:40
Try the ATC office in Harpers Ferry for info.
www.appalachiantrail.org

wilconow
07-26-2006, 14:43
check out this book
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586190202

Wonder
07-26-2006, 17:27
Check out the wanderers on trailjournals.com The youngest of the group is "Gear". Great kid, only 12 years old

Skidsteer
07-26-2006, 18:00
Hunt these folks down after you read their Trailjournal. Oblivious seems to be just what you're looking for.

http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=3002

Frolicking Dinosaurs
07-26-2006, 18:02
How about the Garner girls? how old were they when they hiked?

TOW
07-26-2006, 18:03
the samuri warriors should be arriving anytime now into harpers ferry, mom and dad and four kids........

Shutterbug
07-26-2006, 18:51
hey all, i'm a section-hiker (Cairo, aka Nefisa, section-hiking since 2002) who is also a TV producer. I'm working on a show for PBS about kids who do amazing things, and I know there have been some kids who have thru-hiked the trail. (by kids, we are looking for children between ages of 6 to 12)
the problem is tracking down what year and who they were, or if they are hiking now.
Does anyone know of any kids on the trail who completed the hike or who are planning to or any of that? any help in getting in touch with them and their families would be appreciated!

Last year, Oblivious, a 10 year old from Belfair, WA did the thru-hike. I spent some time with him at the WhiteBlaze feed and again a few days later at WhiteHouse Landing. He would certainly qualify for your production.

I posted a photo of Oblivious in the gallery. Here is a picture: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=10439&c=671

Here is a link to his trail journal: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=3002

SavageLlama
07-27-2006, 02:33
The Witcher family hiked it a few years back with their two kids.

Here's an article... http://www.aldha.org/witcher.htm

MedicineMan
07-27-2006, 03:02
cant remember when they did a thru-hike but there was a man named Homer, wife Teresa, they live in Daleville,VA...but certainly within the last 4 years..they thru-hiked with two children ages 7 and 10 AND homeschooled on the way...home does trail maintanence immediately north of the first road you cross NoBo past McAfee Knob (Homer and Teresa were married on McAfee's)...awesome parents and kids...on the thru-hike Homer carried a 4 man tent :(

wilderness bob
07-27-2006, 06:47
I agree with Shutterbug, Oblivious hiked last year with his parents (Troll and Anchor) doing "Home School" along the way. We called them "The Troll Family".

rhjanes
07-27-2006, 10:02
Hunt these folks down after you read their Trailjournal. Oblivious seems to be just what you're looking for.

http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=3002

Troll family, yep. Funny stuff.

StarLyte
07-27-2006, 10:53
Troll family, yep. Funny stuff.

Their summiting Katahdin journal is great.
http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=119363

LIhikers
07-28-2006, 08:56
There was a family thru hiking last year, their name escapes me right now. I believe they were from NH.

LIhikers
07-28-2006, 08:59
Sure, soon as I click "post" I remembered. I believe they went by the name of Gatlin 5.

One Leg
07-28-2006, 11:01
Sure, soon as I click "post" I remembered. I believe they went by the name of Gatlin 5.

The Garland 5

Frolicking Dinosaurs
07-28-2006, 11:10
The Garland 5 - Those are the ones I was trying to think of the post about the Garner girls.

Mother Nature
07-28-2006, 19:43
I have the email address for Garland 5. PM if interested.

Great group of kids... Zing, Wolfsong and Sweet Potato.

Mother Nature

The Old Fhart
07-28-2006, 21:53
The youngest hiker to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail is Michael Cogswell. There was an article in Backpacker Magazine in the 1980s published after the hike that caused quite an uproar because he was 6 years old when his parents took him on a thru hike.

I was in a backpacking chatroom a few years ago when the then SGT. Michael Cogswell signed in and "talked" to me for a while. He was looking for a copy of the article about his hike and I just happened to still have it so I sent him a copy. It was interesting to talk to him and get his perspective about 20 years after the hike.

StarLyte
07-28-2006, 21:56
Hey Old Fhart - that is quite interesting!

Pennsylvania Rose
07-31-2006, 17:35
The youngest hiker to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail is Michael Cogswell. There was an article in Backpacker Magazine in the 1980s published after the hike that caused quite an uproar because he was 6 years old when his parents took him on a thru hike.

I was in a backpacking chatroom a few years ago when the then SGT. Michael Cogswell signed in and "talked" to me for a while. He was looking for a copy of the article about his hike and I just happened to still have it so I sent him a copy. It was interesting to talk to him and get his perspective about 20 years after the hike.

Don't leave us hanging. Can you tell us what he said?

Big Oz
07-31-2006, 22:59
I have the email address for Garland 5. PM if interested.

Great group of kids... Zing, Wolfsong and Sweet Potato.

Mother NatureTiamalle is from Budget Inn of Franklin,He has twin sons about 6 or 7 years old.They have hiked several hundred miles of the AT.Their trail name is Rocky and Boulder.

DawnTreader
08-01-2006, 21:50
I ran into a pair of northbounders in Maine.. Father and son.. Trooper was 13.....unbelievable...

mcw1882
10-19-2006, 04:56
The youngest hiker to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail is Michael Cogswell. There was an article in Backpacker Magazine in the 1980s published after the hike that caused quite an uproar because he was 6 years old when his parents took him on a thru hike.

I was in a backpacking chatroom a few years ago when the then SGT. Michael Cogswell signed in and "talked" to me for a while. He was looking for a copy of the article about his hike and I just happened to still have it so I sent him a copy. It was interesting to talk to him and get his perspective about 20 years after the hike.

Thanks again for the copy of the magazine...

mcw1882
10-19-2006, 05:02
There are a few articles where you can find more information on the 1980 thru hike...

Backpacker Magazine- March/April 1981

Today's Child- March 1981

National Geographic World- March/ April 1981

highway
10-19-2006, 07:17
The youngest hiker to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail is Michael Cogswell. There was an article in Backpacker Magazine in the 1980s published after the hike that caused quite an uproar because he was 6 years old when his parents took him on a thru hike.....

Ditto the thanks. I have a young 1 1/2 year old grandson. Maybe I dont have to wait as long as i thought before I can start taking him with me:)

But I guess he has some to go yet as he has only been walking for a few months:cool:

highway
10-19-2006, 07:29
There are a few articles where you can find more information on the 1980 thru hike...

Backpacker Magazine- March/April 1981

Today's Child- March 1981

National Geographic World- March/ April 1981

That was an amazing feat you did and I am quite impressed. But why so much of an uproar if you were able, willing and wanted to do it? It had to have been a better experience than staying home, watching TV and playing Pac Man. I guess that no matter how joyous or happy the event, if enough are watching a few will always be around to bitch.

Are there links to the above articles. i want to send some to my daughter and start paving the way...if the grandson is "able, willing and wanting to do it"!

Congrats again on accomplishing an amazing feat!:sun

mcw1882
10-22-2006, 21:27
Unfortunately, no they don't have any links...

Backpacker Magazine is the only one I've been able to contact as far as ordering a reprint of the article, "Coming of Age on the Appalachian Trail."

There's lots of debate as to whether a child as young as I was should be on the trail. Personally, it was one of the greatest times in my life. I think most of the uproar was due to alot of people thinking it irresponsible to bring a child on a journey of that magnitude. Of course that being said, hiking the trail now is alot different now then it was then. It's definitely more civilized, and there's alot more people on the trail.

When taking a child on the trail, you have to way out the pros and cons of how it is going to affect not only the child, but also the adult. And just to put it out there, probably for the first month, I didn't want to be there...

When my parents first contacted me I was living in Rio Linda California. I had never been hiking, I didn't even know what it was. When I asked, they said it would be a long walk in the woods, and along roads. Walking is an easy thing to do, I had been doing it for years, so I thought I had quite a mastery of it at the ripe ol' age of six. And it didn't take long for the approach trail to Springer Mountain prove me wrong.

One thing that could be veiwed nonbeneficial is that the trail matured me alot faster. After the hike I didn't think like an average 6 year old, and I wasn't treated as such by my parents.

I'm sure others can think of numerous reasons why not to have a child out on the trail for a thru hike. In my case, over time, I grew to love it and I wouldn't trade the experience in for the world.

griz901
08-04-2007, 00:35
Please PM me and check your PM's.

griz901
08-04-2007, 00:39
Sorry - mcw1882 Mike (Cogswell) please contact me. Your aunt is Lindy. Grandma Jean.

Mr. Clean
08-04-2007, 07:27
Oblivious is hiking the PCT this year with his father, Troll.