View Full Version : How many 'Repeat Offenders' are there?
firemountain
08-20-2007, 09:21
I am wondering, are there any statistics available for how many people have hiked the AT twice? I know the ATC provides info on the total number of completed hikes (somewhere around 9,600). Out of those hikers how many have done the AT a second time? What about a third hike?
Thank You
Early Bird
Lone Wolf
08-20-2007, 09:26
I know many hikers that have 3 or more hikes but they don't apply for patches and crap. they hike for hiking's sake. there's no accurate number of people who hike the AT 2 or more times.
I know many hikers that have 3 or more hikes but they don't apply for patches and crap. they hike for hiking's sake. there's no accurate number of people who hike the AT 2 or more times.
I think most people, myself included, when they do their first thru-hike of any sort get very excited and want "official" recongnition. I don't think it is an ego thing (at least it wasn't for me), but just a "WOW! MY DREAM CAME TRUE!".
After a while? Does not matter as much.
I am still getting my way-cool ALDHA West plaque though this fall..so maybe I'm just wrong on so many levels. :)
The two people who a lot of hikers know of having hiked the trail more then once are Warren Doyle, who has hiked the trail quite a few times, and Wingfoot, who has hiked the trail several times. But there are many other hikers who have the trail more then once.
Kirby
Pedaling Fool
08-20-2007, 12:46
I am wondering, are there any statistics available for how many people have hiked the AT twice? I know the ATC provides info on the total number of completed hikes (somewhere around 9,600). Out of those hikers how many have done the AT a second time? What about a third hike?
Thank You
Early Bird
I find it difficult to believe the ATC statistics of 9,600. Not a slam against the ATC, it is on the honor system. I do question the honor of many. At one level it does take away from those that have faithfully completed, but on another...well what can you do?
It is upsetting to think that some hikers apply even though they have not hiked the whole trail. It is upsetting to know that there are hikers who have worked their butts off the make it 2,000 miles and be recognized while some hikers just pretend, I hope those who pretend feel really pathetic for what they did, because I sure would.
Kirby
Lone Wolf
08-20-2007, 12:53
some could care less about being recognized. others need a pat on the back, patches and certificates. just hike
firemountain
08-20-2007, 12:54
Many repeat hikers are 'famous' well known trail personalities, but many are very low key and do not make a big deal about their accomplishments. I'm willing to bet there are at least a couple dozen repeat hikers out there...
The ATC numbers are as good as any. You must repeat for every falsly reported completion there is likely a hiker that did not report their legitimate hike.
Please don't let this thread degenerate into a debate about what consitutes a legitimate hike, that was not my intention.
My question is pure curiosity.
Lone Wolf
08-20-2007, 12:56
what consitutes a legitimate hike
following all the white blazes.
The more I hike, the less I care about someone else's hike, real or imagined. What someone else claims doesn't affect me. Regardless, it seems it's only on the AT, where purity, such as passing every white blaze or following the official trail in it's entirety, is such an hot topic issue.
The Solemates
08-20-2007, 13:12
The more I hike, the less I care about someone else's hike, real or imagined. What someone else claims doesn't affect me. Regardless, it seems it's only on the AT, where purity, such as passing every white blaze or following the official trail in it's entirety, is such an hot topic issue.
couldnt have said it better myself. those are my thoughts exactly, and is the reason I rarely comment on threads with this type of subject line.
The more I hike, the less I care about someone else's hike, real or imagined. What someone else claims doesn't affect me. Regardless, it seems it's only on the AT, where purity, such as passing every white blaze or following the official trail in it's entirety, is such an hot topic issue.
Thats because the AT and this site has alot of "packsniffers". (thanks LW)
bulldog49
08-20-2007, 14:06
I'd be very happy to see the ATC get out of the 2000 miler patch business.
As a couple of others have said, the purpose of hiking ought to be for self-satisfaction, not the need to be recognized.
Lone Wolf
08-20-2007, 14:08
you gotta jump thru hoops to get a patch and certificate from the GMC for completing the Long Trail. buncha bs.
you gotta jump thru hoops to get a patch and certificate from the GMC for completing the Long Trail. buncha bs.
Yeah but you get a one year membership to the Green Mountain Club..
Don't they have an appy in the back of their guide. Think I got one from GMC.....Gotta check my junkdrawer.
Hey Sly:::: Did we do that when we did LT? (save me a rummage through junkdrawer)
Yeah but you get a one year membership to the Green Mountain Club..
Hmmm, looks easier than before. Maybe it's time to apply... :cool:
http://www.greenmountainclub.org/page.php?id=87
Lone Wolf
08-20-2007, 14:22
Yeah but you get a one year membership to the Green Mountain Club..
whoopee doo!! they don't do any maintenance
Lone Wolf
08-20-2007, 14:23
whoopee doo!! they don't do any maintenance
except around the highlights
I never applied for the LT patch. It'd look great on my "wall of fame"... if I had one! :D Still, mile for mile, I think the LT is the hardest trail I've hike.
Pedaling Fool
08-20-2007, 14:31
Please don't let this thread degenerate...
My question is pure curiosity.
Too late! Already on page 2
I never applied for the LT patch. It'd look great on my "wall of fame"... if I had one! :D Still, mile for mile, I think the LT is the hardest trail I've hike.:::::::::::::ME TOO!!!! :D
Lone Wolf
08-20-2007, 14:44
Still, mile for mile, I think the LT is the hardest trail I've hike.
i found it more aggravating than hard. straight up and down climbs with no rewards. overgrown trail in the north. lotsa green tunnel. not pretty overall.
Lone Wolf
08-20-2007, 14:52
i found it more aggravating than hard. straight up and down climbs with no rewards. overgrown trail in the north. lotsa green tunnel. not pretty overall.
although the southern 100 miles, AT/LT is fairly easy
although the southern 100 miles, AT/LT is fairly easy
Agreed... JMT next summer with EZ, you coming? Mile for mile, the most scenic.
Lone Wolf
08-20-2007, 14:57
Agreed... JMT next summer with EZ, you coming? Mile for mile, the most scenic.
maybe. i will not commit to thru-hiking anything any more. would be nice to hike out there though.
200+ miles is not a thru:::::::::::a walk in the park (elevated though)
you gotta jump thru hoops to get a patch and certificate from the GMC for completing the Long Trail. buncha bs.
Another reason for you do the Western trails. :)
I never wrote the Colorado Trail foundation to say I did the trail, I just wrote a quick thankyou and mailed them a CD of photos. Two weeks later I get a certificate of completion (which is in my basement crawl space).
I remember the hoops for the LT. My second LT hike, didn't bother. Suspect if I did the AT again, I wouldn't bother as well.
As Sly said, the more you hike....
Still, mile for mile, I think the LT is the hardest trail I've hike.
I tend to agree. The Northern LT is the Long and Hard Trail!
200+ miles is not a thru:::::::::::a walk in the park (elevated though)
If you are walking one end of a trail to another end of a trail, I'd say it is a thru-hike.
A short one, but still a thru-hike. I'd put the JMT in the same category as the 270 mile Long Trail: A regional trail thru-hike.
OK, back to the original question. According to the ATC...
Multiple hikes. Approximately 125 people have reported hiking the A.T. two or more times; about 30 have reported hiking the A.T. three or more times.
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.851151/k.4C05/Noteworthy_2000Milers.htm
If you are walking one end of a trail to another end of a trail, I'd say it is a thru-hike.
A short one, but still a thru-hike. I'd put the JMT in the same category as the 270 mile Long Trail: A regional trail thru-hike.
I knew that:::::: just trying to rouse LW;)
firemountain
08-20-2007, 18:27
Sly - Thank You! That was the info I was looking for. I did not see that page on the ATC site, it has some interesting facts. No way to tell how accurate those numbers are, but they are better than nothing.
Thanks again
Early Bird
Lone Wolf
08-20-2007, 18:42
I knew that:::::: just trying to rouse LW;)
i don't rouse easily:)
I wonder how many people have hiked the AT in each of 4 different decades? And if anyone will ever hike in five.
To me that would be really saying something.
Jim Adams
08-20-2007, 18:48
I never applied for a certificate...my pictures on the walls mean far more than a certificate would.
geek
Jim Adams
08-20-2007, 19:02
I wonder how many people have hiked the AT in each of 4 different decades? And if anyone will ever hike in five.
To me that would be really saying something.
although I missed the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, I hiked my first in 90 @ 37 y/o, my second time in 2002 @ 49 y/o. If I hike again in 2010 @ 57 y/o and again in 2020 @ 67 and again in 2030 @ 77 y/o...well, why stop there! 2040 @ 87 y/o, 2050 @ 97 y/o, 2060 @ 107 y/o, 2070 @ 117 y/o and 2080 @ 127 y/o I could feasibly hike a whole century! It could happen....I've already decided that I'm never going to die! I just have to attend the J.R.Tate / Model T school of hiker conditioning.
I KNOW THAT HE CAN GET ME THRU THIS!!!:banana :banana :banana
geek
Johnny Swank
08-22-2007, 11:32
FWIW - I've got had more than a few repeat offenders take my thru-hiker survey. I'll get the final numbers back in a few weeks.
bulldog49
08-22-2007, 11:55
I never applied for a certificate...my pictures on the walls mean far more than a certificate would.
geek
That's the way it should be, Jim.
I have been amazed to hear of so many who have hiked it more than once, some in both directions. For those who have, my reaction will always be, "Wow!" Near Crater National Park, I met two thru hikers along the PCT. They had met while thru hiking the AT. Hopefully, I will still be hiking and enjoying it into a ripe old age. My favorite quote comes from a man in his eighties coming to a stop at the bottom of a powdery ski slope, "Boy, a run like that makes me feel like I am in my seventies again." One of my enjoyments in hiking is to return to places I have hiked before and remembered fondly. I guess that is why peolpe hike the entire AT more than once. At least I hope so.
Appalachian Tater
08-22-2007, 19:15
Two non-obvious ones are Sleepy the Arab and Grits.
warren doyle
08-23-2007, 20:55
I done the 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's, probably the 10's, possibly the 20's, and hopefully the 30's.
Jester2000
08-24-2007, 20:55
I never applied for a certificate...my pictures on the walls mean far more than a certificate would.
geek
That's the way it should be, Jim.
On the other hand, Jim's cat was a notorious glory hound.
firemountain
08-24-2007, 21:20
So nobody even has a guess at the total number of multiple completions? I'm still curious about the original question. The ATC site says that 125 have finished twice and 30 three or more times.
I am new to long distance backpacking and only have one thru hike under my belt so far. Many of the more experienced hikers that post here would probably have a better guess at how many do not register their hikes with the ATC.
Lone Wolf
08-24-2007, 21:26
I know 5 with 2 hikes or more that nobody knows about. who cares.
I know 5 with 2 hikes or more that nobody knows about. who cares.
Clearly the person who started this thread.
Say hello to those five magical hikers that no one knows about but you. You might not have to resort to imaginary friends LW if you lighten up on the attitude.
Lone Wolf
08-24-2007, 21:47
Clearly the person who started this thread.
Say hello to those five magical hikers that no one knows about but you. You might not have to resort to imaginary friends LW if you lighten up on the attitude.
the more i think about it i may know 7. 2 gals, 5 guys
Jack Tarlin
08-24-2007, 21:52
Firemountain:
The A.T.C. in Harpers Ferry catalogs the sort of information you're interested in, i.e. repeat thru-hikers. If you contact Laurie Potteiger at ATC headquarters, I'm sure she'd be happy to answer any of your questions.
Sleepy the Arab
09-01-2007, 13:55
Two non-obvious ones are Sleepy the Arab and Grits.
What, that wanker?