View Full Version : Do I really want to thru hike?
scout005
11-07-2007, 20:51
Yeah, sacrilege I know but I'm asking myself the question. I love backpacking but I genuinely question if I want to hike 6 days a week for 6 months. I'm physically able, have dreamed about a thru hike most of my life but It's makes me wonder. Any of y'all who've done it or tried it had those doubts?
Dakota Dan
11-07-2007, 20:56
Do I really want to thru hike?
I've been asking myself the same question.
I'm setting Xmas Day as the "TOO LATE TO TURN BACK DAY", (might have something to do with gifts to to carry on a thru-hike).
Lone Wolf
11-07-2007, 20:57
Yeah, sacrilege I know but I'm asking myself the question. I love backpacking but I genuinely question if I want to hike 6 days a week for 6 months. I'm physically able, have dreamed about a thru hike most of my life but It's makes me wonder. Any of y'all who've done it or tried it had those doubts?
a thru-hike is a marathon. it gets old quick then it's a mental grind getting to the end. not for everyone but for a lot more than most realize. start out with short term goals like making it from town to down. if it starts to suck, get off and do something else. section hikers get a lot more out of the AT than thru-hikers in my opinion
Nothing wrong with "doubts." I question anyone who starts a thru hike thinking it's a done deal. Try it and see. If you're not having fun with it, do something else. What's the problem?
I thru hike doesn't have to be fun.
A lot of people have great trips that suck.
If you wan't fun stay home with the lady, drink and eat chocolate covered cherries every night.
Flush2wice
11-07-2007, 20:59
Hike sections, that's a no brainer. Thru hikes are for those who are obsessed. Liberate yourself from the "thru" mentality and do sections. Do long sections if you want.
I have a number of friends who love to hike who wouldn't dream of thru-hiking. Too much of a grind.
Tear off a nice hunk at a nice time of year. Walk Maine for 2 weeks in late September, or the Smokies in October. You'll figure it out.
maxNcathy
11-07-2007, 21:34
I hiked 6 weeks as planned this spring...starting about April 1 I will hike for another 6 weeks in 2008.
Of the five others I knew well who set out to thru hike only one went the distance.
If my wife was eager to thru hike i would set out to do the whole trail in a season.
But we enjoy kayaking in the summer.
Sandalwood
Programbo
11-07-2007, 21:49
A thru-hike is beyond simply a hike or backpacking trip for most..It almost becomes like a job..In order to get from start to finish in a realistic time you HAVE to cover X amount of miles per day for X number of days..You are going to have to get up and hike in the heat and bugs and rain even if you don`t want to..Sure you can allow a certain number of days off but a lot of people who attempt a thru aren`t really backpackers to start with so the miles they hike per day are so low that they can`t afford to lay about to much..I think it all depends on WHY you want to do a thru hike in the first place..If your only goal is to get a trail name and hang out at Miss Janets with Tree Frog and Bob the Hobo and eat trail magic because that all sounds cool and Survivor AT like then that`s what it is.....But if you live and breath the AT and the Appalachian Mountains and you wish you could just hike and live on the trail forever even if you never saw another hiker or stayed at a hostel then that`s what that is...So I guess the question is WHY do you want to thru-hike in the first place?
taildragger
11-07-2007, 21:55
Just hit the trail and see how far you go.
I am actually scared of my first planned through (NOBO '09 baby!!!), scared because I don't know how I will react, everytime I go into the woods it makes it harder to come home and enter the faux (real) world. I'm actually worried that I won't want to go back (I see myself losing my woman, and just disappearing into the woods and having the life of lives, or worse, becoming a damnn dirty hippie)
TinAbbey
11-07-2007, 22:07
Originally Posted by scout005 http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/wb_style/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=444432#post444432)
Do I really want to thru hike?
Yes
Thru hikes are for those who are obsessed.
Obsessed with what? Hanging out with nature for 6 months? Yeah, you're right.
Section hikers get a lot more out of the AT than thru-hikers in my opinion
Occasionally we agree. :D
SlowLightTrek
11-07-2007, 22:25
Thru-hiking gets tedious at times, but for me being in the woods 24/7 is a good thing. It is nice to be home, although still being on the trail wouldn't be all that bad either. I guess it comes down to how much u like hiking, that determines how far you want to go.
A few years ago, my brother and I started talking about a thru-hike when we retired. I said, "Why wait? Let's start hiking sections now." After the first few sections, we continued to talk about a thru-hike when we retire. Lately, we have talked about how thru-hiking is not that important any more and we would just like to section the whole trail. To us, we just like to hike the AT and have no aspirations to make it a grueling marathon. We can pick and choose our seasons and can hike at our own pace without being tied to a deadline or any "commitment" to finish in a specific time frame. We are free to enjoy the trail the way we want to and hike our own hike. If you are set on doing a thru-hike, then by all means do it, but consider that there are other options and that you just might enjoy the trail more by breaking it up over multiple years.
...you HAVE to cover X amount of miles per day for X number of days..You are going to have to get up and hike in the heat and bugs and rain even if you don`t want to..?
That just doesn't sound like something I'm going to do. Now that I'm retired, the last thing I'd ever want again is a schedule. Or a really cold rain running down my back all day long. That's not fun.
.... you wish you could just hike and live on the trail forever even if you never saw another hiker or stayed at a hostel then that`s what that is...
Hey, wait a minute. Maybe that aspect of a hike is what I'm expecting after all. I don't want you to think I'm anti-social (I am; I just don't want you to think it). And just maybe that cold rain is payment for trying to realize your dream. Or maybe wet is just wet and alone is just alone. I would enjoy the alone part.
Decisions, decisions....
TWS
Blissful
11-07-2007, 23:22
Sure, there's always doubts. Every time I got to town and would begin a new section of the trail, I would get really nervous. Then I would get out there and start doing it, taking things as they come, one day at a time, making miles and goals, and soon I had finished the next section. Honestly, you can't picture yourself doing something of this magnitude from a cozy, warm house. I wonder how I did it as the temps now are starting to creep down. But once you are committed to the trail, it becomes your life and you have no choice but to go forward. Especially if you are like me and dreamt about doing the thing for 30 some odd years. Take it one day at a time.
hopefulhiker
11-07-2007, 23:29
Just go slow and see how far you get.. It is your hike and you do it for yourself.. Do it if nothing else to get it out of your system....
Phlashlite
11-07-2007, 23:31
I found that while I enjoyed the thru hike it seemed the section hikers had more time and energy to do the additional things like the side trails or not hike if it was raining or take extra zero days. They just seemed to have more fun. It is up to each person to make the decision but enjoying the hike and hiking your own hike is most important.
Flush2wice
11-07-2007, 23:34
Obsessed with what? Hanging out with nature for 6 months? Yeah, you're right.
Obsessed in a good way. Like fallin in love.
A few years ago, my brother and I started talking about a thru-hike when we retired. I said, "Why wait? Let's start hiking sections now." After the first few sections, we continued to talk about a thru-hike when we retire. Lately, we have talked about how thru-hiking is not that important any more and we would just like to section the whole trail. To us, we just like to hike the AT and have no aspirations to make it a grueling marathon. We can pick and choose our seasons and can hike at our own pace without being tied to a deadline or any "commitment" to finish in a specific time frame. We are free to enjoy the trail the way we want to and hike our own hike. If you are set on doing a thru-hike, then by all means do it, but consider that there are other options and that you just might enjoy the trail more by breaking it up over multiple years.
Amen to that.
If you start at Springer, my best advice is to cheat as soon as possible. Blue blaze or something. That's liberation. Then you can do whatever hike you like. The trail is benevolent. She's no jilted lover. If you have cold feet thats on you, not the trail.
The trail is benevolent. She's no jilted lover. If you have cold feet thats on you, not the trail.
This cuts both ways. It's a matter of expectations, to some extent. I think a lot of thru hikers quit 'cuz the trail fails to meet their expectations. Kinda like when some folks get married and then find that it doesn't quite meet their expectations.
So is it the trail to blame, or the expectations?
Footslogger
11-08-2007, 00:35
If you have the time, I'd tell you to get out there with the intention of going all the way.
When it's all said and done would you rather have done a section or the entire trail. No problem either way but that it the question I asked myself.
Personally, I wanted to walk from Georgia to Maine ...and I started out without a single doubt (short of a serious injury) that I could and would finish the hike.
I did and I'm glad. Do what will make you the happiest and most satisfied.
'Slogger
stranger
11-08-2007, 03:18
You won't know until you get out there.
Never underestimate the mental aspect of your trips. On a 4 day hike I will be craving to get off the trail on day 3, because the end is in sight and so is a hot shower. On a 3 week hike I start to feel that way on day 19-20, and on multi-month hikes I start to get that feeling within 20-30 miles of my finish date. It's all in your head, or atleast it is for me.
To me a long distance hike is just like doing a 4-5 day hike, except instead of going home after 4-5 days you go into town, get more food, eat your ass off, have a shower, drink some beer or milkshakes, and head out for another 4-5 day hike. Do that a few times and all of a sudden you've walked 500 miles.
I don't disagree with comments about long distance hiking becoming a job though, it's a accurate way to describe it. The difference however is that it's voluntary and by choice - and that makes all the difference in the world.
Lone Wolf
11-08-2007, 06:32
This cuts both ways. It's a matter of expectations, to some extent. I think a lot of thru hikers quit 'cuz the trail fails to meet their expectations. Kinda like when some folks get married and then find that it doesn't quite meet their expectations.
So is it the trail to blame, or the expectations?
6 out of 10 marriages fail. 8 out of 10 thru-hikes fail
oldfivetango
11-08-2007, 08:22
6 out of 10 marriages fail. 8 out of 10 thru-hikes fail
My marriage counselor told me to change my expectations.
And you and Terrapin are both right,of course.:D
Oldfivetango
My husband and I have known for years that we want to attempt a thru hike. Up until this past summer we had always done day hikes on the AT. In July we did our first overnighter, and we are so hooked!! We have completed the Nantahalas and are heading south before our attempt on the Smokies later in '08. Once we got out there and started doing it, we started asking the same question you did-do we want to thru hike? I still don't know, but for now we are totally enjoying taking our time and doing sections. :)
nitewalker
11-08-2007, 08:32
section hikers get a lot more out of the AT than thru-hikers in my opinion.
a friend of mine made a thruhike in 97 and now we are doing a section hike and he has said that it is more enjoyable section hiking as opposed to the thruhiking. the section hiking is not a giant grind everyday like you say about the thruhike...i have aproximately 750 miles on my section hike and enjoyed every miniute of it..
i just got out of a section hike in the shenandoahs last week, 3.5 days on the trail with 11 sobos. we went from the northern boundry to loft mtn then i had to leave and come home.. the trip was way cool..:D
AND YES YOU SHOULD AT LEAST START YOUR THRUHIKE!!!!
:D PEACE OUT , NITEWALKER:D
nitewalker
11-08-2007, 08:42
My husband and I have known for years that we want to attempt a thru hike. Up until this past summer we had always done day hikes on the AT. In July we did our first overnighter, and we are so hooked!! We have completed the Nantahalas and are heading south before our attempt on the Smokies later in '08. Once we got out there and started doing it, we started asking the same question you did-do we want to thru hike? I still don't know, but for now we are totally enjoying taking our time and doing sections. :)
try the shenandoahs. you will be spoiled going thru that area. aproximately 95 miles of pure enjoyment. there are waysides every 15 miles or so where you can resupply[limited but good] as you need to and they also serve some decent food selections. nothing beats a fresh ice cream out in the middle of nowhere...
:banana the shenandoahs are truely an amazing display of north americas beauty at work. you get to view some of the civil war battle areas from hi above the valley, stonewall jackson was the man in that area during the civil war.i posted some pics of the trip under views in virginia. i highly recomend the area to any one who can put 1 foot in front of the other. the trail is very hiker friendly....peace out, nitewalker:D
You won't know until you get out there.
Never underestimate the mental aspect of your trips. On a 4 day hike I will be craving to get off the trail on day 3, because the end is in sight and so is a hot shower. On a 3 week hike I start to feel that way on day 19-20, and on multi-month hikes I start to get that feeling within 20-30 miles of my finish date. It's all in your head, or atleast it is for me.
To me a long distance hike is just like doing a 4-5 day hike, except instead of going home after 4-5 days you go into town, get more food, eat your ass off, have a shower, drink some beer or milkshakes, and head out for another 4-5 day hike. Do that a few times and all of a sudden you've walked 500 miles.
I don't disagree with comments about long distance hiking becoming a job though, it's a accurate way to describe it. The difference however is that it's voluntary and by choice - and that makes all the difference in the world.
Agree with every word of this. Your first paragraph describes my experiences to a tee. All this time I've been wondering if it was just me. :D
Appalachian Tater
11-08-2007, 09:52
If you've dreamed about a thru-hike for most of your life, you should absolutely do it. If you wait to be 100% certain without any doubt before you do something, you would never get out of bed in the morning.
Your odds of being successful are higher if you start out intending to finish, but you can always quit if you decide you'd rather not continue. You could just start at Springer and keep going until you don't want to hike any more.
dessertrat
11-08-2007, 10:26
Yeah, sacrilege I know but I'm asking myself the question. I love backpacking but I genuinely question if I want to hike 6 days a week for 6 months. I'm physically able, have dreamed about a thru hike most of my life but It's makes me wonder. Any of y'all who've done it or tried it had those doubts?
There's only one way to find out. Oh, are you sure it will only be 6 days? Most folks don't take that many zeros, I hear. Why not start out with a long section, and if you like it, keep going. Don't say "I must get to Katahdin, no matter how much I hate the trip." That seems dumb to me.
Yeah, sacrilege I know but I'm asking myself the question. I love backpacking but I genuinely question if I want to hike 6 days a week for 6 months. I'm physically able, have dreamed about a thru hike most of my life but It's makes me wonder. Any of y'all who've done it or tried it had those doubts?
hey, i'm a section-hiker (on the 20-year-plan) with a goal of hiking the entire trail...it even gets to be a grind, somedays, for me!:D
6 out of 10 marriages fail. 8 out of 10 thru-hikes fail
I think the marriage failure rate is a bit lower than 60%. It's definitely lower than that in the northeast - probably closer to 50%. The divorce rate is a bit higher in the SE because there is not as big a taboo against divorce in many Christian denominations as there is in Catholicism - which is more widely practiced up north.
I also think that the "failure" rate for AT thru hikes is probably below 80%. Probably closer to 70% with the advent of lighter weight gear and the availability of data about the trail.
max patch
11-08-2007, 11:03
try the shenandoahs. you will be spoiled going thru that area. aproximately 95 miles of pure enjoyment. there are waysides every 15 miles or so where you can resupply[limited but good] as you need to and they also serve some decent food selections. nothing beats a fresh ice cream out in the middle of nowhere...
:banana the shenandoahs are truely an amazing display of north americas beauty at work. you get to view some of the civil war battle areas from hi above the valley, stonewall jackson was the man in that area during the civil war.i posted some pics of the trip under views in virginia. i highly recomend the area to any one who can put 1 foot in front of the other. the trail is very hiker friendly....peace out, nitewalker:D
Don't want to get into a debate (and I'm not) but I thot the SNP was the worst stretch of hiking on the entire trail. Too many cars, too many people, too many rules, too many ticks, too many barren and leafless trees in the north part of the park, and how many times did the trail keep coming back to that stupid road?
No wonder so many "thru-hikers" walk the road instead of the trail. Gets you outta there a lot sooner.
Glad you enjoyed it, though.
nitewalker
11-08-2007, 11:12
Don't want to get into a debate (and I'm not) but I thot the SNP was the worst stretch of hiking on the entire trail. Too many cars, too many people, too many rules, too many ticks, too many barren and leafless trees in the north part of the park, and how many times did the trail keep coming back to that stupid road?
No wonder so many "thru-hikers" walk the road instead of the trail. Gets you outta there a lot sooner.
Glad you enjoyed it, though.
it was also the 1st time i have ever been on the skyline drive. the history in the area and geolgical outlay are both great. ok if u are not into the crossing of the roads thats also cool but all in all that is a great area for a newbie to get a taste, a spoiled taste for sure.. the terrain is easy , views are awesome and plenty of bail out spots if too chalenging. deer are friendly[domesticated], food is readily available and camping all over the place...i was cool with it....peace out, nitewalker:D
Auntie Mame
11-08-2007, 12:08
To thru-hike is a construct only, assigned a value by anyone who wishes to assign it. As was once said, the origin of the AT footpath was not to set up a gold standard out of thru-hiking. The trail is a concrete and precious environment. I'd like to spend as many months out there in it as I can cobble together. Its the immersion in the hiking experience that calls to a lot of us, and for some, it is best framed as a goal oriented endeavor. I just want to put in another plug for those who want to do long-distance hiking, which in fact might become a thru hike, but does not need to become that to retain its profound value.
Jim Adams
11-08-2007, 12:57
OK, let me throw a monkey wrench in here!
I don't section hike the AT. I have thru hiked the AT twice. The only reason I go to the AT (other than a week every March in Georgia) is to thru hike. There are numerous trails and wild settings close to home to go hike and backpack when ever I want to. I love thru hiking because of the social aspects of thru hiking...it just happens to be in some of the most beautiful settings in North America!
Section hiking bores me and I do believe that I am not capable of completing a SOBO thru on the AT. Nothing wrong with SOBO...it's just not my cup of tea.
With this said, let me state that I've always had some doubts at several points in my thru's, beginning, middle and endings but for reasons that I can't explain, I just walked thru those doubts.
Definitely attempt your thru. If it was meant to be then it was meant to be. If you realize that the mental grind at times is not for you and it turns you into a section hiker then so be it....the main thing is that you are enjoying this magnificent trail!
Good luck,
geek
Plan your thru, get your finances in line and your body in shape. If you change your mind at the last minute you have done more than alot of people.
Start hiking the trail. If you make it 100 miles and get off the trail you have done more than alot of people.
See it through, live your dream and you truly will have done something that most people will never do.
The fact that you're asking the question makes me think you'll be disappointed with yourself if you don't try.
OTOH, if you've already put in quite a few AT miles, you could just finish up what you haven't done, then set your sights on something else (PCT?) if a long hike turns out to be your cup of tea.
scout005
11-08-2007, 17:28
Thanks for the input. I'm stoked to try it. I realize I'm going to be wet, cold, hot etc., but the challenge of overcoming all that is what really draws me to the thru hike thing. I like to hike fast. The best part of the day for me is getting into camp. But I've never found a bag/pad combination that lets me get a night's sleep comparable to the rest i get at home. So, in addition to the rain and temps, i anticipate being pretty sleep deprived by the end of a week on the trail.
Appalachian Tater
11-08-2007, 17:32
Thanks for the input. I'm stoked to try it. I realize I'm going to be wet, cold, hot etc., but the challenge of overcoming all that is what really draws me to the thru hike thing. I like to hike fast. The best part of the day for me is getting into camp. But I've never found a bag/pad combination that lets me get a night's sleep comparable to the rest i get at home. So, in addition to the rain and temps, i anticipate being pretty sleep deprived by the end of a week on the trail.
A lot of people sleep better on the trail. Do you sleep in a tent or shelter? A tent is more conducive to rest. What's the exact problem with comfort? This is a good place to get help to solve it.
Phil1959
11-08-2007, 17:59
I just finished a thru hike,and it was a magical experience.Alot of the rest that hiked this year would agree with me.The longer it went,the more magical it became.Maine was so special we were in awe and took our time hiking the last 280 miles.So I am not sure why you said what you did Wolf,and considering you thru hiked yourself 5 times or so,you must of had the same feelings we did this year.
doggiebag
11-08-2007, 18:08
Yeah, sacrilege I know but I'm asking myself the question. I love backpacking but I genuinely question if I want to hike 6 days a week for 6 months. I'm physically able, have dreamed about a thru hike most of my life but It's makes me wonder. Any of y'all who've done it or tried it had those doubts?
The odds are never with you on a thru-hike. Just know that. If you've been dreaming about it ... go for it. It beats weekend excursions with it's intensity. It really is fun. It's not easy but thru-hiking is supposed to be difficult. The rewards are much more than just bragging rights. I really loved just hiking north without having to worry about shuttles or schedules. Half the fun is surviving with your wits ... resupplies and small towns are always an adventure. I say go for it. If it's not for you ... at least you tried.
What LoneWolf says rings true... It does get old quick in certain ways.. but you make it little by little, looking at the AT in small amounts, not 2,100 + miles. If a Thru-Hike is not your #1 MOST DESIRED thing to do in your life right now.. then do what is... the Trail is'nt going anywhere.
walkin' wally
11-08-2007, 18:51
Well after working 38 years in basically one job and having worked at several different jobs before that, I think I want to do something completely different.
This is the beginning of retirement so why not?
I have had many experiences in the woods and waters of Maine so now its time to see as much of the AT as I can. An outdoor experience far from home.
Rain, snow, wind, bugs, and heat doesn't have isn't discouraging to me and I think being in the outdoors a lot helps with that.
I just imagine the oportunity to spend six months in the woods. I have completed all of the Maine AT in sections and the people I have met and the hiking I have done was great. I'll be sectioning New Hampshire next year.
In an AT video a lady said the trail was a physical and mental cleansing for her. Just that reason alone makes a thru hike worth doing.
So in mid March 2010 I hope to be at Amicalola Falls State Park. Who knows, maybe with another Whiteblazer.
scout005
11-08-2007, 18:59
Sleeping comfort: I use a tent and a lightweight air mat which seems too narrow at the shoulders and unfortunately, I like a couple of pillows. There are bigger air mats and pillows on the market but they either weigh too much or take up too much volume in my pack. I know this sounds like whining but it's not. i just haven't found a sleep system that works for me yet. The sleeping bag I have is fine, though.
doggiebag
11-08-2007, 19:08
A couple of pillows? It's the trail sir. Not the Comfort Inn.
Sleeping comfort: I use a tent and a lightweight air mat which seems too narrow at the shoulders and unfortunately, I like a couple of pillows. There are bigger air mats and pillows on the market but they either weigh too much or take up too much volume in my pack. I know this sounds like whining but it's not. i just haven't found a sleep system that works for me yet. The sleeping bag I have is fine, though.
Use your clothing stuffed into a sack.
We'll leave the light on for you. ;)
I decided that if after I completed my 100 mile wilderness section hike this past summer I still wanted to backpack after reaching the Katahdin Summit, then I really wanted to thru. Well, Once I reached the summit, I desired to continue, and did not want it to end, so that is really when my plans became 100% firm, before then I was heavily planning, but I was having internal debates if I really wanted to, the wilderness sealed the deal.
I have been told to think of thru hiking as a series of 1 week backpacking trip back to back for 25-30 weeks straight. I plan to take it destination to destination, see how I feel every 100 miles or so, or after every major point on the trail(IE:Neels Gap, NOC, Fontana Dam, etc).
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst,
Kirby
Flush2wice
11-08-2007, 20:34
Yeah, sacrilege I know but I'm asking myself the question. I love backpacking but I genuinely question if I want to hike 6 days a week for 6 months. I'm physically able, have dreamed about a thru hike most of my life but It's makes me wonder. Any of y'all who've done it or tried it had those doubts?
Thanks for the input. I'm stoked to try it. I realize I'm going to be wet, cold, hot etc., but the challenge of overcoming all that is what really draws me to the thru hike thing. I like to hike fast. The best part of the day for me is getting into camp. But I've never found a bag/pad combination that lets me get a night's sleep comparable to the rest i get at home. So, in addition to the rain and temps, i anticipate being pretty sleep deprived by the end of a week on the trail.
Sleeping comfort: I use a tent and a lightweight air mat which seems too narrow at the shoulders and unfortunately, I like a couple of pillows. There are bigger air mats and pillows on the market but they either weigh too much or take up too much volume in my pack. I know this sounds like whining but it's not. i just haven't found a sleep system that works for me yet. The sleeping bag I have is fine, though.
I'm not sure where your coming from... Are you "thinking" about a thru, are you "planning" a thru, have you "comitted" to a thru? Have you told all your friends your gonna do the trail and now you have doubts and feel bad about bailing? What's the big deal? Most people who are planning a thru are concerned about re-supply and water filtration devices, not pillows.
Sounds to me like you need to forget the thru and just hike what your comfortable with.
try the shenandoahs. you will be spoiled going thru that area. aproximately 95 miles of pure enjoyment. there are waysides every 15 miles or so where you can resupply[limited but good] as you need to and they also serve some decent food selections. nothing beats a fresh ice cream out in the middle of nowhere...
:banana the shenandoahs are truely an amazing display of north americas beauty at work. you get to view some of the civil war battle areas from hi above the valley, stonewall jackson was the man in that area during the civil war.i posted some pics of the trip under views in virginia. i highly recomend the area to any one who can put 1 foot in front of the other. the trail is very hiker friendly....peace out, nitewalker:D
We love the Shenandoahs!! We went there about 3 1/2 years ago. We took our daughter. At the time she was only 7, which made for a great age. We did a lot of day hikes and stayed at the campgrounds along Skyline drive. She loved the wildlife. We fell in love with the Shenandoahs and now we can't wait to get back to do the AT thru that section. We're kind of working our way up!:)
During my section hike this summer I mulled over the question of a thru and came to the conclusion that I am at least for now far better suited to section hiking. I'm a slow walker (too slow to complete a thru in one season without a flip-flop), and even if I were faster, I'd want to smell the proverbial flowers along the way. Not to mention that I'm a serious gardener, I have a house, a job, and a dog -- it's just not that easy to get away for an extended period of time. Maybe when I retire, I'll want to do longer sections. But everyone marches to a different drummer, and "hike your own hike" is probably the best advice.
take-a-knee
11-08-2007, 23:23
But I've never found a bag/pad combination that lets me get a night's sleep comparable to the rest i get at home. So, in addition to the rain and temps, i anticipate being pretty sleep deprived by the end of a week on the trail.[/quote]
take-a-knee
11-08-2007, 23:24
But I've never found a bag/pad combination that lets me get a night's sleep comparable to the rest i get at home. So, in addition to the rain and temps, i anticipate being pretty sleep deprived by the end of a week on the trail.[/quote]
Get yourself a hennessy hammock and learn how to stay warm in it and you may oversleep most mornings.
Jim Adams
11-09-2007, 11:45
After the first week, you will probably sleep great. It truely is a change of lifestyle.
geek
Tipi Walter
11-09-2007, 11:52
Get yourself a hennessy hammock and learn how to stay warm in it and you may oversleep most mornings.[/quote]
That's pretty cool, dual personality kind of post. You set up a problem and then quote and critique yourself in the next post. I like it!! And I am NOT being sarcastic.
You won't know until you get out there.
Never underestimate the mental aspect of your trips. On a 4 day hike I will be craving to get off the trail on day 3, because the end is in sight and so is a hot shower. On a 3 week hike I start to feel that way on day 19-20, and on multi-month hikes I start to get that feeling within 20-30 miles of my finish date. It's all in your head, or atleast it is for me.
I hope this is true for me. I was really wondering if i was going to mentally be able to push myself. Because after a week long trip, i am definitely ready to head home. But once i get home i cant wait to get back out there. But what you say makes sense. Its sort of the same way when you are hiking. You dont get tired until you only have a mile or a half a mile left, reguardless of how much you have hiked that day (unless its an insane amount obviously :P)
About a half year later, you'll still be 6 months older whether you go for it or not and you'll still be wondering. That is always my prime incentive for giving anything a shot....time still passes, what are you doing with it?
If you have already made arrangements to get the block of time off, have made reasonable budgetary measures, and are interested, then just do it!
One thought. It's not true for everybody, but my experience from '99 is that most of those who truly hiked the whole trail went in with a work ethic that allowed them to transition to a mindset of "this is a job I mostly like" and they reported to work most days. Many work days were fantastic. Some work days were just work. But they were all a part of the experience.
The other part of the puzzle is that you need to define what your thru-hike is for you. If you decide, "I'm just going to hike for fun", you'll probably have a great experience, but your chances of completing a thru-hike are reduced IMO, because a thru is NOT fun every day, sometimes not fun for several days in a row.
For me, I envisioned my hike as something of a pilgramage. I wanted to start at the trail's beginning and walk north with all my gear passing all the white blazes in a continuous northern pilgramage. Thus, I never slackpacked (except the last 5 miles up Katahdin), never flip-flopped, and never blue-blazed. Because I stubbornly (and in a few cases almost idiotically) adhered to this philosophy, I always knew when temptation to fudge or "cheat" was at hand, and it helped me stay focused even through bad times. This approach won't work for everyone, but it worked for me.
If I "thru-hiked" again, it would look a lot different. I would DEFINITELY blue-blaze. In fact, I would head south-bound and blue-blaze the entire last 270 miles by following the Benton MacKaye to Springer Mountain instead of the AT. Would it be a "thru-hike" as defined by the ATC? No. But it would still fit into the "continuing pilgramage" I like to follow. If I starting flipping north to slackpack easier terrain, I would feel like I were losing my focus, which makes it easier to say "well, I fudged here and there, so why not do it more?" For me, this might derail the thru-hike.
For others, this is the bread and butter of their thru-hike. But you really SHOULD figure out what you want of your hike. It's the first step in successfully completing it.
Early Bird
11-28-2007, 18:52
i feel like i can relate alot to yer message here.I plan a NOBO thru-hike in 09 as well and fear that once i hit the trail i won't won't want to get off of it when the time ends.
even now when i go on small day hikes,when i retun at the end of the day it's sort of depressing to me.Facing the daily grind is not appealing to me.Facing the woods and waking up early to hit the trail keeps me restless at night.
cowboy nichols
11-28-2007, 19:34
i feel like i can relate alot to yer message here.I plan a NOBO thru-hike in 09 as well and fear that once i hit the trail i won't won't want to get off of it when the time ends.
even now when i go on small day hikes,when i retun at the end of the day it's sort of depressing to me.Facing the daily grind is not appealing to me.Facing the woods and waking up early to hit the trail keeps me restless at night.
:banana So turn around and head south:banana :banana :banana
Yeah, sacrilege I know but I'm asking myself the question. I love backpacking but I genuinely question if I want to hike 6 days a week for 6 months. I'm physically able, have dreamed about a thru hike most of my life but It's makes me wonder. Any of y'all who've done it or tried it had those doubts?
There are two kinds of people in this world: The do-ers, and the dreamers.
The do-ers also dream, the dreamers seldom do.
So many of us dream about all the things we would like to do but it seems that, if we let it, those dreams we have are always waylaid by "excuses" such as committments, lack of time, loss of the comfort levels we've grown acustom to, never enough money, etc. I agree with what was said in an earlier post about time continues to pass and what do you want to do with the time you have left? Yes, I think that we all have had doubts at times about making our dreams a reality and that is a normal (what the h*** is normal, anyway?) thing.
scout005, Iv'e never set foot on the AT (though will be doing a thru in '08) but I have hiked many miles over many trails. Were thay always easy? NO! Were they always worth it? NO! Will I ever say "I wish I had.....", NO! Am I just an 'ole geezer with dreams, You Bet! Go for it. It won't always be easy or fun but you will have an experience that so few others have, an experience that can be truely life changing. HYOY and best of luck.
leeki pole
11-29-2007, 18:25
When I told my wife about my quest to thru-hike after I retired (hopefully soon), she looked at me like I was crazy.:eek:
The next morning, there was a note on my bathroom mirror. Quoting:
"Without life, we have no dreams. Without dreams, we have no life.
Go for it!"
I'll pass her advice on to you as well.:)
I think I will try a fortnight first,
then maybe a 40 days in the wilderness hike,
then maybe something longer.
Still not sure where though. That is a very personal thing.
Skidsteer
11-29-2007, 20:32
When I told my wife about my quest to thru-hike after I retired (hopefully soon), she looked at me like I was crazy.:eek:
The next morning, there was a note on my bathroom mirror. Quoting:
"Without life, we have no dreams. Without dreams, we have no life.
Go for it!"
I'll pass her advice on to you as well.:)
Hold on to that woman.
No doubt you've already figured that out. :)
scout005
11-29-2007, 23:49
I gotta stop tellin my wife about all the negative stuff on the trail: hypothermia, bear attack, tree falling, mugging, dude who died in his sleeping bag on the AT etc. She thinks i'm gonna die out there. I think I'm actually gonna try it after the kids get out of college. I'll be able to retire in 2012. Woulda retired earlier but, the kids are talkin grad school now. Hiking the AT is one of those situations where the planning is almost as much fun as the doing. Thanks for all the input.
stranger
12-03-2007, 14:37
It's interesting that when we think about typical things like work, we only think of the rewards, yet when we think about adventure, so many of us focus on the risks.
Does anyone ever think "maybe I will be involved in a fatal car accident on my way to work today?"
But when it comes to adventure, that's the mentality for so many people out there. If you focus on the rewards of something...you will move towards it. If you focus on the risks...you will back off.
Life is about adventure. Everyone has a job, rent, responsibilities, there is nothing unique about that. Not everyone lives.
CoyoteWhips
12-03-2007, 16:03
I don't want to thru-hike the AT. Only reason I read these forums is that thru-hikers really have backpacking down in a practical way. Any time I'm lounging on my walmart pad, at the edge of a valley, watching the sun set over the pines, drinking the tea I made with my supercat, I give those wacky thru-hikers a kind thought.
jtbradyl
12-10-2007, 00:52
A thru hike is a life-style!
kayak karl
12-10-2007, 01:35
Yeah, sacrilege I know but I'm asking myself the question. I love backpacking but I genuinely question if I want to hike 6 days a week for 6 months. I'm physically able, have dreamed about a thru hike most of my life but It's makes me wonder. Any of y'all who've done it or tried it had those doubts?
There are 7 days in a week:)
There are 7 days in a week:)
Most thruhikers only hike about 6 whole days a week taking a nero or zero day to go into town and resupply approx once a week.
[quote=nitewalker;444767]try the shenandoahs. you will be spoiled going thru that area. aproximately 95 miles of pure enjoyment. there are waysides every 15 miles or so where you can resupply[limited but good] as you need to and they also serve some decent food selections. nothing beats a fresh ice cream out in the middle of nowhere...
what would be the nicest time of year to hike here?
Lone Wolf
12-10-2007, 08:14
late may for me
Jan LiteShoe
12-10-2007, 08:52
Yeah, sacrilege I know but I'm asking myself the question. I love backpacking but I genuinely question if I want to hike 6 days a week for 6 months. I'm physically able, have dreamed about a thru hike most of my life but It's makes me wonder. Any of y'all who've done it or tried it had those doubts?
Yes, in the month before I left. I think it's natural.
However, at least for me, once I set foot on the trail, there wasn't a day I wanted to quit and return home.
But that was me and my situation. At the time, I didn't have any major ties to any place to tug on me. It would be harder for me to go for a long period of time now.
Mind you, there were days I didn't think I would be physically able to complete the walk (a ultra-humid, dehydrated, calorie-deficient, exhausting, blistered, sweltering day before Catawba comes to mind). Once you survive the first 400-500 miles, strategies for surviving the heat will be a key to finishing.
Also, I think a person has "a time." That has passed for me. I'm glad I thru-hiked when the moment was right. It's a long time to be out in the woods. I'll never lose my love of wild places, or of travel and new situations, but for now, the urge to be gone from my current situation for longer than a couple of weeks is absent.
Jan LiteShoe
12-10-2007, 08:58
I think I will try a fortnight first,
then maybe a 40 days in the wilderness hike,
then maybe something longer.
Still not sure where though. That is a very personal thing.
Before my AT hike, I decided to "try long-distance hiking on for size." It turned out to be a good idea, teaching me alot about technique, and also myself. Up to that point, I'd only been gone for a week or so.
I figured I had 30 days worth of escape before I put a strain on my then-business.
My first thought was to hike all of Maine, or part of the IAT (south from the ocean terminus). But a friend I'd hiked with called and suggested The Long Trail, and that turned into the perfect fact-finding prep. There are several trails that will let you be out that long - the JMT is on my list - including a long section of the AT.
4eyedbuzzard
12-10-2007, 09:11
Scout,
The "a comfortable sleep pad weighs too much" is an excuse you are selling yourself because you have other reservations. Trade out the 11 oz ridgerest or whatever for a 2 1/2" thick, 25" wide big agnes or similar. Yeah, it weighs 2 pounds more - so what. Given all the rest of the lightweight gear you'll still be under the weight most any thru-hiker carried prior to a few years ago.
Now if you really don't want to thru-hike for all the other good reasons not to do so at least you'll be being truthful with yourself. Nothing wrong with not wanting to thru-hike.
NICKTHEGREEK
12-10-2007, 10:31
[quote=nitewalker;444767]try the shenandoahs. you will be spoiled going thru that area. aproximately 95 miles of pure enjoyment. there are waysides every 15 miles or so where you can resupply[limited but good] as you need to and they also serve some decent food selections. nothing beats a fresh ice cream out in the middle of nowhere...
what would be the nicest time of year to hike here?
Not to be a detractor I love SNP, but it is anything but out in the middle of nowhere. Be careful not to get hit by a car on the way to get that ice cream.