View Full Version : through hike
weedeater64
02-19-2008, 01:56
I'm sure many will find this to be a stupid or ridiculous question, However I am serious. I have seen how many of you can treat people if they don't fit what you think is normal or proper eg. cowboy. My question is has anyone done a through hike non stop, by non stop I mean no resupply, mail, town , store, support. Has anyone hiked throuth with what they started out with, and lived off the land for the entire trail. If you can not give an honest sencire answer please keep your dumb ass remarks to your self.
thank you Jeff Pugh
Appalachian Tater
02-19-2008, 02:01
No, no one has done that as far as anyone knows.
dessertrat
02-19-2008, 02:07
Not that I know of. It would surprise me if someone did it.
Lone Wolf
02-19-2008, 02:13
Has anyone hiked throuth with what they started out with, and lived off the land for the entire trail. If you can not give an honest sencire answer please keep your dumb ass remarks to your self.
of course not. this is an honest and "sencire" answer to a dumb ass question
warraghiyagey
02-19-2008, 02:53
And the award for instantly alienating folks in a thread starter goes to. . .
berninbush
02-19-2008, 02:59
Given the modern limitations on the Appalachian Trail... limits on hunting, destruction of natural resources such as edible plants... I'm thinking it would be difficult to impossible, at least to do legally.
Of course, a couple of centuries ago it was entirely possible for explorers and wanderers to travel long distances living off the land. They did not need to regard hunting laws or "leave no trace." They also probably had a lot of knowledge and skills that the average modern hiker does not.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
02-19-2008, 06:08
Given the modern limitations on the Appalachian Trail... limits on hunting, destruction of natural resources such as edible plants... I'm thinking it would be difficult to impossible, at least to do legally.
Of course, a couple of centuries ago it was entirely possible for explorers and wanderers to travel long distances living off the land. They did not need to regard hunting laws or "leave no trace." They also probably had a lot of knowledge and skills that the average modern hiker does not.Most were carrying supplies and using pack animals or wagons.
Living entirely off the land while being nomadic is difficult in today's world. Game is not as plentiful, the range to be used for hunting and gathering is far more limited (both by laws and civilization) and the skills taught regarding living off the land have been replaced by other skills. For those reasons, I would think that doing a hike fitting the criteria stated by the OP would be impossible.
Dances with Mice
02-19-2008, 09:11
Of course, a couple of centuries ago it was entirely possible for explorers and wanderers to travel long distances living off the land. They did not need to regard hunting laws or "leave no trace." They also probably had a lot of knowledge and skills that the average modern hiker does not.A lot of them still starved. The Lewis & Clark expedition almost did a couple of times and certainly would have if they didn't buy food from towns along the way. At that time the eastern forest was a massive, mature chestnut forest. That entire ecosystem is long gone.
I'm convinced the Native Americans had it pretty rough.............
My question is has anyone done a through hike non stop, by non stop I mean no resupply, mail, town , store, support. Has anyone hiked throuth with what they started out with, and lived off the land for the entire trail. If you can not give an honest sencire answer please keep your dumb ass remarks to your self.
A bit of logic says it's not really possible. Not in one season, and not in several. The longer you're out there, the more stuff breaks. Survival and movement are both much harder in winter than summer. You can't hunt, trap, fish and forage and still make miles. Plus, hunting/trapping/fishing aren't legal along the whole route.
This isn't Lewis and Clark, and besides, even Lewis and Clark had lots of support.
earthbound
02-19-2008, 10:53
My friend knows a guy who is a 'survivalist' that claims to have hiked the whole AT by living off the the trail only. He lives in one of the Carolinas and teaches wilderness survival, hunting, gathering, and weaponry (making atlatls and such). Apparently it took a long time to do. I can't verify that this survivalist is telling the truth nor do I remember his name or the year he supposedly hiked or anything else. So don't jump down my back for relaying this info.
Blissful
02-19-2008, 11:13
A lot of them still starved. The Lewis & Clark expedition almost did a couple of times and certainly would have if they didn't buy food from towns along the way. At that time the eastern forest was a massive, mature chestnut forest. That entire ecosystem is long gone.
Lewis actually did a a lot of planning for the trip - buying canned food, etc., as well as gunpowder before the journey started. He also had caches of supplies for the return journey but they were ruined. Sacagawea was helpful in finding them things to eat. They traded for supplies with the Mandans and other Indians they met along the way (there were no towns to buy food from out west). But horses kept them alive in the Bitterroots.
Blissful
02-19-2008, 11:17
This isn't Lewis and Clark, and besides, even Lewis and Clark had lots of support.
When they met certain Indian tribes in what is now North Dakota, Montana, and now Washington State yes, they were able to trade or obtain food. But once they started on their journey up the Missouri, they were completely on their own.
Pedaling Fool
02-19-2008, 11:17
I'm convinced the Native Americans had it pretty rough.............
I don't think they had it too tough. Living off the land during a thru-hike and living off the land as they did are two different things. They had a society and everyone had their part to do to maintain their lifestyle. As a thru-hiker you're walking everyday w/o support, much harder to live off the land that way.
notorius tic
02-19-2008, 11:25
I snared rabbits, an caught fish, even shared a grouse with Gandolff an Hide<: Ate a rattle snake in Hot Spings, But it cant really be 100% with out Tuna an a Snickers<:
My friend knows a guy who is a 'survivalist' that claims to have hiked the whole AT by living off the the trail only. He lives in one of the Carolinas and teaches wilderness survival, hunting, gathering, and weaponry (making atlatls and such). Apparently it took a long time to do. I can't verify that this survivalist is telling the truth nor do I remember his name or the year he supposedly hiked or anything else. So don't jump down my back for relaying this info.
I think that's Eustace Conway,of Turtle Island preserve http://www.turtleislandpreserve.com. I hiked with one of his pupils who sang his praises as a naturalist and survivalist. Haven't gotten around to reading his book yet, sounds good.
Dances with Mice
02-19-2008, 11:49
They traded for supplies with the Mandans and other Indians they met along the way (there were no towns to buy food from out west). I have no different opinion, we're just using different words. Trade for supplies, buy food, same thing. They would have been in dire straights without support from the native settlements, villages, towns, whatever you'd like to call them, during the winter hold-overs.
I wonder if everyone from "arknasas" is so pleasant?
jersey joe
02-19-2008, 11:58
I'm sure it can be done, but it hasn't and likely wont.
Would be easy to build up fat reserves and do week long sections at a time, then claim that you completed the entire AT living off the land.
TrippinBTM
02-19-2008, 13:48
My friend knows a guy who is a 'survivalist' that claims to have hiked the whole AT by living off the the trail only. He lives in one of the Carolinas and teaches wilderness survival, hunting, gathering, and weaponry (making atlatls and such). Apparently it took a long time to do. I can't verify that this survivalist is telling the truth nor do I remember his name or the year he supposedly hiked or anything else. So don't jump down my back for relaying this info.
I wonder if that's the guy i read about a few years back in a biography called "the last american man." I don't remember if he had any resupply stops, but i remember something about him basically jogging down the trail towards the end, having pared down his supplies to a knife and a breechcloth.
but i kinda doubt it, and certainly doubt it's within the realm of possibility for the vast majority of us who didn't grow up playing survivalist in the woods from an early age, as the guy in the biography says he did.
eustace conway has done it... he hunted and ate plants... hike it sobo... i would highly recomend his book " the last american man" ... or if your in the area check out Turtle Island Preserve... he has some pretty interesting AT stories to tell :-)
I wonder if that's the guy i read about a few years back in a biography called "the last american man." I don't remember if he had any resupply stops, but i remember something about him basically jogging down the trail towards the end, having pared down his supplies to a knife and a breechcloth.
but i kinda doubt it, and certainly doubt it's within the realm of possibility for the vast majority of us who didn't grow up playing survivalist in the woods from an early age, as the guy in the biography says he did.
most likely talking about eustace conway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfk4ifx-8jw
of course not. this is an honest and "sencire" answer to a dumb ass question
just because u have more posts than anyone else doesnt give you the right to be an ass lonewolf
LW needs nobody's permission to be an ass. For failing to recognize that, you are a sheeple. :rolleyes: ;) :D
my b... i forgot... lw is the man on this forum .. my mistake
Lone Wolf
02-28-2008, 20:54
just because u have more posts than anyone else doesnt give you the right to be an ass lonewolf
you're correct honey. i'm sorry
how can i be as cool as you?!?
how can i be as cool as you?!?
Grow up some......
I appreciate young folks. That's why I teach. But Lone Wolf has lived a life worth living, as have many folks here. I hope you still have LOTS of life to live, rather than hanging out in cyberspace. At 15, if you've hiked more than a hundred miles of the AT (for that matter, more than 100 any where), you've done more than most your age.
Now take a breath, read a LOT more posts from the crusty curmudgeons, and think about the next time you'll be on a trail somewhere. With luck, you'll manage 1/2 as many as Lone Wolf. (I consider myself lucky in that I DO have about 1/2 as many miles as he has...:o)
Grow up some......
I guess when the thread starts off with bad karma, it's bound to continue that way...
I guess when the thread starts off with bad karma, it's bound to continue that way...
You're right Terrapin. When a 15-year-old shows up and starts throwing attitude in this crowd, that IS bad karma.
But I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
BTW, I DO agree with you about Thoreau in the other thread.
say weedeater, this has nothing to do with the topic, but did you steal your name from the dark tower by any chance?