View Full Version : Thinking about a thru hike
hamburgffemt46
03-11-2008, 16:45
Hi i am new to this. I live in NJ not far away from the NJ section of the AT and have talked about doing a tru hike and looking for advice and and heads up and all that kind of stuff. im not realy a hicker or a camper but would like to get into it thanks for any help
Lone Wolf
03-11-2008, 16:48
you a hicker? that's your new trail name. :) welcome aboard. fire away with ???
Check the articles section on the left side of the home page for a wealth of information.
When it comes to thinking about a thru-hike, you've got to be careful. Thinking can make or break a thru-hike. It might even be the most important thing about a thru-hike, except, of course, the hiking part.
HamburgerHicker,
Welcome aboard.
How much hiking or camping have you done so far? Do you live close to many trails you can do some simple 2 day 1 night weekend trips? They are a great start. Keep it simple.
Ask some specific questions.
hamburgffemt46
03-11-2008, 22:28
i havnt done any hiking since highschool about 5 years ago. As far as trails go i live in sussex county with 2 state forest and i believe the section of the AT that goes thru NJ goes only thru sussex so i have that. Ive been talking to friend about going out doing day trips and weekenders and moving up 2 week trips. I have about another year till i finish school and then i plan to go. I printed out alot of those articles and have to read them still. I think the big question is other than hiking and just walking is there anything else i should do to prepare. thanks for your help and excuse the spelling i failed that in HS one year so thats my excuse lol
Programbo
03-11-2008, 22:30
Hi i am new to this. I live in NJ not far away from the NJ section of the AT and have talked about doing a tru hike and looking for advice and and heads up and all that kind of stuff. im not realy a hicker or a camper but would like to get into it thanks for any help
Ugh...Why would you already be thinking of a thru-hike with basically no hiking or even camping experience?..Don`t get me wrong I`m not trying to be negative I am just curious about the thought processes that bring so many people with basically no hiking experience to be standing atop Springer Mtn...What is it about a thru-hike you find appealing?..What do you expect it to be like?...I am honestly curious to know all this......That being said..I would suggest starting much slower and doing a lot of day hikes and then some one night trips and then maybe work up to a few week long trips one day and THEN consider a thru-hike..Or not..Heck there`s still time to go this year..What do I know :p
hamburgffemt46
03-12-2008, 07:41
Ugh...Why would you already be thinking of a thru-hike with basically no hiking or even camping experience?..Don`t get me wrong I`m not trying to be negative I am just curious about the thought processes that bring so many people with basically no hiking experience to be standing atop Springer Mtn...What is it about a thru-hike you find appealing?..What do you expect it to be like?...I am honestly curious to know all this......That being said..I would suggest starting much slower and doing a lot of day hikes and then some one night trips and then maybe work up to a few week long trips one day and THEN consider a thru-hike..Or not..Heck there`s still time to go this year..What do I know :p
Well when i say thinking, I'm talking about a year plus away due to the fact that i havn't done much since high school. As far as what made me think of this is there is a place i go thats part of the AT called sunrise mt up in the branchville section (??) of sussex co and the view is amazing. Last time i was up there I got to wondering what it must be like along the rest of the trail. I honestly don't know if i am truly going to do this as i said earlier in this thread I'm looking to start off slow with day hikes then weekends and then week trips and see how i do. I think the biggest thing I'm looking for is any one from northern jersey who can point me the direction of some good places to go and maybe meet up and teach all the crap i know i don't know, which would be pretty much everything outside of first aid and walking lol:banana:banana:banana
Ugh...Why would you already be thinking of a thru-hike with basically no hiking or even camping experience?..Don`t get me wrong I`m not trying to be negative I am just curious about the thought processes that bring so many people with basically no hiking experience to be standing atop Springer Mtn...What is it about a thru-hike you find appealing?..What do you expect it to be like?...I am honestly curious to know all this......That being said..I would suggest starting much slower and doing a lot of day hikes and then some one night trips and then maybe work up to a few week long trips one day and THEN consider a thru-hike..Or not..Heck there`s still time to go this year..What do I know :p
Programbo,
Do you hand out Xanax to go with your dream killing posts?:)
Many thru-hike to change the direction of their life. Also, for many, incremental change, with the press of business and life's everyday commitments, is precluded.
Just like the preferred way to learn a new language is immersion, the same holds true for changing lifestyle, getting in shape or altering a live's course.
Cold turkey. The only way to stop smoking. The only way to stop addictive behavior. The only way to change ones life. Changing direction in life requires changing "people, places and things"; what better way than immersing one's self in the outdoors.
As for physical tone, that will come. By living on the trail, the exercise and attendant growth comes naturally. At first one walks till the legs get shaky or the back aches; then stop and pitch. It might only be 4 miles the first day but the next will be more. With in 3 weeks hamburgffemt46 will be sprinting up mountains and loving it. Circadian and natural rhythm will force profound change, he will awake on the trail in a physical environment and will become accustomed. He will eat, sleep, read, pee, think, cry an laugh in the new environment and will become accustomed. The old habits will be gone out of necessity.
The data shows that the majority of successful thru-hikers had no real hiking experience prior to the AT. IMHO the initial idea to thru-hike is driven by something larger than just a love of nature. The thought of removing one's self from one's current environs for 6 months is ether the culmination of a dream or a desire for change; radical change.
hamburgffemt46 Just do it!!! If it's a dream, chase it. If it's change you seek, the AT will change you.
Cheers
Dream Big
fiddlehead
03-12-2008, 09:10
Yeah, i think probably 20-30% of hikers starting out have little to no experience.
The important thing is that, hopefully, you like to walk!
The rest is mostly all a bonus.
The data shows that the majority of successful thru-hikers had no real hiking experience prior to the AT.
Show us the data. For sure, some percentage have "no real hiking experience." But not the majority.
max patch
03-12-2008, 09:40
The data shows that the majority of successful thru-hikers had no real hiking experience prior to the AT. IMHO the initial idea to thru-hike is driven by something larger than just a love of nature. The thought of removing one's self from one's current environs for 6 months is ether the culmination of a dream or a desire for change; radical change.
The "majority" had no real hiking experience? Doubt it.
Show us the data. For sure, some percentage have "no real hiking experience." But not the majority.
I've got a free day, I'll find it.
I remember reading a data compilation of thru-hikers on the AT. My definition terrapin, of a thru-hiker: is one that self professes from springer a real desire to complete the trail in one go.
I'll look. Maybe I should not have used the word successful, it assumes completion. I would consider 'successful' (for my point that a majority are novice) 100 days or say 1,000 miles (a real attempt). But of the starting hikers professing Katahdin as the goal, I would bet with 80% not attaining the goal, they started as novice hikers.
I'll look for the data on completed one season thru-hikers and post a credible link. I'll post even if I am wrong.:)
Cheers
fiddlehead
03-12-2008, 09:53
I am guessing 20-30% from people i've talked to having done GA about 6 or 7 times.
Don't know where you'd get data. It's not like there's a questionnaire at the start (nor should there be)
Terrapin, I've seen you quoting some stats from Muesner (sp?) from his questionaire he put out in a year that i hiked and i particpated in it (89 or 91 or 95 not sure which anymore) I think he asked that question. but he was hanging around Maine and i doubt he knows about the ones who dropped out. do you know his statistics on that? he sends us an update to those of us who participated from time to time but i don't keep them.
I really do believe it's how much you like to walk. some don't know till they've tried and then can turn out to be the ones that surprise you.
If it's not fun, people quit, experience or not.
Programbo
03-12-2008, 18:46
Programbo,Do you hand out Xanax to go with your dream killing posts?
Where was I killing any dreams?...I never said not to do it..I was merely curious what motivates people who haven`t hiked to want to go on a 6 month hike...I like learning new things in life and learning about people and this is something that is of interest to me..Maybe by understanding peoples motivations and what they expect we can better prepare them for the journey and help them improve their chances for a happy and successful thru....Maybe I`m just odd (Well not maybe..LOL) but it bothers me to see people with all these high hopes and dreams who invest all this time and money and planning head down to GA and take a week to get to Neel's Gap and then quit..I don`t mean "bother" as in it makes me mad or irritates me I mean I feel sad for the people that happens to and wish someone had spent more time preparing them and educating them so they could have had a more successful run and a happier time..I hear the "Well at least they tried" responses and that doesn`t cut it for me..I would hope they would have a greater chance of success and have wonderful happy life-long memories of the mountains instead of just remembering a week of hardship and struggle.. Meh.. Guess I`m off track now.....I see hamburgffemt46 had a nice follow up reply and seems to have a good bead on things so I`m not worried about him/her down the road
Blissful
03-12-2008, 19:59
I always had a dream to do the AT but hardly ever backpacked (did love to day hike though). Just the thought of walking from state to state, GA to ME was so intriguing. And really I had no previous backpacking experience up until a few years ago, and then a few weekends only. Never out more than three nights, usually only two.
It really is a mental thing. You can definitely do some prep work (I did). But the backpacking experience comes from simply just getting out there and doing it day after day.
shelterbuilder
03-12-2008, 20:32
I'm not a thru-hiker (I don't even play one on TV :D), but I've done a fair portion of the trail, and I keep coming back after all these years. There's something about hiking in general and the AT in particular that has always held a certain fascination for me, and I'm not even really sure that I can put it into words. But in his 3rd post here, "hamburgerhicker" alluded to that same kind of fascination on Sunrise Mtn. Folks, I think that he may be infected - the "bug" seems to have bitten him, and he may never be normal again! :welcome
As for preparation, start with lots of day hikes, get comfortable with that. Read the articles, talk here and elsewhere to other hikers join a local hiking club if you can find one, buy some GOOD equipment one piece at a time, and try a weekend hike. When you get home, analyse what went right, as well as what went wrong, and make changes that work for you. More weekend hikes, more changes, more equipment. You'll know when you're ready for the long hike.
Lone Wolf
03-12-2008, 20:35
running daily gives you the same high
shelterbuilder
03-12-2008, 20:40
running daily gives you the same high
Yeah, but the scenery's not quite so varied!:D
Lone Wolf
03-12-2008, 20:44
Yeah, but the scenery's not quite so varied!:D
you ever do some trail running? awesome
shelterbuilder
03-12-2008, 20:50
you ever do some trail running? awesome
:D I trip easily! :D Especially in Pa. :D
I am guessing 20-30% from people i've talked to having done GA about 6 or 7 times.
Don't know where you'd get data. It's not like there's a questionnaire at the start (nor should there be)
Terrapin, I've seen you quoting some stats from Muesner (sp?) from his questionaire he put out in a year that i hiked and i particpated in it (89 or 91 or 95 not sure which anymore) I think he asked that question. but he was hanging around Maine and i doubt he knows about the ones who dropped out. do you know his statistics on that? he sends us an update to those of us who participated from time to time but i don't keep them.
I really do believe it's how much you like to walk. some don't know till they've tried and then can turn out to be the ones that surprise you.
If it's not fun, people quit, experience or not.
Agree with the last two paragraphs!!
I have no info from Mueser except what's in his book. Here are some stats (from P. 160) that relate to this issue:
How Many Miles of the AT had you hiked before starting this trip?
None: 19%
Less than 100 miles: 13%
100-300 miles: 43%
Over 300 miles: 25%
How many days of hiking had you done in the preceding year?
none: 32%
1-3 weeks: 52%
1-2 months: 20%
In the preceding five years:
none: 18%
less than 10 days: 14%
11-50 days: 37%
51-300 days: 30%
(Hmm... the percentages don't quite add up on the 2nd and 3rd questions... :-?.) Yes, I get a kick out the book; I think it's still largely relevant, and I knew at least a couple of the folks from the class of '89 that he mentions. Obviously, some of the gear discussions (particularly stoves and packs) are dated. But we all know, gear is only a small part of the story... ;)
But of the starting hikers professing Katahdin as the goal, I would bet with 80% not attaining the goal, they started as novice hikers.
Barring stuff like injuries and finances, there are still all sorts of reasons why folks quit. I was absolutely horrible at predicting who would "succeed" and who wouldn't. Previous hiking experience didn't predict success, that's for sure. I saw strong, experienced hikers quit, and rank newbies succeed.
After all these years, "making it fun" is the best advice I can offer...
Lone Wolf
03-12-2008, 21:32
After all these years, "making it fun" is the best advice I can offer...
yeah because that "i'm hiking the trail to find myself and to be with nature and stuff" gets friggin old, fast :D
After reading the thru-hiker stories, it would appear that it becomes a job before long. I thought that was one reason people hit the trail, to get away from a regular job. :-?
Lone Wolf
03-12-2008, 21:45
After reading the thru-hiker stories, it would appear that it becomes a job before long. I thought that was one reason people hit the trail, to get away from a regular job. :-?
yup. it's a marathon. the novelty and fantasy wears off quick for the majority
yup. it's a marathon. the novelty and fantasy wears off quick for the majority
Yup. It's fun doing it in chunks, no need to wait for time to do a marathon that would quickly turn into a chore.
hamburgffemt46
03-12-2008, 23:06
I like to thank every one for there input and i like alot of what i hear and ahree with alot of it. Please keep me in mind if u ever hear or meet someone from NJ
Lone Wolf
03-12-2008, 23:13
I like to thank every one for there input and i like alot of what i hear and ahree with alot of it. Please keep me in mind if u ever hear or meet someone from NJ
one of my bestest hiking pals is from sussex. he used to live a couple of miles from the AT near unionville, n.y. on lott rd.
Programbo
03-12-2008, 23:13
the novelty and fantasy wears off quick for the majority
Exactly!..I read lots of posts from some of the young kids planning a thru and it`s all.."I`m gonna get a trail name and hang out at Miss Janets with Tree Frog and Pack Moose and we`ll have challenges and go into towns and get trail magic and go to feeds and gatherings and stroll along laughing and having fun..."....LOL..Then they find themselves alone and homesick at nights or humping up some steep bald in a downpour and eating cold oatmeal and reality hits them..The fantasy doesn`t exactly match the reality..Maybe for a weekend or a week they`d take it..But the thought that it goes on for 6 more months and you HAVE to get up and move..It`s like a job...I think I just talked myself out of going back...LOL
dessertrat
03-13-2008, 00:04
Hi i am new to this. I live in NJ not far away from the NJ section of the AT and have talked about doing a tru hike and looking for advice and and heads up and all that kind of stuff. im not realy a hicker or a camper but would like to get into it thanks for any help
Why don't you try a weeklong hike on the New Jersey/New York AT to see if you like this hiking business before you quit your job and head to Atlanta?