View Full Version : how important is the trail community?
I'm trying to figure out where to start for a 2 month hike leaving in late May. A big question for me is "How important it is for one's own sanity to be part of the roving community of thru hikers?" Of course I'm looking forward to the quiet solitude of the hike, but I wonder if by staying in the "scrum" of thru hikers and meeting up with them occasionally, it will help alleviate the blues and add something to the experience?
I only have 2 months, so I am trying to do a big chunk of a section hike. My dilemma is: If I start at Springer northbound, everyone will be long gone. If I start at say, Harper's Ferry southbound, I will meet people only once and never get to know anyone. If I jump in where the people are at now (smokies?) northbound...well, that just seems like..."cheating."
A contributing factor is that I am out of shape...it would be nice to start in the relatively flat areas of the virginia ridges rather than the "proving grounds" in Georgia, so that I can ease into the harder terrrain.
Any advice? Thanks in advance.
Mother's Finest
05-16-2008, 13:08
cfiffpm,
the way I look at it, I want both. I am going to do a modified flip/flop. when the time comes, I want to walk from Philadelphia to the trail, then head Southbound. Leave late March. When I get to Springer, get a ride back to Pennsylvania and head north from there.
lots of solitude in the first couple months. Also, if I want more, I can flip up to Maine and hike south from there.
estimated time of hike---2012
peace
mf
Alligator
05-16-2008, 13:11
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Personally, I find it easier to hike away from the pack.
I like the solitude if going solo.
But at times I enjoy friends with me, but mostly solo.
Stay away from those reprobates. They'll only lead you astray.....
Walk alone.
solo the way for me,i camp alone to:cool:neo
There is no such thing as cheating. If you want to hike with people, then start where the people will be.
There will always be other hikers out there, so you will rarely be entirely alone. But if you're looking for a constant group of people, you should try to stay around thru-hikers. The downside to that though is that when it comes to to pull off the trail, if you've developed close relationships with those hikers, you're really not going to want to pull off.
[Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
my answer is yes :p
You say you are 35. I suspect you will find some, but not a hugh percentage, of thru-hikers in your age bracket. So, you might want to think about how well you relate to people in their early 20s and people at retirement age.
[Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
my answer is yes :p
Any other -verts? :rolleyes:
Two thoughts:
By late May, the pack of thru-hikers has thinned out substantially. The majority of "thru-hikers" have quit by then. The ones that remain are spread out a bit, but there are smallish wandering tribes. Unless you are able to start with decent daily mileage, you'll probably have at least a couple or three groups cruise past you while you build up your "trail legs". But if you ease into a groove with one, you'll likely find it a pleasant set of company, unless you really crave solitude.
Also, just about any where you hike the AT this time of year, it is occupied with weekenders and other section hikers. No matter where you go, you'll have company. I you want to enjoy solitude in camp, you'll need to tent/tarp/hang somewhere away from shelters.
Personally, I really enjoyed hiking all day, sorta kinda by myself, then enjoying time with my tribe near a shelter in the evening. It was one of the nicest parts of the AT.
On other long trails, the isolation can take a bit to get used to. On the Colorado Trail, I spent a healthy chunk of time near one other thru-hiker. It was a good feeling to know a kindred spirit was nearby. On the John Muir Trail, I encountered LOTS of other hikers, but never bonded with any. I think that was a part of why the trail felt much more remote, despite a lot more people than the Colorado Trail.
I guess the key is to really know yourself.
Cookerhiker
05-16-2008, 20:17
It seems like you're not a loner and enjoy people so perhaps a NOBO makes sense and as others have said, that time of year you'll meet lots of other hikers. But your statement about being out of shape and wanting to start on the "flat" parts of Virginia (more about that below) suggests that in at least the first month, most of the thrus will go past you so you won't get to know them real well.
So here's an idea - how about hiking SOBO but making a point to write down the names of all the thrus you meet. Then you can follow them through TJ or WB or whatever when your hike is finished. Also as you're hiking SOBO, the NOBOs you encounter will engage you in conversations asking about the hikers you met i.e. those who are ahead of them. So you're carrying the news in effect. You'll enjoy being the messenger.
Now I have news for you: Virginia ain't all that flat. I suppose you could start in SNP where the trail is well-graded and maintained but you still have up-and-down most of the day. But maybe your best bet is starting at Duncannon and hiking south. After an initial ascent from the Susquehanna River, the trail isn't that bad.
A contributing factor is that I am out of shape...
That pretty much clinches it: you will meet through-hikers, but you're not likely to see the same ones over two consecutive nights. Thru-hikers currently on the trail (most are in Virginia, specifically, Damascus as I write this) are in great shape and will be moving much faster than you.
In any case, the "wave" thins out substantially as it moves north. By this time of year at least half the starters have dropped out. Those still on the trail are moving fast, typically 15 miles per day long-term average (there will of course be a wide range of hiking speeds...)
I've walked "against" the northbound wave in early August in Vermont. Walking south, I saw anywhere from zero to maybe 10 or 12 northbound thrus on a given day. A-Train's allusion to "wandering tribes" is apropos.
You say you are 35. I suspect you will find some, but not a hugh percentage, of thru-hikers in your age bracket. So, you might want to think about how well you relate to people in their early 20s and people at retirement age.
Good point, It's a tough age for thru-hiking. Most thrus are either younger or older. I guess most "normal" folks are too busy at that age with kids, career, etc.
Good luck finding other 35-yr old thru-hikers... Seriously, I was 37 on my attempt, and I was quite aware of my "singularity" with regard to age.
Regarding trail legs, another option is start hiking ahead of the thru-hikers and let them catch you. The idea here is pick a spot to start where you would have time to be strong enough to hike with them when they catch you. Timing might be tricky, but you could do a little math with how many miles you plan to do each of the first few weeks to calculate when they would catch you.
Lone Wolf
05-16-2008, 23:36
I'm trying to figure out where to start for a 2 month hike leaving in late May. A big question for me is "How important it is for one's own sanity to be part of the roving community of thru hikers?" Of course I'm looking forward to the quiet solitude of the hike, but I wonder if by staying in the "scrum" of thru hikers and meeting up with them occasionally, it will help alleviate the blues and add something to the experience?
I only have 2 months, so I am trying to do a big chunk of a section hike. My dilemma is: If I start at Springer northbound, everyone will be long gone. If I start at say, Harper's Ferry southbound, I will meet people only once and never get to know anyone. If I jump in where the people are at now (smokies?) northbound...well, that just seems like..."cheating."
A contributing factor is that I am out of shape...it would be nice to start in the relatively flat areas of the virginia ridges rather than the "proving grounds" in Georgia, so that I can ease into the harder terrrain.
Any advice? Thanks in advance.
i've never known a "trail community" just cuz you hike long distance, doesn't mean you're like-minded
Tennessee Viking
05-17-2008, 01:50
I'm trying to figure out where to start for a 2 month hike leaving in late May. A big question for me is "How important it is for one's own sanity to be part of the roving community of thru hikers?" Of course I'm looking forward to the quiet solitude of the hike, but I wonder if by staying in the "scrum" of thru hikers and meeting up with them occasionally, it will help alleviate the blues and add something to the experience?
I only have 2 months, so I am trying to do a big chunk of a section hike. My dilemma is: If I start at Springer northbound, everyone will be long gone. If I start at say, Harper's Ferry southbound, I will meet people only once and never get to know anyone. If I jump in where the people are at now (smokies?) northbound...well, that just seems like..."cheating."
A contributing factor is that I am out of shape...it would be nice to start in the relatively flat areas of the virginia ridges rather than the "proving grounds" in Georgia, so that I can ease into the harder terrrain.
Any advice? Thanks in advance.
If it helps, most of everyone is in or back in Damascus. There will be some already further north that are skipping TDs.
I would put the hiker community down the list. Not everyone stays with the same group of hikers every day. During the summer you will see the occasional section hiker.
You should hike what meets your concerns and plans.
With it being late May, you will see a bit more wildlife especially around Smokies to Hot Springs.
Then you want to start looking at water reports. I doubt the south will go through another big drought like last year. You want to make sure you can find water on those summer days.
I know you said you were not in greatest shapes. But you might want to consider Sobo from Maine if the weather is too your liking, you can knock out the 100 mile off the bat. And you would be with a nice size sobo bunch.
Start at Springer, hike north until you can't or won't hike anymore. You won't have too many to deal with now that the main core of hikers have already begun, but you will not be hiking entirely alone. I think it should be an enjoyable time of year for a hike....
i've never known a "trail community" just cuz you hike long distance, doesn't mean you're like-minded
IMO, the "trail community" is whoever you're hooked up with, on the trail, at any given moment. I'd like to think that folks I meet on the trail are like-minded, and to some extent they are -- they at least share some regard for hiking...
Brings to mind that notion... "If you can't be with the one you love... love the one you're with." :D
dessertrat
05-17-2008, 12:56
I wouldn't sweat this question too much. You will meet the people you meet. If you are going to be a long distance hiker, and don't have a planned out group, then you had better get used to your own company at any rate.
hello? if you want to meet people, go to the mall or the Y. part of the lure of the wilderness (such as it is) is to get away from all that junk. the only people i've ever met on the trail that are really looking for company are pink blazers and they're just obnoxious.
Programbo
05-25-2008, 11:02
I think it all comes down to WHY you are on the trail in the first place...For many people the community and associated rituals are the main reason they are there..For others they want to avoid all that and enjoy the outdoors and specifically the AT in their own way...Whiles it`s good to be friendly and you will make some associates on a long hike I personally never went out of my way to seek that and rarely ever even signed shelter logs...But for some it would be impossible to last out there without that community and constant interaction
Bare Bear
05-29-2008, 22:22
Start at Springer, go North for your hike. That way you have no sections to go back and fill in. You'll still meet a ton of folks. ENJOY.