View Full Version : Definition of a Thru Hiker
I started section hiking in March 2007 and had an immediate desire to hike the AT at every opportunity. This site has been very helpful and entertaining for me. I have enjoyed the debate this site fosters among hikers. First let me say I admire all those hikers who complete or even attempt a thru hike, and I hope to one day become one. Here are my questions. I know what constitutes a section hiker, because I'm one, but I would like to know what constitutes a thru hiker. Is there a definition or guidelines that hikers use to define a thru hike? If one day is an acceptable break in a thru hike, is a week, or two weeks, or one month? Is it considered a thru hike if it is completed in one hiking season?
Lots of differing opinions... I think completing the trail in one season, even if you take some time off. Hiking end to end either direction or flipping, as long as you do the whole thing.
CrumbSnatcher
05-18-2008, 18:16
I started section hiking in March 2007 and had an immediate desire to hike the AT at every opportunity. This site has been very helpful and entertaining for me. I have enjoyed the debate this site fosters among hikers. First let me say I admire all those hikers who complete or even attempt a thru hike, and I hope to one day become one. Here are my questions. I know what constitutes a section hiker, because I'm one, but I would like to know what constitutes a thru hiker. Is there a definition or guidelines that hikers use to define a thru hike? If one day is an acceptable break in a thru hike, is a week, or two weeks, or one month? Is it considered a thru hike if it is completed in one hiking season?
i'm sure i'll be corrected any minute,but the A.T.C. told me years ago they do not differentiate between thru-hikers and section-hikers. you section hike to become a 2,000 miler or you thru-hike to become a 2,000 miler. so no you do not become a thru-hiker at the end of the journey. if you started as a thruhiker and dont finish you still were a thru-hiker that year. thruhiking is the attempt to go all the way,whether you make it all the way or not... I KNOW ALOT OF THRU-HIKERS THAT TOOK ALOT OF TIME OFF,TO GO TO THE BEACH,CONCERTS,WEDDINGS,ETC... they needed a vacation from thier vacation(thier hike) never understood that? but to each his own,thats the beauty of HYOH.....
The ATC doesn't care. You have to decide that for yourself a philosophy about what a thru hike would be to you if you do it then you are a thru hiker
CrumbSnatcher
05-18-2008, 18:26
The ATC doesn't care. You have to decide that for yourself a philosophy about what a thru hike would be to you if you do it then you are a thru hiker
33 whiskey,your absolutely right,just do your own thing,and feel good about doing it. i always heard you need to complete a thru within a calender year ?. if any one cares...
River Runner
05-19-2008, 01:14
i always heard you need to complete a thru within a calender year ?. if any one cares...
I don't think that's right - some SOBO's start one year, and finish after Jan 1 of the next.
Literally I believe it means to complete the trail in one continuous journey, but there are many 'thru' hikers today that do take time off to journey elsewhere (home for a week, go to a wedding, family reunion or what-not), so that definition doesn't fit too well either.
personally i have read the journals of lots of thru hikers i still consider them a thru even if they take some time off but it has to make sense...like going home and taking two months off no doesnt make sense.. BUT taking 3 days off or so to shower get cleaned up and travel home for a wedding, medical emergency wife says she wants a divorce if you dont come home yadda yadda yadda thats why im leaving double the money for a round trip flight with my brother so should the need arise to get home fast ( or as fast as possible given the 100 mile wilderness) it wont be a problem and i can still continue my thru in short thru hiking is attempting it all in ONE go ONE consolidated effort section hikers do just what i said above they do a section go home take couple months off and do another section, flip floppers i still consider thru because they are doing it in one go ,except like right now might be easier for a SOBO to start in say monson and head south then fly back up to get the last 2 weeks or whichever done...while technically a flip flop still done all at once and if you even think of asking about what constitutes day hikers.. :: shiver :: their kind are not meant to be among us
CrumbSnatcher
05-19-2008, 08:07
I don't think that's right - some SOBO's start one year, and finish after Jan 1 of the next.
Literally I believe it means to complete the trail in one continuous journey, but there are many 'thru' hikers today that do take time off to journey elsewhere (home for a week, go to a wedding, family reunion or what-not), so that definition doesn't fit too well either.
what i meant was if you start lets say june5th then you have til june 5th the next year. 12 month period.
CrumbSnatcher
05-19-2008, 08:09
personally i have read the journals of lots of thru hikers i still consider them a thru even if they take some time off but it has to make sense...like going home and taking two months off no doesnt make sense.. BUT taking 3 days off or so to shower get cleaned up and travel home for a wedding, medical emergency wife says she wants a divorce if you dont come home yadda yadda yadda thats why im leaving double the money for a round trip flight with my brother so should the need arise to get home fast ( or as fast as possible given the 100 mile wilderness) it wont be a problem and i can still continue my thru in short thru hiking is attempting it all in ONE go ONE consolidated effort section hikers do just what i said above they do a section go home take couple months off and do another section, flip floppers i still consider thru because they are doing it in one go ,except like right now might be easier for a SOBO to start in say monson and head south then fly back up to get the last 2 weeks or whichever done...while technically a flip flop still done all at once and if you even think of asking about what constitutes day hikers.. :: shiver :: their kind are not meant to be among us
i never said if you take time off,then your not a thruhiker. if that was true a zero day would end your hike. people take time off all the time. no big deal. HYOH and have fun...
Bare Bear
05-19-2008, 08:31
HYOH That is just my opinion and I could be wrong.
Thruhiking is generally thought of as hiking the trail in one trip over the course of a year. Some people have gotten injured or had folks at home pass away while on the trail, or have had other things happen which prevented a one year trip, and have gone back to finish the following year or over the course of several years. I wouldn't take anything away from their accomplishment (not to be misunderstood as "goal achieved"). If you've hiked the whole AT, you've hiked the whole AT. It doesn't matter what anyone calls it. Just enjoy yourself.
sofaking
05-19-2008, 08:41
does road walking count if it's not white blazed?
does road walking count if it's not white blazed?
depends on who you ask......
I was one of those stinkin' purists when I thru-hiked in '99. I hiked the trail under this philosophy: I was going to make a pilgramage from Springer to Katahdin, carrying all my stuff the whole way, getting up in the morning and continuing on from that point.
For me this meant:
No slackpacking
No blue-blazing or yellow-blazing
No skipping sections to come back to later.
No flip-flopping
And I kept it "pure" to my philosophy. But there were a LOT of days when I walked .3 miles of blue-blaze access trail backward so I wouldn't miss .5 miles of white blazed trail. Or I hiked the very rough .9 miles of AT gaining and losing 400 feet, when I could have walked .3 miles of road and gained less than 50 feet. At these moments, I sometimes thought my concept of purism was in conflict with the natural flow of a pilgrimage.
If I had it to do again, I would keep much of the same philosophy, but I would include the occasional blue-blaze and slackpack.
Oh, BTW, the ATC's definition of a completed GA-> ME or ME -> GA end-to-end implies that you DO pass all the white blazes, but I would wager less than 20% of those who submit their hike to the ATC actually do this. I kind of like the blue-blazing idea of earning the "2000 mile" rocker, which gives you nearly 180 miles of extra trail to fudge with.
sofaking
05-19-2008, 09:01
[quote=Bearpaw;626181]depends on who you ask......
Oh, BTW, the ATC's definition of a completed GA-> ME or ME -> GA end-to-end implies that you DO pass all the white blazes, but I would wager less than 20% of those who submit their hike to the ATC actually do this.
that's pretty much the answer right there...
Bare Bear
05-19-2008, 09:30
The ATC's definition does control but hikers still love to bicker over the quality fo the "Thru Hike". I have done two 500 mile sections of the AT and a lot of 3-4 day hikes mostly Smokies before I did the Thru. In the thru I flew home for my daughters college graduation then back in five days 'off the Trail". I missed a section of 26 miles near Kent and did it on the way back home after Katahdin. I took only about a half my pack over one mountain while staying at a bed & breakfast (nearly a slack pack). I still considered myself a 'thru hiker'. I always have thought that the folks that go out section hiking for two weeks or a month at a time are doing a much harder job than a 'purist thru' as they have to get in shape every year and never reach the peak of fitness that most thru hikers do. The trail is much easier when you are in shape! I smile because I have done both.
I think some here are confusing two issues.
A thru-hike is completing the entire trail in one year. For some SOBOs, that might extend into the next calendar year but in that case it's still part of an unbroken journey. Most folks don't think it matters if you hike north, south, flip-flop, leave the trail and come back to it—so long as you complete the entire trail within the alloted window.
Qualifying for the ATC certificate, being eligible to buy the patch, and being included in the annual listing of completed hikes in AT Journeys, is another matter. ATC doesn't differentiate between thru-hikers who do it all one year, and those who piece together the trail over multiple years as a section hiker. Or those who carried a 65# pack all the way, or ultralighters who got by with 15#, those who did it on their own, those who had a support vehicle follow them, or those who slackpacked all or some of the Trail. You get the same certificate, patch, and published recognition any way you completed the Trail.
The key similarity, regarding thru-hikers and every other type of hiker who apply for the ATC cert/patch/publication is that ATC expects you to be honest when you sign the paper that says you hiked the entire Appalachian Trail between GA and ME. That means following the white blazes as they existed at the time of your hike, using alternate routes only in rare instances of life-threatening conditions (lightning on exposed ridges, forest fires, flooded stream fords, etc.)
If you do not intend to apply to ATC for that recognition, it doesn't matter if you adhere to their expectations. HYOH.
Deleted. Somehow a duplicate got posted. Sorry!
CrumbSnatcher
05-19-2008, 13:53
Thruhiking is generally thought of as hiking the trail in one trip over the course of a year. Some people have gotten injured or had folks at home pass away while on the trail, or have had other things happen which prevented a one year trip, and have gone back to finish the following year or over the course of several years. I wouldn't take anything away from their accomplishment (not to be misunderstood as "goal achieved"). If you've hiked the whole AT, you've hiked the whole AT. It doesn't matter what anyone calls it. Just enjoy yourself.
exactly
CrumbSnatcher
05-19-2008, 13:58
thruhiking is the attempt to finish in one year. but you become a 2,000 miler. your already a thruhiker before the journey ends...
Thanks for all the input. I guess the ATC considers us all as hikers and we label ourselves as thru hikers, section hikers, and day hikers.
Appalachian Tater
05-19-2008, 22:20
If you walked one mile a day every day and then camped and did it for 2,175 days in a row would you still be a thru-hiker? If so, then the one year or one season rule doesn't mean anything, that would be almost six years.
CrumbSnatcher
05-19-2008, 22:29
If you walked one mile a day every day and then camped and did it for 2,175 days in a row would you still be a thru-hiker? If so, then the one year or one season rule doesn't mean anything, that would be almost six years.
that would mean carrying 30 1/2 days worth of food to reach neels gap to resupply. or 20 days worth of supplies to reach woody gap? thats if you didn't do the approach trail. that would add 9 more days of food... 100days of food and supplies for the hundred mile wilderness.:eek: better have a big backpack, this has section hike written all over it...:D
Survivor Dave
05-20-2008, 03:18
This thread had me wondering as well. I put a call in to Greg at the ATC yesterday and asked him what the ATC considers being a Thru.
He said that the ATC does not recognize the word Thru-Hiker. They use the term 2000 miler. So I asked him what it takes to qualify as a 2000 miler and he said this......."You can be called a 2000 miler if you hike the entire AT, however long it takes." The ATC does not police the hikers, it's all on the honor system. When you complete the Trail, just fill out the forms and they will mail you the certificate.
He also went on to say that the term "Thru-Hiker" was created by hikers over many years. He also said that if your plans are to hike Thru SOBO or NOBO, that most call themselves that because that's what is a common term.
So be it....I guess.:o
If you walked one mile a day every day and then camped and did it for 2,175 days in a row would you still be a thru-hiker? If so, then the one year or one season rule doesn't mean anything, that would be almost six years.
I actually ran into a woman who was hiking one mile a day. It had taken her twelve days to get from Harpers Ferry to Blackburn Trail Center, which is where I met her. She was consuming about a pint of water a day, and eating very little food--she was not very healthy when she got to Blackburn.
Why ask the ATC when there is Wikipedia :D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thru-hiking
CrumbSnatcher
05-20-2008, 08:07
This thread had me wondering as well. I put a call in to Greg at the ATC yesterday and asked him what the ATC considers being a Thru.
He said that the ATC does not recognize the word Thru-Hiker. They use the term 2000 miler. So I asked him what it takes to qualify as a 2000 miler and he said this......."You can be called a 2000 miler if you hike the entire AT, however long it takes." The ATC does not police the hikers, it's all on the honor system. When you complete the Trail, just fill out the forms and they will mail you the certificate.
He also went on to say that the term "Thru-Hiker" was created by hikers over many years. He also said that if your plans are to hike Thru SOBO or NOBO, that most call themselves that because that's what is a common term.
So be it....I guess.:o thanks for clarifying, thats pretty much what i said. you become a 2,000 miler. thruhiking is only a means to a end. you are a thruhiker as soon as you hit the trail, not at the end. i'll be off work this afternoon if you have any more questions ha ha gotta go lay some brick.
This thread had me wondering as well. I put a call in to Greg at the ATC yesterday and asked him what the ATC considers being a Thru.
He said that the ATC does not recognize the word Thru-Hiker. They use the term 2000 miler. So I asked him what it takes to qualify as a 2000 miler and he said this......."You can be called a 2000 miler if you hike the entire AT, however long it takes." The ATC does not police the hikers, it's all on the honor system. When you complete the Trail, just fill out the forms and they will mail you the certificate.
He also went on to say that the term "Thru-Hiker" was created by hikers over many years. He also said that if your plans are to hike Thru SOBO or NOBO, that most call themselves that because that's what is a common term.
So be it....I guess.:o
But even the ATC adds a little confusion, by referring to flip flops,and section hikes, as "variations of a typical thru hike."
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.848729/k.6FA1/Alternative_Itineraries.htm
Survivor Dave
05-20-2008, 12:07
But even the ATC adds a little confusion, by referring to flip flops,and section hikes, as "variations of a typical thru hike."
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.848729/k.6FA1/Alternative_Itineraries.htm
So give them a call. 1-304-535-1181.
I think HYOH works best for most folks that care more about the journey rather than the destination.:D
Lone Wolf
05-20-2008, 12:29
but I would like to know what constitutes a thru hiker. Is there a definition or guidelines that hikers use to define a thru hike? If one day is an acceptable break in a thru hike, is a week, or two weeks, or one month? Is it considered a thru hike if it is completed in one hiking season?
no days off between the 2 termini. take a day off then you're a section hiker
Time To Fly 97
05-20-2008, 13:27
My opinion: I completely agree with BearPaw (except flip-flopping) and totally disagree with CrumbSnatcher. Section hikers work towards being 2000 milers, while a thru-hiker does it all in one season with a full pack. This would not include the one mile per day hypothetical which is not in one season. CrumbSnatcher feels that on day one you are a thru-hiker if that is your goal...and to me this is simply a hiker starting a thru-hike attempt. This would be like claiming you are an Indy 500 winner, when in fact you are only on your 1st lap and anything can happen.
Happy hiking!
TTF
Time To Fly 97
05-20-2008, 13:32
As a follow up to my last - being a 2000 miler is a massive accomplishment. It doesn't matter if you section hiked, slack packed, blazed alternatively. My post is NOT meant to diss anyone, but rather to differentiate what a thru-hiker is.
Happy hiking!
TTF
Actually back in the day they used to be called "end to enders". Not sure when the term "thruhiker" came into use. Anyone know?
I just walk.
Keep it simple and all. :)
I think "thru-hiker" is a present tense verb.
While "thru-hiked" is past tense verb.
So you would become a "thru-hiker" when you take your first step and you would have "thru-hiked" when you take your last step.
Panzer
River Runner
05-20-2008, 15:17
Actually back in the day they used to be called "end to enders". Not sure when the term "thruhiker" came into use. Anyone know?
Red Hat, I think a section hiker that has completed the whole trail is known as an "end to ender".
sheepdog
05-20-2008, 16:37
http://www.agrsci.dk/var/agrsci/storage/images/djf/nyhedsbrev/nyhedsbreve/newsletter_danish_institute_of_agricultural_scienc es_july_2006/bovine_backpackers_on_the_way/422923-2-dan-DK/bovine_backpackers_on_the_way_bigger.jpg
Not to be confused with the MOO Hiker.
CrumbSnatcher
05-20-2008, 18:08
Red Hat, I think a section hiker that has completed the whole trail is known as an "end to ender".
thruhikers and section hikers both become 2,000 milers end to ender is the same thing.
CrumbSnatcher
05-20-2008, 18:10
I think "thru-hiker" is a present tense verb.
While "thru-hiked" is past tense verb.
So you would become a "thru-hiker" when you take your first step and you would have "thru-hiked" when you take your last step.
Panzer i like the way you phrased that panzer1
CrumbSnatcher
05-20-2008, 18:16
My opinion: I completely agree with BearPaw (except flip-flopping) and totally disagree with CrumbSnatcher. Section hikers work towards being 2000 milers, while a thru-hiker does it all in one season with a full pack. This would not include the one mile per day hypothetical which is not in one season. CrumbSnatcher feels that on day one you are a thru-hiker if that is your goal...and to me this is simply a hiker starting a thru-hike attempt. This would be like claiming you are an Indy 500 winner, when in fact you are only on your 1st lap and anything can happen.
Happy hiking!
TTF
the thru-hiker attempts to hike the whole trail in one trip.section hikers over a number of years both trying to become 2,000 milers. when you hike the whole trail the A.T.C SENDS YOU A CERTIFICATE AND A PATCH THAT SAYS 2,000 MILER on it NOT THRUHIKER. they call it a 2,000 miler simply because the trails mileage changes almost yearly, so there not going to call you a 2,160 miler one year and 2,174 miler the next..
CrumbSnatcher
05-20-2008, 18:20
My opinion: I completely agree with BearPaw (except flip-flopping) and totally disagree with CrumbSnatcher. Section hikers work towards being 2000 milers, while a thru-hiker does it all in one season with a full pack. This would not include the one mile per day hypothetical which is not in one season. CrumbSnatcher feels that on day one you are a thru-hiker if that is your goal...and to me this is simply a hiker starting a thru-hike attempt. This would be like claiming you are an Indy 500 winner, when in fact you are only on your 1st lap and anything can happen.
Happy hiking!
TTF
thruhiking is saying i'm in the indy 500 thruhiked means i won the indy 500..... thruhikers and section hikers both are trying to claim a 2,000 miler or a end to ender(same thing)
CrumbSnatcher
05-20-2008, 18:30
depends on who you ask......
I was one of those stinkin' purists when I thru-hiked in '99. I hiked the trail under this philosophy: I was going to make a pilgramage from Springer to Katahdin, carrying all my stuff the whole way, getting up in the morning and continuing on from that point.
For me this meant:
No slackpacking
No blue-blazing or yellow-blazing
No skipping sections to come back to later.
No flip-flopping
And I kept it "pure" to my philosophy. But there were a LOT of days when I walked .3 miles of blue-blaze access trail backward so I wouldn't miss .5 miles of white blazed trail. Or I hiked the very rough .9 miles of AT gaining and losing 400 feet, when I could have walked .3 miles of road and gained less than 50 feet. At these moments, I sometimes thought my concept of purism was in conflict with the natural flow of a pilgrimage.
If I had it to do again, I would keep much of the same philosophy, but I would include the occasional blue-blaze and slackpack.
Oh, BTW, the ATC's definition of a completed GA-> ME or ME -> GA end-to-end implies that you DO pass all the white blazes, but I would wager less than 20% of those who submit their hike to the ATC actually do this. I kind of like the blue-blazing idea of earning the "2000 mile" rocker, which gives you nearly 180 miles of extra trail to fudge with.
in 99' i also carried my pack the whole way,no slacking. just the way i wanted to also. but i'm not sure the A.T.C. agrees with you about the flip floping or the slacking. they don't care! you must make the attempt to stay on the white blazes weather permitting. and the shelter loops are there for a reason,i don't have an opionion on those. ? but for those who don.t know some shelters have one trail leading in and another leading out .just like a rest stop on the interstate you miss a little of the road/trail... bearpaw i too now include the occasional blue blaze and slackpack.:)and love it.
Lone Wolf
05-20-2008, 18:36
in 99' i also carried my pack the whole way,no slacking. just the way i wanted to also. but i'm not sure the A.T.C. agrees with you about the flip floping or the slacking. they don't care! you must make the attempt to stay on the white blazes weather permitting. and the shelter loops are there for a reason,i don't have an opionion on those. ? but for those who don.t know some shelters have one trail leading in and another leading out .just like a rest stop on the interstate you miss a little of the road/trail... bearpaw i too now include the occasional blue blaze and slackpack.:)and love it.
slackpacking is for those that don't really enjoy the woods much, they'd rather be in town at a hostel or motel
Here’s what we say on our 2,000-miler application:
"The Appalachian Trail Conservancy recognizes anyone who reports completion of the entire Trail as a '2,000-miler.' The term is a matter of tradition and convenience, based upon the original estimated length of the Trail. Conservancy policy is to operate on an honor system, assuming that those who apply for 2000-miler status have hiked all of the A.T. between Katahdin and Springer Mountain, either as a thru-hiker or in sections. In the event of an emergency, such as a flood, a forest fire, or an impending storm, blue-blazed trails or officially required roadwalks are viable substitutes for the white-blazed route. Issues of sequence, direction, speed, length of time or whether one carries a pack are not considered. ATC assumes that those who apply have made an honest effort to walk the entire Trail, even if they did not walk past every white blaze. If you meet these standards, please complete and sign the form below."
Several years ago we changed the application to essentially define a thru-hike as completing the A.T. in one year or less. Prior to that, we said a thru-hike was a “more or less continuous” hike of the A.T. When we started getting several hundred 2,000-miler applications a year, it was just too time-consuming and difficult to make fair judgment calls on ones that were in the gray area as to whether they were thru-hikes or section-hikes. We also didn’t want to make a lot of complicated rules. Where do you draw the lines? OK to take three days off for a wedding, but if you take four, you’re a section-hiker? Admittedly, twelve months is a long window for a thru-hike, but Benton MacKaye, the guy who first put forth the idea of the A.T., said he’d like to give a prize to the person that hiked the Trail the slowest. He also said the purpose of the A.T. was “to walk, to see, and to see what you see.”
I don’t know anyone within ATC who has ever felt it was important that prospective 2,000-milers hit virtually every single one of the 80,000 white blazes, e.g., going in and out the same shelter trail. We’d rather hikers spend that energy writing a note of appreciation to the local volunteers in the register, hanging food properly, or taking time to try to identify a tree or flower or bird. That doesn’t mean we overlook yellow-blazing. Every year we send back one or two applications of hikers who say they have skipped sections.
The A.T. 2,000-miler application is on-line at http://www.appalachiantrail.org/thruhiking/after.
Laurie Potteiger
ATC
CrumbSnatcher
05-20-2008, 19:33
Here’s what we say on our 2,000-miler application:
"The Appalachian Trail Conservancy recognizes anyone who reports completion of the entire Trail as a '2,000-miler.' The term is a matter of tradition and convenience, based upon the original estimated length of the Trail. Conservancy policy is to operate on an honor system, assuming that those who apply for 2000-miler status have hiked all of the A.T. between Katahdin and Springer Mountain, either as a thru-hiker or in sections. In the event of an emergency, such as a flood, a forest fire, or an impending storm, blue-blazed trails or officially required roadwalks are viable substitutes for the white-blazed route. Issues of sequence, direction, speed, length of time or whether one carries a pack are not considered. ATC assumes that those who apply have made an honest effort to walk the entire Trail, even if they did not walk past every white blaze. If you meet these standards, please complete and sign the form below."
Several years ago we changed the application to essentially define a thru-hike as completing the A.T. in one year or less. Prior to that, we said a thru-hike was a “more or less continuous” hike of the A.T. When we started getting several hundred 2,000-miler applications a year, it was just too time-consuming and difficult to make fair judgment calls on ones that were in the gray area as to whether they were thru-hikes or section-hikes. We also didn’t want to make a lot of complicated rules. Where do you draw the lines? OK to take three days off for a wedding, but if you take four, you’re a section-hiker? Admittedly, twelve months is a long window for a thru-hike, but Benton MacKaye, the guy who first put forth the idea of the A.T., said he’d like to give a prize to the person that hiked the Trail the slowest. He also said the purpose of the A.T. was “to walk, to see, and to see what you see.”
I don’t know anyone within ATC who has ever felt it was important that prospective 2,000-milers hit virtually every single one of the 80,000 white blazes, e.g., going in and out the same shelter trail. We’d rather hikers spend that energy writing a note of appreciation to the local volunteers in the register, hanging food properly, or taking time to try to identify a tree or flower or bird. That doesn’t mean we overlook yellow-blazing. Every year we send back one or two applications of hikers who say they have skipped sections.
The A.T. 2,000-miler application is on-line at http://www.appalachiantrail.org/thruhiking/after.
Laurie Potteiger
ATC
thanks laurie for the post,i believe this is pretty much what i was saying.
CrumbSnatcher
05-20-2008, 19:42
slackpacking is for those that don't really enjoy the woods much, they'd rather be in town at a hostel or motel
L.W. i agree with you,this is probably true with most cases. when i would slack on my last thru, (when my dog was 10 1/2 years old). and i wanted to keep her on my journey,without HER doing all the miles.when she had the day off,i'd slack 30-40 mile days. she'd be at a friends or a hostel,i'd leave my tent,stove,etc. because i was coming back at the end of the day anyway. not saying it was right or wrong but to me not pushing my dog was very rightous.....
Thru-hiker, section hiker, 2000-miler, white-blazing purist, blue-blazing fun lover, flip-flopper, yo-yoer, etc. and so on. If you have to label it, identify with it, get a patch for it, and brag about it, then what did you gain from it? Just hike.
Thru-hiker, section hiker, 2000-miler, white-blazing purist, blue-blazing fun lover, flip-flopper, yo-yoer, etc. and so on. If you have to label it, identify with it, get a patch for it, and brag about it, then what did you gain from it? Just hike.
:-?
Maybe by being able to label it, identify with it, get a patch for it and being able to brag about it, is what some gain from it. And what's wrong with that? It may be those things that makes folks feel like they are finally part of something, maybe a sense of accomplishment they have never felt before. I dunno, just a thought...
Not what I seek to gain from it, but to each their own.
:-?
Maybe by being able to label it, identify with it, get a patch for it and being able to brag about it, is what some gain from it. And what's wrong with that? It may be those things that makes folks feel like they are finally part of something, maybe a sense of accomplishment they have never felt before. I dunno, just a thought...
Not what I seek to gain from it, but to each their own.
Must be why you journaled about it. :rolleyes:
Must be why you journaled about it. :rolleyes:
Nah, it's so I can share my experiences with my niece and nephews. Clearly stated in my first entry. :D
...I don’t know anyone within ATC who has ever felt it was important that prospective 2,000-milers hit virtually every single one of the 80,000 white blazes, e.g., going in and out the same shelter trail...
Laurie Potteiger
ATC
I hope that silly "going in and out of the shelter" argument is finnaly settled. I doubt it.
Survivor Dave
05-20-2008, 23:33
Thru-hiker, section hiker, 2000-miler, white-blazing purist, blue-blazing fun lover, flip-flopper, yo-yoer, etc. and so on. If you have to label it, identify with it, get a patch for it, and brag about it, then what did you gain from it? Just hike.
Tin Man, I have to agree with you.
:-?
Maybe by being able to label it, identify with it, get a patch for it and being able to brag about it, is what some gain from it. And what's wrong with that? It may be those things that makes folks feel like they are finally part of something, maybe a sense of accomplishment they have never felt before. I dunno, just a thought...
Not what I seek to gain from it, but to each their own.
OK. When I was a kid, I was a Scout and wore the merit badges on the sash with my chest pumped out and wore them proudly. It was an early lesson in working to earn something. My views now, as an adult, are a bit different. I go out to the Trail for self gratification and a further lesson in practicing a genuine humility.
I kind of feel that's lost if you have to "wear the sash" to show others what your accomplishments are.
In my eyes, it's no different than buying a Porsche and parking it at the top end of the street just to show others how great you are because you are wealthy.
If you have to do that, then you must not have learned the lesson that the Trail has to offer.:rolleyes:
Nah, it's so I can share my experiences with my niece and nephews. Clearly stated in my first entry. :D
I saw that, but how'd I get there? From your link in your header. You is sharing with more than your niece and nephews. Just sayin. :)
Tin Man, I have to agree with you.
OK. When I was a kid, I was a Scout and wore the merit badges on the sash with my chest pumped out and wore them proudly. It was an early lesson in working to earn something. My views now, as an adult, are a bit different. I go out to the Trail for self gratification and a further lesson in practicing a genuine humility.
I kind of feel that's lost if you have to "wear the sash" to show others what your accomplishments are.
In my eyes, it's no different than buying a Porsche and parking it at the top end of the street just to show others how great you are because you are wealthy.
If you have to do that, then you must not have learned the lesson that the Trail has to offer.:rolleyes:
Like I stated earlier, not what I seek to gain from hiking the AT. I too, got all the patches I'll ever need as a scout. But I wouldn't think less of anyone who wanted to get a patch after walking 2,000+ miles or call themselves thruhikers if they felt that that's what they were. I consider you, SD, to be a thruhiker in 2008 even though your injury forced you off the trail (not sure if you are able to get back on, but good luck if you do). My personal definition is someone who attempts to walk the entire trail is a thruhiker while they are doing it. If I call someone a thruhiker while they are attempting to hike the entire trail and they don't finish, they were still thruhikers at that point in time. How many times have we all heard someone say or write that "so and so" was thruhiking but had to leave the trail early for some reason. If they were thruhiking then they were thruhikers. I guess what I'm saying is that not all thruhikers are able complete the entire trail or walk by each white blaze, but I'm still going to consider them thruhikers if they set out to walk over 2000 miles on the AT inside of a 12 month span (as long as it isn't the same mile walked over and over). :)
I know the way I look at it may not be the "official" definition, but words mean different things to different folks.
Survivor Dave
05-21-2008, 10:23
I know the way I look at it may not be the "official" definition, but words mean different things to different folks.
I agree.
CrumbSnatcher
05-21-2008, 23:03
Like I stated earlier, not what I seek to gain from hiking the AT. I too, got all the patches I'll ever need as a scout. But I wouldn't think less of anyone who wanted to get a patch after walking 2,000+ miles or call themselves thruhikers if they felt that that's what they were. I consider you, SD, to be a thruhiker in 2008 even though your injury forced you off the trail (not sure if you are able to get back on, but good luck if you do). My personal definition is someone who attempts to walk the entire trail is a thruhiker while they are doing it. If I call someone a thruhiker while they are attempting to hike the entire trail and they don't finish, they were still thruhikers at that point in time. How many times have we all heard someone say or write that "so and so" was thruhiking but had to leave the trail early for some reason. If they were thruhiking then they were thruhikers. I guess what I'm saying is that not all thruhikers are able complete the entire trail or walk by each white blaze, but I'm still going to consider them thruhikers if they set out to walk over 2000 miles on the AT inside of a 12 month span (as long as it isn't the same mile walked over and over). :)
I know the way I look at it may not be the "official" definition, but words mean different things to different folks.
uncle b the way you look at it is dead-on,glad someone else gets it. and yes it is the "offical" definition. you thru-hike or section hike to become a 2,000 miler. thruhiking is the ATTEMPT to go all the way! you start on springer heading towards katahdin,fall and break your leg in the first mile and go home you were still a thruhiker that year, you just didn't become a 2,000 miler yet or a end to ender...
CrumbSnatcher
05-21-2008, 23:25
Thru-hiker, section hiker, 2000-miler, white-blazing purist, blue-blazing fun lover, flip-flopper, yo-yoer, etc. and so on. If you have to label it, identify with it, get a patch for it, and brag about it, then what did you gain from it? Just hike.
TM you forgot brown-blazing. AND I USE THE PATCHERS TO HOLD MY PACK TOGETHER...
TM you forgot brown-blazing. AND I USE THE PATCHERS TO HOLD MY PACK TOGEATHER...
Actually, I purposely left out the brown blazing. My patches hold my shorts together. ;)
Time To Fly 97
05-22-2008, 09:10
I kind of feel that's lost if you have to "wear the sash" to show others what your accomplishments are. In my eyes, it's no different than buying a Porsche and parking it at the top end of the street just to show others how great you are because you are wealthy.
Some people park the Porsche at the top of the street because they want to look at it. The Porsche owner may just care more about what the Porsche is thinking that what the guy at the bottom of the hill is thinking. Speaking for myself and thru-hiking...I love being a thru-hiker and I'm not the "needy for attention" type...so the analogy doesn't work for everyone.
Happy hiking!
TTF
KirkMcquest
05-22-2008, 09:25
I started section hiking in March 2007 and had an immediate desire to hike the AT at every opportunity. This site has been very helpful and entertaining for me. I have enjoyed the debate this site fosters among hikers. First let me say I admire all those hikers who complete or even attempt a thru hike, and I hope to one day become one. Here are my questions. I know what constitutes a section hiker, because I'm one, but I would like to know what constitutes a thru hiker. Is there a definition or guidelines that hikers use to define a thru hike? If one day is an acceptable break in a thru hike, is a week, or two weeks, or one month? Is it considered a thru hike if it is completed in one hiking season?
I would say it's a through hike if you stay 'on site' during your break. Even if you take three weeks off, I would still consider you a thru-hiker. If you go home for a month, then jump back on it would seem like stretching it.
This is just MY perception of a thru-hike, there are no rules for qualification.
uncle b the way you look at it is dead-on,glad someone else gets it. and yes it is the "offical" definition. you thru-hike or section hike to become a 2,000 miler. thruhiking is the ATTEMPT to go all the way! you start on springer heading towards katahdin,fall and break your leg in the first mile and go home you were still a thruhiker that year, you just didn't become a 2,000 miler yet or a end to ender...
Some here are trying to define a thru-hiker (the person). Others are trying to define a thru-hike (the hike itself). Gets confusing sometimes, but one is a human, one is not.
KirkMcquest
05-22-2008, 09:38
Seems to me that the ATC has their definition of a 'thru-hike' stated by laurieP 'anyone who completes the hike in a year or less'. They chose this because it is easier for them in an adminstrative sense ( easier to define and give out patches).
The ATC did not create the term 'thru-hike', they do not own it. The term could best be defined by consensus, though there would probably be quite a bit of variation.
Seems to me that the ATC has their definition of a 'thru-hike' stated by laurieP 'anyone who completes the hike in a year or less'. They chose this because it is easier for them in an adminstrative sense ( easier to define and give out patches).
The ATC did not create the term 'thru-hike', they do not own it. The term could best be defined by consensus, though there would probably be quite a bit of variation.
The ATC does not give out thru-hike patches, only 2,000 miler patches and you can do that in 1 year or 40 years or more.
Time To Fly 97
05-22-2008, 10:04
I have a thru-hiker rocker patch and a 2000 miler rocker patch. Going back a few years though.
Happy hiking!
TTF
max patch
05-22-2008, 10:24
I have a thru-hiker rocker patch and a 2000 miler rocker patch. Going back a few years though.
Happy hiking!
TTF
Yeah, but if you check your memory you'll probably recall buying the thru hiker rocker patch from an individual who used to sell them online as well as other knock off patches that looked as if they came from the ATC. I don't believe the ATC ever sold a thru hiker rocker patch.
KirkMcquest
05-22-2008, 10:25
The ATC does not give out thru-hike patches, only 2,000 miler patches and you can do that in 1 year or 40 years or more.
Why do they need to 'differentiate' between thru-hikers and section hikers on the application, then?
Why did they need to change the definition, if their giving out only the one patch?
Time To Fly 97
05-22-2008, 10:27
Yeah, but if you check your memory you'll probably recall buying the thru hiker rocker patch from an individual who used to sell them online as well as other knock off patches that looked as if they came from the ATC. I don't believe the ATC ever sold a thru hiker rocker patch.
Neg...purchased from ATC. : )
Happy hiking!
TTF
Time To Fly 97
05-22-2008, 10:40
Put pic up on today's photos.
TTF
max patch
05-22-2008, 10:58
Neg...purchased from ATC. : )
Happy hiking!
TTF
I stand corrected.
The ATC did not create the term 'thru-hike', they do not own it. The term could best be defined by consensus, though there would probably be quite a bit of variation.
Consensus among hikers ?!??! Egads!
A certain phrase comes to mind...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8
WalkingStick75
05-22-2008, 16:28
Thanks for all the input. I guess the ATC considers us all as hikers and we label ourselves as thru hikers, section hikers, and day hikers.
I will second that
Thanks for all the input. I guess the ATC considers us all as hikers and we label ourselves as thru hikers, section hikers, and day hikers.
Abosolultly. Ive been hiking on the trail for more than 30 years been in 7 states. I consider the ones who start at either end and stay on the trail for a large amount of distance at one time a thru hiker even if they never finish. At least they made an attempt to thru hike. Some get hurt some get mentaly unable to handle it but they did make an attempt. Besides it up to person to decide for his or her self if they should be called a thru hiker not us.