View Full Version : Longest Hike Ever?
What's the farthest distance you've hiked in one day? I've heard rumors of thru hikers doing 35-40 per day. I'm trying to write an article about this sort of thing, so feel free to send me a private message if you'd like to help me out. I'm curious as to what motivates hikers to bang out crazy mileage.
My longest day is around 30-31 miles, on the Colorado Trail in a section near the middle where you hike a large flat basin. Mid to upper 20's are pretty common among hikers.
Once you're in good trail shape and hit an easier, leveller section, sometimes the Gump gene kicks in. You just feel like hiking....
Cheeseburgers are great motivation to do more miles. The biggest I have done is only 21.3. The fastest I have ever hiked was 4mph for 6 easy miles and that was after I read at the Pleasant Pond Lean-to that the Northern Outdoor Center had free hot tub usage.
41 miles Watagua Lake to Damascus The road walk finishing up in Damascus was the worst. Just brutalized the feet. It's a fairly easy section and one I would rather do than the 4 state challenge.
Lone Wolf
09-21-2008, 10:31
What's the farthest distance you've hiked in one day? I've heard rumors of thru hikers doing 35-40 per day. I'm trying to write an article about this sort of thing, so feel free to send me a private message if you'd like to help me out. I'm curious as to what motivates hikers to bang out crazy mileage.
i hiked 40 miles into Damascus once with a full pack in just under 12 hours
Mine was 27 miles. This followed a 26 and 25 consecutively in SNP. I've known people to do much more.
Edit: This was back '81 when packs typically were in the 40-50 lb range. I was much younger and dumber then!
bathtub boy
09-21-2008, 10:52
Ran outta food, and got bullied into a 44 during winter sobo. max patch to icewater spring. that doesnt include the walk down to mtn mommas only to find them "closed til march". lots of snow and ice, hiked all night. thankfully the road to the burg was open the following morning.
Bare Bear
09-22-2008, 23:31
During my 06 Thru I did a stupid 30 something from outside of Pearisburg to Niday Shelter thinking I was catching up to a hiker buddy only he had stopped 6 miles shorter! Never again.
I did around 27 I think (from Iron Mountain Shelter) going into Damascus but that was because "Just Janice" and I missed the water source then figured we might as well go on to town as sit in the woods over night with 6 oz of water between us. That is a relatively easy downhill the last 7?? miles or so though.
Jim Adams
09-22-2008, 23:49
In 1990 Scott Greerson, (Mainiak) had showed me how to speed hike and had talked me into trying a big mile day. I did 53.1 miles into Damascus from Dennis Cove Campground in 19 hours and 35 minutes with a 41 lb. pack and my cat onboard. I started at midnight and fortunately it began to rain at 2am. The rain kept me cool and kept me going. I was only 37 years old then and I still couldn't walk for 3 days afterward...I was just too sore. I didn't stop walking until I entered the kitchen door at the Place but once I sat down, it was all over. 4 other thru hikers carried me to Dot's for cheeseburgers and beers.
Today I couldn't do a 20 if my life depended on it.
geek
Today I couldn't do a 20 if my life depended on it.
That was a funny story, Geek. We're the same age, and I'm happy to report that I can still do 20-mile day. But I think I've done maybe five such days in my life, if that. Sadly, I must also report that in the heart of the Whites, I'm still only good for about 1 mile per hour.
Hikerhead
09-22-2008, 23:59
In 1990 Scott Greerson, (Mainiak) had showed me how to speed hike and had talked me into trying a big mile day. I did 53.1 miles into Damascus from Dennis Cove Campground in 19 hours and 35 minutes with a 41 lb. pack and my cat onboard. I started at midnight and fortunately it began to rain at 2am. The rain kept me cool and kept me going. I was only 37 years old then and I still couldn't walk for 3 days afterward...I was just too sore. I didn't stop walking until I entered the kitchen door at the Place but once I sat down, it was all over. 4 other thru hikers carried me to Dot's for cheeseburgers and beers.
Today I couldn't do a 20 if my life depended on it.
geek
I'd like to know what he told you. My biggest was a 32 miler that took me 17 hours with a daypack. 53 with a full pack is quite a hike, good for you. You need to post a pic of you and the cat. I think I've heard of you and you're cat but I don't think I've ever seen a picture of you two.
33.4 miles in the 100 mile wilderness. its definitely possible to do a lot more than that though but it wouldnt be that fun in my opinion.
33 is my record. I am not into speed....but I sure was hungry.:o
Jim Adams
09-23-2008, 00:15
I'd like to know what he told you. My biggest was a 32 miler that took me 17 hours with a daypack. 53 with a full pack is quite a hike, good for you. You need to post a pic of you and the cat. I think I've heard of you and you're cat but I don't think I've ever seen a picture of you two.
Scott simply told me to camel up, eat some energy food and leave camp hiking at a fast comfortable speed. Keep this up for 2 hours and then rest for 30 minutes. Eat, drink, cool and dry your feet during this break and then leave again at the fast comfortable speed. Keep it up for another 2 hours then stop for another 30 minute break. Hike 2 more hours and then stop for a 60 minute lunch break...same process. Hike 2 more hours at the fast speed...break 30 minutes. Hike fast 2 more hours...break 30 minutes. Hike 2 more hours...stop for the night ot eat supper, drink and break for 1 hour then hike 2 more hours before settling down for the night.
Example: say you can hike at 3 1/2 mph.
2 hours = 7 miles
21 miles by lunch
35 miles by supper
42 miles if you hike the 2 hours after supper
the rests with complete recharge are the key and they work great but you have enough down time at each stop that it is just like starting out in the morning all over again everytime....sore, stiff and slow for 5 minutes.
Now at age 55 I leave camp at 3 1/2- 4 mph. I keep this up for a good 3/4 mile or the first pretty view and then sit down and drink whiskey. BTW, whiskey is the key to those 6 mile days! :D
Go to the photo gallery and search Ziggy...there is a picture of him on my pack.
geek
Bare Bear
09-23-2008, 00:19
WHISKEY, an alternative fuel for big mileage days?????????????
Which of the candidates is pushing that?
Hikerhead
09-23-2008, 00:26
Scott simply told me to camel up, eat some energy food and leave camp hiking at a fast comfortable speed. Keep this up for 2 hours and then rest for 30 minutes. Eat, drink, cool and dry your feet during this break and then leave again at the fast comfortable speed. Keep it up for another 2 hours then stop for another 30 minute break. Hike 2 more hours and then stop for a 60 minute lunch break...same process. Hike 2 more hours at the fast speed...break 30 minutes. Hike fast 2 more hours...break 30 minutes. Hike 2 more hours...stop for the night ot eat supper, drink and break for 1 hour then hike 2 more hours before settling down for the night.
Example: say you can hike at 3 1/2 mph.
2 hours = 7 miles
21 miles by lunch
35 miles by supper
42 miles if you hike the 2 hours after supper
the rests with complete recharge are the key and they work great but you have enough down time at each stop that it is just like starting out in the morning all over again everytime....sore, stiff and slow for 5 minutes.
Now at age 55 I leave camp at 3 1/2- 4 mph. I keep this up for a good 3/4 mile or the first pretty view and then sit down and drink whiskey. BTW, whiskey is the key to those 6 mile days! :D
Go to the photo gallery and search Ziggy...there is a picture of him on my pack.
geek
Thanks. Now I know what I've got to do...the snack breaks. But I hike so slow that I have to hike through the snack breaks to make up time. I would actually have to jog to do 3 1/2 to 4 mph. Good info. That's awesome that you brought your cat along on your AT hike, and canoed the MS with you. IF ziggy could only write a book.
Jim Adams
09-23-2008, 00:51
Thanks. Now I know what I've got to do...the snack breaks. But I hike so slow that I have to hike through the snack breaks to make up time. I would actually have to jog to do 3 1/2 to 4 mph. Good info. That's awesome that you brought your cat along on your AT hike, and canoed the MS with you. IF ziggy could only write a book.
Scotts process works no matter what your speed is. His thought was that if you start out at 2 mph and just slog thru the day, your last few hours of hiking are probably at or around 1/2 to 3/4 mph due to your body being run down. Even at 2 mph Scott's plan works out to a 24 mile day.
My book is almost complete. I got Ziggy on the canoeing section...he also rode back to Pennsylvania from Maine on the back of my bicycle.
geek
Kaptain Kangaroo
09-23-2008, 06:46
My longest days hiking would be 63 miles. Only just counts as a day though as it took 22 hours. Was only carrying a day pack .
During my thru-hike in '06 I really got hooked on the simplicity of just trudging out the miles day after day without too much on my mind. I find that one way to recapture that back home is to do long days. After 30 miles all your other worries disappear & you just focus on walking. Particularly at night when you can only see what's in the beam of your headlamp. It's kind of like meditation on the go.
Also kind of hooked on the buzz I get from doing a long day like that & still feeling like I could do more at the end........ remember that completely invincible feeling you had at the end of your thru .....?
Cheers,
Kaptain Kangaroo
Time To Fly 97
09-23-2008, 10:11
Vanderventer to (what was) Quincy's Pizza. 34 miles in 12 hours. 1.5 full pizzas later and 2 beers and I was thinking..."Man, I could go for something to eat." : )
Happy hiking!
TTF
fredmugs
09-23-2008, 14:11
NOC to Fontana Dam. 29 miles and change in 13 hours. I still can't figure out why people say that stretch is hard.
Lone Wolf
09-23-2008, 14:24
NOC to Fontana Dam. I still can't figure out why people say that stretch is hard.
really. there's nothing hard south of glencliff, n.h.
My couch-to-fridge yo-yo was pretty long....
I did 26 miles into Hanover, NH because I was sick of Vermont. I had an absolute blast during the final stretch into town.
Kirby
Lone Wolf
09-23-2008, 20:28
I did 26 miles into Hanover, NH because I was sick of Vermont. I had an absolute blast during the final stretch into town.
Kirby
the northern section of the LT is 10 times better than the AT/LT section. go SOBO from canada
the northern section of the LT is 10 times better than the AT/LT section. go SOBO from canada
I got the LT on my list of things to do before I graduate college.
Kirby
NOC to Fontana Dam. 29 miles and change in 13 hours. I still can't figure out why people say that stretch is hard.
It was hard because I did it in August 2007 in the middle of a heat wave & drought.