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Different Socks
08-04-2010, 01:41
I think I read this somewhere on WB. Who did it, when and what was his/her timeline?

couscous
08-04-2010, 08:12
I think it was Phil Goad in 1984 .. don't recall him having a trail name.

couscous
08-04-2010, 08:18
Steve "Yo-Yo" Nuckolls hiked GA->ME->GA->ME .. thru-hiked three times in succession in 1983 .. but I don't recall it being in one calendar year.

warren doyle
08-05-2010, 07:49
It hasn't been done.

Lugnut
08-05-2010, 09:13
I think Ward Leonard did it.

CrumbSnatcher
08-05-2010, 10:08
I believe Ward Leonard is who you're talking about, but
Mr. Doyle says ward did these 3 hikes over a two year period

max patch
08-05-2010, 10:29
Steve Nuckolls 3 hikes were between Mar 82 and Aug 83.

DavidNH
08-05-2010, 11:38
Just one question on this: WHY?

pattydivins
08-05-2010, 11:51
Why do people hike at all? Why did we go to the moon? Why do people play tennis? Why do I enjoy reading books? Why....

Because I (they) felt like it...

max patch
08-05-2010, 11:54
just one question on this: Why?

why not????

Different Socks
08-06-2010, 00:33
why not????


Good answer! Thank you!

When I get done doing the ADT, I wanted to do something else that was a challenge for me. A triple thru hike over a 365 day time period has begun to intrigue me. Plus i wonder if by then, my 53 year old body could do it.

couscous
08-06-2010, 08:43
A triple thru hike over a 365 day time period has begun to intrigue me. Plus i wonder if by then, my 53 year old body could do it.

One of the key limiting factors is the small May 31-October 15 window for hiking up Katahdin. Theoretically a person could leave Springer on March 24th and reach Katahdin in 68 days (May 31), turn around and hike back to Springer in 68 days (Aug 7), turn around and hike back to Katahdin in 68 days (Oct 14). That works out to averaging 32-mile days with no zeroes. Without the seasonal limitation at Katahdin, having all 365 days to work would drop the daily average to 17.9. ~ I remembered where I had read that Phil Goad had completed the trail three times in 1984 - "Walking the Appalachian Trail" by Larry Luxenburg. ~ Looking at the math, I'm going to suggest that was a typo and it was the first yo-yo hike in one year. ~ It will take an über-hiker to accomplish the feat.. just to become a footnote: In 20xx - ? became the first person to thru-hike the A.T. 3x in one year.

Doc Mike
08-06-2010, 09:15
Just a thought.
NOBO arrive katahdin may 31
SOBO arrive springer before oct 10th
flip back up to katahdin and SOBO arrive prior to original start date.

Just My .02

Doc Mike

couscous
08-06-2010, 09:57
..flip back up to katahdin and SOBO arrive prior to original start date.

That's a great suggestion! Lowers the bar from über-hiker to super-hiker.
<update> Theoretically a person could leave Springer on Feb 15th and reach Katahdin in 105 days (May 31), turn around and hike back to Springer in 105 days (Sep 13), take two days to flip back up to Katahdin, and SOBO back to Springer in 105 days (Dec 29). That works out to averaging 20.75-mile days. </update>

jersey joe
08-06-2010, 10:34
It hasn't been done.
It does seem quite possible though and probably will be done at some point, especially if one ignores the Katahdin cut off date. Four times in one calander year, now THAT sounds like the ULTIMATE challenge!

couscous
08-06-2010, 10:51
Four times in one calander year, now THAT sounds like the ULTIMATE challenge!
Let us know how we can help YOU do that. :D

jersey joe
08-06-2010, 10:52
Let us know how we can help YOU do that. :D
It would require talking my wife into it, you can't help me there...no one can.

Bare Bear
08-06-2010, 11:00
I truly believe in HYOH but I personally like to enjoy hiking so 'record' hiking has no appeal at all to me. It is interesting to me to talk to those that have that mind set but it still has never been a way to enjoy the hike.

Wolf - 23000
08-06-2010, 12:46
It hasn't been done.

Warren you know as well as I do Ward Leonard did it.

He left southbound from Harp Ferry, WV to Georgia. After he hit Springer Mt., he did a speed hike unsupported to Maine. After completing his record speed hike in 60.5 days he when back down to Harp Ferry (by bus I believe) then hiked Northbound to finished his second thru-hike. After hitting Mount K. he turn around and completed his third calendar thru-hike southbound.

After hitting Springer Mt, GA he turn around and hiked to Erwin, Tenn before getting off the trail. He did it all in 8 months.

Wolf

max patch
08-06-2010, 13:12
Warren you know as well as I do Ward Leonard did it.

He left southbound from Harp Ferry, WV to Georgia. After he hit Springer Mt., he did a speed hike unsupported to Maine. After completing his record speed hike in 60.5 days he when back down to Harp Ferry (by bus I believe) then hiked Northbound to finished his second thru-hike. After hitting Mount K. he turn around and completed his third calendar thru-hike southbound.

After hitting Springer Mt, GA he turn around and hiked to Erwin, Tenn before getting off the trail. He did it all in 8 months.

Wolf

I've never met Mr. Leonard and only know about his hikes from what I've read in books and websites, but what you have described above is 3 traverses of the AT in one year; of which only 2 were thru hikes. Important distinction when you are talking about "records".

Scooby99
08-06-2010, 17:44
I've never met Mr. Leonard and only know about his hikes from what I've read in books and websites, but what you have described above is 3 traverses of the AT in one year; of which only 2 were thru hikes. Important distinction when you are talking about "records".

I see 3 thru-hikes there, one is just a flipflop. Isnt a thruhike having hiked the entire trail in 1 year, or am I missing something?

jersey joe
08-06-2010, 17:50
The original poster did state 1 calender year, not 365 days...not sure if that minor point makes you BOTH right.

Wolf - 23000
08-06-2010, 18:45
I've never met Mr. Leonard and only know about his hikes from what I've read in books and websites, but what you have described above is 3 traverses of the AT in one year; of which only 2 were thru hikes. Important distinction when you are talking about "records".

How do you figure that? One was a northbound-thru-hike (the speed hike), one was a southbound of course and the third was a flip-flop. All done in the same year.

Wolf

sheepdog
08-06-2010, 18:50
Just one question on this: WHY?
why not??????????????

sheepdog
08-06-2010, 18:51
I see 3 thru-hikes there, one is just a flipflop. Isnt a thruhike having hiked the entire trail in 1 year, or am I missing something?
you are not missing anything except

qubblers will always quibble :D

One Half
08-06-2010, 20:04
Theoretically if one could maintain a pace of 65 days per thru hike. Not saying it would be easy and endurance is definitely the key. Katahdin is open approximately 136 days of the year. to do 3 in one calendar year:

Scenario 1: Start in GA NOBO early enough to land on top of Katahdin May 31. Return to GA in 60-65 days. Back to ME in approx 70 days to make the cutoff. max 288 day window if start Jan 1 =22.7mpd. However for #2 and #3 you need to average 32 mpd.

Scenario 2: SOBO starting May31. 65 days to GA, 65 days to ME puts you at 2 down by the Oct cutoff for Katahdin. Then SOBO for #3 puts you into GA end of Dec if you keep your tempo up.(34.4mpd) #3 would have about 10 more days available to complete so mileage per day could be a little lower.

tdoczi
08-06-2010, 20:32
Katahdin is open approximately 136 days of the year.


ive been wondering since ive seen this referred to about 6 bazillion times on here... how exactly do they close an entire mountain?

couscous
08-06-2010, 20:39
Giant force field.

tdoczi
08-06-2010, 21:21
seems they define winter as beginning dec 1st and state you can get permission to hike above treeline during winter.

http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/Camping/winterPolicy.html

Different Socks
08-07-2010, 00:59
The original poster did state 1 calender year, not 365 days...not sure if that minor point makes you BOTH right.

I'll clear it up and say "365 days", not a calendar year.

Also I'd like to ask, why is no one mentioning doing the southern states from Nov--Jan??

Different Socks
08-07-2010, 01:03
I figured out that if I started Sept 1 at Katadhn, walked to Springer by mid-Jan, then headed back north to reach the Big K by May 31st, I would be in great shape to finish the 3rd thruhike from Maine to Georgia in 3 months, finishing on Aug 31.

Wolf - 23000
08-07-2010, 01:07
I'll clear it up and say "365 days", not a calendar year.

Also I'd like to ask, why is no one mentioning doing the southern states from Nov--Jan??

Does it matter? Ward did it all in one year - the same year at that.

Wolf

One Half
08-07-2010, 12:02
I figured out that if I started Sept 1 at Katadhn, walked to Springer by mid-Jan, then headed back north to reach the Big K by May 31st, I would be in great shape to finish the 3rd thruhike from Maine to Georgia in 3 months, finishing on Aug 31.


Possibly. The first thru is likely to take the longest depending on your conditioning level prior to starting. I honestly have no idea what the weather is like in GA and the southern states Dec-March. Though I did drive through that blizzard that hit the east coast southern states this past December. How much additional gear would you need to carry for these months and how much will it slow you down?

IF you are still in good condition - free from injury that 3rd one would be a breeze. :)

Pedaling Fool
08-07-2010, 13:13
No doubt your conditioning will improve with time, but then it will peak then start a decline. This is well know thing with Tour De France riders, they usually start the race in less than optimum condition so they can come into peak during the harder stages and they do start to decline towards the end.

Too much of any one activity will always tear you down after it builds you up.

max patch
08-07-2010, 14:14
How do you figure that? One was a northbound-thru-hike (the speed hike), one was a southbound of course and the third was a flip-flop. All done in the same year.

Wolf

A thru is terminus to terminus. Can't jump around and call it a thru.

Rocket Jones
08-07-2010, 14:18
A thru is terminus to terminus. Can't jump around and call it a thru.

:rolleyes: 5...4...3...2...

Pedaling Fool
08-07-2010, 14:35
A thru is terminus to terminus. Can't jump around and call it a thru.


:rolleyes: 5...4...3...2...
Before we get into another "debate" about what constitutes a thru-hike; I got a better question:

Which is tougher?


Three AT thru-hikes in a year


OR


A Triple Crown hike in a year http://www.hikingwithmike.com/triplecrownhike.htm



:-?

couscous
08-07-2010, 16:34
Before we get into another "debate" about what constitutes a thru-hike.
No need to debate it as the ATC made a ruling on that question 58 years ago when they deemed the first flipper to be a thru-hiker.

Pedaling Fool
08-07-2010, 16:41
A triple crown hike is almost 1,000 miles longer than 3 AT thru-hikes, but I guess you could argue that the elevation gain/loss on those other two trails isn't as great, but then you could argue about the lonliness, logistics, weather....

Wolf - 23000
08-07-2010, 16:49
A thru is terminus to terminus. Can't jump around and call it a thru.

max patch,

If that was the count a lot of thru-hiker would not count.

Wolf

Wolf - 23000
08-07-2010, 16:55
A triple crown hike is almost 1,000 miles longer than 3 AT thru-hikes, but I guess you could argue that the elevation gain/loss on those other two trails isn't as great, but then you could argue about the lonliness, logistics, weather....

I would re-think your post. The PCT is 500 miles longer than the AT. The CDT is nearly 1,000 longer. Both the PCT and CDT has more elevation gain/loss than the AT. The PCT is more graded but elevation gain/lost is more than the AT and the CDT hiking is harder than the AT (I've been told)

Wolf

Pedaling Fool
08-07-2010, 17:12
I would re-think your post. The PCT is 500 miles longer than the AT. The CDT is nearly 1,000 longer. Both the PCT and CDT has more elevation gain/loss than the AT. The PCT is more graded but elevation gain/lost is more than the AT and the CDT hiking is harder than the AT (I've been told)

Wolf
I can't really re-think my post since I wasn't really thinking in the first place:p

I said "almost 1,000 miles longer..." simply because of this statement on this link http://www.hikingwithmike.com/triplecrownhike.htm In which he says, 7,401 miles / 30 miles per day.

As for the elevation gain/loss that's just something I've always heard, I don't claim to really know. But I'm interested to hear from those that do.

SGT Rock
08-07-2010, 18:47
max patch,

If that was the count a lot of thru-hiker would not count.

Wolf

Max normally appoints himself in charge of determining how someone's hikd doesn't count. Best to just ignore him.

rickb
08-07-2010, 19:47
Not sure that's where Max Patch is coming from.

The meaning of words changes over time.

I am old enough that to admit that I couldn't use the word "gangbanger" to describe street thugs for years after that became the norm.

I can understand how some people still believe thru hike still means what it used to mean. Even if popular usage suggests that "thruhike" has gone the way of "gangbang".