View Full Version : Do we need a forum for Section Hikers?
fredmugs
08-04-2010, 10:22
There are separate forums for Thru and Female hikers and, as a section hiker, I think it would be beneficial for us to have our own.
My longest hike has been in the 175 mile range. I have never experienced thru hiker hunger and any of the other obstacles those who thru hike face. I have the luxury of selecting when and where I hike as well as brining lots of extra socks! Therefore I am in no position to offer advice to potential thru hikers.
I have found that thru hikers give really poor advice to newby section hikers. Most of this poor advice is related to nutrition. Thru hikers need to consume a high level of fat and calories. Section hikers do not. In fact a lot of us could stand to drop a few pounds and scarfing down Ben and Jerry's every chance you get or lugging around a huge jar of peanut butter is not necessarily a good idea.
For those of us trying to section hike the whole thing we generally have limited time to get away. Therefore we tend to try and get as much of the trail done as we can. If I'm out looking for a hiking or shuttle partner I don't need people telling me to stop and smell the flowers.
I think a forum for those of us who are doing this one chunk at a time would be beneficial and allow less experienced hikers to know that the responses are coming from people with similar hiking styles and not the hiking pros.
Thoughts? Comments!
You are quite right about the differing caloric needs between thruhikers and section hikers. The past two years, on shorter hikes (three days or fewer - that's correct - not less :)), I've carried as little as one pound of food per day and have done very well.
I don't think, however, that a complete, separate forum for section hikers is necessary.
If we all remember what type of hiking WE are doing, and give our recommendations to others with that in mind, I think that will minimize misunderstandings.
couscous
08-04-2010, 11:30
In fact a lot of us could stand to drop a few pounds and scarfing down Ben and Jerry's every chance you get or lugging around a huge jar of peanut butter is not necessarily a good idea.
Now you sound like my doctor! :eek:
Point Man Chef
08-04-2010, 12:26
I also think that is a good idea. My son and I just recently sectioned Springer to Deep Gap, NC. And though I have and will surely continue to gain valuable knowledge from all on WB, there does seem to be some differences between those that thru and those that section. For instance, food that was mentioned. We took WAY more food than we needed. It did seem that we didn't need/eat as much as I have seen here in the forums. I drink water like a fish when hiking but I don't seem to get that hungry and I eat out knowing I need to as opposed to wanting to. Of course we didn't need all the fuel we brought and so on and so on... Other small gear items could have been left behind as well thereby reducing our total weight. We learned a lot on this section that we will definitely apply on the next one. So there probably are some distinct differences between those that thru and those that section. But our common love for the outdoors certainly crosses ALL forums that are and are to be!
flemdawg1
08-04-2010, 14:01
Nah. I don't need a "section" section. I figure on here we sectioners outnumber the thrus 5-1.
A Pinhoti Trail section would be a good idea though.
Daydream Believer
08-04-2010, 16:33
Add me to the list of section hikers that carried way too much food on my first section hike of any distance. Of course I learned from it and will correct that on my next trip. I took a notebook and wrote out a "lessons learned" page also on things I should have taken, things I would leave behind, and the positive and negative things I can affect next time.
I do see differences in section versus thru hikers also. Section hikers are way more likely to go on longer stretches without zero days also...something I'm considering in my next hike. For example, can I hike 9 full days straight with reasonable miles without a zero day...just some overnight stops along the way to resupply and get a meal, shower and get laundry done? I won't know until I try but perhaps other section hikers can give some good advice on whether or not they've been able to do it, etc.. We section hikers face fitness issues as it takes us a few days to harden up on the trail whereas thru hikers just get fitter and fitter and usually only take a few days off at time. I come from near sea level and I have the worst time catching my breath up in the mountains also and wish I had some idea how to help with that...but the air is just thinner up there versus where I live (60 feet above sea level). Just weird stuff like that that you'd never deal with after a week or two on the trail in the mountains.
I don't think a separate section is a bad idea as the issues facing both types of hikers are different. I'd certainly frequent the forum if the mods see fit to add one.
There are separate forums for Thru and Female hikers and, as a section hiker, I think it would be beneficial for us to have our own.
My longest hike has been in the 175 mile range. I have never experienced thru hiker hunger and any of the other obstacles those who thru hike face. I have the luxury of selecting when and where I hike as well as brining lots of extra socks! Therefore I am in no position to offer advice to potential thru hikers.
I have found that thru hikers give really poor advice to newby section hikers. Most of this poor advice is related to nutrition. Thru hikers need to consume a high level of fat and calories. Section hikers do not. In fact a lot of us could stand to drop a few pounds and scarfing down Ben and Jerry's every chance you get or lugging around a huge jar of peanut butter is not necessarily a good idea.
For those of us trying to section hike the whole thing we generally have limited time to get away. Therefore we tend to try and get as much of the trail done as we can. If I'm out looking for a hiking or shuttle partner I don't need people telling me to stop and smell the flowers.
I think a forum for those of us who are doing this one chunk at a time would be beneficial and allow less experienced hikers to know that the responses are coming from people with similar hiking styles and not the hiking pros.
Thoughts? Comments!This makes sense. However there are many other forums (subjects) that could also be added to increase the subjects discussed/debated here. Too bad this site is not a democracy:D
Nah. I don't need a "section" section. I figure on here we sectioners outnumber the thrus 5-1.
A Pinhoti Trail section would be a good idea though.
I agree. This site is called WhiteBlaze which represents the AT and anything related to the AT. Since the sectioners rule (in relative numbers) a good portion of the posts are related to section hikes by default.
Section, section is a great idea
kayak karl
08-04-2010, 18:21
isn't a thru hike just a bunch of section hikes connected? everybody knows that hunger don't kick in for 7-10 days. even LW has posted this and its not hard to read threw his posts to know what he means. as far as not smelling the roses. then why go? whats with all the socks? i don't get it?
i consider myself a section hiker. i've done 2 sections so far. 500 miles each. how would your forum help me.
you may need to define section hiker. .....................a person that is goal oriented, rather lose weight then eat well and carry lots of socks. you said it not me :)
just kidding,but there is a little truth in there.:)
fredmugs
08-05-2010, 06:46
I consider myself to be "in shape" when I weigh around 195 pounds. Maintaining that weight requires diet and exercise and a lot of discipline that I normally do not want to do for more than a couple of months at a time. At one point I weighed 233 pounds and hopefully that will never happen again. Over the course of the year I tend to get up to around 210 during the winter and then I start getting "in shape" for my seciton hikes. After I am done doing these hikes I tend to not work out as hard and put that 15 pounds back on.
Hiking the AT is my primary motivation for staying in shape. It is a goal to accomplish more than anything else. Sure - when I hike a beautiful section I stop and soak it in but normally I just keep pushing because I can actually see it while I'm hiking. If my purpose was to smell the roses I would hike the PCT.
The socks thing was kind of a joke. I have a history of blistering so I take enough socks to be able to change them out every day. I met a thru hiker last month who only took two pairs - one for hiking and one for camp. No way I could survive doing that.
If you have knocked out 1000 miles you have pretty much learned the lessons you need to learn. What I see in these forums way too often is people who offer as advice but they offer it like it is a mandate without knowing anything about the person asking. Having a forum that focuses on section hiking may tip off the responders to answer the question from a section hikers perspective.
If your hikes are 500 miles at a time I would equate you more as a thru. I would say a section hike is a week or less - no more than two.
as far as not smelling the roses. then why go? whats with all the socks? i don't get it?
i consider myself a section hiker. i've done 2 sections so far. 500 miles each. how would your forum help me.
you may need to define section hiker. .....................a person that is goal oriented, rather lose weight then eat well and carry lots of socks. you said it not me :)
just kidding,but there is a little truth in there.:)
fredmugs
08-05-2010, 06:54
[QUOTE=Daydream Believer;1037441]
I do see differences in section versus thru hikers also. Section hikers are way more likely to go on longer stretches without zero days also...something I'm considering in my next hike. For example, can I hike 9 full days straight with reasonable miles without a zero day...just some overnight stops along the way to resupply and get a meal, shower and get laundry done? I won't know until I try but perhaps other section hikers can give some good advice on whether or not they've been able to do it, etc.. We section hikers face fitness issues as it takes us a few days to harden up on the trail whereas thru hikers just get fitter and fitter and usually only take a few days off at time. I come from near sea level and I have the worst time catching my breath up in the mountains also and wish I had some idea how to help with that...but the air is just thinner up there versus where I live (60 feet above sea level). Just weird stuff like that that you'd never deal with after a week or two on the trail in the mountains.
QUOTE]
I have around 1725 miles done and my last trip was the first time I had ever taken a zero. We had temps in the upper 80s in Vermont and we just got worn down. Most of my hikes are 7 - 10 days so you can certainly do that without a zero in most places. Obviously factors like re-supply and water sources make these decisions for you.
Personally I get in really good shape before I hit the trail. I do this by spending a lot of time on either a real bicycle of an exercise bike. I hate running so I don't do that. I also walk a lot. I may do a day hike but I do not carry a pack and I do not believe you need to do so.
Personally I reject the notion of using the trail to get in shape. If I am not in shape when I start a hike I normally get aches and pains somewhere that persist the entire trip.
Mrs Baggins
08-05-2010, 06:56
I'd like to see a forum for us. We have the logistical problems of getting to each section and getting back home each time, we tend to spend money differently from thrus i.e. not so tight with it, our food needs are different from thrus, we may face taking years and years to hike the whole trail and that takes a lot of moral support and motivation to keep after it (finances change, bodies change, family situations change, etc), we may find ourselves buying far more gear than a one-time thru hiker because it can take years and years and gear can change so much that we may want to keep upgrading it to keep up...or do we just keep the same stuff forever? There are plenty of things that section hikers have to discuss with one another......
Pedaling Fool
08-05-2010, 07:53
Would this be the forum that day and weekend hikers come to? Is there a size limit to a section hike, i.e., too small / too big ...
Personally I don't see much of a difference between a section or thru, but them day hikers and weekenders are...
flemdawg1
08-05-2010, 10:10
Personally I don't see much of a difference between a section or thru, but them day hikers and weekenders are...
oops, I guess I'm just a weekender, not a sectioner, nevermind. :(
There are different kinds of section hikers, too. There are the kind that are trying to complete the whole trail and then there are the kind who just pick and choose sections without any goal in particular except to enjoy the section. There are also the kind of section hikers that have a hiking style like a thru-hiker -- fast paced, light weight, more hiking than camping and then the more traditional backpackers.
There are also different kinds of thru-hikers. There are the ones who did achieve it and there are the ones who attempted it but didn't achieve it and thus became section hikers by accident.
I hike the same way whether I attempt a thru-hike or a section hike, with only the exceptions of quantity of food eaten, side trail excursions taken and time of year hiked. So for me a separate section for section hiking isn't necessary. But I can see how it would be for others.
Rain Man
08-05-2010, 12:15
An AT "Section Hiker" forum would make a lot more sense and be a lot more relevant than many of those totally irrelevant "other trails" forums, so I vote for a Section Hiker forum, yes. Anyone who doesn't want to read it can ignore it, just as I do all those irrelevant other trails forums.
Rain:sunMan
.
boarstone
08-05-2010, 13:23
sounds good and while we're at it, have overnight hiker support along the trail by other "section" hikers or those who wish they could. We're older, more stable and better trail manners. So folks near the trail would be more apt to adapt to our way of hiking and help/assistance may be more forth coming....
Hikes in Rain
08-05-2010, 13:58
I've learned a lot from this site without the need for a section hike section. Like others, I was expecting the kind of hunger a thru would experience, and came out the first couple of times with nearly as much food as I went it with, but that was self correcting. (Sorta. I still take too much.) But I can see a need.
How about a withdrawal symptom council forum? I'm having to postpone my next section hike yet again, this time for my own misery rather than someone else's, or work deadlines. Wednesday, I go in for repair of a hernia I didn't know I had. Dang!
Yeah or a reentry after a thru-hike section.
I feel it's a good idea.
Section hikers do face a different set of "issues" than what I see thru hikers face. For most of us, just as we get our trail legs, it's time to go home. And, when we get back on the trail, at least for me, mentally, if I was doing "easy 15 mile days" when I got off the trail 2 - 3 years ago, I should be doing 15 mile days even now! Yes, this illusion is quickly dispelled :p
Plus, we need to find trail heads that allow us to do (for example) a 14 day hike at our pace. For me, with very easy access as my wife drops me off on my sections now.
So, for example, I need road crossings that are from 100 miles to 140 miles apart for a 14 day trip. AND, I need 2 roads in that range, with back ups if I'm hiking very well or poorly.
This would be very handy information to have. And for us to share with each other.
LIhikers
08-05-2010, 21:42
Even though I'm a section hiker, I don't see the need for our own forum. It would just be one more forum for me to click into and out of.
Lone Wolf
08-05-2010, 21:46
just a short few years ago there were no internet forums for ANY type of walkers. just walk and wing it.
MedicineMan
08-05-2010, 22:51
I think you are trying to divide us, racism straight up. Can't we just be hikers?
Wise Old Owl
08-05-2010, 23:55
What MM? what happened to diversity? Hiker, walker, Backpacker, Kayaker, Mountain Bikers, etc. etc. etc,
MedicineMan
08-06-2010, 00:37
Tuoche' WOO!
I'm in it for collective salvation amongst all who tread the ground despite various monikers!
Bare Bear
08-06-2010, 11:14
I have done several 500 mile 'AT section hikes' without any zero days (one in 32 days and the other in 63 days - much nicer) but I am older now and learned from my mistakes. I have also done MOL two thru hikes of the AT. My point is:
I believe that section hiking a couple weeks a year is much harder then a thru as you are just getting into shape each time then stop again. I believe a SECTION Hiker forum would help answer a lot of questions a lot of us learned the hard way.
58starter
08-06-2010, 17:13
I will never be able to thru hike, but do 2 or 3 section hikes per year. I think it is a good idea. That way we can do research as to how the trail was between Dicks Creek Gap, Ga and Rock Gap, NC. Someone would have hiked it recently and know the water and other conditions.
HEY! How about DAY hikers. They outnumber all other hikers put together!!!!!!!!!
:D:D:D
sheepdog
08-06-2010, 23:35
What MM? what happened to diversity? Hiker, walker, Backpacker, Kayaker, Mountain Bikers, etc. etc. etc,
just another sad case of the man tryin to keep a brotha down;)