View Full Version : How much of an advantage do we have???
Turtle Feet
12-24-2010, 15:42
As my thru-hike approaches, I've been thinking about how grateful I am for WhiteBlaze.net. Being on this site has improved my chances for completion 100-fold! The past year or so has been a complete education in everything 'thru-hike'.
All that has me thinking... What about the thru-hikers who haven't found our site? If my calculations are roughly correct - those of us that register here on WhiteBlaze represent only a 1/3 or so of all those that will attempt a thru each year. What about the 2/3's that aren't here on the boards? Are those the hikers that are flinging cast-iron skillets from their packs on the way up Springer? :eek: Are they getting their information elsewhere, or just not getting it at all?
I'm certain that being here has increased my odds of finishing - what about everyone else here? What do you think? Have your odds of completetion improved? By how much? Do you know of anyone who has attempted a thru without any prior preparation? What was their outcome?
tf
CrumbSnatcher
12-24-2010, 16:24
4 completions of the trail before i ever learned how to use a computor
never had to switch out gear for bad choices, some gear too heavy maybe? but still good gear. loved carrying the dogs gear most of the time, unless she needed slowed down a bit :)
max patch
12-24-2010, 16:33
Perhaps the internet is a huge disadvantage for prospective hikers.
When I thru'd the internet as we know it today didn't exist.
I gave notice, and did all of my "planning" and gear upgrades at nite and weekends as I worked off my 2 weeks notice.
Today with the internet I can see myself spending a week researching the perfect bag, a week researching the perfect stove, and a week putting together a spreadsheet of which shelter to end up each nite. I can even see myself researching whether to hike the approach or not.
The enemy of a good plan is a perfect plan. And I can see many attempting to come up with the perfect plan.
Bags4266
12-24-2010, 16:54
It's true the site is helpful. From all the people I meet on the trail the one's that have it together know of the site and are members. The ones who are struggling never heard of it. Some relied strictly on their outfitters.
Lone Wolf
12-24-2010, 17:19
better to hit the trail with very little info. learn as you go is the best way. worked for me. i never read a book, saw a video or got on a website to plan for the AT.
well Lone Wolf - it must help to be a Marine
Slo-go'en
12-24-2010, 17:38
Sure, the advice and info you get here on WB and other web sites can be a big help. But what I think really makes a big difference from years ago are the comprehensive trail guides and profusion of hostels and other trail services which are now common (and taken for granted).
Just 25 years ago when I did my first really long section hikes, there were few hostels and the only trail guide I had was the ATC data book, which only told you the distance between shelters and that there was a town x mile to the right or left at a road crossing and what basic services you might find there (G, L, M ect, no details). Maps had so little detal they were basically useless.
And shuttles? Never heard of such a thing. You could not buy a beer anywhere near the trail in whole state of NC and hikers were still viewed with suspicion in towns. Crossing into VA was like entering the land of milk and honey, the contrast between NC and VA was drastic. Ahhh - the good old days.
I think the site gives a tremendous advantage, especially when it comes to gear and clothing selection.
Just reading the various threads you can learn a lot.
I think there are just new advantages and new disadvantages. I agree that people who come here to learn benefit. Does it help them complete the trail or not? Hard to say. I didn't come here until after I hiked. I didn't go to the PCT Kickoff until after I hiked. I did sign up for the PCT-L email discussion prior to hiking, but I participated more after my hike than before. Of course, technically I was just a section hiker, but that was my plan from the beginning.
4eyedbuzzard
12-24-2010, 17:52
Probably helps some, but I don't think completion / success percentages have improved dramatically since the internet became readily accessible. Nylon, Dick Kelty, Ed Garvey, along with the huge efforts of the ATC and all the local conferences probably increased the success rate more than most other things.
Lone Wolf
12-24-2010, 17:58
hostels, shuttlers and slackpacking have given todays walkers an advantage. not a website
Toolshed
12-24-2010, 18:14
I believe the Internet gives no advantage, it is still all about mental willpower and intestinal fortitude. If you are meant to give up at Walasi-Yi, Franklin, Fontana Dam, Damascus or somewhere further, you are going to give up regardless of the type of gear or knowledge you have.
WB only serves to bring like-minded people together (or keep them from getting together...:D)
garlic08
12-24-2010, 18:31
I disagree that this site gives an advantage. If anything, a new hiker will probably just get confused. In many of the forums, if you read ten posts you'll get eleven different ideas/opinions, even a lot of heated disagreements. I'd hate to rely on this site for information on whether to use maps, running shoes, or trekking poles, or how much first aid kit to carry. Basically, I think there's just too much information. There are a few real kernels, but a lot of chaff.
Come to think of it, I've never recommended this site to anyone who has expressed interest in long distance hiking.
Most of what I've learned, I've learned on the trail, and by my own experiences. I can't say that I've learned much about actual thruhiking on WB.
WB is good for other things, though.
Walkintom
12-24-2010, 18:57
I think the site provides a lot of valuable information.
I've learned several things on WB that will make my AT hike easier and several that have made hikes I have already taken easier as well. Does that give me an advantage over a hiker who has never heard of WB? If all else is equal - sure. But when is all else equal?
WB is a worthy resource - but it's what you do with it that counts.
kayak karl
12-24-2010, 19:15
how grateful I am for WhiteBlaze.net.tf
you say that now!!!LOL
HiKen2011
12-24-2010, 19:30
4 completions of the trail before i ever learned how to use a computor
never had to switch out gear for bad choices, some gear too heavy maybe? but still good gear. loved carrying the dogs gear most of the time, unless she needed slowed down a bit :)b
I agree with Crumbsnatcher, it takes determination, drive, and a willingness to brave the elements. Gear and advice comes in a distant second, IMO.
CrumbSnatcher
12-24-2010, 19:50
i know exactly when the first time i ever used a computor
my ole' lady set up my WB account jan. 2008
only real bad advice i've ever seen on this site is people that use or recommend internal frames:eek:
!i'm just joking:D but not really.:eek: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE:cool:
I can see how for someone not educated at all at least in the regard to have done some reading about and learning about thru-hiking, the gear needed, what it entails, etc...all the different answers and responses could cause some confusion. I think however for someone planning a thru-hike and learning about it before arriving at this site, the site itself becomes an invaluable resource of information, especially the information and wisdom that past successful thru-hike members provide. I have never thru-hiked but hope to attempt to someday. I educated myself about it by reading other's accounts and memoirs, by reading thru-hike handbooks and guidebooks, etc...but when I discovered this site and the wealth of information it provided about thru-hiking, I realized that a lot of what I had planned would have been detrimental to my hike from the get-go. By learning here about different gear, approaches, attitude, and what worked successfully for other thru-hikers and what did not I know with certainty that I modified many pre-disposed beliefs I had in regards to what I had planned and that without Whiteblaze and the knowledge base it provided from the wisdom and experience of it's members I would have without a doubt not improved my chances of successfully thru-hiking and would have in all likelyhood handicapped myself and my attempt. My hat is off to Whiteblaze and it's members:sun.
Wow, some of you guys are really negative!
Since coming here, despite having already hiked the PCT, I have learned you don't have to stay in a shelter every night. I thought it was a rule you had to. Knowing I don't have to improves my chances of success because now I can plan the hike on my own terms, not on the distance between shelters.
I have lived my whole life in California. I've vacationed in various places in the west, usually in the desert but sometimes in the coastal redwoods or the High Sierra. I understand our climate here, but I am completely clueless about the east coast. I've always believed that it's socked in with snow from like November to April, but I've learned here that I'm totally wrong! Long ago I thought I might go to college in Georgia (I didn't). I was terrified of winter in Atlanta. Now I know something closer to the truth. I realize I wouldn't be hiking the AT in the dead of winter, but having a more realistic idea of the climate is a lot of help. I'm sure I would be shocked by the humidity nonetheless, but at least I know about it now.
I did not know there was a guide book like they have for the PCT. I heard of it here. That would help me with the trail for sure. The PCT guide books are usually available in local bookstores where I live, and even the library, but not the AT guide books.
I've come to understand the trail is a whole lot more crowded than I thought and that there are a lot of really annoying people I would not want to spend time with. Knowing that a southbound hike might be more pleasant for me really helps me out a lot!
I have been informed that if I did 30 mile days on the PCT then 20+ mile days on the AT is totally doable for me. If someone here hadn't told me, I'd either be under the impression I could do 30 miles a day or that I'd be stuck doing 8 miles a day and dying like half the people who post to this site. It's good to know the truth.
If I was actually planning to hike the AT, I'd ask or search on what parts of the trail are more rainy, have more mosquitoes and what are the best times of year or the date ranges you can start and end the trail. I'd probably ask what kind of gear you need in the White Mountains since I've heard they have really bad weather. Since I'm not planning, I don't usually pay attention to that stuff. But having this info would be tremendous help in enabling a successful thru-hike for me.
It's not all useless or unappreciated here.
It's not all useless or unappreciated here.
For sure...
Just learning about all the gear offered by one man / small cottage operations is worth the price of admission here IMO.
And... it's true that every question has 10 conflicting answers but probably 9 of them would have never occurred to me and oftentimes taking a piece from one suggestion and a piece of another one is just the right thing.
If WB disappeared the trail wouldn't but I can say with certainty that I've learned a tremendous amount here.
Rocket Jones
12-25-2010, 00:20
Doggone right it's confusing. Choices and options always are at first. But you start to figure it out for yourself and avoid a lot of wrong decisions, some which can be expensive too. For me, the best part are the little nuggets of wisdom that someone drops into a post that makes you go "now why didn't I think of that!"
In the last twenty years the completion rates have climbed from 15% to 25%. There might be several reasons why but I suspect it is better preparation and a more mature attitude toward completion.The internet might have influencedthat trend. What do you think?
Fog Horn
12-25-2010, 00:47
I think you should rest a bit more at ease knowing that a lot of people peruse this site without actually signing up. It took the site a month to finally send me my confirmation email, and had it not come, I simply would have kept browsing and never posted. I'm sure there are others lurking out there getting the info.
I think the best part about this site are the threads like "What do you wish you did different" because if I hiked my hike before reading those posts I would have just logged miles every day. It made me pause, realize I needed to plan out time to hike to waterfalls and go swimming, and reschedule my trip to be more enjoyable.
There is over planning, but there are some fantastic insights on this forum that come from people who have already gone where I want to go. That's priceless, imho
SassyWindsor
12-25-2010, 01:38
All I can say is hiker beware about any info from the web. As with any info you get from the web, check and double check your sources. I have a friend who makes up recipes for these copy-cat recipe forums, never having prepared the dishes. Her theory is shes prepared some of the dishes with some of the ingredients, so "why not". I believe something similar could happen in hiking. The one piece of info you can bank on, when hiking, is wearing cotton in cold weather could get you killed. Most everything else could be subject to debate.
SassyWindsor
12-25-2010, 02:01
.....another tip thats probably a good one: Hiking along the Iranian border,in any weather, not recommended.
In my humble opinion, I think a successful long hike or thru hike is 95% mental and physical toughness and the other 5% can be attributed to proper planning (including WB). I really enjoy the website and doing my research, but I also know that no matter how hard I train or prepare, getting out there and completing my goal will mostly be because of will power to overcome adversity and pushing myself mentally and physically
to be successful. I do appreciate all those who share their opinions and advice, but I also know that what works for some, won't for others. You can be the best prepared, most well equipped with the lightest and most high tech stuff, but that alone will not get you very far.
WB is like being at a big Hiker Conference. You listen to a lot of conversations, picking up bits and pieces of info as you go along. Sift out what you think is good advice from the not so good. Attend a few good seminars (read the articles), and come away from the experience with a little more confidence.
Overall, it's a good place to start and come back to every so often between the check-out hikes.
If all you ever got from whiteblaze was Jacks resupply article you've just save yourself a lot of planning time.
Yes, I know you could hike the trail without it.
You could hike the trail in a hair shirt if you wanted to. But why would you?
fiddlehead
12-25-2010, 08:59
Doesn't matter where you learn how to hike.
It's your determination and whether you enjoy what you are doing that makes or breaks a successful thru-hike.
Have fun out there.
Merry Christmas everyone. (I can't believe my kids not awake yet and ripping open presents!)
nitewalker
12-25-2010, 09:19
does whitebalze increase your chance of a sucessfull thruhike? sure it does. if two people start out at the same time. one guy carries 25 lbs to start after finding a wealth of ultralite info on whiteblaze. the 2nd guy never heard of whiteblaze or any other internet forum and starts his thruhike with 45lbs or more. i would have to say the guy who found whiteblaze has the advantage rite off the bat. he is lighter, he will have an easier day every day, less chance of injury due to lighter pack and most likely more knowledge stored in his mind for future use on the trail.
okay, i understand that ones determination and grit will carry those that really want it to the end. luck, weather and injuries could derail your thruhike attempt. i really think the more educated one can be will give them a big advantage than a noneducated hiker. its like anything in life. the more you know the better off you should be. then again knowing everything like we backpackers do doesnt always work out...peace and merry christmas to all of you...:D
The folks who do their homework get the best marks. Before you do a thru it will help your odds to suceed if you learn as much as you can before you start. Learning can come from practicle experience, talking to others with long distance hiking experience, reading books or using Whiteblaze or other web sites.
When I thru-hiked I met quite a few folks who didn't know what they were getting into. Most of these hikers soon found out the hard way and either gave up or spent a lot of money to buy the gear they should of had in the first place.
Yah, some go unprepared, learn as they go and get to Maine. Those are the exception.
Lone Wolf
12-25-2010, 11:33
The folks who do their homework get the best marks. Before you do a thru it will help your odds to suceed if you learn as much as you can before you start. Learning can come from practicle experience, talking to others with long distance hiking experience, reading books or using Whiteblaze or other web sites.
When I thru-hiked I met quite a few folks who didn't know what they were getting into. Most of these hikers soon found out the hard way and either gave up or spent a lot of money to buy the gear they should of had in the first place.
Yah, some go unprepared, learn as they go and get to Maine. Those are the exception.
i disagree. totally
i disagree. totally
Lone Wolf...Disagree if you want. When you hiked you had the experience of being a Marine...That didn't help you??:-?
Cookerhiker
12-25-2010, 11:54
No matter how much you read, talk to people i.e. hikers, research to buy the right gear, prepare beforehand etc., starting and finishing a thruhike takes a modicum of physical ability (which can be worked over course of the hike - see Robert Rubin's On the Beaten Path) and more importantly, mental fortitude: flexibility, adaptability, perseverance.
It all depends on the individual. I see lots of newbies starting on WB (and probably countless lurkers as well) who, based on their questions, have a lot to learn. Notwithstanding the conflicting advice often received, I believe such individuals benefit from much on WB. We all learn in different ways and we all start new projects and life goals in different ways. So what works for Lone Wolf won't necesarily work for every newby.
Re. completion rates vis-a-vis WB users, I agree with Slo-go'en that the most significant factor making a thruhike easier on today's AT vs. 40, 50, 60 years ago is the plethora of trail services now available: guides, shuttles, hostels - the a whole infrastructure has sprung up around the AT.
Lone Wolf
12-25-2010, 12:10
Lone Wolf...Disagree if you want. When you hiked you had the experience of being a Marine...That didn't help you??:-?
no. i had the attitude before becoming a Marine. that's why i am a Marine. walkin' the AT is no biggie. time, money and desire is all it takes. websites and books won't get you to maine or georgia
Fog Horn
12-25-2010, 12:13
Lone Wolf...Disagree if you want. When you hiked you had the experience of being a Marine...That didn't help you??:-?
I'm not a Marine, we don't rough it as much as they do, but in my experience military "thru-hiking" and civilian thru-hiking are dissimilar topics, even if you only consider training rucks and not actual combat rucks. The mentality is totally different for yourself and for those around you, and we all know that mental fortitude is what carries us when everything else wants to quit. In the military you "embrace the suck" because its what you do. Who ever has it the hardest is the guy with the most pride. Broken ankle? Spider bite that is turning your leg into mush? Keep on rucking. Only place to bed down for the night is on a sandy knoll of fire ant hills, grit your teeth and hope you can sleep through the pain.
Thru-Hiking as a civilian is not about holding up injuries or embracing the most suck as a badge of pride. You have to find something else entirely to keep you going. Its a different mental game. Sure military service prepares you to be dirty, wet, and hungry in the middle of the woods, but its your mental state in the morning that tells you if you are going to continue or if you are going to drop out.
I know i have learned more here at WB about thru hiking than anywhere else. It is because you can get up-to-date specific info and opinions about virtually anything related to backpacking, and from real backpackers, not outfitters or article writers. Of course ultimately you still have to sift through it all and then make your own decisions.
Now, that being said, i think the success of a thru hiker mostly comes down to personal determination and motivation, and educating themselves, researching as much as possible about the trail and analyzing every piece of gear that they put into their pack.
There are many places to get ample information before attempting a thru-hike. I mostly am just a lurker here at 'WhiteBlaze' , but for me it has been the #1 place to learn. Not to mention the sense of being part of a larger group of people with the same goals and ambitions.
Lone Wolf
12-25-2010, 12:36
i think the success of a thru hiker mostly comes down to personal determination and motivation
that, time and money also. knowing and doing are 2 different things
If you know the basics to avoid dumb life-threatening moves, just get out there and hike, make mistakes, feel the cold, pain, pleasure, whatever; then come back here and seek advice on what you did wrong and how you can make it better next time. Repeat the above. Good info is here, you just need to spend some time finding it.
rambunny
12-26-2010, 12:21
I feel as all things,it is a ying and yang.Very positive on some notes .However,i feel the internet has done much to create the myth that you can leave Springer with $50 bucks and somehow thru yogiing, trail magic and generosity of hostel owners make it. Perhaps those of us who have thru'd should talk more about the trail before the trail.Whiteblaze rocks.
gunner76
12-26-2010, 13:49
well Lone Wolf - it must help to be a Marine
Everyone knows us Marines can not read. We are just real good are gettting the job done
Way back when, the only source of practical thru hike planning info was Ed Garvey's Appalachian Hiker. Now you can read online trail journals 'til your eyes bleed with concomitant discussions of gear, weather, illness/injury, etc. IMO that is a huge advantage.
max patch
12-28-2010, 11:45
Garbage in - garbage out.
Know your sources
FlyPaper
12-28-2010, 12:11
hostels, shuttlers and slackpacking have given todays walkers an advantage. not a website
I also think lighter gear and more high tech clothes have helped.
Also, I think the Internet has made it easier to find shuttles and arrange to slackpack.
Everyone knows us Marines can not read. We are just real good are gettting the job doneBest post ever. And from a Hangin' Marine at that. :D
I don't think Whiteblaze is all that much of an advantage. You'll never know how you are going to react to climbing those first 5, 10, 100 hills. I think most people know themselves well enough early on to know whether or not this is something they would want to do for 5 months. Up a mountain, down a mountain. Once you get past that, all the info and preparations aren't going to make a whiff of difference.
I do agree that lightweight gear has made hiking easier for today's hiker. The weight of my pack has more to do with my happiness than any other hiking-related decision I make.
Fog Horn
12-28-2010, 20:08
Once you get past that, all the info and preparations aren't going to make a whiff of difference.
I find that, whilst in planning, I realize every few seconds that you cannot plan this trip out. You might, say, plan to stay at this hostel or that one, but on the way up decide you'll skip it, or hike five more miles the day before and only stop for a shower and resupply. There are too many moving parts that I won't know until I get out there.
I do think that the lighter gear is a great thing. My mom and I were talking and she was telling me about her thru hiking hunting trips with my grandpa, and how her pack was routinely seventy pounds. She just gritted her teeth and dealt with it. She literally dropped her jaw when I told her I'd like no more than 25 lbs base weight.
Johnny Thunder
12-28-2010, 21:31
that, time and money also. knowing and doing are 2 different things
agreed. i just yesterday helped an old fraternity brother formulate his 5 year plan to include the AT.
he's a finisher. i told him that he was just the sort of man i'd put money on to finish. but that all the insight in the world wasn't going to get him to maine. it takes time, money, and the ability to keep going.
you either have it or you don't. the internet won't do that.
The right gear and not enough determination equals failure. Enough determination and any gear equals success. The right gear and enough determination equals success and an easier hike.
Black Wolf
12-28-2010, 22:46
if you fail to plan....you plan to fail...as in all advice...somethings work for each other...I have been hiking for forty years and I find this site a valuable resource...knowledge is key to every successful venture in life...a thru hike of the AT is one of them...but nothing...and I mean nothing ... replaces experience ... I am grateful that I can look to knowledge and experience of those that have gone "thru"... I for one...Thank - You...
SassyWindsor
12-28-2010, 23:23
... I am grateful that I can look to knowledge and experience of those that have gone "thru"....
A couple of quotes to keep in mind....
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.” (Shaw)
or
“The only source of knowledge is experience” (Einstein)
As my thru-hike approaches, I've been thinking about how grateful I am for WhiteBlaze.net. Being on this site has improved my chances for completion 100-fold!...
All that has me thinking... What about the thru-hikers who haven't found our site? If my calculations are roughly correct - those of us that register here on WhiteBlaze represent only a 1/3 or so of all those that will attempt a thru each year. What about the 2/3's that aren't here on the boards? Are those the hikers that are flinging cast-iron skillets from their packs on the way up Springer? :eek: Are they getting their information elsewhere, or just not getting it at all?
I'm certain that being here has increased my odds of finishing - what about everyone else here? What do you think? Have your odds of completetion improved? By how much? Do you know of anyone who has attempted a thru without any prior preparation? What was their outcome?
tf
I also am VERY Grateful for WhiteBlaze. I barely knew about it when I started my AT thru-hike although I had perused the Preparation articles on resupplying, whether or not I needed maps, hostels, and general trail conditions and life before the start of my hike at Amicalola State Park..
However, I DO NOT believe it's a requirement to know about WB to complete a safe and happy AT thru-hike. I DO NOT believe you have to know about WB to prepare for an AT thru-hike. Earl Schaffer did not have WB at his fingertips!
So, let's say you are right about 2/3 of the prospective AT thru-hikers not being registered here at WB. Are you implying there is a higher drop out rate among those 2/3 because they didn't visit WB?
Pre-thru-hike preparation, for me, no matter what trail or where I'm hiking, HAS NEVER been about depending solely on a single website or source for info. In fact, when preparing for my AT thru I felt somewhat overwhelmed with the mountains of info on WB, some/(MUCH?) of it contradictory and of personal opinion, to sort through regarding a thru-hike. Having to sort out which info I felt was absolutely necessary to know and understand at WB was difficult at times and often led down unwanted and time consuming tangents. In fact, what I've come to realize, there exists MANY prospective AT thru-hikers who start threads and make posts on WB when their questions/situations have already been discussed and answered MANY times before either on specific threads or in AT Preparation Articles, which leads me to assume they HAVE NOT read the Prep Articles and/or they are not familiar with the tools/articles already written on WB! So much for preparation at WB!
Personally, while I absolutely have enjoyed sharing at WB, and learning much in the process, I believe, in hindsight, unequivocally, I would have completed my AT thru-hike with just an AT Thru-Hikers Handbook, irregardless of knowing about WB.
One more personal note. After thruing the AT and several other long distance trails I MUCH prefer NOT hiking trails when SO MUCH specific trail beta already exists! I think pre-hike planning is part of the hike, and enjoy it immensely, without having to resort to personal commentary at a hiking chat site. It's kind of like wanting to read a book for yourself so you can form your own somewhat independent opinions rather than have someone else tell you what the book is about. Hiking can be an outlet for discovery in so many aspects, IF you let it! The AT has been so analyzed and over analyzed and documented and beaten down in places, IMO, it takes away from some of the sense of adventure, mystery, and necessity to adapt to the wilderness and make your own way!
Reading WB discussions, quotes, talking with other thrus is a great way to get someone's opinion of what is involved.
Just hike, use what you have learned, make mistakes, and go back to hike again. You will find your hike is a unique experience, not yet discussed in a forum, covered in a book, or described in a quote.
info. In fact, when preparing for my AT thru I felt somewhat overwhelmed with the mountains of info on WB, some/(MUCH?) of it contradictory and of personal opinion, to sort through regarding a thru-hike.
I found this site while preparing for my thru-hike. I realize now that a lot of time was and is wasted on gear selection. As another poster said, getting to Maine is about determination and nothing else but that isn't as much fun apparently as discussing tents, packs, etc.Most of the discussion around gear is personal opinion anyway and meaningless.
What was most helpful to me, as someone who had never done any extended backpacking, was seeking out former thru-hikers and meeting them in person to discuss the trip. These discussions tended to shift away from the gear and into the mental aspects of the hike which proved to be invaluable (to me anyway).
Not saying this site isn't a good resource and entertaining as well but imo the increase in succesful thru-hikes is more attributable to the infrastructure (hostels, shuttles, slackpacking, guidebooks,etc.) that has grown around the trail. I'm not exactly sure but it would be my guess that if you are motivated enough you can slackpack a lot (40%, 60%, 99%?) of the AT and I am not sure that Earl Schaeffer and his kind had that option (not that there's anything wrong with that as they used to say on Seinfield).
Thru-Hiking as a civilian is not about holding up injuries or embracing the most suck as a badge of pride. You have to find something else entirely to keep you going. Its a different mental game. Sure military service prepares you to be dirty, wet, and hungry in the middle of the woods, but its your mental state in the morning that tells you if you are going to continue or if you are going to drop out.
I thru-hiked within 3 months of leaving the Marine Corps. Trust me, there are days when the AT sucks. 20 miles in consistent rain. 100+ degree heat and humidity with 2 out of 3 water sources bone dry. Rocks. And more rocks. And more rocks. The stubborn focus of having been a Marine kept me walking when there was no mission other than my self-imposed own.
Whiteblaze and the info it offers can give a small advantage to those who come here with little or no knowledge of the AT. But I thru-hiked before there were an internet sites for the AT. An out of date copy of the Thru-Hikers Handbook and my map sets were more than enough to begin a hike.
But information, a great plan, the "best" gear? None of it puts one foot in front of the other for you. Especially when the suck factor rises and stays there for days on end.