View Full Version : Why People get off trail so soon?
bwendel07
02-10-2011, 20:04
I have been doing some research on mental prepardness and one thing that I commomly read is that many people about 25 to 30% get off the trail at Neels gap? and when asked why, the typical answer is that "it wasent what they expected." My question is what exactly were they expecting? and how was it different? I am just a little suprised at the answer. And a little baffled at their quitting after 30 miles when they really set out to walk 2000? I am just wondering and trying to envision what others mindsets are as to why they think something is so vastly different than what I would expect when I set out on something if this magnitude.
I would be really surprised if 25-30% of people who prepared to thru hike quit at Neel's Gap.
I think that's an urban legend. Maybe before Erwin or Hot Springs but I doubt just 30 miles from Springer.
Jim Adams
02-10-2011, 20:13
I didn't know that it was longer than 1000 miles when I started at Springer!
That's not as bad as the guy who showed up on Springer wearing leasure sports clothing, a fanny pack, his credit card and wanting to know where the shelter was with the overnight accomodations and food.
Alot, (including me the first time) don't have any idea what they are about to do and when they get there are totally overwhelmed. The only thing that saved me was the amount of experience that I had canoeing in the wilderness let me adapt and continue.
geek
hikerboy57
02-10-2011, 20:27
Sometimes they just miss all the stuff the rest of us want to leave behind.TVs,iPods, Blackberrys. 4G phones(I'm holding out until at least 7G is available). Sometimes they come to realize that hiking is very often hard work, with the only reward being the hike itself.
I got off in hiawassee last year because I found out I was just not in nearly good enough shape. Been working out though, and plan to continue on from there this year.
Blissful
02-10-2011, 21:01
I thought there was no way I could see people quitting at Neel, until I went out there in '07 and did it, then I could see. The first 30 miles is tough when you are new with blisters, aching muscles all over and an overweight backpack.
fiddlehead
02-10-2011, 21:03
I didn't know that it was longer than 1000 miles when I started at Springer!
That's not as bad as the guy who showed up on Springer wearing leasure sports clothing, a fanny pack, his credit card and wanting to know where the shelter was with the overnight accomodations and food.
Alot, (including me the first time) don't have any idea what they are about to do and when they get there are totally overwhelmed. The only thing that saved me was the amount of experience that I had canoeing in the wilderness let me adapt and continue.
geek
Possibly because THAT'd how they do it in Europe.
Even Eastern Europe hikes or treks this way.
I've hiked in Ireland, Spain, Andorra, France, Switzerland, Chezch (sp?), Poland and they all have places to stay where you can buy food and a bed every night.
It's not the same as the AT and I'm sure many aren't aware of that.
Of course with the internet now, you'd think they would know better.
But, not everyone has a computer either.
It's all what you are used to.
Experienced hikers quit due to injury or problems back home IMO.
Sometimes they come to realize that hiking is very often hard work, with the only reward being the hike itself.
does not emphasize this enough or at all. Most people hear about the romance, trail angels and trail magic, the hiker towns, etc. and not nearly enogh about the blood, sweat and tears. This is from my perspective. I knew not many people finished but heard disproportionally more about how awesome it (the trail) is. Yes, it is awesome but people should understand one thing...the reason most don't finish is that there is a hell of alot of hard work interspersed with the awesomeness of the trail. As the saying goes, if it were easy, anyone could do it. Not trying to discourage anyone newbies here - just trying to balance the perspective a bit.
Those who quit so early probably have an idealized version of it in their head, and think it's going to be an easy 2,181 mile walk that will magically cure all their problems. They don't realize that to actually hike a significant portion of it requires a hefty amount of strength and perseverence. I know a lot of people who think that by simply stepping on the trail they'll be greeted with sunshine and rainbows around every bend- which we know is far from the case. While the trail is beautiful, it's not the same as a static painting. You have to paint your own representation of it as you progress, and most people are too lazy to do that themselves. I think to quit after a mere 30 miles is foolish, even if it's not what was expected. How can you quit so soon after so much planning....
earlyriser26
02-10-2011, 21:23
Many people hike the trail for the first time and as you said, "it wasn't what they expected" It is not a "walk in the woods", it is a climb in the snow, rain, etc. It is also having to pack up your wet dirty cold gear in the morning knowing that after a hard day you will be sleeping in the same cold wet dirty gear again, and again, for maybe 150 days.
Thought that I would hike the whole thing but the promise of two weeks in the Florida Keys fishing and relaxing with Margeritas under the Coconuts was too much to ignore by the time I got to Pennsylvania.
So south I went. Can you blame me?
It was only after I took off my shirt that my honey saw a huge bullseye on my back and diagnosed a very serious case of Lyme Disease.
Them 'effin ticks!!!
I couldn't even climb a set of stairs without pausing for a breather!
I'll be back because I love it but my point is, you never know when life can take a turn and halt your hike.
Thirty miles though, that's laughable!!!
At least make it to Damascus and Traildays!!
I failed at mile 43 on my first attempt to thru hike the PCT back in 1992.
All my romantic notions about unicorns and rainbows were shattered as i labored up and down the hills under a 70 lb pack with blistered feet and blue swollen toenails in my ill-fitting and not broken in boots.
That failure shattered my ego.
After i got over blaming the gear, the trail, weather.. I ended up looking long and hard at myself. There was no internet then so i started to read books. Ray Jardines book: PCT Thru Hikers Handbook in particular. Right there in that book was a description so close to my experience I actually put the book down for a few days because it was so painful. I was "hapless hiker".
It took a long time and a lot of hiking over the course of 17 years that followed before I woke up one morning and looked into the mirror and knew i would hike the PCT the next year.
Looking back now I am still humbled and ashamed at my failure and can remember the disappointment of friends and family when i returned so completely crushed.
What changed for me in 2009?
I trained, used lighter gear, wore trail runners. But the mindset was the real difference.
I KNEW with all my being I was going to hike from Mexico to Canada. There was no margin for error or room for failure. I was willing to accept whatever pain or discomfort was waiting.
I took the trail one day at a time empty of expectation and was rewarded with a fantastic journey. But it was HARD WORK everyday.
I had to be able to put my mind forward through the tough parts and realize things always change. If i just kept going I would make it.
Thru hiking is a beautiful thing but it's not without physical and emotional and mental pain.
Just writing this post brings back some pretty hard feelings inside. I actually thought about hiking SoBo because a lot of my friends said i will see many hikers quitting and falling off trail with injuries NoBo.
I hope thats not the case cause i know what that pain is like. The blisters and sore muscles heal eventually but the mental and emotional stuff is the most lasting.
The most important thing for me to accept was that I quit the trail in 1992. But the trail was there all those years later waiting for me to come back when I was ready.
Captain Blue
02-10-2011, 21:42
I have been doing some research on mental prepardness and one thing that I commomly read is that many people about 25 to 30% get off the trail at Neels gap?
The real number is closer to 10% for the drop out rate at Neels Gap. My source: ATC
mweinstone
02-10-2011, 21:49
i quit at neel gap once. missed my son. way too much to hike on. was an exsperienced long distance hiker of AT miles.
mweinstone
02-10-2011, 21:52
hikers quit cause of baggage that cant be arried of one kind or another. they go home to correct major life wrong turns and the AT triggers all that thru failure. a wonderful thing. it is a path that straightens.
hikers quit cause of baggage that cant be arried of one kind or another. they go home to correct major life wrong turns and the AT triggers all that thru failure. a wonderful thing. it is a path that straightens.
I agree totally. And you managed to say it with a lot fewer words than i did.
I agree totally. And you managed to say it with a lot fewer words than i did.
Of course, Mattooski is Whiteblaze's poet laureate.
Different Socks
02-10-2011, 23:29
When I did the trail back in 1992, for a reason for leaving the trail other than injury, not enough money, something happened at home, etc, would be that many of them thought it would be "fun".
The ones whom said this never believed it would be such hard work. What I can't believe is that so many give up these days and yet they so many are carrying so little compared to what I carried back in "92".
Last summer I got a job driving an ice cream truck. It sounded like the coolest job ever. I quit after two days.
Reality can sometimes be overwhelming.
A thru hike might sound good on paper, but if you don't experience any of the "fun" you've heard about in that first 30 miles, why would you think there will be any in the next 2000?
What I can't believe is that so many give up these days and yet they so many are carrying so little compared to what I carried back in "92".
or doesn't have is of little significance in finishing a thru-hike imo all things being equal. I would imagine that you carried what others carried back then more or less and it was much better than the gear Lewis and Clark carried across the US on unblazed trails. Yet you finished and others didn't. In 20 years the stuff carried last year will probably seem antiquated as well. Everybody starts with about the same weight and "toys" in their pack (or adjusts quickly enough). I just think the gear fixation is way overblown relative to who finishes and who doesn't.
Maybe they quit because they didn't like it.
AUhiker90
02-11-2011, 00:21
Most of the people to me it seems that their funds ran out. with a fairly dry year like last year most hikers seemed to be enjoying their time.
Most of the people to me it seems that their funds ran out.
Before Neels Gap? haha
malowitz
02-11-2011, 01:27
I met a couple on the Approach Trail last year. They got off before Neel Gap. She was completely unable to function in the cold of the mornings, was sleeping cold, and generally miserable. They were planning to regroup and reassess. Unfortunately I never heard of them again and I haven't seen them in anyone's pictures so I don't think they got back on.
I failed at mile 43 on my first attempt to thru hike the PCT back in 1992.
All my romantic notions about unicorns and rainbows were shattered as i labored up and down the hills under a 70 lb pack with blistered feet and blue swollen toenails in my ill-fitting and not broken in boots.
That failure shattered my ego.
After i got over blaming the gear, the trail, weather.. I ended up looking long and hard at myself. There was no internet then so i started to read books. Ray Jardines book: PCT Thru Hikers Handbook in particular. Right there in that book was a description so close to my experience I actually put the book down for a few days because it was so painful. I was "hapless hiker".
It took a long time and a lot of hiking over the course of 17 years that followed before I woke up one morning and looked into the mirror and knew i would hike the PCT the next year.
Looking back now I am still humbled and ashamed at my failure and can remember the disappointment of friends and family when i returned so completely crushed.
What changed for me in 2009?
I trained, used lighter gear, wore trail runners. But the mindset was the real difference.
I KNEW with all my being I was going to hike from Mexico to Canada. There was no margin for error or room for failure. I was willing to accept whatever pain or discomfort was waiting.
I took the trail one day at a time empty of expectation and was rewarded with a fantastic journey. But it was HARD WORK everyday.
I had to be able to put my mind forward through the tough parts and realize things always change. If i just kept going I would make it.
Thru hiking is a beautiful thing but it's not without physical and emotional and mental pain.
Just writing this post brings back some pretty hard feelings inside. I actually thought about hiking SoBo because a lot of my friends said i will see many hikers quitting and falling off trail with injuries NoBo.
I hope thats not the case cause i know what that pain is like. The blisters and sore muscles heal eventually but the mental and emotional stuff is the most lasting.
The most important thing for me to accept was that I quit the trail in 1992. But the trail was there all those years later waiting for me to come back when I was ready.
Honest. From the heart. Well written. Great post, Iceaxe.
Robert Louis Stevenson said, "Most people don't want to write; they want to have written."
To paraphrase: "Most people don't want to hike; they want to have thru-hiked."
I failed at mile 43 on my first attempt to thru hike the PCT back in 1992.
All my romantic notions about unicorns and rainbows were shattered as i labored up and down the hills under a 70 lb pack with blistered feet and blue swollen toenails in my ill-fitting and not broken in boots.
That failure shattered my ego.
After i got over blaming the gear, the trail, weather.. I ended up looking long and hard at myself. There was no internet then so i started to read books. Ray Jardines book: PCT Thru Hikers Handbook in particular. Right there in that book was a description so close to my experience I actually put the book down for a few days because it was so painful. I was "hapless hiker".
It took a long time and a lot of hiking over the course of 17 years that followed before I woke up one morning and looked into the mirror and knew i would hike the PCT the next year.
Looking back now I am still humbled and ashamed at my failure and can remember the disappointment of friends and family when i returned so completely crushed.
What changed for me in 2009?
I trained, used lighter gear, wore trail runners. But the mindset was the real difference.
I KNEW with all my being I was going to hike from Mexico to Canada. There was no margin for error or room for failure. I was willing to accept whatever pain or discomfort was waiting.
I took the trail one day at a time empty of expectation and was rewarded with a fantastic journey. But it was HARD WORK everyday.
I had to be able to put my mind forward through the tough parts and realize things always change. If i just kept going I would make it.
Thru hiking is a beautiful thing but it's not without physical and emotional and mental pain.
Just writing this post brings back some pretty hard feelings inside. I actually thought about hiking SoBo because a lot of my friends said i will see many hikers quitting and falling off trail with injuries NoBo.
I hope thats not the case cause i know what that pain is like. The blisters and sore muscles heal eventually but the mental and emotional stuff is the most lasting.
The most important thing for me to accept was that I quit the trail in 1992. But the trail was there all those years later waiting for me to come back when I was ready.
Iceaxe, I found your post truely inspirational. THANKYOU!
max patch
02-11-2011, 09:57
Most of the people to me it seems that their funds ran out.
Before Neels Gap? haha
They had plenty of money when they reached Neels. Not so much after the "free" pack shakedown.
max patch
02-11-2011, 10:00
I don't believe that 1 out of every 4 prospective thru hikers hikers quits at Neels.
Robert Louis Stevenson said, "Most people don't want to write; they want to have written."
To paraphrase: "Most people don't want to hike; they want to have thru-hiked."
Very true. Once they get out there, and realize the romance usually comes after the fact and not during... well, it's a big shock.
Sickmont
02-11-2011, 11:43
I literally havent been on the trail in years, and i know for a fact i'm gonna have a really hard time this summer when i do my section in GA. However, being an absolute glutton for punishment(or a masochist, if you prefer) i look forward to the torture of it all.
Well said 4shot, I am yo-yo,n the AT starting NOBO next week while carrying +50 lbs with military issued gear. I decided to yo-yo in case I missed somthing on the way up. Good thread...Boats
I don't know about how many fold at Neels, but surely half (or more) are gone by Hot Springs. I watched many collect daily accolades for being a studly "thru hiker" and then bail out at the Springs. Most of the ones that continued actually made it to Mt K.
I think part of it is being cold all the time. There's a lot of pressure to "go light", and you think "how cold can it get way down south in Georgia?" So some end up with shorts and a light jacket, in March or April. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
SassyWindsor
02-11-2011, 12:50
I don't believe that 1 out of every 4 prospective thru hikers hikers quits at Neels.
This figure could be true. I've heard that some never make the approach trail out of ASP. I've been told that rangers, probably at ASP, have convinced some that they were not prepared well enough to attempt the trail. I'm guessing wrong gear for the time of year or just plain unprepared. Some ignore and take off anyway. This is why so much gear is left along the trail to Neels Gap. I remember reading somewhere a hiker was rushed to Suches clinic one year for extreme dehydration, he feared drinking from water sources along the trail. Thinking back on all the stuff I've been told and read about, 25% drop-out rate, at tops, is very possible.
Here's how one quite dedicated hiker (Alpine, 2010) put it after walking to Maine:
"As I hiked I had an epiphany...I am sick of hiking. I don't want to walk from 630am till 630pm with hardly any breaks... I am tired, my feet are sore constantly and I just don't have any enthusiasm to continue. I decided to get off the trail at the next road crossing."
I think we've all felt like this at one time or another. I think it's amazing that anybody survives a thru-hike. It sounds like a better prescription for a bad experience than a good one (says the long-time section hiker). I don't admire hiking for hiking sake at all if you don't enjoy it.
A great climber, whom some called the "best", once said "the best climber is the one having the most fun". It's true of hiking too. If you're not having fun, it's dumb to continue, IMHO. It's a sign of intelligence to act on it sooner rather than later.
hikerboy57
02-11-2011, 15:48
Here's how one quite dedicated hiker (Alpine, 2010) put it after walking to Maine:
"As I hiked I had an epiphany...I am sick of hiking. I don't want to walk from 630am till 630pm with hardly any breaks... I am tired, my feet are sore constantly and I just don't have any enthusiasm to continue. I decided to get off the trail at the next road crossing."
I think we've all felt like this at one time or another. I think it's amazing that anybody survives a thru-hike. It sounds like a better prescription for a bad experience than a good one (says the long-time section hiker). I don't admire hiking for hiking sake at all if you don't enjoy it.
A great climber, whom some called the "best", once said "the best climber is the one having the most fun". It's true of hiking too. If you're not having fun, it's dumb to continue, IMHO. It's a sign of intelligence to act on it sooner rather than later.
Its a great point. My boss has given me 3 months to start at springer next year and get as far north as I can, finish in 2013. My feeling is once I've gotten through the 3 months, I'll want to finish and I'm sure hell give me the time off if I ask to finish, but I have no idea how Im going to feel after 1000+ miles. If Im not enjoying myself, I'll finish the following year. You do have to fight thru some pain once in a while, but I've never spent more than a month backpacking so I'll have to decide after my 3 months is up and go for there. I had made up my mind last year after seeing NOBOS last year inn ME pushing hard to make miles in some of the most beautiful scenery around, just to get done. I want to enjoy the journey, not just completing a goal.
Its a great point. My boss has given me 3 months to start at springer next year and get as far north as I can, finish in 2013. My feeling is once I've gotten through the 3 months, I'll want to finish and I'm sure hell give me the time off if I ask to finish, but I have no idea how Im going to feel after 1000+ miles. If Im not enjoying myself, I'll finish the following year. You do have to fight thru some pain once in a while, but I've never spent more than a month backpacking so I'll have to decide after my 3 months is up and go for there. I had made up my mind last year after seeing NOBOS last year inn ME pushing hard to make miles in some of the most beautiful scenery around, just to get done. I want to enjoy the journey, not just completing a goal.
Yeah that's one of the things that ended up making me get off the trail in hiawassee last year. I tried to keep up with everyone else who were in much better shape then me cause I was afraid I wouldn't make it to the end in time and ended up wearing myself out to the point that I just couldn't mentally go any further. This year I've been working out, and when I start from hiawassee I'm not going to worry bout how fast I'm going or keeping up with everyone else. I might not make the end in time, but this time I'm not going to worry about it. I can always complete what I don't make next year.
It's true of hiking too. If you're not having fun, it's dumb to continue, IMHO. It's a sign of intelligence to act on it sooner rather than later.
school is not always fun, marriage and raising children is not always fun, exercise and dieting are not always fun. Hiking the trail was not always fun. I think, and this thread sort of reaffirms it, that people head to Springer with unrealistic expectations that the trail is "fun", although most do make it past Neel's gap. Yes it is fun at times but there are miserable days as well...there is still merit to sticking to something even if it is not always "fun". IMO, there is something unfullfilling (sp?) about giving up on a dream because it is difficult. I wasn't much of either a hiker or backpacker before starting last year and I doubt it would have inspired me to even attempt a thru-hike if the success rate was 75 or 80%.
I will say this...on the days that I was struggling mentally I tried to keep to myself and not bring a negative vibe to other hikers. But as others have said, whether you make it to Neel's Gap or HS or HF or wherever, it's all good. if somebody I knew was primarily interested in just having fun on the trail, I would definetely recommend that they consider section hiking over a thru-hike. Again, that is only an opinion and I am sure others might disagree.
I got to see a lot of reasons why people get off because I was the Georgia ridgerunner last year. They fall into 2 groups. First is lack of prep and second mental attitude. It is true that 8-10% fall out at Neal Gap.--http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.4805579/k.DA92/2000Milers_Facts_and_Statistics.htm The ATC has it in table form in several different ways. You can talk endless about how to prep for a 6 month trip but if someone cannot adjust their thinking and control their attitude for the sake of completeing a goal, then getting off is certain.One can always learn best practice and methods from fellow hikers and replace gear if they need .They can slow down or get off forn a short time to repair blisters and injuries but you have to have the will and attitude to push through to completion or you will settle for a section. And that might be best for some . It is not the end of the world to not be a long distance thru hiker.
I quit at Neel Gap. I walked through that archway where the trail continued north and really wanted to keep going. But, Neel Gap was where I started. It was just a dayhike.
Odd Man Out
02-11-2011, 18:06
The unstated assumption is that dropping out at Neel's Gap makes your hike a failure. But dropping out in VT could be considered success. There's no shame in not finishing on Katadin. So another question could be how far do you need to get to consider the hike a success. I would propose it has to do with your own attitude. If you had a good time and go out of the experience what you wanted to get out of it, then it was a success no matter where you quit. By that measure, then for some people, quitting at Neel's Gap could be considered a successful hike?
Slo-go'en
02-11-2011, 18:18
The 8-10% that fall to the wayside by Neels Gap are the ones who didn't have a clue what they were getting into. "It wasn't what I expected". Makes you wonder what it was they expected.
Why do many people drop out? I think because many people who attempt the long trails prefer hiking as a way to camp as opposed to camping as a way to do more hiking.
Hanging out by a lake, reading all day, futzing around a base camp...all fun.
But, unless a person enjoys the hiking aspect (even a 'low' pace of MPD is still a lot of walking) of backpacking, the reality of hiking every day for 5 mos or so is going to be a very cold splash of water on the face.
The unstated assumption is that dropping out at Neel's Gap makes your hike a failure. But dropping out in VT could be considered success. There's no shame in not finishing on Katadin. So another question could be how far do you need to get to consider the hike a success. I would propose it has to do with your own attitude. If you had a good time and go out of the experience what you wanted to get out of it, then it was a success no matter where you quit. By that measure, then for some people, quitting at Neel's Gap could be considered a successful hike?
I understand what you are saying, but think what is written here might be worth considering too:
http://www.warrendoyle.com/ATBook.html
envirodiver
02-11-2011, 19:52
There is also the folks that think that "hiking the AT will be cool". When I worked at REI in TN I had people come in to get geared up to hike the AT. They had never been backpacking before. I did my best with them, but I'd say their attrition rate was probably pretty high.
I beleive all hikes are sucessful.Even the ones that you get out of the car and walk up the trail 100 yards to stretch your legs. I think the original post was asking why someone would commit to a 6 month journey and drop out at 6 days.And 10% do drop out. I know the reasons as stated in the earlier post but I still do not understand the logic( or lack of logic or understanding ) that goes into quiting. There are legitimate good reasons to quit at any time There just not enough reasons for 15% to quit by Fontana or 10% to quit by Neal Gap.
the judge
02-12-2011, 00:42
I think everyone has their own potential reasons for quitting early. anything from injuries to just being the kind who starts everything and finishes nothing. It's great to enjoy the hike, but sometimes you have to struggle through to accomplish the goal so that you can tell yourself that you did it, that you can do anything you set your mind to.
My friends and I Kayak, most of the time in less than ideal situations. last year we went through smoke hole canyon on the south branch of the potomach river 2 feet below passable water level. I can't count the number of times i got stuck on the rocks, sideways in the river, water coming through the spray skirt and filling my kayak. I wanted to quit and just leave the kayak laying there in the rocks, but had no choice but to keep going. mainly because the canyon walls were too steep to climb, and walking down river that far would have sucked. even though there were lots of horrible sections where I began doubting myself and my friends, there were also some amazingly beautiful sights and some very fun rapids that didn't exist at 4-6 feet of water. without struggle in our lives, there would be no growth
coheterojo
02-12-2011, 11:37
On my 1st few days I saw people on the trail with unreasonable expectations. Many people seem to be impervious to good advice and began the trail with what they thought they needed. Crazy pack weight, crappy gear and lack of even a semblance of physical conditioning seemed to me to be among the more common reasons for early departure from the trail.
fredmugs
02-14-2011, 08:35
Everytime I'm humping up a steep climb I always say to myself "If this was easier there would be more people out here doing it."
I wonder how many people quit at Abol Bridge?
High Side
02-14-2011, 10:14
Not being in good enough physical shape is probbaly the death knell for a lot of people.
When you're in great shape, activity doesn't HURT, it feels great
I don't believe that 1 out of every 4 prospective thru hikers hikers quits at Neels.
First night of my attempted thru in 2008, there were 8 of us at Stover Creek shelter, all attempting a thru. I know one person finished the trail, and one of the others got off at Suches. Never heard from the others, assuming they didn't make it.
Everytime I'm humping up a steep climb I always say to myself "If this was easier there would be more people out here doing it."
I wonder how many people quit at Abol Bridge?
In 2008 two guys were at the hostel in Millinocket with army gear. Paul tried to get them to trim the weight, but they still hiked with 70lbs or so each. They decided to "skip" Katahdin and hiked south from Katahdin Stream. They fell in the first water crossing, lost their tent, and arrived at Abol Bridge soaking wet, where they called Paul to come and get them.
I think many who drop out early really want the good things that they've heard or read about happening to others to happen to them. They neglect to hear the message that to gain all the personal awakening, physical achievements, and other kinds of "magic" takes a lot of work, sacrifice, and sometimes downright misery.
"It just wasn't what I expected" may be another way of saying what I just wrote.
We're focusing on those who leave the Trail at Neels Gap but I bet some of us know or know about quite a few who stop after just one night or even just one day in the woods.
I just shake my head remembering how many times I said to myself, "Enough! I'm getting off this damn trail. I'm hiking one more day and that's it!" And I hiked one more day--day after day after day. Did I complete a thru-hike? No. I hiked about 1,900 miles skipping most of Pennsylvania. When I climbed Katahdin did I feel as if I failed? Absolutely not. Was the trail what I expected? No, it was different than I expected and much more than I expected. I cherish the experience.
DaSchwartz
02-14-2011, 14:02
The real number is closer to 10% for the drop out rate at Neels Gap. My source: ATC
ATC is very biased in favor of stats that favor them. Plus the ATC is the main culprit when it comes to glorifying the trail but not bringing out the negatives.
The trail is 90 percent mental..... 90 percent of the material about the AT cover the other 10 percent.
WalkinHome
02-14-2011, 14:49
ATC is very biased in favor of stats that favor them. Plus the ATC is the main culprit when it comes to glorifying the trail but not bringing out the negatives.
The trail is 90 percent mental..... 90 percent of the material about the AT cover the other 10 percent.
I respectfully disagree with this post. In this day and age of available information I think that "sugar coating" the experience is the last reason for disillusionment of new hikers. Add to that the hiker events such as Trail Days and ALDHA Gatherings where "dreamers" can get the real scoop on what it is like to hike the AT. I think that it is that they don't think any negatives apply to them-only the other guy/gal. I have seen the numbers from ATC before and I have never seen or heard Neels complain that they are in any way inaccurate. Just my $.02.
I remember sitting by the pool in Warner Springs near a very unhappy young man. His family arrived and I overheard him talking to them about how the trail was not like he expected, that he wasn't having any fun, that he wasn't "finding himself" out there. They were all very supportive of him and took him home. I'm sure it's like that for a lot of people.
Sickmont
02-14-2011, 15:14
Best reason i ever heard for "quitting" a hike came from a buddy of mine.
Me - "So why'd ya stop?"
Him - "cuz i felt like it."
kevinmkr
02-14-2011, 18:04
After starting late in '03 and having to leave the trail twice for business issues, it became apparent than I wouldn't finish the trail that year. It was amazing, actually, how my entire mindframe shifted at that point. Once I knew it couldn't happen, I felt much more relieved of the duty of having to *make* it happen. When I returned to the trail that 3rd time, I adopted the mantra, "Every day is my Katahdin". And it was, truly. Every single day, from that moment on, that I was able to be on that trail was its own reward. I was able to appreciate just how special it was to be able to spend even a single day out and away from the pressures of that business that had delayed and, ultimate, interrupted my thru-hike. Every evening in which I went to sleep in a different place than where I had woken was a conquest, in and of itself, and every morning when I found myself fortunate enough to attempt it again was yet another. When it was all said and done, I had only piled up about 500 miles. Less than a quarter of the trail. But, if every day was my Katahdin, then I had successfully summited over 60 times.
I haven't had a chance to return although I dream of getting back out there someday -- real life, which had already began setting in in 2003 has taken an even further hold of my precious time. However, if and when I do, I won't dream of finishing it. I'll simply see how many "Katahdin days" I can string together. And when I stop, it will be exactly when I mean to.
WalkingUSA
02-14-2011, 18:17
It is my experience that one can become so obsessed with hiking a famous trail that the actual experience does not live up to the reality to that person. Thus, they leave the trail.
Others have a low threshold for pain and discomfort, etc.
After starting late in '03 and having to leave the trail twice for business issues, it became apparent than I wouldn't finish the trail that year. It was amazing, actually, how my entire mindframe shifted at that point. Once I knew it couldn't happen, I felt much more relieved of the duty of having to *make* it happen. When I returned to the trail that 3rd time, I adopted the mantra, "Every day is my Katahdin". And it was, truly. Every single day, from that moment on, that I was able to be on that trail was its own reward. I was able to appreciate just how special it was to be able to spend even a single day out and away from the pressures of that business that had delayed and, ultimate, interrupted my thru-hike. Every evening in which I went to sleep in a different place than where I had woken was a conquest, in and of itself, and every morning when I found myself fortunate enough to attempt it again was yet another. When it was all said and done, I had only piled up about 500 miles. Less than a quarter of the trail. But, if every day was my Katahdin, then I had successfully summited over 60 times.
I haven't had a chance to return although I dream of getting back out there someday -- real life, which had already began setting in in 2003 has taken an even further hold of my precious time. However, if and when I do, I won't dream of finishing it. I'll simply see how many "Katahdin days" I can string together. And when I stop, it will be exactly when I mean to.
That's exactly how I'm looking at it this time around in April.
kevinmkr
02-14-2011, 19:05
That's exactly how I'm looking at it this time around in April.
Best of luck to ya! Maybe I'll try and steal a weekend this summer..... ;)
Monkeywrench
02-14-2011, 19:10
This is from my blog of April 8, 2009:
So, a couple days ago I passed the 200 mile mark, and the day after
that I passed the 10% mark (2178 * 10% = 217.8). Ten percent. It
doesn't seem like much, does it? It is still much too daunting to
think about the whole 2178.3 miles as a whole. I concentrate on much
more immediate goals. For example, my current goal is the 33 or so
miles from here to Hot Springs. Now that is something I can deal with
on a daily basis.
There is a fair amount of discussion on the trail about how to hike
the trail. Not the mechanics of hiking, but rather the attitude with
which one does his or her hike. The main tension seems to be between
relaxing and enjoying the hike for itself, vs focusing on covering the
entire distance, and thus getting consumed by reaching goals. I've
thought about this quite a bit, both before my hike started and
especially while hiking. I think both are necessary. Certainly, I want
to enjoy the hiking and the views and the people I meet. But there is
also a physical challenge involved in this, and to ignore that would,
for me, bne just as wrong as focusing on it too intensely. A large
part of my goal in doing this IS simply to see if I can walk 2000
miles in six months or so.
Well, enough musings for this morning. It's a beautiful, clear
morning, though a bit cold. I've got to get my gear packed and get
back out there on the trail. I expect I'll upload photos when I get to
Hot Springs, so you can expect them Friday or Saturday.
. The main tension seems to be between
relaxing and enjoying the hike for itself, vs focusing on covering the
entire distance, and thus getting consumed by reaching goals. I've
thought about this quite a bit, both before my hike started and
especially while hiking. I think both are necessary. Certainly, I want
to enjoy the hiking and the views and the people I meet. But there is
also a physical challenge involved in this, and to ignore that would,
for me, bne just as wrong as focusing on it too intensely. A large
part of my goal in doing this IS simply to see if I can walk 2000
miles in six months or so.
very well put, especially the use of the word tension. Last year, in the middle of the hike, I swore I would never set foot on the trail again after I finished. Now, i find myself wishing that I was heading to springer in 4-6 weeks and starting north. I've got this ridiculous notion that the second time would free me of the tension I felt trying to reach a goal. I think attainment of the goal on trip 1 would give me the freedom to leave at anytime on trip 2, thus making the hike more enjoyable as it would not be as goal oriented. Crazy? Yeah, I think so too.
ShelterLeopard
02-14-2011, 20:48
very well put, especially the use of the word tension. Last year, in the middle of the hike, I swore I would never set foot on the trail again after I finished. Now, i find myself wishing that I was heading to springer in 4-6 weeks and starting north. I've got this ridiculous notion that the second time would free me of the tension I felt trying to reach a goal. I think attainment of the goal on trip 1 would give me the freedom to leave at anytime on trip 2, thus making the hike more enjoyable as it would not be as goal oriented. Crazy? Yeah, I think so too.
You put that very well. I was DONE with the trail after last summer (I finished just over 1,300 miles, so not the whole thing). And now I have the itch...
Although, it might be nice to head south. It feels like going downhill. Until you start uphill...
You put that very well. I was DONE with the trail after last summer (I finished just over 1,300 miles, so not the whole thing). And now I have the itch...
Although, it might be nice to head south. It feels like going downhill. Until you start uphill...
I would love to hike through Maine and NH on fresher legs than I did as a NOBO. Just couldn't stand to wait so long to start hiking. And congratulations on 1300 miles, i have nothing but respect for anyone who even tries no matter if they get of at Neel's Gap or wherever. The main thing is getting out there in the first place.
zombiegrad
02-15-2011, 14:31
Reading this thread has been a humbling and thought provoking, as I'm embarking on a thru in exactly one month. I've been thinking about whether I have what it takes, physically and emotionally, to persist. I suppose I'll never know until I try. I've jokingly told my friends and family that I just may return after a few weeks on the trail, since that's the reality for a lot of people! But a big part of me is driven to prove that statistic wrong. Not for others, but for myself. I know the trail will test my limits, and I'm up for the challenge. The philosopher in me approaches the experience with fear and trembling. Let's see!
very well put, especially the use of the word tension. Last year, in the middle of the hike, I swore I would never set foot on the trail again after I finished. Now, i find myself wishing that I was heading to springer in 4-6 weeks and starting north. I've got this ridiculous notion that the second time would free me of the tension I felt trying to reach a goal. I think attainment of the goal on trip 1 would give me the freedom to leave at anytime on trip 2, thus making the hike more enjoyable as it would not be as goal oriented. Crazy? Yeah, I think so too.
I think that's a function of selective memory. Odds are very good that a person who did not finish would find themselves in the same situation, confronting the same feelings again.
It's like women saying they'll never have another baby immediately after a birth, then wanting another one a year or so later.
Or, more apropos, me swearing I'm never going to run another marathon after I finish one and then a month later looking at the race schedules to find my next one.
kayak karl
02-15-2011, 16:01
I think that's a function of selective memory. Odds are very good that a person who did not finish would find themselves in the same situation, confronting the same feelings again.
It's like women saying they'll never have another baby immediately after a birth, then wanting another one a year or so later.
Or, more apropos, me swearing I'm never going to run another marathon after I finish one and then a month later looking at the race schedules to find my next one.
if a person does not finish, they will never finish, but a person that does and says they won't again, will again.
you posted, not me? makes no sense, but who am i?
if a person does not finish, they will never finish, but a person that does and says they won't again, will again.
you posted, not me? makes no sense, but who am i?
I said the same feelings would come up again most likely, not that the outcome would be the same both times.
1. Start, hate the hike, quit....
next trip..
2. Start, hate the hike *again* once reality sets in and the thrill of hiking from a Lazyboy goes away, maybe recognize what's going on and finish this time - or maybe not....
I started with no intent to finish the trail. I just wanted to finish California. I failed. I became obsessed with finishing not California but the whole trail. So I finished the trail.
When I reached Manning Park I was chanting to myself "I never have to do this ever again!" I was so done. I couldn't find the log in book at the monument. My boyfriend offered to hike back to the monument so I could sign in. I said no way! I never have to do this again!
Here I am, two years later wishing I was getting back on the trail.
I do feel sort of free, though. I couldn't care less if I was going to hike the whole thing or just a few days. Any time back on the trail would make me happy at this point. I have done several section hikes since Manning Park and loved every minute. It's nice not to have that obsessive pressure on yourself.
Graywolf
02-15-2011, 18:54
When I did myy first section hike, I had every intention to hike all the way to Hot Springs. I know that is only a section hike, but thought it relevant here.
I fell twice, bloodied my knee pretty bad, but I was happy as mudfly.. I kept walking..
It wasnt till my pack failed that I had concerns. When I got to Neels Gap, I had to make the decision, buy a new pack, or go home. It was a tough decision. I decided to go home.. And it was the worst decision I made..
I was angry for days afterwards. I could have got the new pack and continued.. why did I quit? Hell, I dont know.. I was enjoying myself..
I've been thinking about whether I have what it takes, physically and emotionally, to persist.
far as I could, or at least 99% of people who started did. You do too. here's the "secret" recipe...1) hike at your pace. 2) when you feel like quitting...don't. This advice is free and if you follow it you will end up on top of Mt. Katadihn. best wishes to you.
fiddlehead
02-15-2011, 21:51
On my first thru, I only had $700 and my girlfriend wanted to go along.
We made it to DWG and ran out of money (before the day of credit cards or, we would've finished)
On my 2nd hike, I drove my buddy to GA for HIS thru and decided to hike 5 of 6 days with him. I did almost 1,000 miles that year before prior commitments came up.
After that, I never had doubt in my mind about finishing.
I like hiking. There was never a question about whether I was going to quit and go home. What's at home? Work? Boredom? Friends who go to bars every night?
Ok, thru hikes aren't for everybody. But they sure fit my life. (at least until I had a kid, now it's waiting for the next one and staying in shape and dreaming)
malowitz
02-15-2011, 22:47
I mentioned the story of Elaine and Matthew (where she was too cold), but I know another guy who got off at Neel Gap in 2010.
This is the story of Soggy Jim
Met Jim at the Woods Hole shelter. He had apparently already been named Sleepy for going to bed early. It was going to be the coldest night on the trail so far (and frankly of the whole hike). He goes to pull his sleeping bag out and it is dripping water. His water bladder had leaked inside his bag.
We offered to try to get him some clothes/a bag liner, etc, but there was no way he was going to be warm for the night. The general thought was that he had to go for getting to the hostel because he wouldn't have a bag to sleep in. He left the wet bag and bladder at the shelter and hoofed it to the hostel at Walasi-Yi. Apparenlty Miss Janet took good care of him that night as he was quite cold and exhausted by the time he arrived in the dark.
He was done but still there when I arrived the next day w/the others who had stayed at the shelter. He didn't care to keep any gear related to overnight hiking. Said he enjoyed the hiking but only on a day hiking basis. He inteded to never spend a night out of civilization again.
Monkeywrench
02-16-2011, 09:13
2) when you feel like quitting...don't.
Before I started my hike, I made a rule for myself. If I decided I wanted to quit and go home, I had to wait a week. If I still wanted to quit after that week, then I would.
Bad days happen on the trail. One of my daily blog entries is titled "Misery." But the misery doesn't last, or at least it didn't for me.
I did come very close to quitting because of an injury, but that is a whole different ball of wax.
jersey joe
02-16-2011, 11:19
I think that all of the luxuries in the modern world has made our population very soft. People who start out on a thru hike quickly realize that hiking the trail is hard and run back to those luxuries.
Speakeasy TN
02-16-2011, 18:52
I would love to hike through Maine and NH on fresher legs than I did as a NOBO. Just couldn't stand to wait so long to start hiking. And congratulations on 1300 miles, i have nothing but respect for anyone who even tries no matter if they get of at Neel's Gap or wherever. The main thing is getting out there in the first place.
That's nice to hear 4shot! As I'm getting ready to take off, it's a little disheartening to see 1300 mile treks referred to as failed thrus. I intend to thru, but in no way will I consider it a failure if I can bite off a big enough piece that I have no excuse not to go back and finish it. I've said over and over that no matter how cold and wet it is, it's better than working!
Speakeasy TN
02-16-2011, 18:58
I think that's a function of selective memory. Odds are very good that a person who did not finish would find themselves in the same situation, confronting the same feelings again.
It's like women saying they'll never have another baby immediately after a birth, then wanting another one a year or so later.
Or, more apropos, me swearing I'm never going to run another marathon after I finish one and then a month later looking at the race schedules to find my next one.
What came to mind for me? "I'll never drink again." It only lasts until the pain stops!
I have been doing some research on mental prepardness and one thing that I commomly read is that many people about 25 to 30% get off the trail at Neels gap? and when asked why, the typical answer is that "it wasent what they expected." My question is what exactly were they expecting? and how was it different? I am just a little suprised at the answer. And a little baffled at their quitting after 30 miles when they really set out to walk 2000? I am just wondering and trying to envision what others mindsets are as to why they think something is so vastly different than what I would expect when I set out on something if this magnitude.If it is not for an unexpected injury or inadequate and/or improper gear or an emergency back home, then what in all probability the reason is that these individuals have run smack into reality of the situation. Hiking the AT or one of the other long trails is often described as being something of a wonderful and glorious adventure. And it is and can be. The problem is hiking out there day after day in the rugged mountains, being out there in bad weather, becoming wet and muddy and cold, soaked threw and threw including gear, being hungry and tired(mentally as well as physically), becoming homesick and missing loved ones, and in my opinion the main reason-it takes a lot of physical effort (just like work), and this believe it or not is something that a lot of people have underestimated and simply not counted on and do not want to have to do:-?
Appalachian Tater
02-16-2011, 23:23
It's hard hauling a heavy backpack up and down mountains all day when you aren't used to it mentally or physically. A lot of people aren't used to doing anything difficult in the first place.
Some of them try to skimp on decent shoes or other necessary gear and that causes problems or injuries but they end up having to replace it anyway if they don't quit. It helps to have comfortable shoes, clothes that don't chafe, a warm sleeping bag, a light pack that doesn't rub your skin off, a shelter that will keep you dry, and a stove that works.
Yep I definitely wasn't near physically in shape enough for it. Hated getting off but body couldn't handle it, I'd been sedentary for years. Not making that mistake this time. Working out big time.
Vegemite
02-17-2011, 11:57
I remember leading a group of 5 friends on a 5.5 days 50 mile hike.
Most have never spent more then 1-2 days back country camping.
So to prepare I did a couple of days hike with my friends, with fully loaded backpacks. I know that people overpack and the best way to get people to leave some stuff at home is to get them to carry there gear for awhile.
Anyway I had one friend that was always too busy to go on these days hikes.
So when it come to doing the 5.5 days hike, she had the heaviest backpack, even though she was the lightest person.
After the first day 7 miles, of easy hiking she was exhausted. Mainly because she refuse to walk through any mud. She would climb over trees, onto banks ect as long as her hiking boots did not get muddy.
I just assume that would get over this mud dodging after the first day.
But no. It lasted the whole trip. She spent so much time getting around the mud, we where averaging less then a mile an hour (Not including breaks). It did not matter, that the rest of us just walk throught the mud without any problems. The mud was never more the shoe high.
I had to send the others ahead each day.
Half way through the second day, we ended up carrying half her stuff, so she could complete the trip.
At the start of the third day, she cried because she had no clean clothes to wear that day.
I have a great photo on my friend sitting on a rock crying with this amazing sunset in the background.
At the end of the trip, she put her brand new rain 70$ pants in the trash because they where dirty.
Why do I bring this up. Because I know she 100% believe that she this great outdoors person. An if she had the time, and a friend of her suggest to do an Appalachien trail Thru-hike. She would sign up, 100% believing that she could complete it, without any problems.
This type of person is a small percentage of the people who get of the trail very early.
People just sometime have an unreal belief of what type of person they are.
Thanks
Vegemite
ps Still she did complete the 50 miles hike :)
paradoxb3
02-17-2011, 13:46
As many as I hear and read about, the stories of ill prepared hikers hitting springer mountain still surprise me. I could not imagine dedicating 6 months of my life to something that I hadnt done a lick of research into... especially considering in certain circumstances, the lack of preperation could be life threatening. Perhaps I give more credit to the general public than they really deserve.
Of course I'd agree with what many have already posted that the majority of early quitters do so because they realize how hard it actually is, or that they're too out of shape and for which ever reason, are unwilling to tough it out a while. Theres also early injuries from accidents and/or poor physical condition as well.
Personally when I thru hiked last year I was not terribly out of shape, however I wasn't in favorable condition either. I had some knee problems by Hiawassee which I dealt with until Fontana Dam, and I had the regular blisters, cold mornings, wet gear, and sore muscles that we all get on our way to Maine. I missed my family, and even received some troubling news regarding the health of 2 members of my family. (Everything turned out OK, if you were wondering...) But nothing that happend on or off trail even for an instance of my hike made me frustrated enough to consider just quitting. All my friends and family told me they never doubted I would finish, with the one exception of my Step-Mom, who told me before I left that she thought I'd never make it. (Screw you for not beliving in me Carolyn.)
I guess all I'm trying to say is its for some people and others its not, and the ones that are unsure generally figure it out pretty quickly.
The trick is to keep walking.
I can think whatever I want - the trail sucks, hiking sucks, life sucks, my tent sucks, my food sucks - whatever.
Just keep walking.
This past summer, about 500 miles into my 800 mile hike I took off my pack, laid down flat on my back in a pile of leaves and said to myself W-T-F ... this sucks so much...what was I thinking....
I got up, started hiking and about an hour later it started pouring down rain and didn't quit for 2 days. :)
Looking back on it, it wasn't as bad as I made it.
I didn't ever consider quitting though.
another thing..no matter how much you are hurting, how cold or sick you are, whatever...that is only a temporary thing. As my wife said to me when I was in a funk somewhere up in Conn. or Mass., quitting would nag at me forever and she's absolutely right. So if you truly want to complete the trail as a thru-hiker, do you really want to start over and do the 500 miles to Damascus or 1000 miles to HF again? Just tell yourself whatever state of uncomfort you are in is only temporary and will last no longer than 6 months at the absolute worst case.
With apologies to Ronnie Coleman...
Everybody wanna thru hike but nobody wanna walk no heavy ass miles.
With apologies to Ronnie Coleman...
Everybody wanna thru hike but nobody wanna walk no heavy ass miles.
working in the corporate world...everybody loved the paychecks but not many really liked to work.
When I was tempted to quit (and there were quite a few times) I would picture myself back at home. People would ask me about my hike. I'd be trying to formulate a reason for why I quit. The mental video always stuttered at that point... I couldn't come up with a reason other than that it was harder than I thought and I just wasn't tough enough. The real deal-breaker, though, was that I knew I'd just have to go back and try again. So why not get 'er done while I was in place and ready to do it?
And, as everyone knows, if you just wait a day or two, whatever problems you've got passes (usually after a good meal), something fabulous happens, and the world is wonderful again. The months pass, the miles pass, and--presto--you've hiked the whole Trail!