6 Month Hike vs 1 Month Hike

[makincaid]

Hi All,

I was originally contemplating tackling a through hike of the AT this year. However, due to the poor employment market I chickened out. However, I did arrange to take off 5 weeks this year in order to tackle the Maine and New Hampshire sections.

I have a question for those of your who have hiked long sections and also completed through hikes. Do you feel that you gained anything from completing a six month hike that you did not get from a month-long hike? Obviously, a section hiker would not have the same bragging rights as a through-hiker. But other that this, do you think that a person who completed the AT in four to five long sections would still get the same benefits (emotional, spiritual) as someone who completed it all in one section? I just wonder if I am missing anything by not hiking six months all at once.

Thanks for the advice.

[88BlueGT]

It probably depends on the person. Its most likely more emotional for someone who is thru-hiking it as they have been pursuing it for 3-6months straight.

But than again, the person section hiking it has been going at it for longer (years) so it may be more of a sense of accomplishment for that. I'm going to have to say everyone is different. I know I'd feel pretty damn accomplished if I completed the entire trail, section or thru.

[4shot]

Hi All,

Do you feel that you gained anything from completing a six month hike that you did not get from a month-long hike? Obviously, a section hiker would not have the same bragging rights as a through-hiker. But other that this, do you think that a person who completed the AT in four to five long sections would still get the same benefits (emotional, spiritual) as someone who completed it all in one section? I just wonder if I am missing anything by not hiking six months all at once.

Thanks for the advice.

About the only thing to be gained by doing it in one chunk is the knowledge of what it actually feels like to be on the trail for 5-6 months. I don't think people do it for the bragging rights because most people in the "real" world will think you are nuts for walking that far anyway.The only way I would recommend a thruhike over a section is if you have had a strong desire to attempt one. Really it depends on your motivation for hiking the AT.

I think (most/a lot of) section hikers may actually enjoy it more at the end of the day. Most don't stay out long enough to get the "burnt out, want to finish" feeling (that I observed anyway) or they simply get off when they reach that point. they have the luxury of time. I walked through most of Pa. with a section hiker. He got alot of satisfaction by looking forward to and planning the next section each year. However you decide to do it, best wishes.

[Cookerhiker]

After hiking 5 weeks in the Whites and Maine, you'll feel like you've thruhiked!

[makincaid]

<<After hiking 5 weeks in the Whites and Maine, you'll feel like you've thruhiked!>>

In a good way, I hope... :D

Actually, I feel like I am cheating a bit, to go straight to the good part.

[makincaid]

I guess I am wondering if spending 6 months at once in the woods would allow me to achieve a "oneness" with nature, that six one-month trips might now allow.

[4shot]

I think a section hike may promote more "oneness" if that's what you seek. at some point on a thru-hike many will stop taking the blue blaze trails to the waterfalls, scenic overlooks, mountain peaks, etc.again, i think doing sections would allow ample opportunity to soak up more of the trail and trail towns/culture (moreso for the average to slow paced hiker). This is only one opinion of course.

[10-K]

A month is about perfect IMO....

I know I'm probably in the minority on WB in this regard but 6 months in the woods and I'd be suicidal.

But, if I started something that was going to take 6 months to finish you can bet I'd finish barring any type of calamity that took me off the trail.

[No Belay]

I'd be interested to see a survey of hikers that completed a thru to see how many developed a "oneness with nature". Most that I know don't want to touch a pack for a long time after their summit and several never packed again. Section hiking has many benifits. It's akin to trimming the fat off a steak, leaving only the tastiest part for consumption.

I guess I am wondering if spending 6 months at once in the woods would allow me to achieve a "oneness" with nature, that six one-month trips might now allow.

[4shot]

I know I'm probably in the minority on WB in this regard but 6 months in the woods and I'd be suicidal.



of realistic folks would actually agree with you. 6 months of trail life does not live up to the romantic notions that some people have.hence the dropout rate we have discussed in other threads.

[hikerboy57]

Since I first stepped on the AT in '76, Ive always wanted to do a complete thru hike. the last 15 years, I've spent a lot of time in ther whites and western Maine, and Ive had a chance to meet quite a few thru hikers.after hearing their stories, and hearing how anxious most were to finish the trail and go home, I finally decided to do it in two trips, and I'll start the first half in 2012.My boss is giving me three months, so I'll start at Springer and get as far north as I can in 90 days. Ive never hiked more than 3 wks in one shot, so three months may be enough of a challenge in itself.
BUT-if Im feeling great after 3 months, I told my boss not to be surprised if I call him and tell him I want to finish.Hes actually cool with it, but 5 months on the trail might be too much for me economically.But if you want to spend a month in the whites and the Mahoosucs, thats a pretty good challenge right there.

[max patch]

If you are looking for personal reflection (what do I want to do about my career/life/marriage/etc) then yes, a thru will be of much more value than a month long hike. If you are asking about a "oneness with nature" whatever that is then I don't have an opinion.

[hikerboy57]

If you are looking for personal reflection (what do I want to do about my career/life/marriage/etc) then yes, a thru will be of much more value than a month long hike. If you are asking about a "oneness with nature" whatever that is then I don't have an opinion.
you dont need 6 months to achieve "oneness with nature", you'll naturally get more into the present moment within a week or so as all the excess chatter in your mind is replaced with focus shifting to simply breathing and walking. as your mind settles down, you will naturally pay more attention to your surroundings. It takes me all of 10 minutes of hiking to achieve this "oneness"

[makincaid]

If you are looking for personal reflection (what do I want to do about my career/life/marriage/etc) then yes, a thru will be of much more value than a month long hike. If you are asking about a "oneness with nature" whatever that is then I don't have an opinion.

I have been kind of burnt out on my work for the last few years. Unfortunately, in order to take off six months to decide if I want to resign, first I would have to resign...

I think by "oneness" I mean feeling at home in the wilderness, more comfortable sleeping under a tree than in a bed. (Kind of like someone raised by coyotes ;))

[Namaste]

Like many have already said it depends on the person. I had a summer free and chose to hike Maine and part of New Hampshire because I like cooler weather. I was ready to come off when I did after 7 weeks. I'm pretty hardcore though, no stopping in towns, swimming to clean off when I could and using my tent the whole time. My resupplies were planned out well and all was good. For me hiking is not a sport or a competition. I don't care about thru hiking or completing it by the time I'm so many years old. I've got other things in life I wanna do in my free time.

[88BlueGT]

I have never thru-hiked so my words may mean nothing but I don't think there is something you will 'figure' out during a thru-hike that you couldn't figure out in 5 weeks being by yourself.

I think you will actually be more successful at your 'oneness' with nature on a hike that's not blinded by reaching the end. Thru-hikers don't connect with nature because they spend more time thinking about the logistics of their trips along with the miles they're putting down and thinking about the towns.

I say 5 weeks is perfect.

[88BlueGT]

^^ I didn't mean to say thru-hikers don't 'connect', noone take that the wrong way. Don't want to start an E-riot :D

[tiptoe]

There's no blanket answer to this. I've been section hiking, mostly in 2- to 3-week increments, because it fits best into my life at this time. Bragging rights are not at all a concern to me; I'm just happy to be able to hike long-distance. Ditto for appreciation of nature. I'm a serious gardener and spend a lot of time outdoors contemplating nature's beauty and bounty off the trail and on. I return from my hikes energized, refreshed, and in better physical shape than when I started. I'd advice the OP to do what suits him/her and not worry about appearances.

[One Half]

I have wanted to thru hike for about 15 years but had other things that have prevented that from happening. I am beginning to think that maybe hiking for a month at a time on the AT and other long trails and completing them over several years may be a quicker way to the end for me. I have also wondered how many people who thru hiked (especially those who did it very young) actually kept hiking throughout their life.

[sbhikes]

I did my hike in two 3-month sections. I wouldn't have wanted to go home at the one month mark. At the three month mark, I was ready to go home.

I was glad I did my hike in 2 sections instead of one thru because I had two really awesome adventures instead of just one. I did feel like I achieved a sort of "oneness" with nature. But it was tainted a bit with aching hunger and feet that drew me into town to eat and rest and the homesickness and guilt for leaving all my responsibilities at home.

The big journey comes to an end but a journey that's spread out over years lasts a lot longer. I think I felt pretty darn comfortable out there after a month on the trail. I would actually really love to be able to plan a one-month trip every year with smaller ones scattered throughout. That would be even more adventures.

My advice to you is to do the 5 weeks. The trail will still be there. You can always hike it in 5 week chunks and you can always do a thru-hike some other time or both.

[4shot]

well, makincaid..not many ringing endorsements for a thru-hike so far. Don't thru-hike unless you are just crazy enough to want to do one. Otherwise, section hiking seems to be the preferred method based on responses above. ultimately, you have to decide what you want from your hike and no one can decide that for you.

[Pedaling Fool]

I have been kind of burnt out on my work for the last few years. Unfortunately, in order to take off six months to decide if I want to resign, first I would have to resign...

I think by "oneness" I mean feeling at home in the wilderness, more comfortable sleeping under a tree than in a bed. (Kind of like someone raised by coyotes ;))
If that's what you want..."being more comfortable sleeping under a tree..." than a one month hike is fine. And this is the only way to answer your question because no one here can answer it.

You can answer it by staying in town only long enough to get food and wash up, but don't get a room. If at the end of your trip you dread going home than you're more comfortable sleeping under a tree and you need to schedule a thru-hike. However, if towards the end of your hike you're happy to go home, than it was just a nice vacation.

But on the other hand, if you could not resist getting a room, just didn't have the will power, well than you're just a sorry ass hiker like the rest of us, there's no oneness with nature, just a sick hobby:)

[Bearpaw]

I like the times I've been out for 3-5 weeks better than the 5 1/2 months of my thru-hike. Around month 4 a thru-hike starts to feel like a job without weekends. Of course it's a pretty decent "job", but there are days you start to simply go through the motions.

I was much happier on the Colorado Trail (5 weeks) or NOLS courses (3-4 weeks). On the flip side, I prefer a month to just a week. I always feel like I'm just getting started when I have to get off at the end of fall or break.

[88BlueGT]

One week is better than no weeks!

[weary]

It all depends on why you are hiking. For some (maybe most) a thru hike is simply a challenge to see if one can actually walk 2,000 plus miles at one stretch.

I spent six months and three days on the trail, because I enjoy being in the woods and mountains and because I'm curious about the plants and critters one finds in the woods, and about what I'll find around the next bend in the trail, or over the next hill. I enjoyed my long walk immensely.

It was six months and three days, because some last minute problems at home forced a two week delay. A series of one month walks would have been a different experience, but I doubt if they would have been a less rewarding experience.

One possible difference. I was asked to show my slides and to talk about my long walk a couple of dozen times because people thought of me as a thru hiker. That allowed me to relive my adventure in some detail again and again. Something I found enjoyable, also.

[makincaid]

Hi All,

I just got back from my long section hike about a week ago. I started at Katahdin and hiked South for five weeks, ending at Pinkham Notch.

The difficulty of the trail was truly shocking to me. Nothing I've hiked in the South could have prepared me for the incredible ruggedness of the trail through Maine. (Rocks, rivers, roots, and mud, Oh my!) My knees and ankles are just now starting to recover.

That said, I had a wonderful time! I wish I could have kept going a few weeks longer. Oh well, I guess I will just have to start planning for next year. I don't know that I will ever work up the nerve to quit my job for a through hike. Of course, if I ever get laid off...

Thanks to everyone for the advice on this thread and on the rest of the forum. This website was a big help in preparing for my trip.

[Sensei]

Hi All,

I was originally contemplating tackling a through hike of the AT this year. However, due to the poor employment market I chickened out. However, I did arrange to take off 5 weeks this year in order to tackle the Maine and New Hampshire sections.

I have a question for those of your who have hiked long sections and also completed through hikes. Do you feel that you gained anything from completing a six month hike that you did not get from a month-long hike? Obviously, a section hiker would not have the same bragging rights as a through-hiker. But other that this, do you think that a person who completed the AT in four to five long sections would still get the same benefits (emotional, spiritual) as someone who completed it all in one section? I just wonder if I am missing anything by not hiking six months all at once.

Thanks for the advice.

This depends very much on the person. Many of the outward benefits are the same - seeing the country, being outdoors, etc. However, in my opinion, with greater challenge comes greater reward. I think there is much to be gained mentally and spiritually from a thru-hike that cannot be gained - or cannot be not gained to the same extent - during a shorter hike. Of course, my bias is that of a thru-hiker, even though I have also completed shorter section hikes.

As for bragging rights, I have never felt like I had more than someone who section hiked the entire trail. But bragging rights should never be a factor in your decision, anyway.

There is certainly something to the idea that section hikers tend to "have more fun" than thru-hikers. It's not always true, but I can attest to the fact that most thru-hikers aren't having "fun" all the time. Section hiking can often be much more enjoyable from start to finish. But then, although I wasn't always having fun on my thru, the act of pushing on even when times were trying was one reasons that I consider my thru-hike to be so valuable. The adversity of a thru-hike is part of what makes a thru-hike worthwhile.

[Mountain Mike]

I've done both thru hikes & 5 week hikes. The benifit of thru hikes is you build yourself into great hiking shape. I really have to admire people that have completed trails with one or two week stints over many years. Just when they are used to the mountains they have to go home.

AT is a hard trail you will burn as many calories as a marathon runner each day. Trying to keep weight & calories was a major concern for me & constant push to make miles. When I tried to do a thru on PCT high snow year made me skip the Sieras. That allowed for a slower pace. Yet it wasn't untill I made it to WA & met up with a guy I hiked with on AT that transplanted to Seattle & he hiked with me for a few days. I realized how jaded I had become to all the beauty around me.

Then a few years later I went back for five weeks to hike the sierrias. Long enough to get in shape & really enjoy it. Schedule allowed for extented lunch breaks in alpine meadows where I could pull a book out & read or nap. For a few days I hiked with a guy who was doing a through but had to get off the trail for a while & decided to do a flip through the Sierrias. When we parted due to different supply drops he said thanks for reminding me how to hike civilized. I've laid over on rainy days in my tent because I didn't want to miss views. I do love months on the trail but given the option I will take quality over quantity.

[4shot]

Hi All,

I just got back from my long section hike about a week ago. I started at Katahdin and hiked South for five weeks, ending at Pinkham Notch.

The difficulty of the trail was truly shocking to me. Nothing I've hiked in the South could have prepared me for the incredible ruggedness of the trail through Maine. (Rocks, rivers, roots, and mud, Oh my!) My knees and ankles are just now starting to recover.



well said...it is impossible to describe "the trail" in southern Maine and upper NH to people who have hiked mainly in the South. I was stunned when I got there myself.

[max patch]

You'll be in a lot better physical health after a thru.

Carrying 40 pounds up and down mountains all day for a month is great for your health. Doing it for 5 months is even better.

[sbhikes]

Hi All,

I just got back from my long section hike about a week ago. I started at Katahdin and hiked South for five weeks, ending at Pinkham Notch.
...
That said, I had a wonderful time! I wish I could have kept going a few weeks longer. Oh well, I guess I will just have to start planning for next year. .

That's the beauty of a shorter hike. You leave the trail wanting more. On longer hikes many people spend the last couple months fighting a strong desire to go home.

You can keep that oneness of nature going by doing weekend and holiday trips. Anytime you get a long holiday.

An all-or-nothing mindset means you sometimes get nothing. I would rather cultivate a some-or-anything mindset. It's been 2 years since I saw Monument 78. If I hadn't done any section hiking in the last two years because only a thru-hike would do, my life would have been greatly diminished these past two years.

[Blissful]

Hi All,

I just got back from my long section hike about a week ago. I started at Katahdin and hiked South for five weeks, ending at Pinkham Notch.

The difficulty of the trail was truly shocking to me. Nothing I've hiked in the South could have prepared me for the incredible ruggedness of the trail through Maine. (Rocks, rivers, roots, and mud, Oh my!) My knees and ankles are just now starting to recover.

That said, I had a wonderful time! I wish I could have kept going a few weeks longer. Oh well, I guess I will just have to start planning for next year. I don't know that I will ever work up the nerve to quit my job for a through hike. Of course, if I ever get laid off...

Thanks to everyone for the advice on this thread and on the rest of the forum. This website was a big help in preparing for my trip.

You are well on your way to completing a southbound hike, which few have done. I'd go for it, pick up where you left off and head south. You've got the tough stuff out of the way...

[-SEEKER-]

well said...it is impossible to describe "the trail" in southern Maine and upper NH to people who have hiked mainly in the South. I was stunned when I got there myself.

I wish someone would start a thread where they describe their (negative) experiences in NH & ME. I have done the trail from Springer to Franchonia Notch, hiking alone 98% of the time and I was not only stunned when I hit the area north of Glencliff, but I was scared to the point that I quit and came home. I've read a few experiences on Trail Journals, but as a section hiker I would be more interested in how other section hikers handled the terrain and weather up north.

[Odd Man Out]

I've done both thru hikes & 5 week hikes. The benifit of thru hikes is you build yourself into great hiking shape. I really have to admire people that have completed trails with one or two week stints over many years. Just when they are used to the mountains they have to go home.

Thanks MM This gets at my sub-question on this thread. I am in a similar position in that outside commitments make a section hike more likely than a thru. I'm less worried about not becoming "one with nature" on a section hike. I worry that by the time I get myself in shape, I will have to go home. Any feel for how many days/weeks a section hike should be to take advantage of that conditioning at the end?

[4shot]

I wish someone would start a thread where they describe their (negative) experiences in NH & ME. I have done the trail from Springer to Franchonia Notch, hiking alone 98% of the time and I was not only stunned when I hit the area north of Glencliff, but I was scared to the point that I quit and came home. I've read a few experiences on Trail Journals, but as a section hiker I would be more interested in how other section hikers handled the terrain and weather up north.


there were times that I was a bit afraid to continue, especially in the rain. Had I not known that others before me had navigated the same trails I would have sworn there was no way to get from point A to point B. Coming down Mt. Mahoosic (sp?) in the rain was a bit nerve racking to say the least. If I ever thru hike again (doubtful) I would be tempted to SOBO to do that stretch on fresher legs (and mind).