For those who have gotten off the trail then tried again

[kyhiker610]

hey all,
i attempted a thru hike in 2010, then got off in Atkins, VA. I'm thinking about trying again (starting from springer), and want to know what other people in this situation have done.

the second try:
did you change pack weight, gear, etc?
did you change the way you hiked?
(silly, but) did you keep your trail name?
what made the second time easier/more successful?

thanks!! :)

[traildust]

Nothing. Depends on the conditions for you getting off the first time. Injury? Boredom? Family crisis? Could handle it mentally or physically? For us it was injury to a knee. The next year it was injury to a back even when pack was lighten and individual had done more conditioning. Fate sometimes steps in and that is the one thing you cannot change. It is what it is.

So why did you stop the first time?

[kyhiker610]

i mentally got out of it. starting thinking about home too much.

[Driver8]

i mentally got out of it. starting thinking about home too much.

Maybe section hiking the AT is more for you. Why not pick up in Atkins and see about making it to Harper's Ferry or Duncannon? Maybe you could do the AT over a four or five year period, work schedule permitting.

[ScottP]

i mentally got out of it. starting thinking about home too much.

not everyone enjoys thru-hiking. There's nothing wrong with that.

[aaronthebugbuffet]

i mentally got out of it. starting thinking about home too much.

Just homesick or was something distracting going on calling you back?
Long distance hiking can get boring and Atkins VA is a good place to start getting bored.

Like others have said maybe sections are more your style. A month long hike is a nice chunk of time for a hike and you can pick sections at some of the best times of the season. It kind of gives you that thru hike taste without missing a lot of time for other things.

[stranger]

I think it can go either way, you could be advantaged becuase you know what it's like to hike 500 miles straight, or this could disadvantage you as well.

In 1995 I reached Pearisburg, and in 2008 I reached Atkins...before getting off the trail. Also in 2001 I did a 500 mile section in the mid-atlantic. On all those hikes, I was ready to stop when I did. In 2008 I definately felt stronger from my experience, kinda keeping quite and smirking when other hikers are talking about how 'they heard' the climb out of Stecoah Gap is overrated, or 'how easy' the Smokies are, and 'tough' the Roan Highlands are,etc...It definately gives you an edge in many ways. Also knowing the towns, which ones need maildrops, which ones have great motels or good restaurants, knowing about the Pond Mountain blue-blaze, the crazy neighbor at Greasey Creek Gap, etc...

But I must say, sometimes for me, having this 'knowledge' took something away. Not a whole lot, but it was there. You also know about the pain, the blisters that are coming, the chaffing, the full motels in town with hikers who've been there for 4 days, so it makes it hard to take it in stride when some things can be anticipated.

Finally, something happens around 500 miles, always has, we used to call it the Virginia Blues. For me, I've noticed with first time hikers there is a huge milestone in reaching Damascus for some reason. I know it was for me the first time. Alot of people quit within 200 miles from leaving Damascus, the Atkins-Troutville section ends alot of hikes, for whatever reason. I also think Trail Days ends alot of hikes.

I do think heading back to Springer is a good idea, starting at Atkins might be depressing, might not however. Also, maybe consider sobo? If I were to go again and try another big hike, I would start at Springer (for the 3rd time) just cause I love the south and hike up to Harpers Ferry or something, I would like to reach the 1000 mile mark, but I have no interest in thru-hiking anymore. It's different for everyone.

Hiking 540 miles is a huge accomplishment, huge...never forget that. For many years I thought of my 1994 (270 mile) Long Trail thru-hike as my greatest success and my 1995 (620 mile) AT hike as my greatest failure - amusing to me now, but it's how I thought back then.

Regardless of what you decide, I would plan some clear goals and strategies for southern Virginia. Doing longer days, avoiding more towns...essentially getting through that section quicker, with less time to think. Go into Marion from Partnership for resupply, then blast through Atkins without stopping and get to Pearisburg, overnight and then get to Troutville, then I like your chances.

Finally, I might share this...in 2008 I knew I wasn't thru-hiking by the time I reached Erwin, I knew it wasn't going to happen, and that was cool. So I kept walking, it didn't dampen my motivation, the day I left Erwin it was raining and I hiked 24 miles - no worries. Even in Damascus I kept saying to my friends 'we gotta get going' even though they wanted to stay put cause it was raining, taking like 3 zeros, etc...But when I reached the top of the ridge before Atkins, up above I -80, the wind was blowing, the grass shaking, and I heard the interstate. All of a sudden a sense of calm and accomplishment came over me, not relief, but perhaps contentment. My hike was over at that moment, I just didn't know it yet, I soon found out a couple days later - and that was cool, I was OK with that.

I would encourage you to try again, you have what it takes to do it, if you can walk 500 miles you can walk 1000, and if you can walk 1000 you can walk 2000. But what do you 'want' to do? And...how will you 'feel' when you reach that critical point again? I guess that's when you will find out.

[stranger]

I think it can go either way, you could be advantaged becuase you know what it's like to hike 500 miles straight, or this could disadvantage you as well.

In 1995 I reached Pearisburg, and in 2008 I reached Atkins...before getting off the trail. Also in 2001 I did a 500 mile section in the mid-atlantic. On all those hikes, I was ready to stop when I did. In 2008 I definately felt stronger from my experience, kinda keeping quite and smirking when other hikers are talking about how 'they heard' the climb out of Stecoah Gap is overrated, or 'how easy' the Smokies are, and 'tough' the Roan Highlands are,etc...It definately gives you an edge in many ways. Also knowing the towns, which ones need maildrops, which ones have great motels or good restaurants, knowing about the Pond Mountain blue-blaze, the crazy neighbor at Greasey Creek Gap, etc...

But I must say, sometimes for me, having this 'knowledge' took something away. Not a whole lot, but it was there. You also know about the pain, the blisters that are coming, the chaffing, the full motels in town with hikers who've been there for 4 days, so it makes it hard to take it in stride when some things can be anticipated.

Finally, something happens around 500 miles, always has, we used to call it the Virginia Blues. For me, I've noticed with first time hikers there is a huge milestone in reaching Damascus for some reason. I know it was for me the first time. Alot of people quit within 200 miles from leaving Damascus, the Atkins-Troutville section ends alot of hikes, for whatever reason. I also think Trail Days ends alot of hikes.

I do think heading back to Springer is a good idea, starting at Atkins might be depressing, might not however. Also, maybe consider sobo? If I were to go again and try another big hike, I would start at Springer (for the 3rd time) just cause I love the south and hike up to Harpers Ferry or something, I would like to reach the 1000 mile mark, but I have no interest in thru-hiking anymore. It's different for everyone.

Hiking 540 miles is a huge accomplishment, huge...never forget that. For many years I thought of my 1994 (270 mile) Long Trail thru-hike as my greatest success and my 1995 (620 mile) AT hike as my greatest failure - amusing to me now, but it's how I thought back then.

Regardless of what you decide, I would plan some clear goals and strategies for southern Virginia. Doing longer days, avoiding more towns...essentially getting through that section quicker, with less time to think. Go into Marion from Partnership for resupply, then blast through Atkins without stopping and get to Pearisburg, overnight and then get to Troutville, then I like your chances.

Finally, I might share this...in 2008 I knew I wasn't thru-hiking by the time I reached Erwin, I knew it wasn't going to happen, and that was cool. So I kept walking, it didn't dampen my motivation, the day I left Erwin it was raining and I hiked 24 miles - no worries. Even in Damascus I kept saying to my friends 'we gotta get going' even though they wanted to stay put cause it was raining, taking like 3 zeros, etc...But when I reached the top of the ridge before Atkins, up above I -80, the wind was blowing, the grass shaking, and I heard the interstate. All of a sudden a sense of calm and accomplishment came over me, not relief, but perhaps contentment. My hike was over at that moment, I just didn't know it yet, I soon found out a couple days later - and that was cool, I was OK with that.

I would encourage you to try again, you have what it takes to do it, if you can walk 500 miles you can walk 1000, and if you can walk 1000 you can walk 2000. But what do you 'want' to do? And...how will you 'feel' when you reach that critical point again? I guess that's when you will find out.

How many times did I say 'Finally' haha

[ChinMusic]

stranger - I greatly appreciated you posting your experiences. I hope to take some of that with me.

[4shot]

last year there I met a gentleman up in Maine who was on his 4th attempt...his other hikes ended in Va. I really admired that. No way in the world go I retrace my steps from Springer to Pearisburg or Bland or Atkins or wherever. If you feel like quitting, ask yourself ....do I want to hike this section again!!!???? If the answer is no, keep pushing north.


But on the other hand, as someone above said, a thru hike ain't for everyone. I went back this year and did a short section and honestly I enjoyed it immensely and in some ways moreso than I did my thru. Best wishes to you, I admire the willingness to do it again.

[stranger]

Also alot depends on the 'why' in long distance hiking, WHY do we do it, and that is different for everyone.

I have more than covered the distance of the AT in it's entirety in terms of mileage, but I have not hiked the whole trail. People always ask me why re-hike sections when there are others you haven't done? My answer is that I don't care about finishing, so why on earth would I hike MA and CT when I can hike North Carolina! Other times I have hiked the same 'boring' sections more than once, PA for example, just because I could get a friend to drop me off at the trail and save me the time and cost of getting up to NH or down south.

Another friend of mind hiked in 2001, 02, 03, 04 and never reached Katahdin, he would basically hike home in the mid-atlantic somewhere, he got to Vermont one year, but in those 4 years he logged about 4500 miles, yet he never thru-hiked, in 2008 he hiked the southern 900 miles again, etc...

In AWOL's book he says something like - towards the middle or end perhaps the greatest motivation for finishing a thru-hike is the fact that you started one. I think that's well put and very honest.

[Praha4]

my experience in 2010 was by the time I got to Erwin, I was getting a bit bored with the monotony of the trail, and the attitudes of some of the other hikers. Ironically, the section from Erwin to Damascus was one of the most scenic and beautiful sections for me with Laurel Falls, Roan Mtn and the Balds north of Roan Mtn. I will retry again in the future, and my past experience in 2010 has taught me that it is not a race, to take my time and enjoy each day. I had trained a lot before the hike, but I felt like I was racing a marathon after only training for a 10K race. Doing a thru hike is not for everyone, and I got very tired of being constantly asked "are you a thru hiker?", and the sneers you get if you answer that question wrong. I enjoyed the entire experience MUCH more after going back up later in the summer after the thru hike wave had passed, and it was only section hikers out on the trail. You don't run into as many huge egos and "this is how we do it" attitudes. Enjoy the hike.

[DebbieinNH]

Hi,
Here is my experiences, you can take them for what they are worth. I hiked this year from Springer to Damascus VA in pain from a bad knee. I went home for two weeks then went back out at Harpers Ferry WV and made it to just past Duncannon PA where i went home again in pain and due to a guy jumping me. (His mistake believe me he paid for it..smile)
I am going to go out and hike more. I've talked to others doing the same.
For me retracing my steps rather than starting a new section would be frustrating. I like new hikes new scenery. I hated the Smokies myself and was so happy to get out of them. So why would I redo them? There are some beautiful hikes in the Smokies..the AT does not happen to be one of them in my opinion. It is rocky miserable trail much of it torn up by horses.
If you want my ideas, go back to where you stopped and begin. Hike as far as you are able or willing to. When the bug to stop hits you (and it will it does to all of us) commit to hiking another hundred miles. If you still want to go home then fine do so. That way you will know it is the right decision for you and not because you are having a bad day or the trail in that place is not to your liking or the weather is bad... So many things can affect our mood hiking.

That's my FYI...since I have more trail to do I will leave it at that.
Pippi

[Pony]

I think it's most important to identify what made you get off the trial the first time, and change that. Be sure to be honest with yourself.

I got off the trail in Damascus in 2008, and in 2010 started north out of Damascus and made it to Katahdin. These two hikes were completely different, and if I had left Springer in 2008 with the same attitude that I left Damascus with, I'm sure I would have completed a thru hike.

For me it was important to be selfish. What I mean by this is make decisions based on what you want and not what others around you are doing. I know you meet a lot of great people on the trail, but if they want to go to trail days, or NYC or hike a 35 mile day, and that is not in line with your agenda, then don't do it. Chances are you will see these people again.

I greatly changed they way I hiked the second time, and that made a huge difference. Flexibility is key. On my first hike, if I woke up and planned to hike 20 miles, I hiked 20 miles regardless of how I felt, weather conditions, etc. The second time around I flew by the seat of my pants and it made the hike more interesting and enjoyable. There were days when I planned on hiking 20 miles, but after 6 found a really cool campsite and called it a day. There were also days that I planned on hiking 10, but realized I could get pizza if I hiked 20 to the next road crossing.

One evening around dusk I made it to a shelter and the people there informed me that the shelter was full. I told them that was alright because I was going to hike another 12 miles to the next shelter, which put me there around midnight. This group hiked on a schedule similar to a work schedule. One of them said, "I know your type, all footloose and fancy free". Not sure if he meant this as an insult or a compliment, but it was definately a critique of my hiking style which was quite different from theirs. I took it as a compliment, and knew right there I was doing something right. In short, hike your own hike, and do whatever it takes to make the hike fun, even if that means hitching into town to get a cup of coffee and b.s. with the locals, which I did a lot and was an awesome part of my experience.

I did get a new trail name the second time, mostly for superstitious reasons.

As far as gear, I changed a few things, but nothing that had a significant impact on my success. The most important piece of gear you have is between your ears. Stay positive and maintain a good attitude and you'll be fine

[FritztheCat]

Stranger, thank you for your posts. I just got off the trail with my thru-hike attempt ending in MA. Knee blew in upper NY and I limped through CT hoping it would get better. Was pretty dumb as it just got worse. Have been thinking of how I'll get back into after healing and your post was very insightful.

[Sassafras Lass]

hey all,
i attempted a thru hike in 2010, then got off in Atkins, VA. I'm thinking about trying again (starting from springer), and want to know what other people in this situation have done.

the second try:
did you change pack weight, gear, etc?
did you change the way you hiked?
(silly, but) did you keep your trail name?
what made the second time easier/more successful?

thanks!! :)

My husband and I made it partially through the Smokies this spring before getting off. We are going to attempt a SOBO next year.

I'm changing out my Big 3 and carrying less than I did this spring - I had about a week's worth of food + water + gear and started up that cussed approach trail with 35 lbs. Not doing that again! I'm down to a base weight of 10.13 lbs (only some of my items properly weighed, but assuredly won't be over 11 lbs). DH wants to go lighter too but at the expense of health and safety (he doesn't tolerate that biting wind very well, is a bit susceptible to hypothermia).

The only thing I'll be changing is developing a better, more efficient system for packing and spending less time in camp.

Keeping my trail name, though when you're missing teeth it's hard to pronounce those F's and S's, and people are forever asking me what I'm saying and what it means. :rolleyes:

What makes our SOBO easier? We've done about 200 miles - we know what it's like now, any illusions are thoroughly scattered with the wind and we know what we're getting ourselves into, what slowed us down before, what we can be more efficient with, and don't have as much emotional baggage for this time around. That's the biggie, IMO.

Good luck to you!

[q-tip]

In march 2009 I made it to Franklin NC and relapsed on a very serious depression. I was so sick I couldn't stand up straight. It was very difficult, but I went home after three weeks. Last Aug. I went back to Franklin and completed the 1,000 mi. to Harpers Ferry. I don't think I would have made the last 100 miles if I started in Springer. At Harpers Ferry, I again was ill with depression and left the trail. For me, completing the southern half was an affirmation of life and critical to my recovery. I took a lot of zero's those last 200 miles, and many more "standing eight counts" going up the hills. this is one of the great accomplishments in my life, considering it all. Do what you think is right, be happy.....

[cornbread]

I started northbound out of GA in 2009, I ended up getting off the trail in Troutdale / Atkins. I wasn't in the right mindset at the time to continue hiking and I ended up having an epic experience traveling the country, going to festivals, and pushing my personal limits of backpacking in the Sierras and in Yellowstone. 2010 I got back on and finished the AT with a much matured perspective on backpacking. I greatly benefited from my time off the trail, another year's planning, and a renewed motivated mindset. I've head a lot of people say the AT is 80% inspiration, 20% perspiration. The trail really is all about how you look at it, whether its about physical goals, an experience of lifetime, or a reflection period. Keep you spirits high, trek swiftly and softly, and don't eat a lot of junk food that makes your stomach feel terrible. maybe theres a SOBO hike in my near future !?!?!?

[Chaco Taco]

I started northbound out of GA in 2009, I ended up getting off the trail in Troutdale / Atkins. I wasn't in the right mindset at the time to continue hiking and I ended up having an epic experience traveling the country, going to festivals, and pushing my personal limits of backpacking in the Sierras and in Yellowstone. 2010 I got back on and finished the AT with a much matured perspective on backpacking. I greatly benefited from my time off the trail, another year's planning, and a renewed motivated mindset. I've head a lot of people say the AT is 80% inspiration, 20% perspiration. The trail really is all about how you look at it, whether its about physical goals, an experience of lifetime, or a reflection period. Keep you spirits high, trek swiftly and softly, and don't eat a lot of junk food that makes your stomach feel terrible. maybe theres a SOBO hike in my near future !?!?!?

2009 are you sure????

[Brock]

Here was my experience...

I started NOBO in 2005 with the intentions of hiking as long as I wanted to, so not necessarily a thru hike. Around Hot Springs I started considering getting off the trial. I was kind of bored and felt other opportunities for adventure might be more fun. After spending time at Trail Days and then walking from Hot Springs to Erwin, I got sick in Erwin which weakened my body. Starting back hiking out of Erwin, I decided to quit after a mile. I walked to Johnny's and was at a bus station and home in 14 hours. Big mistake. The bigger one was the inability of me to get rid of my apartment before hiking the trail. So for a month+ I was hiking I kept thinking about how easy it was to go home and how I was wasting money on this apartment.

A few months later, I found where some hiking buddies where and decided to pick up the AT again starting at Harpers Ferry. Again, I did not get rid of my apartment. 2 weeks later I quit due to extreme foot pain. Long story short, foot pain probably wasn't my only reason for quitting. I hadn't fixed any of the issues that caused me to quit the first time.

The next year I did things right. I got rid of my apartment, stored all my junk and picked up the AT where I left off in Erwin. Never once in this trip did I think about quitting. Part of it might have been that I had learned a lot about hiking in that year and from my earlier mistakes (got a smaller pack and sleeping bag). A lot of it was that I didn't have my own place to go back to. Getting rid of my apartment and essentially cutting ties (and bills) to home (sure I could always move in with my parents or a friend) made a huge deal to me. Part of it too was that I took 2 one week vacations from the trail, one for a wedding back home and one when my parents came to visit. I also had a personal drive inside to finish this trail. I was really excited to visit the North East for the first time and that goal kept me going.

TL;DR...
Important aspects IMO to a successful long distance hike...
- cut ties back home. Don't make it easy to come back home and fall back into place
- have enough resources to adapt to your mistakes. A large heavy load weighed me down
- take breaks from the trail... go see DC from Harpers Ferry. Aquablaze. Visit Asheland NC and other cool towns off trail if you need a break.


In the end, the AT was the best thing I have ever done for myself, regardless of all the money and time I "wasted" doing it. Even though I didn't technically thruhike, I still got to feel what it was like living outside watching Spring change into Summer and change into Fall which IMO was the best experience of the whole trip (and something section hikers don't typically get to feel).

[beaudetious]

Visit Asheland NC

My 2 cents... save your money by skipping Asheland. Visit Asheville instead. ;)

[sbhikes]

the second try:
did you change pack weight, gear, etc?
did you change the way you hiked?
(silly, but) did you keep your trail name?
what made the second time easier/more successful?


I changed my gear. I lightened every last thing until it was as light as it could be. The first time around I set off with 22lbs of gear before food and water. The 2nd time I set off with 12lbs of gear without food and water. That's like leaving a bowling ball home.

I changed the way I hiked. I was a PCT hiker. I hiked in fear of running out of water. The 2nd time I hiked with trust that there would always be enough water and that if I ran out, I would be okay. The first time I struggled carrying 5.5 liters of water kept as full as possible all the time and carried a heavy filter. The 2nd time I carried 3 liters, used aquamira, and I always had enough clean clear water. It helped that I knew where all the water was going to be.

I kept my trail name. I started to stop using it toward the end of my hike though because I wasn't hiking with the herd and only met other section hikers and none of them had trail names so it felt silly to use one myself. That's why some people knew me as Piper and others as Diane.

I didn't start over from the beginning the second time, but I did overlap 350 miles. Being familiar with that 350 miles of trail made it much easier to trust the water situation. I hiked 1200 miles the first time and 1800 miles the 2nd time. Being familiar with how I would do on a long hike made it way easier to plan. I knew how far I could go each day. I knew what foods I liked. I knew how cold it was going to be, etc. I was more successful (I completed my goal) the 2nd time because I knew it would bother me if I didn't complete the entire trail. I also knew I would never drive all the way to Washington if I didn't finish. So no matter how much I wanted to go home, and there were many many days when I could hardly stand it how badly I just wanted to go home, I refused to go home.