View Full Version : Thru hiking with a partner
does it double your chances of dropping out? Or does it even matter? Just curious if someone knows any stats.
I started with a partner, worked out great till Pearisburg, he got bored/tired/whatever and quit. I hiked solo until Port Clinton, when my GF got out of school for the summer and finished with me. I doubt I would have finished if she hadn't got on. I don't mind hiking alone but I really wasn't with a group at this point and it did get boring and lonely. I'd imagine if you start with a partner your more inclined to want to have one the whole time.
Any thoughts?
Would not dream of hiking 2100+ miles with someone unless it was my wife or one of my kids.
I'm way too quirkly - I like to start early-early often, I don't like to stop and smell the roses a lot, I'm subject to hike late and all kinds of things that drive people nuts.
Don't get me wrong - I can do it for a few days and have a great time but for weeks on end I wouldn't even try, especially if I valued the friendship.
max patch
12-28-2011, 12:25
Would not dream of hiking 2100+ miles with someone unless it was my wife or one of my kids.
Absolutely totally agree 100%.
Would suggest that anyone intending to hike the entire distance with someone other than spouse do not have shared gear. Each should be self sufficient. Do you really want to be joined at the hip with someone every day for 6 months? Even a child may need their own space a time or two.
During my thru I met two 20 something young ladies who had been best friends since since kindergarten. By the time they reached Kent they hated each other and were splitting up their gear like a married couple in divorce court and figuring out how to get resupplied. Quite sad.
RWheeler
12-28-2011, 12:29
Would not dream of hiking 2100+ miles with someone unless it was my wife or one of my kids.
I'm way too quirkly - I like to start early-early often, I don't like to stop and smell the roses a lot, I'm subject to hike late and all kinds of things that drive people nuts.
Don't get me wrong - I can do it for a few days and have a great time but for weeks on end I wouldn't even try, especially if I valued the friendship.
I feel I'm similar to 10-K. I have my own ideas of what I want to do, when I want to do them. If I feel like it, I'll break camp and start hiking before sunrise, and continue to do so until the stars are out.
I ultimately feel that me hiking with someone from home would put a strain on whatever the relationship was, because I wouldn't want to change my ideas or habits to accommodate for them and wouldn't want them to do the same. I'm hesitant to agree to even meeting up with friends from home for a day hike when I'm passing through on my thru. By the time I reach CT/MA, I'll be in a very particular mind set and shape. Although I might take a "zero-ish" day and just hike that small section, which I've done as a good day hike many times.
I'm a section hiker who loves solo hiking. There's no shortage of people to talk with, and I don't have to compromise on what I want to do. Many of the thrus I've met do travel in twos, threes or larger groups, but I have the sense that they met up along the way, not that they started out that way.
i think full time hiking partners are like musical instruments...you see a lot in the south but not many north of Harpers Ferry..My partner and I grew up next door to each other when we decided to hike the AT together.
I'm hiking the LT with a buddy next summer, no shared gear, no shared mail drops..a shared schedule and that's about it. We plan on staying together but, he's a stronger hiker so I'm not sure how much we'll see each other during the day.
Andy
partner days are over