View Full Version : AT hiking records other than speed records
PJWetzel
09-13-2012, 13:53
I'm currently working on a 2012 double, hiking the entire AT strictly by day hikes, doing individual N-S, S-N daily yo-yo's and getting off the trail every night. In other words, I hike a small section of trail both ways every day - every white blaze twice, no exceptions (I'm a strict purist). So far I've finished 229 day hikes starting January 1, and have completed everything from Daleville VA south and from Caledonia SP, PA north. I'll be starting this middle section in a few days.
As far as anyone knows (I've asked Laurie Potteiger at the ATC), I'll be the first one to hike the trail this way in a single calendar year.
So my questions are two: First, does anyone here know of such an attempt (to hike the entire AT twice by day hikes in a single calendar year)? And second: It occurred to me that at age 63 (64 when I finish), I might be among the older people to do an AT double. Does anyone know the record for the oldest person to complete a double in a single calendar year?
Thanks in advance for your responses.
Seeks It
Those would be some interesting records to find out. Does the ATC consider it a double thru? I don't know of anyone that's done this outside of yo-yo fashion.
My guess is that no one has ever hiked the trail like you are doing now-- regardless of age.
I don't read journals, but would definitely make an exception in your case. If you ever put up any details of your hile online I hope you will let everyone here know about it.
Cheers.
I could be mistaken but I think Ward Leonard tripled the trail, but backpacking in similar fashion. For example he'd hike from Springer to Neel, back to Springer, to Dicks Creek, back to Neel, to Winding Stair Gap, back to Dicks Creek, to Fontana Dam, back to Winding Stair etc all the way to Katahdin.
Some would call that insane and in this case, it could very well be true.
Gray Blazer
09-14-2012, 12:32
I could be mistaken but I think Ward Leonard tripled the trail, but backpacking in similar fashion. For example he'd hike from Springer to Neel, back to Springer, to Dicks Creek, back to Neel, to Winding Stair Gap, back to Dicks Creek, to Fontana Dam, back to Winding Stair etc all the way to Katahdin.
Some would call that insane and in this case, it could very well be true.
That's how I hike it, but, I ain't trying to do the whole thing. Shuttlers don't like it.
forrest!
09-14-2012, 13:14
My guess is that no one has ever hiked the trail like you are doing now-- regardless of age.
I don't read journals, but would definitely make an exception in your case. If you ever put up any details of your hile online I hope you will let everyone here know about it.
Cheers.
He has an excellent journal at trailjournals. I've been following it every day. Look for SeeksIt.
forrest!
09-14-2012, 13:15
I could be mistaken but I think Ward Leonard tripled the trail, but backpacking in similar fashion. For example he'd hike from Springer to Neel, back to Springer, to Dicks Creek, back to Neel, to Winding Stair Gap, back to Dicks Creek, to Fontana Dam, back to Winding Stair etc all the way to Katahdin.
Some would call that insane and in this case, it could very well be true.
Why would someone do this? Or is that a stupid question? Was there a car involved?
Why would someone do this? Or is that a stupid question? Was there a car involved?
A) from some accounts, hes not exactly "all there"
B) stories of this guy are vague, various, inconsistent and often contested. ive read he hiked the trail 3 times in a year also. ive read it described this way and in another way. ive read someone adamantly deny him having ever done such a thing. ive read various versions of what year this all took place and if his speed record was during this or seperate. as far as i'm concerned its all conjecture/urban legend.
I haven't been able to actually find whether you stay in a motel every night, but if you don't like camping, you're probably not sleeping in your car, either, :D so I'm wondering if you're also doing the most expensive thru-hike ever. :-?
yellowsirocco
09-15-2012, 17:02
These speed and completion records are stupid. I would like to see someone who hikes the whole trail and has a beer every single night.
slow mind
09-15-2012, 17:06
These speed and completion records are stupid. I would like to see someone who hikes the whole trail and has a beer every single night.
That could very well be me in the not too distant future.
These speed and completion records are stupid. I would like to see someone who hikes the whole trail and has a beer every single night.
Agreed. If you want to set records, go into running, hurdles, Swimming, etc. But hiking? Just complete the trail...
if I ever get to do it, I want to take the time and enjoy it, not just pound out miles and miss the fun.
Agreed. If you want to set records, go into running, hurdles, Swimming, etc. But hiking? Just complete the trail...
if I ever get to do it, I want to take the time and enjoy it, not just pound out miles and miss the fun.
The OP is hiking the whole trail twice, once in each direction, plus side trails, plus seeing every town and road and who knows what else along the way. trust me, hes getting more out of it than many thru hikers are.
PJWetzel
09-18-2012, 11:54
Thanks for all your responses. I once thought I had seen a web site that posts various records regarding AT hiking, but I couldn't find it, which is why I posted here.
Regarding some of your comments:
First, I have at least one beer every night - that's one of the big advantages of being 'back home' and off the trail every night.
Second, I don't like tent camping, but spend almost every night sleeping in my 'poor man's RV', which I also call my " two ton steel tent".
Third, I'm not just grinding out the miles, in fact I'm pretty slow and stop to see everything that interests me, stop to talk with interesting people, etc. In order to do a double in one calendar year you only have to do a bit more than 6 miles of new trail every day (both ways, that makes 12 or 13 miles per day).
Fourth, as Forrest! noted (thank you, sir), I'm keeping and posting a daily blog on three sites, all linked in my signature line. They duplicate one another in terms of text, but if you want to see daily GPS tracks and all the photos that I've selected to publish, go to EveryTrail. When it's all over, if I succeed, I hope to write a book about the experience, tentatively titled 'Home Every Night'.
FlyPaper
09-18-2012, 12:30
I'm currently working on a 2012 double, hiking the entire AT strictly by day hikes, doing individual N-S, S-N daily yo-yo's and getting off the trail every night. In other words, I hike a small section of trail both ways every day - every white blaze twice, no exceptions (I'm a strict purist). So far I've finished 229 day hikes starting January 1, and have completed everything from Daleville VA south and from Caledonia SP, PA north. I'll be starting this middle section in a few days.
As far as anyone knows (I've asked Laurie Potteiger at the ATC), I'll be the first one to hike the trail this way in a single calendar year.
So my questions are two: First, does anyone here know of such an attempt (to hike the entire AT twice by day hikes in a single calendar year)? And second: It occurred to me that at age 63 (64 when I finish), I might be among the older people to do an AT double. Does anyone know the record for the oldest person to complete a double in a single calendar year?
Thanks in advance for your responses.
Seeks It
There are many places that have more than a day hike between road crossings, especially considering you have to go both ways.
What is the plan in those cases?
PJWetzel
09-18-2012, 12:57
There are many places that have more than a day hike between road crossings, especially considering you have to go both ways.
What is the plan in those cases?
The Smokies were the worst area for lack of road crossings. There are two 30 to 31 mile stretches of trail without any road crossings and with few options for inserting yourself via a side trail. In the Smokies I just 'sucked it up' and hiked 15 miles from either end to the middle and back. That made for four very tough days (for me) with 30+ miles of hiking. I would start before dawn and end after dark, but stuck to my (self established) rule of being 'home' before midnight every night.
In the Whites there are also long stretches of AT without road crossings, but in this area there are good (and usually easy) side trails that are no more than 3 miles in length that allow you to insert yourself into the middle of a roadless stretch and hike at least a small piece of AT every day. That's slow going, but got it done. Examples of side trails I used are the Zealand Trail and the Gale River Trail. In most cases these are also the trails that the 'croo' use to tote supplies up to the AMC huts.
Similarly in the Mahoosucs there is a long piece of trail without road crossings, but again here there are side trails. Two that I used are the Notch Trail and the Success Trail, and these are also easy trails of no more than about 3 miles in length.
Finally, many people along the way asked me how I was going to tackle the 'Hundred Mile Wilderness'. Well, this stretch of trail has many road crossings that are all part of the North Maine Woods private road system. These are toll roads (you pay $10 for the privilege to drive them each day), but there are more than enough road crossings to get the job done for a day hiker.
jimmyjam
09-18-2012, 13:31
Agreed. If you want to set records, go into running, hurdles, Swimming, etc. But hiking? Just complete the trail...
if I ever get to do it, I want to take the time and enjoy it, not just pound out miles and miss the fun.
My thoughts exactly. And I hope to have that beer or a shot of whiskey at least every other day while I take my sweet time and enjoy the trail.
forrest!
09-18-2012, 13:50
Fourth, as Forrest! noted (thank you, sir), I'm keeping and posting a daily blog on three sites, all linked in my signature line. They duplicate one another in terms of text, but if you want to see daily GPS tracks and all the photos that I've selected to publish, go to EveryTrail. When it's all over, if I succeed, I hope to write a book about the experience, tentatively titled 'Home Every Night'.
I love your photos too. And the map page with the photos embedded is great. Another benefit of not backpacking/camping? You must have a laptop in the steel tent and can drive to get internet access frequently.
So I admire your determination and will definitely buy your book when it comes out. But I still plan to do a traditional thru-hike when my time comes!
k2basecamp
09-18-2012, 14:03
I am sure you will be setting the day hiking record for the trail ! However, I think you're missing something special by not camping out and carrying a backpack. You may have already said it, but why don't you sleep on the trail ? Must be quite expensive.
Good luck with the completion of your trip.
Alleghanian Orogeny
09-26-2012, 17:03
I was referred to your account of this 2012 effort by a friend of Class of 2012 through-hiker "Sparky", who finished his NOBO on Saturday, 24 September. I am particularly amazed at the completion of two through-hikes in a single year's time, not to mention the challenge of having started in VA on New Year's Day!
So, my friend and I are watching your updates closely and enjoying each of them. This business of "home every night" has a lot of appeal to some. After all, don't we all need to HYOH? Thanks much for the considerable effort to provide such rich details and the map segments. All very well done, sir!
AO
i wanna be the person who takes the longest to do it. whats that record. ppl get too focused on speed and long miles that i dont see how they enjoy it. and whats up with ppl who dont even have a fire at night. YOUR CAMPING!
I should contact the ATC since I feel I hold the record for the most whoopie pies consumed in Maine.
Maybe someone wants to try to drink the most beer on a thru?
Showerless/laundryless thru?
Most times pooping?
Heaviest pack?
I'm sure we could all get really weird with this list
HighLiner
09-29-2012, 20:07
North Topsail, how neat! I was at the Spot Festival in Hampstead today. I live in Rocky Point area and just got back from New Hampshire! Down to 390 miles as I'm at Kinsman Notch. Two more trips! You would probably be fun to drink a beer with! Good luck with the hike. HighLiner.
stumpknocker
09-29-2012, 20:46
I saw an Asian guy doing the same thing back in either 02, 03 or 04. He had a small car with a bed built where the passenger seat went. He seemed to be having a great time. Not sure if he ever did the whole Trail, but I have thought how great it would be to hike the Trail that way sometime.
You have already walked more miles than most do in a single year....congratulations!! I like to see people walk the Trail their own way. :)
T.S.Kobzol
09-29-2012, 22:39
Wow...and you have it all planned out with a book title and all.
Have a good time but I would never read/buy such "book" about someone who needs the safety blanket of a caRVe.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
i wanna be the person who takes the longest to do it. whats that record. ppl get too focused on speed and long miles that i dont see how they enjoy it. and whats up with ppl who dont even have a fire at night. YOUR CAMPING!
whats up with stopping while theres still light in the sky just so you can set up camp and build a fire? youre HIKING!
Lone Wolf
09-30-2012, 05:51
whats up with stopping while theres still light in the sky just so you can set up camp and build a fire? youre HIKING!
i never walk after 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon. i'm campin'.
i never walk after 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon. i'm campin'.
Smart.
Even in the Whites on a holiday weekend the trails will be empty for good while those who get up at this time day rather than sleep in.
One really can hike and camp, too.
stumpknocker
09-30-2012, 07:27
i wanna be the person who takes the longest to do it. whats that record. ppl get too focused on speed and long miles that i dont see how they enjoy it. and whats up with ppl who dont even have a fire at night. YOUR CAMPING!
I ran into a couple that were on their 21st year of doing 100 miles a year. They were going to wait to finish the Trail the next year. I am sure there are people that have taken longer.
You don't see how someone can enjoy speed hiking or walking long days?? I am not a speed hiker, but I like walking long days. Should I change my ways to please you?? I thought I was out there to please me.
I have hiked over 21,000 miles now and have only built one fire. I didn't like building fire, but maybe I should stop sooner, set up camp and build a fire to please you. All I have been doing is trying to please me....I wasn't aware I was supposed to be trying to please you.
The OP doesn't have to please anyone but himself. Seems like quite an adventure to me to walk everyday going into his fourth season and seeing the Trail from north and south.
i never walk after 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon. i'm campin'.
if thats what you and matador want to do i have no problem with that. i walk until it gets dark and i still have not figured out why the camping crowd insists this is wrong and something to be critical of. i'm doing something wrong by not building campfires, lol thats probably the best one ive heard from the stop and smell the roses crowd yet.
i'll say it for the 2nd time in this thread now- seeks it is having a much richer and extensive experience doing what he is doing than probably almost all of your typical thru hikers.
I met Car Hop in 2009 who did something similar but didn't hike the whole trail twice, just once. He worked a day job from a computer in a hotel room, then got on the trail from a road crossing and hiked SOBO, starting around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, back to a second car which he then leapfrogged to the next northbound stop. So he hiked the whole trail NOBO, but each day (night really - he mostly night hiked) was SOBO. I met him just before he did the Franconia Ridge at night. I was glad to see him the next day and find out that he'd survived just fine, but he said it was pretty scary and windy up there for a bunch of the night! He was a really sweet guy. He also used side trails in the Whites and in Maine.
I'm really impressed that you're doing the whole trail twice! That's pretty cool!
Jim Adams
09-30-2012, 23:08
These speed and completion records are stupid. I would like to see someone who hikes the whole trail and has a beer every single night.
...been real close...never thought of keeping track of it.
geek