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Thread: day hiking

  1. #1
    Registered User Glacier's Avatar
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    Default day hiking

    Well I have to use up some sick time at work. I'm taking off one day a week in January to knock out some sections. I have to do an out and back in a day. I'm looking at my maps and see a LOT of connecting road walking ahead. Now I like a out and back if I'm hiking in some peaceful woods or a neat downtown area (like lodi last week) but spending all day walking along county highways is not very fun. One way..Ok...but walking back? What do you do?

  2. #2
    GSMNP 900 Miler
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    Some people point out that when you back-track, it's really not the same trail. Sure, any scenic views might be the same. But the whole look and feel of the trail will be different hiking it in the other direction.

    Of course otherwise, you find trails that can allow you to hike a loop... (I find in the Great Smokey Mountains, there are all sorts of loop hikes I can create if I'm willing to walk along a roadway for a short distance), or shuttles.

  3. #3
    Registered User Glacier's Avatar
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    I'm sectioning the ice age so looping is not really an option. I totally get what your saying about having a different feel when hiking on a return. I feel the same when hiking an actual trail...seeing things from a different angle. But when cars are Wizzing next to you at 55 mph I really lose the trail feel. I guess it's foolish and I should just suck it up.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu View Post
    Some people point out that when you back-track, it's really not the same trail. Sure, any scenic views might be the same. But the whole look and feel of the trail will be different hiking it in the other direction.
    I do a lot of out and backs and I find this to be true - it really is two different perspectives. If you're objective is to enjoy the experience rather than just tick off miles, its not a bad approach at all. Even seasonality makes it a different trail. With the leaves fallen, the green tunnel is gone and there is completely different scenery.

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    Sometimes I bike back on a road, if it works out good.
    There is also a trail angel list of people that will help shuttle you.
    Be sure to Tip Well. I usually pay 10 to 20 dollars
    Contact the Ice Age Trail Office to have them email you the list.
    You can also contact the local chapter and they can find someone to shuttle you.
    Also, there is a facebook page called the Thousand Miler Wannabes where
    people list that they are hiking a section and try to get people to join in.
    That facebook page is here https://www.facebook.com/groups/214797715197465/
    Also, I have the best collection of Ice Age Trail photos on the internet. So you
    can check out a section before you hike it. My website is located here
    https://sites.google.com/site/tmansiceagetrailtreks/

  6. #6

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    G'morning, Tman. Congrats on finishing!

  7. #7
    Registered User Glacier's Avatar
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    Thanks for the links tman! ! I decided to yo yo sections when I'm out by myself. I will definitely reference your pics for pre trip planning. Congratulations on your finish!

  8. #8

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    I'm a bike and hiker - but I wouldn't do that in the winter!!! I usually park my car at the end of a days hike, ride my bike to the other end, and then hike back to the car. While the IATA, the trail angel network, and 1000 miler FB page are all nice and there are a lot of nice people willing to shuttle on the IAT, sometimes its nice to not have to rely on other peoples schedules and be able to do your own thing. And double walking roads is not an option in my mind.

  9. #9
    Registered User Glacier's Avatar
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    Well I have my sights set on point beach state Forrest this weekend. I was hoping to snowshoe this segment but it looks like the north east is getting all the snow . The hike through manitowoc and two rivers was nice but uneventful...except when i had to double back because i missed a new stretch of trail. Thats what i get for using 2011 maps and not checking the website. woodland dunes segment was pretty.

  10. #10
    Registered User Glacier's Avatar
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    The point beach segment is awesome! Probably my favorite part of the iat so far. The hiking along the lake shore is pretty cool. The trails are very well maintained and marked.

  11. #11
    Registered User AO2134's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu View Post
    Some people point out that when you back-track, it's really not the same trail. Sure, any scenic views might be the same. But the whole look and feel of the trail will be different hiking it in the other direction.

    Of course otherwise, you find trails that can allow you to hike a loop... (I find in the Great Smokey Mountains, there are all sorts of loop hikes I can create if I'm willing to walk along a roadway for a short distance), or shuttles.
    I think that is exactly right. The trail is always different going NOBO (out) from SOBO (back). The only time I find out and back hikes annoying is when I am trying to complete a section hike on the AT (for example, I did a 15 mile section of the AT NOBO and SOBO because I didn't have a partner. I thought to myself, man, I could have done 30 "new" AT miles. Instead I only got 15 "new" AT miles. I could have gotten to X, Y, or Z, but instead, I only got to A) or due to parking issues, a section is so long that it does not allow for 2 out-and-back hikes from each parking location, but must be completed as a single section hike. Otherwise, if I am just day hiking, the trail going out is always different from the trail coming back. Your perspective is different; things which were hidden to you before come into plain sight on the return.

    I recently did panther creek trail. Heading to the falls, I missed many awesome views up stream because I was hiking down stream, but I got to see them in the return trip. The out trip is almost always different from the back trip in an out-and-back hike.

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