How do you greet a passing hiker?

[Dogwood]

While descending past ascending Mt Whitney summitting tourons wearing NIKE bandannas and CROCS at the Whitney Portal TH - Easy hike, it's only 6700 ft more elevation gain and 11 miles. Watch out for all the wild animals. Da bears and da Wag Bags are out in force today.

While descending past despondent ascending young teens - I got WiFi Face Time at the summit.

While descending past struggling ascending Yuppies - Can you believe someone was handing out free Starbucks Lattes at the top?

[LittleRock]

"Great day for a hike!", regardless of the weather

[Scrum]

Sometime when a passing hiker asks "how are you?" I respond "fat, old and out of shape."

It usually gets a smile, and occasionally a laugh, even though all three are obviously true.

[RockDoc]

I say "Good job" even if they look like heck.
I might ask about water up ahead.
It's nice when hikers actually stop and chat, but few do anymore.

I don't ask northbounders how far they're going, because you will hear a lot of lies about Maine from people who are going to quit very soon.

[Traveler]

Passing hiker: Pardon me.

Me: (wiping eyes) Raw oysters wrapped in bacon?

[4eyedbuzzard]

Seeing as this is in the humor section, I've always wanted to ask, "Hey, just wondering, have you heard if they've caught that ax murderer yet?"

[MuddyWaters]

Always wanted to casually say " Watch out for that bear up there, it chased me a ways" , and just keep walking.

[evyck da fleet]

To thru hikers: There's a hiker feed at the next road
To women: Hiking's a great way to lose weight, eh?
To men: Try not to stare at the topless hiker when she comes by

[Skyline]

....If I'm on the AT and a thruhiker passes by I have learned to not say a word as they will not stop to talk in their mad rush forwards. If you think you will be able to stand and talk on the trail with a thruhiker and even throw off your packs and sit down for a break, you are SADLY MISTAKEN. Even if you get them to stop and talk for a moment or two, they will constantly be inching forwards and apart, always eyeballing the trail ahead. AVOID THRUHIKERS!!

I've had the opposite experience with at least 3/4 of the thru-hikers and long distance section hikers I've encountered on the AT over the last 20+ years. Yes, there are mile slaves who won't stop for a hurricane but most are happy to chat.

The key for me is to try to initiate the conversation. Something like, "You look like you might be headed to Maine (or Georgia)." They usually take that as a compliment, answer, and then I'll inquire, "When did you start?..." And often convo from a minute to 30 minutes may follow.

It's all good.

[Furlough]

If I'm on the AT and a thruhiker passes by I have learned to not say a word as they will not stop to talk in their mad rush forwards. If you think you will be able to stand and talk on the trail with a thruhiker and even throw off your packs and sit down for a break, you are SADLY MISTAKEN. Even if you get them to stop and talk for a moment or two, they will constantly be inching forwards and apart, always eyeballing the trail ahead. AVOID THRUHIKERS!!

Not my experience at all. Maybe it has to do with the location. Most of my interaction with thru hikers is in SNP and I have had some good conversations with them. Usually I am out maintaining, and most of the time they initiate the conversation. A lot of the times they stop to thank me for maintaining the trail and to compliment PATC on the condition of the trail overall in SNP . One time a young man, 20 something - helped me saw through a blow down and move the blowdown off the trail.

[MuddyWaters]

If I'm on the AT and a thruhiker passes by I have learned to not say a word as they will not stop to talk in their mad rush forwards. If you think you will be able to stand and talk on the trail with a thruhiker and even throw off your packs and sit down for a break, you are SADLY MISTAKEN. Even if you get them to stop and talk for a moment or two, they will constantly be inching forwards and apart, always eyeballing the trail ahead. AVOID THRUHIKERS!!

Some truth to this imo. I have seldom spent more than a minute or two casually chatting with stranger passed while hiking. At a shelter or campsite, I may talk for an hour or more. Usually if going same direction I will pass them or maybe take break to let them get far ahead so I can be alone. My breaks are scheduled in my head, for the most part I stick to that schedule, i dont want an unplanned 20 minute chat. . I think most hike that way.

Ive encountered some apparently conversation starved people that were hard to politely get away from. Some people need conversation with others. Im not one of them. Im content being alone for a week.

[daddytwosticks]

...if I was hiking and saw another fellow hiker with a seventy pound pack on their back and five pound leather boots on their feet on such as accessable trail like the AT, I'd probably question his or her sanity. Move on, avoid eye contact, and try not to laugh out loud.

[Shutterbug]

Always wanted to casually say " Watch out for that bear up there, it chased me a ways" , and just keep walking.

I usually inquire, "Have you seen any wildlife?" Last summer, I asked a couple that question and they calmly replied, "Well, we have seen two bears." I responded, "Where?" They said, "One was back there about a mile and the other is right behind you."

[Del Q]

Do you have any extra Snicker's bars?

[Skyline]

. . . Ive encountered some apparently conversation starved people that were hard to politely get away from. Some people need conversation with others. Im not one of them. Im content being alone for a week.

And on the other side of this coin, there's just Southern Hospitality. Bless your heart.

[MuddyWaters]

And on the other side of this coin, there's just Southern Hospitality. Bless your heart.

Cant spend 20 min chatting with everyone you pass. You wont get anywhere.

[Skyline]

Cant spend 20 min chatting with everyone you pass. You wont get anywhere.

Yep. A minute here, three there, eight over here ... before ya know it you're talkin' about real time.

[johnnybgood]

Usually say something like "nice day to be in the woods" or "beautiful day isn't it" casual type greeting. I have sometimes engaged in more conversation, especially if the other hiker seems open to it . I like to also know what the water sources ahead are like during drier summer months and if the trail has any interesting to see .

No worries Muddy, if you don't won't to be conversational I can dig it.

[wormer]

Cautiously

[mrcoffeect]

I like to get the formalities out of the way. I'll usually start a trailside chat with "your doing it wrong".