why you should love section hikers

[kestral]

Hmmm, I can't grow a beard, being a lady hiker. Perchance that's why I get little respect?

But seriously, I learned a long time ago that self respect beats the supposed respect of some stranger who doesn't know me or my background. Older females are somewhat invisible, being perceived as slow, stupid, not having any usable information or argument, and not on the sexual radar. Actually this ain't always a bad thing because I can skirt around most disagreements and HMOH. (Pun intended)

[Curious G]

Hmmm...after all, what do you call a failed thru hiker?

Actually I was being serious. As a failed thru hiker who has completed 2026 miles so far, my point of view is every section hiker isn't a novice but we get stereotyped as novices .... that's why I always grow a 2 week beard before I get to the trail ...then I get more trail cred

Man that identifier is terrible and a symbol of the weird world that caters too about 1,000 people and discards about 3,000,000. I can think of a lot things that can actually be failed but hiking? I mean really? College, relationships, jobs, winning a contest of skill where there is actually a prize, swimming the channel, topping Everest, understanding the electoral college, and so on but come on hiking? Isn't that counter the point of taking a walk in the mountains? Isn't it supposed to make you feel better about yourself. So in other words the A.T. is the crusher of dreams. The failure factory. Come see a lovely part of the country, hike in amazing places, meet amazing people, and you too can go home calling yourself a failure. Sounds really appealing. Maybe it should be called the Appalachian Drag. Count me out. I hiked a big section of the A.T. (after figuring out the MST is a hoax) extended my vacation never hiked out of VA and drove up it for a while and feel like a winner. It was amazing. It was awesome and I feel like a success. The only thing I feel like I'm failing at is understanding the so called trail culture.

[Last Call]

Thru-hikers are the lifeblood of the Trail, they are out there giving their very life to the Trail at much personal sacrifice.
Many times I have sat captivated at a pic-a-nik table listening to a thru-hiker hold forth, they just have an air of majesty about them....

[Curious G]

Thru-hikers are the lifeblood of the Trail, they are out there giving their very life to the Trail at much personal sacrifice.
Many times I have sat captivated at a pic-a-nik table listening to a thru-hiker hold forth, they just have an air of majesty about them....

God, I hope that's satire!

[Zea]

the only difference in the two groups is how long they plan on being on their hiking vacation

[Hikingjim]

there are disagreeable people in any grouping. There are strong section hikers that are great people, and there are pathetic thru-hikers who are an embarrassment to the trail. And of course the opposites in both groups...

there is no denying that hostels and many services can only run because of the mix of thru and section hikers. Many section or day hikers drop a lot of $, slack pack, use LONG shuttles, etc. So this is mutually beneficial for any hikers that want these services present
For those that want a more wilderness experience (any hiker!), then crowds of any type can be an annoyance

[MuddyWaters]

The real issue is NOBOs vs SOBOs.

SOBOs are the real hikers, and all around better humans.

They are better-looking too.

[Pinnah]

Z'all good. I'm not even a section hiker. I'm a New England local red lining the Whites.

Did a a long weekend trip from Gorham to Grafton Notch playing hop scotch with a jovial band of thru hikers. They told their stories of the AT the first 2 nights. On the last night, Old Speck, they heard our stories of 20 years of year round trips in the Whites.

Different situations. Different relationship to the trail and trails. No need to be better.

HYOH.

[Hatchet_1697]

I have a lot of respect for thru-hikers, but saying "Thru-hikers are the lifeblood of the trail" is extreme. According to the AMC in 2016 out of the estimated 3,377 thru-hiker attempts, 685 completed. That's 0.02% of the estimated 3,000,000 people who use the trail each year. Kind of puts it in perspective. ...Heck I have more than 0.02% Neanderthal DNA in me!

One clear advantage section hikers have -- some of them bring very good scotch to share around the fire


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[Traveler]

The groups that organize volunteers and individuals who take on maintenance responsibilities of the trail and its structures are the backbone of the trail.

[linus72]

HYOH, the only competition we should be having is within ourselves. everyone's circumstances vary. many section hikers would love to be thru hikers but they have jobs and families they can't take 4-6 months off from.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Whalebacks are the true backbone of the trail.

[linus72]

well except FKT hikers, i don't get that at all ... lol

[rafe]

I started as a weekend warrior, graduated to thru-hiker-wannabe, and have settled back into section hiker, weekend warrior and even day hiker mode.

I really do admire the fortitude, gumption and good humor it takes to finish a thru hike.

OTOH as a section hiker, the AT isn't just a one time deal, I'm back to it every year, almost every season. I get more freedom to see it on my own terms.

[Old Hiker]

The real issue is NOBOs vs SOBOs.

SOBOs are the real hikers, and all around better humans.

They are better-looking too.

No wonder I was turned around after 100 meters going south-bound. Too Fugly to head south. They never told me !!!!

[hikernutcasey]

I am a section hiker that has taken roughly 7 years to complete 1,360 miles of the A.T., soon to be 1,472 later this month. As others have said, there are bad apples in both groups. What I find funny is when I was doing sections in the south and had way more trail miles than the freshly minted thru hikers that were just starting out, they would quickly dismiss my feeble efforts of being "only" a section hiker and proceed to tell me all about what it is to be a thru hiker. Then inevitably at some point it would come up that I've done over 1,000 miles or whatever I had completed at the time and their entire attitude would change. They then started asking me questions!

On the other hand, now that I am doing sections in the north when I run into thru hikers we have this mutual respect for one another. Both of us have put in a lot of miles and have the trail at 2/3's to 3/4's finished. I respect them for making it that far and they respect me for the years of coming back to the trail for a week at a time to make the same distance.

[rocketsocks]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but..."lotsa moanin' goin' on"

[Odd Man Out]

On all of my section hikes, I had some extra Starbucks Via to share with the thru hikers. They were not unhappy.

[Another Kevin]

I adopted the 'Clueless Weekender' moniker after hearing some thru-hiker-wannabee on this site yammering about how all the clueless weekenders were spoiling his wilderness experience.

I think that probably tells you where I stand on the subject.

Thru-hiking is a fine way to enjoy the trail, and thru-hiker stories can serve as an inspiration to others. But thru-hikers are NOT the lifeblood of the trail. If anyone is the trail's lifeblood, it's the folk with clippers and saws and McLeods and rock levers who put in countless hours with the maintaining clubs. The people who lobby with parks departments and zoning boards and local landowners for corridors and easements. The people who draw the maps.. The people who fund the land purchases for conservation easements.

The people without whom there wouldn't be a trail.

[Hatchet_1697]

I'll 2nd, or 3rd that the trail maintainers are the true lifeblood of the AT, much more than us who just walk it.


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