why you should love section hikers

[TEXMAN]

1. They support hostels by paying full price and scheduling their stays
2. They support a lot of shuttle services
3. They leave a lot food in hiker boxes
4. They have knowledge of sections you may have not completed yet
5. They can give insight to why people get off the trail
6. Perserverence over many set backs
7. Experience
8. Many also play trail angel at the end of their hike with rides etc.
9. They love the trail
10. They are nice people

[MuddyWaters]

Why you should love thru-hikers

1.
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5.

[windlion]

Why I love thru hikers

1. Regardless of the original purpose of the Trail, the thru hikers are the ones who capture widespread admiration. This gives trail advocacy groups more political leverage to hold back encroachment by developers.

2. Thru hikers have had the time to build up a body of knowledge about hiking that we all can critique and adopt when it fits our style.

3. They often have tips about regions that section hikers plan to tackle in the future. Whites and Smokies come to mind.

4. Their motivation level is a reminder to sections that, hey, another fifteen mile day is nothing, really.

5. At their best, they are wonderfully enjoyable people to engage in conversation ... thinking of you, Wrong Way, Pikachu and Mouse, Sparks and Bushy.

Crowding on the Trail is a problem, yes, and respect for Trail culture is also. We can learn from each other, and enjoy it all together.

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[Old Hiker]

Hopefully, OP is tongue in cheek. Met many section hikers in 2016 I was impressed with, others not so much. Not going to tar ALL of them with the same brush, so take the below with a couple tons of salt. ALL my opinion.

Otherwise:

1. They support hostels by paying full price and scheduling their stays

As did I, EVERY time and I've made donations after the hike as well. Not bragging, just sayin'...

2. They support a lot of shuttle services

As did I.

3. They leave a lot food in hiker boxes

As did I as I realized that even though I was low and slow, I couldn't carry all the food and/ or supplies I bought because of the size of the package.

4. They have knowledge of sections you may have not completed yet

And pretty much EVERY question I asked: from water to camping to Trail conditions seemed to be wrong. From distances ( I grant you - I can't really tell after 6-10 hours of hiking where the last water may or may not have been or the last flat spot I saw to camp on.) This may be for a couple of reasons: I only remembered the wrong answers or they wanted to seem knowledgeable. I also had section hikers and "maintainers" flat out LIE about camping locations ahead of me, causing me to stop earlier than I should/could have.

5. They can give insight to why people get off the trail

How? I think a thru-hiker wannabe who HAD to stop (me in 2012) would be a more reliable source than someone who stops voluntarily after a set number of miles and/or bad weather they don't want to walk in.

6. Perserverence over many set backs

Seems that a LOT of section hikers (maybe day hikers?) would tell me they quit after a day or two or rain/snow/climbs whatever.

7. Experience

Now I'm fully into the snark zone: yes, 100 or 150 or even *gasp* 200 miles in GOOD weather during the summer is the experience I need to hear about.

8. Many also play trail angel at the end of their hike with rides etc.

Got me there - I was so beat up and burned out, I took a down day before I could move to the bus to get outta town.

9. They love the trail

Got me there too - too many bad experiences with bad Trail layout (my opinion), I'm no longer donating to the ATC or any Trail organizer club. Kudos to those who still will.

10. They are nice people

Wouldn't know. Never was around them long enough to really get to know them. Not sure who MANY of them were.

[rocketsocks]

All hikers matter

[MuddyWaters]

All hikers matter

But equally?

[rocketsocks]

But equally?

oh gosh no

[Puddlefish]

I can't say I noticed any difference between section hikers and thru hike attempt'ers. Doesn't really matter if you divide the trail into one section, two sections, or twenty sections, or just a day hiker out for an afternoon. It's all just people out on the trail in their free time.

The only consistent thing I noted was varied nature of the hikers on the trail.

[MuddyWaters]

If someones a jerk off the trail
They are a jerk on the trail as well

You will run into a few, no matter where you go or what you do.

[saltysack]

HIKER LIVES MATTER. A weekend or a month who gives a $$$$!!!


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[Sarcasm the elf]

11. Because we've done more than one trip on the A.T.

[Traveler]

"All hikers are equal, but some hikers are more equal than others" George Orwell (with apologies)

[TTT]

Section hikers should only be allowed to hike during the hurricane season

[KDogg]

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

[MuddyWaters]

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

The majority

[TTT]

Following the progress and then the abrupt termination of thru hikers on Youtube seems to confirm the above statement

[RockDoc]

We're all Section Hikers. Some sections are just longer than others.

[Hatchet_1697]

Met some awesome through and section hikers over the years, and a few not so awesome ones too -- usually the ones who leave a trace or feel entitled because they are a (fill in the blank)-hiker. It's the person not what type of hiking they do. Different goals, different styles, different challenges, same trail. HYODH and enjoy it.

The way I see it the AT and all the trail support (hostels, outfitters, shuttle services, etc.) would not survive without day, section, and through hikers. Each brings support to the trail in their own way and no group alone can sustain it. There are plenty of threats to the trail (development, etc.) and solid usage, awareness, and its historic lore as an American Icon will keep it there for our kids/grandkids.

Section hiker on the 10 year plan, see you out there.







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[Curious G]

1. They support hostels by paying full price and scheduling their stays
2. They support a lot of shuttle services
3. They leave a lot food in hiker boxes
4. They have knowledge of sections you may have not completed yet
5. They can give insight to why people get off the trail
6. Perserverence over many set backs
7. Experience
8. Many also play trail angel at the end of their hike with rides etc.
9. They love the trail
10. They are nice people

11. There are 3 million of them every year on just the A.T. Versus (let's say for the sake of argument while rounding up and combining north and south bounders) 6 thousand thru hikers every year of like what - 3 of 4 go home? That means that 4,500 of 6 thousand thru hikers are actually section hikers too. So in other words - or numbers - the A.T. is the only place on earth where 1,500 people (though actually less) outnumber 3,004,500 people (though probably more) in terms of perceived importance. I'm guessing that ignoring 3 million people and catering exclusively to about 1 thousand is an incredibly successful business model. No wonder the Conservancy and everybody else it seems these days out there is passing the hat.

[TEXMAN]

Hopefully, OP is tongue in cheek. Met many section hikers in 2016 I was impressed with, others not so much. Not going to tar ALL of them with the same brush, so take the below with a couple tons of salt. ALL my opinion.

Otherwise:

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