Much better to quit early and avoid continued, possibly permanent, damage to joints.
I wish you a speedy recovery.
OP has his head up, and that is good to have if he wants to consider another attempt. I am a section hiker, not a thru hiker but on the same level as one when I go out I push myself to a pace of a thru hiker mainly out of boredom in camp if I don't. If I were to have given up on my campaign to complete the trail on my first error or failure, I would have stopped a long time ago. I have been lucky to not encounter anything more then some runners knee, arch pain and yes explosive diarrhea up in Connecticut that didn't make it out of the leggings in the middle of the night (little humor there, but true).
I think it is a positive for the OP to post this, hopefully others can learn the importance of shake downs and previous experience prior to a thru.
Trail Miles: 4,980.5
AT Map 1: Complete 2013-2021
Sheltowee Trace: Complete 2020-2023
Pinhoti Trail: Complete 2023-2024
Foothills Trail: 47.9
AT Map 2: 279.4
BMT: 52.7
CDT: 85.4
I commend the OP for both quitting when he realized he needed to, and sharing his experience so that others could learn from it. I've seen and heard about too many hikers pressing onward by sheer will long after they've stopped enjoying the experience. I've done it myself - on one section hike I pushed through severe pain in my achilles (caused by bad footwear) for several days, to the point where I could barely walk after getting out of bed. EL JP, I hope you can heal quickly and get back out there soon.
It's all good in the woods.
Short But Enlightening Experience.
last month I took a train 500 miles to the PCT southern terminus, with the goal of doing at least the first section, 109 miles. I had been working up to it for months, hiking with my full pack on my training trail. The weather looked like it was going to be good. I thought I was ready.
First day, I got 7 miles in. That night it poured down rain, and the next day it was cold and windy.
Cold, wet and windy: Conditions I had not prepared for - and was not prepared for. I had to quit after that first night.
Back home now, with new rain gear and a new fleece pullover. Spikes also. Now training with the additional gear. I'm planning to carry all my gear thru the spring and summer, so that I'm used to the load. Gonna give it another shot in September.
On my first AT section hike, I was about 4 hours in and I stepped on a flat, sloping, wet rock. My feet flew out from under me and landed on my back and elbow. In the fraction of a second I was airborne with my feet above my head, I had a bunch of thoughts go through my head:
- First I thought "I'm screwed"
- Then I thought "How could you be so stupid as to step on a flat, sloping, wet rock."
- Then I thought "I'm hiking alone. How am I going to get help when injured."
- Then I thought "Great! I spent years planning this trip and it comes to a crashing halt just a few hours in."
- Then I thought "It's amazing how many things can go through your head in the fraction of a second it takes you to hit the ground.
Then I hit the ground. I gashed my elbow but otherwise was unhurt. I taped it up the gash, wiped up the blood, and kept going. I guess I'm lucky, but stuff happens and if it happens on day 1, that's even worse. It turns out three days later, my knee gave out and I had to call it quits. But I still had a great time and considered it a successful first hike. The key was it was just a first hike but not the last. I haven't had such a bad fall or knee problems since.
To be brutally honest, i could care less if making it to Katahdin takes 5 years off my life. As long as my body could have functioned enough to make timely miles i would have stayed on the trail, regardless of pain or damage.Originally Posted by kestral
BR360
"no one is a thru-hiker, until they have done the whole AT."
I'm curious as to what kind of hassles you had with shuttlers at Cooper Gap?
The hassle was in trying to get a lift. Got in contact with one, who was occupied for some hours and so gave me the number to another who was quite clueless despite a rather clear and detailed text message.
So after ending up down at the Ranger base i called the first again on the security landline who gave me the number of a third shuttler. This one would have been perfect except that he was out and was taking messages, which was no good in my situation seeing as there was zero cell reception where i was and i couldn't bother the security any longer. So i posted up outside the base gate and hitched a ride out.
BR360
"no one is a thru-hiker, until they have done the whole AT."
O.K. I can understand that. This is a really busy time of year for shuttlers. I thought you were saying that there were shuttlers there at Coopers Gap and you had a hassle with them.
I spend a lot of time thinking about the AT. Basically am mad as hell about the whole affair. In hindsight i should have used some top quality knee braces and pharmaceutical assistance. You can damn well run a marathon on two broken legs with some of the pills available out there. At Mountain Crossing i could have switched out footgear and carried on.
Am already planning for the next time and seeing just how minimal i can get with gear.
BR360
"no one is a thru-hiker, until they have done the whole AT."
Your experience wasnt that unusual.
I saw a few 20-somethings get off trail by noc, because knee problems.
Many walking wounded resting up in every southern stop , just trying to stay on trail. I imagine a few of those are self inflicted by trying to keep up with others. I witnessed a young male thruhiker run with pack before...and hurt himself...racing to get a spot at next shelter. Sheer stupidity, and he paid price for it.
It should go without saying, light weight and conditioning are your only friends.
Light body wt, light pack wt,routine cardio, excercise that conditions legs to impacts, set you up for success from start. Even then, starting out slow is smart and build mpd gradually. And take it ez on downhills.
Footwear....is most important gear item. By a long shot.
I came down with itb and tendonitis on a walk once. Before i committed to slowing down downhill. What happens when you get a little discomfort, is your gait changes to accomodate that, then everything goes to hell if you continue to push hard. Muscles are stressed in ways they are not accustomed to.
Called some "trail angels" to inquire about pickup. Got runaround basically. Ended up just hiking 35 miles more stiff legged. Going downhill sideways, and using ibuprofen. I had just enough to get to next town when rationed. When ibuprofen wore off, i couldnt walk 50'. With it, i still managed 15 mpd . After that, i always bring enough ibuprofen to get to next town at 6 per day, usually 30 -40 or so, not a token 3, just in case. Having it in case you or some other hiker needs it makes it a very valuable item in pack. It can do wondors if injured. I am not saying to use it routinely for comfort as some do.
Last edited by MuddyWaters; 04-15-2018 at 10:36.
Physically i was doing fine all things considered, i started off very late from Springer and still made it to Hawk in good time. Cardio wise i was locked in just like i was back at work. I'm going to look at hydration gear so i can easily drink on the move. In the past i always had a canteen towards the front but now more water is needed to be carried between objectives (Also had the wrong size 750ML bottles, should have had liters).
Am also going to see about getting a shuttle to the Springer parking. Forget the stairs, i went up the East Ridge trail which was pretty brutal in comparison and adds some distance to the approach. Since now i've done the Approach trail, that's pretty much it. If it's not a white blaze i could care less.
My fully loaded pack weight at Amicalola was 37 lbs. Which was pretty good compared to a few others i seen. Some were over 40 and a couple were over 50. An oldtimer i saw at Cooper had a no lie, 100 lb pack. Next time i'm looking at 30 lbs max. Also looking at the little things. The AT Guide was fine for planning and break time but Guthook would have been better on the move. I was going to pick it up but somehow forgot it. Things are going to be very different the next time around.
BR360
"no one is a thru-hiker, until they have done the whole AT."
A few years back, I joined up with my son who was NOBO'ing, and did the stretch from NOC to Fontana with him (and then some into GSMNP). I did it without much conditioning to speak of, and my quads were killing me! Luckily, no major damage. The next year, I had a major hike lined up in the Alps, and did tons of conditioning hikes ahead of time, which really did the trick.
Conditioning hikes are great - not only do they get you in shape, they give you a window into your weaknesses, help you shake down your gear. And, don't shy away from bad weather.
Best of luck to the OP with his surgery and recovery. It's always better to try, learn a lesson, and then come back.
What's that saying? "Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement." Or something like that.
Today, you can do way better than 37 .
Most starting with that wt drop out or spend $$$ uptrail to reduce it today.
Best to do from the start
This is why completion rates have gone from 10% to closer to 30%
More have discovered lighter gear
No, not necessary
But makes it easier, no doubt.
However, repetitive motion injuries actually increase with lighter packs
Do too much before body acclimated.
Still smart to slow down
Last edited by MuddyWaters; 04-15-2018 at 11:04.
EL JP, How many time do you go on backpack trips during the year? I just can't see anyone having success, as a thru, if they do not have frequent backpack trips at other times of the year. You mentioned your boots were "killing" you. Had you been on any backpack trips with them prior to your attempt? How exactly were they "killing" you? Do you use trekking poles?
again i cant help but feel like buried in all these "rants" of yours theres the impression that you feel like you *almost* had it. that f you had only done this or only done that you would have been successful.
you hiked 2 days out of 100-120 or more. you didnt almost have anything.
i say this because your preparations for your next attempt need to acknowledge this and work to correct it, not just go back out again with everything the same plus a bigger bottle of advil and a knee brace.
For starters i have knee braces i've used for rough days at work for the last few years. They make a hell of a difference and i debated if i should bring them along but since i hadn't had any horrid knee issues for quite a while i took a pass. Wrong choice as i was also checking out quite a few braces that others used on the AT. As for Advil, forget that. It's easy enough to find plenty of pretty heavy duty chemical assistance. Prescribed stuff that'll allow one to deal with the worst painful situation with minimal discomfort. I thought about it for months and even had some offered by one of the few people that knew what i was going to do.
The 37 pound pack weight wasn't that much of a bother but even then i got rid of a few minor items up on Springer. It's saying something when i could easily do single arm curls with the gear. It'll be much though better next time as i'm just bringing along the basic kit.
And for further above about the boots. They didn't hurt at all. They were very comfortable and are excellent boots. However, they were a bit too much for the trail. Going to really look into something along the lines of trail runners but a bit more built up.
BR360
"no one is a thru-hiker, until they have done the whole AT."
i'm just going to isolate that statement and allow it to speak for itself.
What's the problem? Even going back to the high school days, players were given pain killers on the sidelines. You'ed take anything to get up and back into the game. Quite a number of guys on the team used steroids as well. Better Living Through Chemistry was the motto of the times.
Rehab for the knees is going to be excruciatingly painful, i already know that. Damn right i'll be on the verge of being strung out on the stuff they give you following the usual instructions. The trick is to use the meds only when the pain is at it's worse. Otherwise stay away.
I'll tell you one thing though, if i had braces and even a half decent supply i'd still be out there. And before i forget, the back muscle i tore and have scar tissue buildup basically is dealt with in two ways 1-Intense deep massage to break up the scar tissue or 2-Surgery to remove it. Personally, i'm going with the massage.
As it is i'm hoping to get back to Amicalola nest year on more or less the same day.
BR360
"no one is a thru-hiker, until they have done the whole AT."
in that case, why wait? go now. still plenty of time to complete a thru and it sounds like you got it covered now, so get back out there.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote