Thru Hiker Numbers down for 2019?

[Dogwood]

@knighErrant. Enjoyed the post. Observant.

When I hiked Monroe in August, I was delighted by how many kids I saw out with their parents. At least half of the groups included kids, from toddlers in carriers up through teens. I also sponsor and chaperone the hiking club of the school where I work, and in a school with about 150 kids in grades 5-8 eligible to join, over 40 of them are in the club. We brought our 7th and 8th graders on an overnight to Lonesome Lake hut for a leadership training back in October, no phones allowed, and I heard no complaints about it (none from the kids, that is... We did have some complaints from parents when we were unreachable and the weather was 40 windy and rainy and they were worried and so unused to being able to text their kid at any moment).

What would you say was the avg age of the parents? I ask desiring to know how long they've, on average, been exposed to smart ph/hand held mobile computers like SP's/I-net tech and helicopter parenting? Habits are more advanced? The pre-teen and teens may not have grown into such a depth of habit or, perhaps, addiction as their parents.

If you don't see kids outside, part of the reason is very likely technology available indoors, I think a large part is also the paranoid and competitive parenting that exists today. Kids aren't allowed to walk to or from the school where I work, even though it's less than a mile from the center of town, because people are so afraid of abductions and accidents. The unstructured "go out and play kickball or whatever, come back at dark" kind of parenting that even I received just 10-20 years ago would be considered neglect by a lot of people today. Instead, make sure your kid is signed up for every activity under the sun! A sport for every season, dance class, gymnastics, boy scouts, all of it!

Competitiveness. Where and how can that often originate? I contend, sure, it's part of survival of the fittest but also out of overly egotistical personality types, ego dominated thinking. What do you think? The fear also stems from the abundant TV, internet, written verbal accounts of pedophilism as if it is every where and everyone(more dbags) are abducting and abusing children. Talk to a six-10 yr old at a playground especially as a male or pat little Johnny on the head saying "what grade are you in?" , see what can happen. What can happen in cultures like the U.S. with an abundance of options, some say an over abundance? Too many options has been demonstrated to create analysis paralysis. We also expect it culturally similar, if not the same, to be catered to and pampered with abundance with a developed Supersize Me, massive portions of meat for food, etc mentality, like on a trip to France, limiting the visit to Paris, when we can't see beyond expectation of access to our countries cultural norms. https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schw...ce?language=en Did you watch the TED talk? What do you think? It also stems from the availability of over access to information, linked to too many options, creating the illusion that we can or have to know everything also creating a perfectionist mindset and age of self authorizing experts. Do we all truly all the time need to be walking around with what amounts to a library in our hands a million times more powerful than a NASA Apollo 11 guidance computer which is what a developed habit on SP/hand held computer usage can create. Where do you suppose the goal for everyone to have such an access originates? Could it be in the minds of Nerds? What do you think?


Your ideas sound like a chapter out of Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. May want to check it out if you haven't already.

[jefals]

WB, all things related to hiking, the site of and age for instant experts or laymen discussion on socio economics, economic analysis, data analytics, and demography hypotheses.

Oooh oohh oooh me me pick me I have an opinion. I have a(THE) answer... a culture of self importance. And, some assume only the youngest generations do it. Ouch.

Uh.....,, Huh?

[Ethesis]

The Whites have a huge number of section hikers and trail runners in areas that barely intersect the Appalachian Trail. That was eye opening to me.

[Slo-go'en]

The Whites have a huge number of section hikers and trail runners in areas that barely intersect the Appalachian Trail. That was eye opening to me.

For some reason peak bagging 4000 footers has become a very popular thing in the last few years, which is why many trail head parking lots are full and overflowing.

[Alligator]

The Whites have a huge number of section hikers and trail runners in areas that barely intersect the Appalachian Trail. That was eye opening to me.

Me too. I was there beginning of October, the number of cars parked at trailheads was like a mall parking lot at Christmas.

[rickb]

For some reason peak bagging 4000 footers has become a very popular thing in the last few years, which is why many trail head parking lots are full and overflowing.

Because Instagram?

[Tipi Walter]

For some reason peak bagging 4000 footers has become a very popular thing in the last few years, which is why many trail head parking lots are full and overflowing.

It must be remembered that 90% of these numbers---or more---are Dayhikers---who might clog the parking lots and trails but never take up tent spaces required by backpackers.

[4eyedbuzzard]

...Peakbaggers up north are a different sort. They take pride in climbing mountains with "the worst weather in America" and proudly beat you over the head with their numbers---highest recorded winds, deepest windchills, coldest nights, thickest rime ice etc

Ayut.

---as if their mountains rate and ours do not."

We don't say anything of the sort. You have some fine mountains down there in the south - even if there are trees growing on top of them.

[Tipi Walter]

Ayut.

We don't say anything of the sort. You have some fine mountains down there in the south - even if there are trees growing on top of them.

One question---How did you get my quote after I deleted it?????

[4eyedbuzzard]

One question---How did you get my quote after I deleted it?????

It was up there, on the board, when I quoted it. Looking at the time references, you edited your post at 17:42 and I posted at 17:44. Two minutes. I likely had selected to quote it and started my reply just before 17:42 when it was still there, but didn't submit it until 17:44. And certainly I hope you took it as intended - just some good natured ribbing. I could delete it if you want, but likely it has already been read by all the usual suspects.

[colorado_rob]

WB, all things related to hiking, the site of and age for instant experts or laymen discussion on socio economics, economic analysis, data analytics, and demography hypotheses.

Oooh oohh oooh me me pick me I have an opinion. I have a(THE) answer... a culture of self importance. And, some assume only the youngest generations do it. Ouch.

Well, yeah, well said, I think assuming you include yourself in the mix of folks on here with this little attribute??? I certainly am included....

For some reason peak bagging 4000 footers has become a very popular thing in the last few years, which is why many trail head parking lots are full and overflowing.

Yeah, same deal here in CO, actually starting 15 or so years ago with the 14,000 foot peaks (59 of them), it got c-r-a-z-y. Honest to doG, I think I counted at least 1000 people ascending Bierstadt (a 14er close to Denver) one morning, a continuous conga-line; we had done a pre-dawn ascent to watch meteors (perseids) and owned the summit for an hour. Thankfully there are about 600 13ers in CO who almost no one climbs, and are pretty much indistinguishable from the 14ers. I actually have a big urge to come out and climb the New England 4000-ers, having done a dozen of them, might be cool, but I'd probably do off season (late fall/early winter) ascents only to avoid your crowds.

[Slo-go'en]

. I actually have a big urge to come out and climb the New England 4000-ers, having done a dozen of them, might be cool, but I'd probably do off season (late fall/early winter) ascents only to avoid your crowds.

Doesn't matter. Late fall/early winter is as popular as any other time. It only slows down a little once the leaves fall off the trees.

[Tipi Walter]

It was up there, on the board, when I quoted it. Looking at the time references, you edited your post at 17:42 and I posted at 17:44. Two minutes. I likely had selected to quote it and started my reply just before 17:42 when it was still there, but didn't submit it until 17:44. And certainly I hope you took it as intended - just some good natured ribbing. I could delete it if you want, but likely it has already been read by all the usual suspects.

No, that's a-okay. The long post I deleted seemed overpoweringly opinionated---as usual---so it got dumped. It's now called Self-Moderation.

[The Josh]

http://appalachiantrail.org/home/community/2000-milers
Looks like we get an update. Numbers look to be down by about 100 for 2019. Still says it's incomplete. 627 reported NOBO completions, and 500 fewer registered at Springer.

I wish I could find a source to see how many permits Baxter State Park issues by year for Thru Hikers. I see it says 1192 NOBO at Baxter State Park, I wonder where that number comes from - is that the number of thru hiker permits they issued? Would that be closer to the true number and maybe a large chunk of people just don't report their completion, or does that number include section/flip floppers. I don't see that number for previous years and can't find anything on the Baxter SP website.