Hiker boxes

[trailsnail]

What is the etiquette related to Hiker Boxes (where discarded hiker stuff is shared)? As a section hiker (some day thru hiker), I have left a few things, but haven't taken anything. Also wondering about the trailside snacks that are left for hikers. Are they only intended for thru hikers?

[Lone Wolf]

Hiker boxes are for ALL hikers. Same as goodies left at trailheads.

[A-Train]

Yes, Wolf is right. Everyone has free reign to take stuff from hiker boxes as well as trail magic. However, just don't be selfish, keep others in mind. If there are a couple sodas and you're really thirsty and alone, don't drink one and hike one up to a shelter to drink with dinner. Just take one. Obviously if your section hike is ending in 2 days it wouldn't be nice/generous to take half the hiker food/supplies in the box.

With that being said, if trail magic is left, its anyones grab. Most thru-hikers feel that they have claim to this stuff because they've worked harder for it. Why is that weekend or day hiker stealing OUR food? They're trip will be over in a day or two while we still have 3 months. The truth is that no one should feel bad for thrus'. If you wanna do something nice for them (and i think its a great idea/cause, do it, but no one owes them anything). Walking from end to end is a great thing, but when you sign up (so to speak) no one is promising you anything other than 2172 miles to walk over. Sure it's awesome to have a cold one or a snack after a long day but judt dont expect it.

I was on the other side of the coin on my hike, not thinking that we were owed anything but there was definately a feeling of animosity towards section hikers where hikers felt they deserved it more.

Unfortunately thru-hikers (myself included) tended to get caught up in the adventure thinking that we are greater than we are.
Just playing both sides of the field here...

[Peaks]

I'd say that stuff in hiker boxes is up for anyone's grabs. Afterall, it was discarded by someone who didn't want to lug it along anymore. So, if someone, anyone, can benefit from things that would have otherwise been trashed, then have at it.

However, I don't believe that the majority of "trail magic" was put there for the benefit of day hikers and weekenders. I think it was put there for the long distance hiker. Disagree with me if you like, but when I'm out for a short time, I don't touch it. I'll be back where I can get all the goodies I want very soon.

[Lone Wolf]

Thru-hikers are always 3-5 days away from goodies. A thru-hike is just a bunch of small section hikes thrown together.

[Hikerhead]

I feel that Trail Magic should be left for Thru Hikers. But, in one case where HH and I were doing an 18 mile day between McAfee's Knob and Daleville and we came across a case of Orange Crush before Hay Rock, we couldn't help ourselfs. I still feel bad for drinking one

[Lone Wolf]

What's so special about thru-hikers? That's elitist thinking, Hikerhead.

[Hikerhead]

What's so special about thru-hikers? That's elitist thinking, Hikerhead.

Whatever you say Wolf...they're special in my book.

[Lone Wolf]

Answer my question. What makes them special? More so than a guy or gal doing just a few hundred miles.

[smokymtnsteve]

Who recieves Trail Magic should be left up to the supplying Trail Angel..

[Hikerhead]

Answer my question. What makes them special? More so than a guy or gal doing just a few hundred miles.

Anyone can hike for a week or two. It takes something more to do the whole trail. Disagree?......of course you do. What's new.

[alpine]

with drawn

[Uncle Wayne]

The first time I came across food and drink left on the trail was on a day hike to The Dragon's Tooth in Virginia. When we started up to dragon tooth it wasn't there, but late that afternoon when we hiked down the kids found a large cooler half full of ice with several Cokes, Pepsi and Orange Juice in cans available. Hanging from a tree limb near the cooler was a sack with several oranges, apples and assorted candy bars. There was a sign on the cooler "For Thru Hikers only" but written on the sack with a magic marker was "For anyone hiking." If it hadn't been for that writing I would have passed them by but I let the kids get a candy bar from the sack.
The sad fact is the next 100 yards to the trailhead was littered with coke, pepsi and orange juice cans. We picked up 12 and dropped them in the trash cans at the trailhead.

[Rain Man]

I agree with those who think that trail magic and hiker boxes are for all. Once when I was doing a section hike I saw a plastic box by a trail head that said thru hikers only! It was filled with goodies of all sorts! I thought that was odd and ate from it anyway!

That was "dishonest" of you, then. You are not more important or holier than thou of whomever donated those goodies. THEY set the terms of their gift, not you. Maybe you think they are wrong, and maybe they even are wrong some times, but it's still their choice, not yours. You did wrong (absent emergency), IMHO.

I left a dinner and a Snickers bar for Lilredmg last weekend at Blue Mtn Shelter in GA in the sealed register pipe for a few hours, along with a note telling her it was there. As she met hikers coming her way, they told her Rain Man had left that stuff for her.

Instead, some Boy Scouts came along and helped themselves to it. I guess they felt the same way you did, that the "rules and regulations" of the gift weren't up to me and they were more deserving than the intended beneficiary.

If the donor puts "rules and regulations" on their trail magic, then those with HONOR will honor those wishes and those without honor will do whatever they want and rationalize their behaviour.

In my book, "character" is what you have and do when no one is watching.

P.S. Good for you, Uncle Wayne! I also pick up litter along the Trail and at campsites.

Rain Man

[Blue Jay]

If the donor puts "rules and regulations" on their trail magic, then those with HONOR will honor those wishes and those without honor will do whatever they want and rationalize their behaviour.

In my book, "character" is what you have and do when no one is watching.

Rules and Regulations for Trail Majic NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. In my book "character" is not forcing your "character" on everyone (and then saying you don't care, but............). First, if a thruhiker misses one inch of the Trail they are no longer a thruhiker, and now this. Soon we will have rules and regulations on breathing and pack color.

[deeddawg]

Instead, some Boy Scouts came along and helped themselves to it. I guess they felt the same way you did, that the "rules and regulations" of the gift weren't up to me and they were more deserving than the intended beneficiary.

Do you have any specifics on these Scouts, such as troop # and council? IMHO that is completely inappropriate behavior and if any of the boys I work with did anything like that, there would be h*ll to pay.

Please remember that Scout groups are a reflection of their volunteer leader(s) and there are at least some of us (too few) who teach the boys how to properly behave on the trail, observe LNT, show consideration for others, etc. Trouble is you won't typically notice us -- the ones who make an impression are unfortunately usually the ones making a bad impression.

[deeddawg]

Rules and Regulations for Trail Majic NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. In my book "character" is not forcing your "character" on everyone (and then saying you don't care, but............). First, if a thruhiker misses one inch of the Trail they are no longer a thruhiker, and now this. Soon we will have rules and regulations on breathing and pack color.

You miss the point, Blue Jay.

What's so hard about respecting the wishes of the donor, however misguided you may think they are?

[alpine]

with drawn

[smokymtnsteve]

Rules and Regulations for Trail Majic NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. In my book "character" is not forcing your "character" on everyone (and then saying you don't care, but............). First, if a thruhiker misses one inch of the Trail they are no longer a thruhiker, and now this. Soon we will have rules and regulations on breathing and pack color.

rules about who I give trail magic to is MY option...If I only want to give trail magic to thrus,,then you have no right to force your character on me by saying that I can't....it's my $$$ and time that I spend on supplying goddies and rides ..so I get to decide how I want to spend my time and money ..not you or anyone else..

My Zen also says that trying to force change on someone is violent...so don't try to force change in my trail magic..(you wouldn't succeed anyway )

and by the way..LNT ethics ALREADY has "rules" about pack and equipment colors..

[A-Train]

The Trail is no different than any other part of life. There will always be people dishonest who are cheating their way thru it. It's sad, but luckily, especially in the case of the hiking community, its relatively small.

It's present in many forms. From people lying about being thru-hikers to accept food, rides, generous offers from strangers, hospitality etc. People lie about hiking the whole Trail (see white v.s. blue blazing argument) and get diffensive and dishonest when people wanna know how they got 300 miles ahead on a couple days.

I had a real problem with people asking me to lie and say they were thru-hikers allowing them to stay in the huts and recieve free meals and lodging. I and many other thru's i'm sure were put in bad positions such as these. I actually had to cover for one foreign section hiker who was being bombarded with questions about his "thru-hike" by a hut croo member. Yes, it is my natural instinct to come to the aid of a fellow hiker rather than an AMC employee, but I felt VERY crumby about doing so.

Basically, just be honest. In many cases people willing to help hikers are NOT gonna discriminate between who is hiking 300 miles and who is hiking 2000. Just tell it how it is. You'll most likely still get that ride, free meal or floor space at someones house/hostel/hut.