Can you monitize your love of hiking?

[Rusty Nail]

Is there such a thing as a professional hiker? With the thought of "if you love your job you will never work another day of your life" I wonder who or how many have figured a way to make hiking their job. Obviously Ridge Runners and Park Rangers spend much of their time on the clock in the woods, but what other ways could one become a professional hiker?

My entrepreneurial mind never take a day off and these are the things I wonder while trekking in silence. Immediately I think about Philmont, which I believe is on a state park. Why are there not more of these? A high adventure type camp with experienced "pro's" leading the way teaching good habits and helping with problems. This seems like a descent business model. If there is a slack pack company who will help you thru Georgia with nothing more than a light day pack (they even supply one to you), why not a hiking guide company on the major US trails.

Is money making and hiking two completely separate things? They can't be, most of the cottage companies are hikers who came up with a better solution to a problem.

This will clearly take a few more miles to figure out.

[hikerboy57]

their are so many trail clubs that offer many of the services you speak of on a volunteer basis. In additon, Amc and quite a few others have guided trips, just list yourself somewhere as an experienced guide, familiar with any area you're actually an expert on, take out some ads in related publications. Theres no end to the amount of guide services already out there, so you'd mostr likely have to have a particular niche that needs to be filled for you to have some financial success.One of my freinds I take on dayhikes once asked if I considered running boot camps, giving guided hikes that give you a great workout(she calls my hikes Andys Death Marches) For me, hiking is worth more than anything I get paid to do. if I got paid to do it , it becomes "work" and Im afraid I wouldnt get out of it anywhere near as much as the bad advice I consistently offer for free.Guiding? maybe you make some money. Backpacking? Priceless!

[Lone Wolf]

monitize? is that a word?

[restless]

guide book writer, wilderness skills instructor, backcountry guide, outdoor gear rep/manufactuer, wilderness ranger, trail construction, wilderness and backcountry ranger, outdoor photographer...I'm sure I left out many but these are just a few professions that come to mind.

[sbhikes]

Rather than make hiking your job, why not just try Early Extreme Retirement.

[BobTheBuilder]

Your entrepreneurial mind is flawed. Hiking has no value except as recreation. It is, in fact, the ultimate act of selfishness, truth be told.

[couscous]

Monetize .. turn into money.
http://www.andrewskurka.com
comes to mind.


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[WingedMonkey]

Philmont was never a state park or state owned land. The core of it was part of a private ranch owned by Oklahoma oilman, Waite Phillips who donated it to the Boy Scouts.

[Rusty Nail]

Completely agree with it becoming "work" and not enjoying it anymore. This all started with seeing a storefront for rent directly across from the hostel at DWG. The wheels have been turning ever since. With the amount of people from NYC and Metro NJ flocking to the Poconos every weekend... well you get the idea. Not that I want to do this, but it sounds possible.

[Scratch]

I've met guides who create a multitude of interesting hikes for multiple clients. For instance, there was one who had a wine tasting hike. There was another who guided someone on the GA section of the AT because the guy wanted a vacation. There are so many ways to be a hiking guide. You need to be a great talker too. I would just suggest making some different topic hikes and start advertising as a guide. You never know what people will want to pay money for until you try.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Ultimately, the difference between professionals and amateurs is that professionals get paid/make money from what they do. But nobody is going to part with their money just because someone else is walking. In that sense, there probably are NO true professional hikers. Rather, some hikers generate income by writing books and publishing guides, speaking, etc. Guys like Skurka come to mind, as does WF (that should generate some comments) and a few others such as Colin Fletcher and Ed Garvey. Without the hike, there would be no story though, so both skills are required. Thousands of people have hiked as far as the four I mentioned, but few if any have equaled their financial success. The difference is in the writing/story/marketing. Of course, in the sense that professionals derive their livelihood from their activities , the guy a lot of hikers love to hate, Bill Bryson, probably has them all beat if one looks at the revenue stream generated by a hike.

[DapperD]

Is there such a thing as a professional hiker? With the thought of "if you love your job you will never work another day of your life" I wonder who or how many have figured a way to make hiking their job. Obviously Ridge Runners and Park Rangers spend much of their time on the clock in the woods, but what other ways could one become a professional hiker?<BR><BR>My entrepreneurial mind never take a day off and these are the things I wonder while trekking in silence. Immediately I think about Philmont, which I believe is on a state park. Why are there not more of these? A high adventure type camp with experienced "pro's" leading the way teaching good habits and helping with problems. This seems like a descent business model. If there is a slack pack company who will help you thru Georgia with nothing more than a light day pack (they even supply one to you), why not a hiking guide company on the major US trails.<BR><BR>Is money making and hiking two completely separate things? They can't be, most of the cottage companies are hikers who came up with a better solution to a problem. <BR><BR>This will clearly take a few more miles to figure out.

The last time I heard the term "professional hiker" used was in the thread "100 Hiker Challenge":http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...iker-Challenge

[Blissful]

Y Hiking has no value except as recreation. It is, in fact, the ultimate act of selfishness, truth be told.

Really....

I'd think sitting in front of one's computer with the games, playing angry birds on a smartphone or watching reality TV to fill that bill nicely.

I hardly think taking kids out hiking is making them indulge in acts of selfishness. It makes them better people. The electronic age has killed them if anything. It is selfish and its addictive like a recreational drug

Hiking has made me a better person for having done it. And I feel better about myself too so I can then make others feel better and not be to them an overweight, frumpy, mean, perimenopausal, flabby grump.

[Blissful]

I've met guides who create a multitude of interesting hikes for multiple clients. For instance, there was one who had a wine tasting hike.

A wine tasting hike! That's got to be a new one for me. Never heard of that one.

[Mags]

A wine tasting hike! That's got to be a new one for me. Never heard of that one.

I've lead Full Moon Fondue Hikes (packed in chocolate, fruit and made double boiler),, Full Moon Wine and Cheese Socials, October-Fest Themed Hikes (packed in a grill), Cocktail Hour Hikes...

Never thought of charging for them.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...-moon-evenings..


I missed my calling.





(I did meet the woman I am marrying on a full moon hike, though...)

[chiefiepoo]

Can you monitize your love of hiking ?

Yes, but then you are going to have to deal with people.

[WingedMonkey]

I guess you could say professional executives of hiking organizations like the Florida Trail Association, or the Appalachian Trail Conservancy make a living from hiking. But most of them don't get to do much actual hiking. They are too busy raising money.

[johnnyblisters]

I was a Ridgerunner for a few years, you get paid to hike (and lots of other stuff...). You don't get paid much, but its enough to keep hiking!

[4eyedbuzzard]

Really....

I'd think sitting in front of one's computer with the games, playing angry birds on a smartphone or watching reality TV to fill that bill nicely.

I hardly think taking kids out hiking is making them indulge in acts of selfishness. It makes them better people. The electronic age has killed them if anything. It is selfish and its addictive like a recreational drug

Hiking has made me a better person for having done it. And I feel better about myself too so I can then make others feel better and not be to them an overweight, frumpy, mean, perimenopausal, flabby grump.

I think many people hear the word selfish and immediately associate it with a purely negative connotation, which is a value judgement, not the true definition. Most things we do in life are selfish or self serving, at least to some degree. They have to be, or we probably wouldn't survive. Hiking is selfish, just like so many of these other activities. You go off, pretty much abandon most other people and things for a while, and concentrate on walking and a simpler existence because you want to and you enjoy it. You don't hike for anyone else or to satisfy anyone else's wants or needs but your own (selfish) ones. There's nothing inherently wrong with that. As you note, you are a better, happier person as a result.

[Slo-go'en]

Back in my serious "mountian bum" days, I spent a couple of seasons working RMC and GMC caretaker jobs. Caretaking isn't something you can make a long term career out of, or make much money doing, but I dragged it out to last 3 summers, two falls and a winter.