What is a Section Hike?

[WingedMonkey]

There have many many "discussions" about what a thru-hike is on these forums. Not much on the often used term of "section hike".

According to the ATC web site:

"A section-hiker completes the A.T. in multiple trips over a period of years."

A Glossary of Trail Terms from an old Thru-Hikers Handbook reads:

"Section Hiker is a person who is attempting to become a 2,000-Miler by doing a series of section hikes over a period of time"

These definitions seem simple enough. If you are attempting to complete the entire Appalachian Trail over a series of hikes you are a Section Hiker.

So why do so many refer to every hike on the trail as a section hike?

Is going out for a weekend hike on the AT a section hike even when you have no intention to do the whole trail in your life time?

I've hiked the trail from Connecticut to the Vermont state line at least six times from two day hikes to one week hikes. Are they all section hikes? Are all the hikes on the AT I've done on parts I've already thru-hiked section hikes? Some people hike certain parts of the trail many times because of closeness or favoritism, is every trip a section hike? Every trip to SMNP or SNP?

Does it matter? Yes it does. For all those that are planning and making the effort, or have actually finished their 2,000 miler they deserve the distinction of a title of Section Hiker. They are working toward or have earned their title of 2,000 miler.

Going out and enjoying a hike on the AT when ever you can is a great experience, but not every trip is a section hike. I've been in and out of the Grand Canyon three times, I don't call them section hikes.

[hikerboy57]

Ive hiked over 1500 miles , and have completed maybe 60-70% of the "sections" between DWG and Katahdin.A complete thru hike has been a dream since 1976.im doing half the trail next year and following up in 2013 to finish it(if of course the world doesnt end in 2013.I never documented many of my the sections Ive hiked as to where and when over the years, so for me to be a "2000 miler", I wouldnt count the hiking I never actually documented. but all in all its really not anywhere near as important to me as the richness of the experiences ive had,. and the many people Ive met over the years.
its a good question due to some of the current debates, but in the end it seems to me , it becomes a question of your effort being officially recognized, which for me, holds no importance.
Im in it for the money.

[Odd Man Out]

so if a person hikes 50 miles with the intent of sometime in the future hiking the whole trail someday they are a section hiker. But if they hike the same 50 miles but don't intend to hike the whole trail someday, they are something else (do we have a name for that?).

It's kind of like the difference between first and second degree murder - premeditated intent or not. But to the poor schmo who got murdered, it doesn't really matter, does it?

[Slo-go'en]

I guess if your not intending to hike the whole trail, then your just a "hiker" or "weekend warror".

[hikerboy57]

im having an identity crisis.so if ive covered most of the northern half, some sections being nothing more than day hikes, others weekends, and still others 1-2 weeks, and I complet the trail in my lifetime by filling in the gaps and finisjh the southern half,, what am i?(alright, i know i need spell check, but what am i?)

[LDog]

im having an identity crisis.so if ive covered most of the northern half, some sections being nothing more than day hikes, others weekends, and still others 1-2 weeks, and I complet the trail in my lifetime by filling in the gaps and finisjh the southern half,, what am i?(alright, i know i need spell check, but what am i?)

You are a backpacker by god!

[BobTheBuilder]

I think Section Hiker implies an intent, at least, to complete the entire trail. Otherwise you are a plain hiker.

[hikerboy57]

so if you completed 220 day hikes of 10 miles/day, covering every inch of the AT, and it took 20 years to complete, are you a section hiker, hiker, or poser?

[Mr. BuffaloMan]

so if you completed 220 day hikes of 10 miles/day, covering every inch of the AT, and it took 20 years to complete, are you a section hiker, hiker, or poser?

Section hiker. Everything is in the intent. The intent is always fluid. A hiker may not start out as anything other than a person who likes to walk around outside. But one day that same person might walk on a recognized long-distance trail. That person would be a day (or longer) hiker. If that person decided to attempt to hike all of that trail, then the hiker would have to decide when and in what fashion he/she would be interested in completing the trail. If the decision was that hiking all in one trip was the way to go, then the hiker would be a thru hiker on that trail while the hiker is making the attempt reguardless of the outcome (success or failure is not a matter of intent). On the other hand, if a hiker decides that a complete traverse of a particular trail is the intent but not in one trip, then that hiker is a section hiker of that trail no matter the duration of or number of individual hikes required to accomplish the desired result of an Intended Complete Hike of any particular trail. IMHO.

[Sarcasm the elf]

so if you completed 220 day hikes of 10 miles/day, covering every inch of the AT, and it took 20 years to complete, are you a section hiker, hiker, or poser?

The correct answer is if you do that: You're awesome.

[XCskiNYC]

so if you completed 220 day hikes of 10 miles/day, covering every inch of the AT, and it took 20 years to complete, are you a section hiker, hiker, or poser?

The logistics of getting to those sections would be a giant PITA. The hiker should get an award for planning so many day hikes and doing so much travel for such short hikes.

[earlyriser26]

so if you completed 220 day hikes of 10 miles/day, covering every inch of the AT, and it took 20 years to complete, are you a section hiker, hiker, or poser?

I have hiked the trail every year since 1969 (42 years). I am still working on the trail, even though I have put in more than 2,000 miles. About two thirds done, put not quite a poser. I hiked the AT 5X this year, more than most posers on whiteblaze.

[Summit]

I have hiked the trail every year since 1969 (42 years). I am still working on the trail, even though I have put in more than 2,000 miles. About two thirds done, put not quite a poser. I hiked the AT 5X this year, more than most posers on whiteblaze.

I haven't hiked on the AT in 1 1/2 years. Been doing a lot in Shining Rock Wilderness (have done most of this beautiful place's trails) and the Foothills Trail. Only did about 175 miles this year. Guess that makes me lower than a poser . . . something like a crouton.

[daddytwosticks]

Introducing a new term...Section Walker.

[OldFeet]

I guess in the future I'll simply introduce myself at shelters as a person who is hiking the section from point A to point B on this particular hike with no idea how many miles I'll complete before the end of my days.

[4eyedbuzzard]

It all starts with titles and definitions, next comes credentials, and then licenses, and commissions, and inspectors, and fees, and . . .
Why can't everybody just walk without making such a big %$^#*@! deal about it.

[bamboo bob]

It all starts with titles and definitions, next comes credentials, and then licenses, and commissions, and inspectors, and fees, and . . .
Why can't everybody just walk without making such a big %$^#*@! deal about it.

I definitely agree with you. Eventually they'll be a fee for every camp site and a "caretaker" to enforce it. They already started a passport that you get stamped along the way.

[bfayer]

I definitely agree with you. Eventually they'll be a fee for every camp site and a "caretaker" to enforce it. They already started a passport that you get stamped along the way.

You have me seeing visions of a guy in a long black overcoat meeting everyone that shows up at a shelter with a scowl on his face demanding to see their papers...

Maybe someone needs to write the "little red book" of hiking (for those under 35, just Google "little red book"). That way we can all memorize it and report hikers that fail to follow the code

On a serious note, all that matters is we all have a love of hiking and the outdoors. Feel free to call me anything you would like, because in the end I'm just a guy on a walk.

[Pringles]

... %$^#*@! ...

I agree with you 4eyedbuzzard, but I don't use language like that. :-)

[FlyPaper]

Perhaps we should define a section hiker as someone hiking that is also tracking lifetime progress such that he would know if he finished the trail, regardless of how the odds of finishing are assessed at the current point in time. I consider myself to be a section hiker even though the end of my walking ability may be approaching faster than the end of the AT. If you are not keeping track of where you've been, you're not a section hiker, just a hiker.