Friend is a slow hiker...help

[jalbright79]

I am currently planning to section hike the AT in 2013. I am going with a friend who in the pass while montain biking was alot slower. Leaving me to wait 10 or 15 minutes at a time for him to catch up. I am figuring this will also occur while hiking also. My question is do I stay behind him and go at his pase? or do I hike my hike and occasionally stop to wait for him to catch up? or do I just hike to the area we are headed for and wait there?

What have you done with slow fellow hikers?

[atmilkman]

Tell him the hot chick is only 3 days ahead.

[Wise Old Owl]

Just do your best - there isn't a good answer for that.... or pick a new partner.

[Thenixon]

Either way someone's going to end up frustrated - you at going too slow or him at never being able to rest. Which one of you can handle that and still have a fun hike? Or maybe you switch it up every now and again...

[Humbuck]

I am section hiking with a friend right now. We go at different paces throughout the year. Sometimes I'm faster, sometimes he's faster. We used to always hike together, but now we usually hike separate, and I think we both like it that way better. In fact, if we're day hiking we now usually take one car and criss-cross. If he finishes first, he just waits on me, and vice-versa. We sometimes plan a lunch somewhere in the middle, but if that doesn't work out, no big deal. We'll usually cross paths, spout out a few obscenities about how hard the trail is, have a laugh, and keep moving.

In your case, if it's a longer hike, I would just hike to the destination at your pace and let him catch up later in the day. If he wants your company, there's plenty of time for that at the shelter/campsite. Just my $.02. It's probably worth what it cost ya!

[Malto]

Agree with Humbuck. Hiking together doesn't have to mean hiking together. The second half of my thru hike I was "hiking with someone." At least half the time we weren't in sight of each other. Usually the lead person would stop for lunch and the trailer would catch up then the same would happen a couple of more times during the day. As long as you agree on the end point then how you get there is less important. Finally, nothing will tire you out more than breaking stride and hiking someone elses pace.

[rocketsocks]

DeJa Vu,you don't call him "Runt" do you?

[jalbright79]

lol well I am only 5'4 (male) so I think i would be considered to be the Runt by most people.

[Chaco Taco]

Why do you feel compelled to hike with him. He will eventually catch up with you. Just make plans to meet at certain points, lunch, mid afternoon and endpoint

[journeydog]

Carry the heavy items from his pack. That will slow you down and speed him up.that's what friends are for.

[Spirit Walker]

Don't hike with him during the day. On the AT it isn't necessary to stay together all the time. You won't get lost as the trail is very well marked. Water sources are well known, so planning ahead is easy. One thing you can do is have him leave early, while you loll around camp for a while. When you pass him during the day, take a break together, and decide where you'll end the day's hike. Meet up at the end of the day.

Everyone has a pace that is comfortable and allows the miles to flow easily. Some people can alter their paces easily to match companions, but not most. It is very frustrating to walk too slowly to keep pace with a slower hiker or to wait constantly at the top of each hill, and for the slow hiker, it can be really painful and frustrating to be forcing yourself to a pace that just isn't comfortable.

[KnotHere]

First off... "tell him the hot chick is 3 days ahead"... Classic.

Second... I just got done with a hike in the same boat. I am much faster than my hiking buddy. I found that it is a compromise. If you want to hike with him, understand what that means and think about his feelings too. I had to slow my pace down, he picked his up, I took 10lbs of his pack load, we shortened our days and all in the sake of having a good time as we set out to do after all. What I did was let my pace lead me steadily away from him at which point I'd stop every hour and wait for him to catch up. After 3 years of hiking together this seems to be the acceptable distance. He knows I'll always be there at the next, marker, road, or scenic overhang. I just enjoy the break.


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[Amanita]

I know that slowing down can be a drag, but if you plan to hike ahead please go over the plan for if something happens while he is behind you!

Last year I ran into a group on the LT that had left a "slowpoke" behind. He didn't have a map, didn't know the trail, was tired, dehydrated, and inexperienced. This lead to a series of calls to and from the state police, as he called for rescue when he got "lost." It turned out okay in the end, but his friends spent several hours looking for him after he had already decided to turn around and hike back to his car. If even one of the faster hikers had stayed with him, or if the group had waited at the trail junction, that wouldn't have happened.

If you've got a lot of confidence in him, maybe splitting up is okay. But I'd plan to meet up every couple hours, not just at the end of the day. If he's way behind schedule you may need to backtrack to find him. It's preferable to rolling into the shelter at five, then worrying when he's not in by dark.

[Whack-a-mole]

My hiking partner is way faster than I am. On our first trip he tried to wait on me all the time, but he just had to figure out that I'd meet him at the shelter. Most days he would wait for me at lunch, but he would head out soon after I got there because he had allready been there a little while and was ready to go. No big deal really. We are both big boys, and can find our way. I'm not hiking to "hold hands" with someone anyway. My last trip I went solo (not my first solo trip) and had fun. Just understand that it is very rare for two people to have the very same pace. Hike your day, and enjoy the social time in the evenings around dinner or a fire. I'll go by myself, or with a friend, either way I'm going to have a great trip.

[Fetter]

I mountain bike a good bit and I must say that a slow biker doesn't equal a slow hiker. Because biking is a more treacherous activity it may just be that he is more cautious on a bike. I personally don't like falling down a switchback and avoid it even if it means unclipping or riding the brakes on the technical parts. Unless you know for a fact he is a slow hiker I wouldnt put it past him that he can handle an acceptable pace.

[Northern Lights]

I am the slow hiker, I don't know why people would think they have to wait on anyone. I like hiking alone and I'll catch up with my partner at the designated stop.

[hikingshoes]

I'd like to say be glad you have someone that enjoys hiking with you. @ 5'11' & she5'2'' she leads which is a great pace for me, plus she's my lady, hiking partner, and my Best Friend...that being said I would give your friend a heads up on your plans and you'll be hiking a little faster. Due to this being a friend be open to there input. Have a great hike!! HS

[Kerosene]

1. Carry More of the Weight: I've used this approach with my mom, future wife, and daughter. It helps a bit, but frankly they just have a naturally slower pace than I do and are not used to the daily rigors of backpacking. I can actually carry twice their packweight and still have to wait as they take their time watching where they place their feet.
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2. Meet up at Designated Places: This works pretty well, especially when you're hiking companion(s) are reasonably self-sufficient. I typically pick out a few places where I will wait for them to catch up, such as nice viewpoints, a stream crossing, a shelter, water source, lunch, tent site, etc. This way we walk at our own paces, I take more time to enjoy the scenery, and we get some time to interact throughout the day.
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3. Wait to Catch Up: This approach can get frustrating for the lead hiker, especially if the follower has an inconsistent pace or takes a ton of pictures like my daughter, but it may be the best compromise if the follower is a newbie. You can wait at the top of a climb, but on my last hike I found that it was easier to hike for a few hundred steps and then pause, as I would be waiting for a more consistent duration.
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4. Walk Behind: I'll use this approach a few times during the day. It forces me to slow down and my daughter gets a chance to talk (which seems to be a necessity for her). After half an hour I'll forge ahead and use Technique #2 or #3.
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5. Play Pursuit: Let the slower hiker start early and then use up your excess energy trying to catch them quickly! It's kind of fun for a change of pace. On a day hike, my brother and gave my mom a 30-minute headstart; it took us 20 minutes to catch her. I staked my hiking partner to a 2-hour lead climbing up Webster Cliffs and caught him 2 hours after I started, and while I was admittedly working hard it kept my mind off of the relentless climb. Upon catching him I took this evocative photo: http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=13120. We walked together for the next hour in the fog before I forged ahead.
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6. Create an Incentive: My daughter's pace really picked up on Day #4 of our last hike. I thought it might be because it followed a shorter day and she was getting into the groove, but later I figured out that it was because of the cute guy that she had gotten to know at NOC the prior afternoon. A few days later, her pace picked up again when she realized that a thunderstorm was brewing with only 4 miles to the shelter (we made it without getting wet). The difference from her normal pace was amazing!

In the case of Hikerhead, he is admittedly slow climbing mountains. Actually, slow may be an understatement. However, he can walk forever. So, he typically breaks camp before me, I scream past him on the next uphill, we meet up at a nice view, and then I see him in the evening. It may take him 4-5 hours longer to cover 20 miles than me, but he'll typically get there. The one time he didn't reach me was north of Pinkham Notch, but he was self-sufficient and can take care of himself. Oh, Hikerhead was the guy I was pursuing up Webster Cliffs.

[hikerboy57]

if you can agree on a daily destination both of you can make, it doesnt matter, you can both do what you want at your own paces and hook up later every night. otherwise, it can become a daily grind as you'll start to feel held back, and hell begin to feel like a hindrance.

[Barrett]

Mountain Biking is a whole different ball game than hiking... I am not the quickest mountain biker, and it doesn't have any effect on my hiking. In fact I think I'm pretty speedy when I am hiking.

Don't knock him for his speed until ya see him in action