What are some of the dumbest things you have seen or heard on the trail?

[Mags]

The dumbest thing I ever saw on the AT was me, at 15.

On my first backpacking trip, I was 22 and carrying a knock-off Rambo knife and enough canned goods to stock a 7/11. And my buddy and I forgot the map. That ranks up there for my personal 'stupidest thing I saw on the trail was me' as well.

[rocketsocks]

You might say you were the dumbest thing you ever saw on the AT but it was probably the best move you ever made.

Tru dat,I took the wrong trail,and ended up here.

[turtle fast]

A guy carrying a Cricket bat....later on that same guy (Charlie 08') had a 10 pound river stone just to carry something crazy.

[atmilkman]

On my first backpacking trip, I was 22 and carrying a knock-off Rambo knife and enough canned goods to stock a 7/11. And my buddy and I forgot the map. That ranks up there for my personal 'stupidest thing I saw on the trail was me' as well.

You've probably already heard about me carrying a Coleman 2 burner stove like a suitcase.

[Different Socks]

came walking out of the Smokies near Cosby and there was a car parked and elderly couple in it. as i walked up in about 4" of snow (with my poles) she jumped out of the car and said "Oh my God! Did you lose your skis? Do you need a ride?"

LMFAO!!!! That was funny!!!

[Different Socks]

For some reason im having trouble remembering the name of the part, but there's a flat plateau right before o'neill butte where the trail continues down toward skeleton point. I was hiking out and I saw a woman in (i kid you not) high heels. She asked me how far it was to the river.

Another time, a buddy and i were walking up the switchbacks of the BA and we were passed by a family packed with the craziest amount of Ozark Trail gear. I mean, the dad was carrying a 4 man tent, pots, sleeping bags, probably everything from those 2 aisles at one of the walmarts in Flag. The mother and 2 kids were also packed to the brim as well. It was nuts.

The Tonto Plateau?

[Different Socks]

You've probably already heard about me carrying a Coleman 2 burner stove like a suitcase.

two years ago, in the backcountry of Glacier, I met 2 german dudes and one of them had carried in a 2 burner camping stove. Then later, still miles from my car, I passed another hiker that had a fishing floatation device suspended from his shoulders and was headed for the lake I'd just hiked up from.

[fiddlehead]

I got passed once in the Himalaya by a guy carrying a refrigerator.
Really!

Hey, don't knock Ed Garvey's writings. (OP seemed to)
The main thing I remember from his book is how he always felt it his duty to be nice to the locals and respectful.
Dress decent in town, carry trash out, don't whine, etc.
Todays hikers could take some notes on these virtues.

[tdoczi]

The Tonto Plateau?

naah skeleton point is up at the top, just a few miles down from the rim. the point where the south kaibab lands on the tonto is called "the tipoff"

[hikerboy57]

a few years back in the mahoosucs I met a young lady fresh out of college hiking southbound who began a tirade against the evil of all corporations. I asked her if she had made all of her own gear. she looked confused until I told her that her gear was all made by corporations. it really seems to bother her to figure out that maybe not all corporations are evil

[OzJacko]

At least 20 miles from town and 180 miles from the relevant bus service......

[Velvet Gooch]

The anti-smoker said, "...but my asthma."
I said, "sucks to your assmar."

[verasch]

naah skeleton point is up at the top, just a few miles down from the rim. the point where the south kaibab lands on the tonto is called "the tipoff"

Yeah, there's NO way she could have made it to the switchbacks passed skeleton point in those shoes. This area is just a wee bit past the first resthouse.

[verasch]

naah skeleton point is up at the top, just a few miles down from the rim. the point where the south kaibab lands on the tonto is called "the tipoff"

Now that I think of it, theres an emergency telephone just off the trail here. Tdoczi, you know what I'm talking about? It's pretty inaccessible, too. Up some rocks about 25 feet off the trail. I always thought that was pretty funny.

[Mrs Baggins]

Sigh. Hubby, me and our son on our very first overnighter in 2003. Wrong packs, wrong tents, wrong pads, too heavy everything, all of it packed all wrong, and no one thought to bring the Advil. So shoulders screaming with pain and head splitting with a terrible headache, I walked around the shelter area with my hand out begging for meds "Aspirin, Advil, morphine, I'll take whatever you've got." A kind soul took pity and gave me several of his Advil to pass around to my family. Never ever again have I forgotten to bring the Advil. Some lessons have to be learned on the trail.

[tdoczi]

Now that I think of it, theres an emergency telephone just off the trail here. Tdoczi, you know what I'm talking about? It's pretty inaccessible, too. Up some rocks about 25 feet off the trail. I always thought that was pretty funny.

ive heard there was a phone at the tipoff, ive never gone to look for it

[Blue Jay]

The dumbest thing I ever saw on the AT was me, at 15.

I bet I was dumber and I was an adult. I had not overnighted in 20 years when I hit Springer, I had put up my tent once before and learned how to start my stove that first night. I froze, not quite to death.

[Blue Jay]

[I]went on a three day hike with my son in the pine barrens in NJ. hammocks got a lot of looks. when we got to hawkins bridge camp site, it was packed from the cranberry fest. a little girl in the site across from us just kept talking. they sleep in the trees, why don't we?, they don't have a car, they have small stoves, and on and on and on. at 7:30 my son could not find his camera case and we put on our head-lights and started looking around the site, but the little girl yelled at the top of her lungs, "the TREE MEN have lights in their heads!!!" and ran in her tent to hide.[IMG]

Now wait just a minute, the Tree Men DID have lights on their heads. That's not dumb.

[max patch]

I've read a bunch more dumb stuff here than I've seen on the trail.

[Velvet Gooch]

I've read a bunch more dumb stuff here than I've seen on the trail.

Best post on WhiteBlaze in weeks