"I wish I'd never hiked the AT."

[A1ien]

Any stories of successful thru-hikers saying such a thing?

[brian039]

No, but it did ruin me in many ways.

[WingedMonkey]

Any stories of successful thru-hikers saying such a thing?

Prepare for 50 section hikers to tell you why they never will.

[Red Hat]

Hiking the AT is truly a love/hate thing. There were times when I absolutely hated it and had to get off. But somehow, I always manage to go back. Regrets... yes, that I didn't keep going on to K in 2010 when I was 90 miles away. But at the time I was so exhausted that I couldn't see the forest for the trees. Thus my decision to rehike Maine this year. I am never sorry for any time I spent on the AT.

[Astro]

No, but it did ruin me in many ways.

Curious, how do you feel it ruined you?

[BrianLe]

It's my least favorite among the 'big three', but --- definitely not. The "least favorite" is still a great trail and a great experience in many ways.

[rocketsocks]

Any stories of successful thru-hikers saying such a thing?

Told ya, gonna get interesting, hehehe Oh and to White Blaze

[max patch]

I doubt it.

Thru hiking is a 5-6-7 month commitment for most people. Plenty of time to quit if you don't like it. This isn't like going to a movie and when its over you say want your $10 and 2 hours of life back.

[Coffee Rules!]

If I don't like it, who do I see to get my $10 back? The ATC?

[brian039]

Curious, how do you feel it ruined you?

Once I found that level of freedom that you enjoy on a thru there's no other way that I want to live now.

[Miner]

Any stories of successful thru-hikers saying such a thing?

I think that any hiker that would say that would have quit long before actually finishing.

[Bootbanger]

It might be just my way of thinking, but I cannot understand how someone can hike over 2000 miles and all of a sudden (less that 100 miles to go) quits. There would have to be some really death threatening sickness for me to have quit that close to the end of my hike. Like I said, maybe it is just me, I cannot understand that one.

[Lone Wolf]

It might be just my way of thinking, but I cannot understand how someone can hike over 2000 miles and all of a sudden (less that 100 miles to go) quits. There would have to be some really death threatening sickness for me to have quit that close to the end of my hike. Like I said, maybe it is just me, I cannot understand that one.

i quit twice with less than 300 miles to katahdin. by then my goal was to hike til it wasn't fun any more. i met my goal

[Red Hat]

It might be just my way of thinking, but I cannot understand how someone can hike over 2000 miles and all of a sudden (less that 100 miles to go) quits. There would have to be some really death threatening sickness for me to have quit that close to the end of my hike. Like I said, maybe it is just me, I cannot understand that one.

me either, Bootbanger, in fact back in 05 I couldn't believe it when my friends quit all the way up at Hanover.... I mean they were almost there! But then there I was in 2010. I was 63 years old, exhausted (physically and mentally), I had fallen into the Big Wilson and couldn't stand the thought of doing Chairback again, especially not DOWN. (I'd done the 100 mile back in 08) So it occured to me that I was finished. I had, after all, hiked all the way from GA to ME. And since I had done the Katahdin and the Wilderness before, I figured I was done. At the time it made all the sense in the world. I was asked repeatedly if I was sure. (several of my hiking buddies even said that I was probably right to quit) Anyway... it certainly wasn't all of a sudden. I had thought about quitting several other times, but kept on. So you don't have to understand. It just happened.

The main point is that I still am not sorry I hiked. And I'll keep on hiking.

[MuddyWaters]

Once I found that level of freedom that you enjoy on a thru there's no other way that I want to live now.

As the bible says, a man is owned by his possessions, not the other way around.

Kind of a shame, but long distance trails are about the only place you can escape the material life and pursue freedom. If you tried to live in a regular national park for 6 mos, they would throw you out or have you arrested.

[wornoutboots]

Prepare for 50 section hikers to tell you why they never will.

Why would section hikers say they never will?? I'm a section hiker & I'm hoping to be do it someday. But I will say I LOVE the freedom of Section Hiking : O )!!

[Donde]

Yeah the AT pretty much destroyed the non hiking non hash running parts of my life. Careers, relationships, roots, stability, all just obstacles to the next event, be it a Thru, an Ultra or an Inter-Hash. Likely gonna have to break up with my girlfriend for PCT '13. Have talked to others from my class who feel similarly.

[fiddlehead]

I remember once taking a break up in Maine at a water source and there was a bunch of boy scouts there and another thru-hiking couple.
The boy scouts were telling us how thrilled they were to talk to some thru-hikers and were appreciating my telling them that it is an admirable goal to hike the AT and one that I had since boy scouts too............blah blah blah
The girl from the other thru-hiking couple then broke in and said: It's not for everybody. I actually hate it. I hate getting up every morning and can only appreciate that I am one day closer to the end.
I asked her why she doesn't just go home then, and she said she was very goal oriented and wouldn't quit, even though she hated it, was in pain, tired of sleeping outside, rain, etc.
I don't envy her life.

[fredmugs]

I just finished my last section this year after 9 years. If I didn't have those trips to look forward to I would probably weigh 75 pounds more than I do now. There was nothing enjoyable about Maine, it was some of the hardest physical work I've ever done, but I'm glad I did it. Pretty much every day on the trail I would tell myself "if this was easy there would be more people out here doing it."

Fortunately there is this thing called the PCT to focus on now.

[speedbump]

I am sure section hikers would love the chance to thru hike, but life has a way to getting in the way sometimes. I am sure the 50 reasons are valid. However, there is nothing wrong with being a section hiker, we do the same miles, see the same things, experience the weather, the exhaustion, etc, just not for the same amount of time. Winked Money, I envy you that you had the time to do it ! I am not as lucky in life, but I will finish the entire AT, bit by bit : )

Why would section hikers say they never will?? I'm a section hiker & I'm hoping to be do it someday. But I will say I LOVE the freedom of Section Hiking : O )!!