Record AT Thru Hikers in Harpers Ferry

[Leanthree]

Just reading through the ATC's publication AT Journeys Sept/Oct and figured I would share this nugget : "The Harpers Ferry Visitors Center photographed a record 1,012 northbound thru-hikers this year--passing the 1,000 mark for the first time (2011 set a record with 849)."

It goes on to talk about the growing # of starting and half-way hikers. I am guessing the good weather this year explains some of the increase with the general long term growth trend explaining the rest.

[hikerboy57]

I spoke of a record # of hikers this year on another thread, and was dismissed as an IDIOT(it may have been MORON, i forget).

[tdoczi]

i was stunned by how many nobos i ran across in the mahoosucs last week, still headed north. i figured it was late enough to hike south without having to step out of the way of nobos all day long, i was wrong. i passed 20 or 30 easily.

[Sly]

i was stunned by how many nobos i ran across in the mahoosucs last week, still headed north. i figured it was late enough to hike south without having to step out of the way of nobos all day long, i was wrong. i passed 20 or 30 easily.

There's a protocol for which hiker steps to the side but it isn't exclusively sobos to nobo, or section hiker to thru-hiker.

[tdoczi]

There's a protocol for which hiker steps to the side but it isn't exclusively sobos to nobo, or section hiker to thru-hiker.

its traditionally downhill yields to uphill, but thats not the point. i try not to hike against the grain of a thru hiker bubble because even if everyone does follow protocol its a pain in the ass.

[coach lou]

Maybe the amount of thrus has some correlation to the poor economy. From what I've read in all the "what does a thru cost" threads, 6 months on the trail is cheaper than one week in the Caribean

[evyck da fleet]

I think you're on to something. The national parks saw a boom in the number of visitors during the 1930s. Higher unemployment and more people unhappy with their jobs looking for a career change have probably contributed to the increase in thru hikers in recent years.

Of course, lighter gear, more hiker feeds and milder weather also help.

Maybe the amount of thrus has some correlation to the poor economy. From what I've read in all the "what does a thru cost" threads, 6 months on the trail is cheaper than one week in the Caribean

[OzJacko]

Our exchange rate makes hiking in the USA better now than ever before....

[Lauriep]

We're also on track for a record number of southbounders. As of yesterday, we'd had 75 sobos photographed at ATC in Harpers Ferry, compared to 45 last year on that date.

There are additional thru-hiker/section-hiker/2,000-miler numbers on our website at www.appalachiantrail.org/about-the-trail/2000-milers. We just added a summit photo (courtesy of Matt Perry) of "MetroNorth" who finished his northbound thru-hike in July this year .

Laurie P.
ATC