The three people doing this blogging hike are in their twenties, and according to the post I read they decided they were getting a little behind schedule, so they just did 26 miles a day for two days and then the next morning ran for 12 miles to get to the next post office before it closed. All that with 35 pound packs on their backs.
OK, I'm not twenty something by a long shot, but I'm thinking that would have been a bit of a stretch for me even when I was. I recall doing that in the army with a full pack and a weapon and not wanting to move the day afterward at all. I think the writer said they traveled marathon distance for two days, not saying 26 miles so maybe I misunderstood that, but I don't think so. I've traveled only a few miles of the AT myself, am not familiar with the route (I haven't wanted to stay in the shelters and I understand that's required) but 26 miles a day still seems like a lot.
Anyone have a guess as to whether this is real and I just got born into the wrong species or something? If these people are eating something special I'd like to know about it. I'm all confused now, maybe I should listen to the people who say blue jeans hold you back. Or, if it's that easy, maybe I'll give it a shot in spite of having to shelter up with people.
Registered: 02/05/03
Posts: 3293
Loc: Portland, OR
26 miles a day still seems like a lot.
It is a lot. But these types of mileages are pretty common among thru-hikers.
At 2650 miles, with a weather window that starts closing in mid-September for northbound hikers, thru-hiking the PCT cannot be done without averaging something like 20 miles a day for about 150 days. (Yes, I know this adds up to 3000 miles, but there are inevitably many "zero" days on a thru hike, when you make no progress on the trail because you are resupplying).
I also know that PCT thru-hikers who get to Oregon often start logging 35 or even 40 mile days! By then they are in great shape and the Oregon PCT seems like a piece of cake.
BTW, this is one of the reasons I am not considering a thru-hike. I'm just not cut out for that kind of months-long daily marathon.
It's doable for someone who has been hiking most every day for a couple of months like this group, particularly in this part of Virginia. I was doing 15-19 miles a day on this section when I thru-hiked and considered it a casual pace.
Plus this group is pretty well set for creating publicity for themselves, so this is in character for them.
I know people my age (41) who can do those kind of miles - with packs - especially in "easier" country like the AT. They also run daily, do marathons, and are hardcore fitness buffs as well as very serious backpackers.
Well, wow, then. I haven't ever hiked long distance on trails that run the crests, for me it's usually been a few days of up and a few days of back down so that's my frame of reference. I've done pieces of the Pacific Crest and I do remember that once I got up there it wasn't too bad.
I don't think I'll put that AT marathon pace on my list of things to do, though. If I get the time to do something like that I can see maybe 15 to 18 miles daily in my future, if the majority of the trail is like the trail I know from the Blue Ridge. Twenty six seems too much like punishment.
Makes me feel old, whatever happened to athletes who smoked cigarettes? I'm from the days when it was a healthy habit.
Registered: 02/07/07
Posts: 3917
Loc: Ozark Mountains in SW Missouri
Even if they did do that kind of miles I remain completely unimpressed. What fun is there in that?
I've driven through Colorado and Denver six or eight times and never stopped for anything but gas, so when people ask me if I've ever been to the Rockies or Denver I answer "No, only passed through".
When I was a teen I did a 23 mile hike in and out to a campsite in the Sequoias. I only carried a light daypack, a helicopter brought in our gear for the 2 week stay. I remember well the campsite, and places I hiked to from there, but the 23 miles of trail I hiked to get there and back I barely remember at all.
I'm in agreement with Bill on this, I was surprised that so many people apparently think it's important to get over the trail on schedule and quickly. Schedules? Setting records? I just don't go hiking for those reasons. How much of the Appalachians do you really get to experience if you're traveling at that rate? I like to look around and stop in nice places to brew a cup of tea, get the feel of things. I go back to the same places over and over just to get to know places better, and learn new things every time. I'd probably never finish the AT, I'd find a nice spot and enjoy it.
Registered: 02/05/03
Posts: 3293
Loc: Portland, OR
A discussion of thru-hiking is probably more apt to the Long Distance Hiking Forum than here, but I often listen in on thru-hikers and what they say about the experience -- and those who complete the trail (or any very long segment of it) contend that they see and appreciate most of their surroundings as they walk. They just start walking earlier in the morning than most hikers, and walk until much later in the day. Mid-days, they still take breaks and lollygag around.
Mainly, those who don't appreciate being in the wilderness for months on end, quit early on. The finishers are a self-selected group who love to hike. And hike. And hike.
They just start walking earlier in the morning than most hikers, and walk until much later in the day. Mid-days, they still take breaks and lollygag around.
Mainly, those who don't appreciate being in the wilderness for months on end, quit early on. The finishers are a self-selected group who love to hike. And hike. And hike.
Aimless just nailed it. The people that do this are also driven people and know how to push themselves. I compete in endurance cycling races and it is a mindset of pushing yourself and enjoying it. Eventually you get to the point where what most people consider a radical distance is not a big deal as you've pushed your limits and know that you can easily do that distance. Hiking is the same way.
Registered: 02/07/07
Posts: 3917
Loc: Ozark Mountains in SW Missouri
Originally Posted By aimless
those who complete the trail (or any very long segment of it) contend that they see and appreciate most of their surroundings as they walk.
Still, it reminds me of when Chevy Chase took the family to the Grand Canyon on their "Vacation".
As a "Sport", I can understand the attraction of long distance endurance backpacking, but that's not what attracts me to getting out. I've always regretted not stopping for a few nights in the Rockies. I'm sure I'd feel no different about racing along a trail in the forest.
You may see and appreciate the view, but you'll never really get to know the place intimately.
I regularly do trips which involve days in excess of 20miles. Since I arise usually before the sun, I am often eating breakfast after already hiking 4-5 miles. I usually take long lunches which often include a nice siesta in my hammock. I am not a fast paced hiker by any means, just long hours when the trip calls for it. My body has started to tell me that 20 miles is when I should quit for the day regardless of the hours of daylight left. Thus it doesn't surprise me that others who are likely in better shape than I can do 26+ mile days without issue. I have no doubt they are enjoying the hike and not simply rushing it. HYOH
Registered: 02/05/03
Posts: 3293
Loc: Portland, OR
You may see and appreciate the view, but you'll never really get to know the place intimately.
I seem to be the sole volunteer to state the thru-hiker's POV, since I do section hikes and therefore seem to be the nearest equivalent to a thru-hiker hanging out here.
Anyway... a thru-hike for most of the folks who do it is a once-in-a-lifetime event. They'll have decades of their lives to devote to knowing some place intimately. I'm pretty certain most of them do (or, in the case of oldster thru-hikers, did) that. So, while they are two different things, they not mutually exclusive in the course of a hiking "career".
You may see and appreciate the view, but you'll never really get to know the place intimately.
I seem to be the sole volunteer to state the thru-hiker's POV, since I do section hikes and therefore seem to be the nearest equivalent to a thru-hiker hanging out here.
Anyway... a thru-hike for most of the folks who do it is a once-in-a-lifetime event. They'll have decades of their lives to devote to knowing some place intimately. I'm pretty certain most of them do (or, in the case of oldster thru-hikers, did) that. So, while they are two different things, they not mutually exclusive in the course of a hiking "career".
I agree.
Thru-hikes take weeks and often months to complete, and the majority of people simply don't have such luxury of time and thus are unable to extend their thru-hike any longer than necessary. For example, the CT is 485miles and if I did an average of 10miles per day it would take me almost 7 weeks to complete. That doesn't include any days were I may be tied down due to inclement weather. Even as a college student, I didn't have this amount of time off, even during the summer. So to complete a thru-hike in such a limited amount of time; one needs to hike more miles per day.
I can always come back another time and spend 7-10 days hiking just a few sections of a trail that I loved and get to know it intimately.
Others have touched on the "speed hiker" mentality - then there is the other kind, the once-in-a-lifetimer who must do it now because there will be no other opportunity, and has only x days to do it in...
I have mentioned (I think) before that people who half kill themselves to get to Half Dome bemuse me. Prolly 95% of the folks who do it are not hikers, just tourists who spent the previous few days of vacation wandering around the valley and riding shuttles up to see the sequoias. They will hike a 16 mile round trip with difficult (even for a hiker) elevation gains over rough (livestock pounded, broken asphalt) trail, in whatever shoes they are wearing. They aren't backpackers or day hikers, just people in dress shoes and slacks, or skirts and sandals... I've seen monks do it, and little mennonite ladies in dresses with Nikes under their skirts. They could easily do the 2 miles to Sentinel Dome and be within spitting distance of the same elevation as Half Dome. They could do the 8 mile round trip with less elevation change to North Dome and get marvelous views. The relatively level hike to Dewey Point or any other point along either rim would be easier. But it's something on everyone's life list, apparently. So it is with the JMT or the PCT or any other generally known landmark trail - they just want to do it, not to hike or enjoy, just say they did it.
Someone asked me if I would do the JMT with them in a week. Why? They have a week off. I rolled my eyes and said no, if you go with me, we do eight mile days and take pictures. I'll catch you a fish for dinner. I've been doing it in sections because I don't want to shortchange myself on the experience. Also, I looked at him, and knew I would outhike him - while I'm reasonably certain I could do a 20 mile day (not happily, not without some soreness, but I could plod that long), I could tell he wouldn't. I don't like hiking with suffering people.
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki
I do make fun of "speed Hikers" on our website, but I understand the through hiker mentality. When I am not backpacking, I am often on a road bike. Some days I am a tourist, just admiring the view and pedaling along. But when I ride a century, I have the hammer down and don't stop to smell the roses.
If it works for you, and gets you out on the trail, go for it!
I do not consider myself a "speed hiker". I see a lot of emotional responses above. Let's put some real numbers to this concept. A hiking pace of 2 mph carrying a light to moderate pack is very reasonable for an experienced backpacker. This even includes about 5 minutes per hour for a short rest stop. Now add 1 hour extra for each 1000 feet elevation gain. Once aclimated, nearly everyone can beat this very conservative figure. Thus a 10-mile day on the flat is 5 hours of hiking. A 10-mile day with 3,000 feet elevation gain (really a lot - most days in the mountains are more like 2,000 feet gain). This amounts to an 8-hour day. If you get on the trail by 8AM (really easy to do) you will get into camp at 4PM. In the summer the sun goes down about 8PM or later. That leaves 4 hours of daylight! I really do not agree that a 10-mile day is speed hiking. My average on-trail hiking day is 12 miles and I have plenty of time to relaxe in camp and fish. I also am able to take tons of photos and look around while hiking. (My average difficult off-trail milage day is 7 miles - but I think this post is about trail travel). Most of my hiking is high altitiude, with an average of 2,000+ elevation gain. And I am not any spring chicken- over 60 Grandma, I am. People who backpack a lot and who through-hike are VERY effiecient campers, able to set up and break down camp in less than an hour. Most PCT hikers I have talked to average 20-25 miles per day, and it is not that they "bust butt" to do this - it just is what they do after weeks of hiking. They say it is not that hard. They often get bored doing less!
I've been a competitor since I was 10. I'm goal oriented. I like a challenge. So when I hike or backpack I "compete" against the terrain. That's what gives me satisfaction. That's what makes me happy. The scenery is just an added bonus. Yes, I suffer and I like the feeling of being totally spent at the end of a hard day. No one will ever make me feel guilty about this.
That being said, I can fully understand how other people feel that they see more by covering less ground. I will never take issue with anyone who does. There is no right or wrong way to backpack, just whatever suits the individual.
Whatever happened to "hike your own hike"?
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