Myth vs. reality of Thru-Hiking, why so many hikers fail
So you’re thinking about Thru-Hiking the AT. You have been dreaming about it for years & the time is right. You’ve read trail journals, watched YouTube videos, & bought the best gear out there. So why do only about 20% of those who attempt it finish? I have read shelter logs where people have quit on the approach trail, said it wasn’t what they expected. One couple on Facebook had been posting their plan & gear acquisitions for almost a year. They quit 20 miles into the trail. They say 10% quit at Neels Gap 30 miles into the trail.
So why do most people fail?
Unprepared: It’s easy to sit in the comfort of your home & have grand visions of your hike. The epic shots at McAfee Knob, Franconia ridge, ultimately atop Katahdin. Days of hiking in the peaceful splendor of nature. Basking in the solitude that the wilderness provides.
The reality can be far different. Waking up day after day & having to put on cold wet clothes & shoes. Throwing on a pack & hiking with sore muscles. Walking day after day in the rain with no views. Constantly being hungry & dirty. Smelling worse than a homeless person. Trying to sleep in a shelter with someone snoring besides you while mice run around & on top of you.
Some people whom attempt the trail have never backpacked before. Others have hiked only when the weather was nice.
So how do you prepare? Walk as much as you can. Preferably with a pack, even if it’s a daypack with some weight in it. Walk to the store, to lunch, to work. Just get out & walk. Go backpacking. Plan short pratice hikes. Try the gear you plan to use & see if it will work for you for the next 5-6 months night after night. Cook food on the equipment you plan to use. Your first day on your thru is not the time to learn how to set up your tent or use your stove! Mostly go out in any weather. Don’t cancel a trip because it is raining or snowing. You will have to deal with it on your thru. You might as well get used to it. It also helps you test your gear in those conditions.
Injury: These fall into two categories; accidental & preventable. Not much you can do about an accident so I won’t go into that here. It’s the preventable ones that can be helped. Preventable ones are often little ones that go untreated that get worse until a hiker has to get off the trail. Many are caused by going to far to fast. Most hikers will tell you the best way to get in shape for thru-hiking is to hike. Most people can’t just start out hiking 15-20 miles a day. So don’t! Let your body work its way into it. Take it easy the first few weeks. Watch for blisters & take care of them before they get to bad or infected. If you start getting shin splints take it easy or take a day off. You will be amazed at how fast you will get your “Trail Legs”
Lack of money: Say you already have all the gear you need. You’re living in the woods. How much money do you need? Probably more than you think. In addition to the food you need on the trail eating in town is inevitable & costly. After a few weeks you will be hungry! The average hike burns up to 6,000 calories a day. About the same as someone running a marathon. It’s hard to carry that much food on the trail, so most hikers make up for it in town. It’s hard to resist that a cheeseburger & a few beers. Soon a large pizza becomes a nice single serving. Your favorite restaurant is an AYCE. To describe how much your appetite is hard. It will vary from person to person. I know at one layover I ate five separate meals, plus snacks. One hiker made a comment while taking a candid group shot at a break that it seemed like everyone was always eating something.
Even if you don’t plan on staying in town, you often will. Start to early & many hikers find themselves staying an extra day to wait out bad weather. Even on a normal resupply it’s hard to get everything done in one day by the time you shop, do laundry, eat, etc. Then most hikers end up traveling with others. It can be hard to leave your “Trail Family” & many hikers succumb to peer pressure. Hotels & hostels costs add up over 5-6 months.
Then comes incidental expenses. Replacing worn out gear, batteries & shoes. Unexpected medical expenses if you get injured. What if you get Lyme’s Disease , Giardia, or Norovirus while hiking. Medication & extended layover may be required.
Plan your budget as best you can, then have a contigency fund.
Boredom: This is often overlooked when planning a hike. Many refer to it as the Virginia Blues. After months & hundreds of miles it can become monotonous. By the time you hit the mid atlantic states hiking has become routine. You are hiking in the “Green Tunnel”. One becomes jaded to the now fewer, but routine views of the farmlands below the trail. Each day becomes a repeat of the previous one. Many become homesick. It’s no longer a physical challenge & some just say enough is enough.
If it happens to you I suggest taking a few days off close to the trail. Don’t quit on a bad day! Go visit some tourist attractions. If after a few days you don’t miss the trail, then go home.
So you’re thinking about Thru-Hiking the AT. You have been dreaming about it for years & the time is right. You’ve read trail journals, watched YouTube videos, & bought the best gear out there. So why do only about 20% of those who attempt it finish? I have read shelter logs where people have quit on the approach trail, said it wasn’t what they expected. One couple on Facebook had been posting their plan & gear acquisitions for almost a year. They quit 20 miles into the trail. They say 10% quit at Neels Gap 30 miles into the trail.
So why do most people fail?
Unprepared: It’s easy to sit in the comfort of your home & have grand visions of your hike. The epic shots at McAfee Knob, Franconia ridge, ultimately atop Katahdin. Days of hiking in the peaceful splendor of nature. Basking in the solitude that the wilderness provides.
The reality can be far different. Waking up day after day & having to put on cold wet clothes & shoes. Throwing on a pack & hiking with sore muscles. Walking day after day in the rain with no views. Constantly being hungry & dirty. Smelling worse than a homeless person. Trying to sleep in a shelter with someone snoring besides you while mice run around & on top of you.
Some people whom attempt the trail have never backpacked before. Others have hiked only when the weather was nice.
So how do you prepare? Walk as much as you can. Preferably with a pack, even if it’s a daypack with some weight in it. Walk to the store, to lunch, to work. Just get out & walk. Go backpacking. Plan short pratice hikes. Try the gear you plan to use & see if it will work for you for the next 5-6 months night after night. Cook food on the equipment you plan to use. Your first day on your thru is not the time to learn how to set up your tent or use your stove! Mostly go out in any weather. Don’t cancel a trip because it is raining or snowing. You will have to deal with it on your thru. You might as well get used to it. It also helps you test your gear in those conditions.
Injury: These fall into two categories; accidental & preventable. Not much you can do about an accident so I won’t go into that here. It’s the preventable ones that can be helped. Preventable ones are often little ones that go untreated that get worse until a hiker has to get off the trail. Many are caused by going to far to fast. Most hikers will tell you the best way to get in shape for thru-hiking is to hike. Most people can’t just start out hiking 15-20 miles a day. So don’t! Let your body work its way into it. Take it easy the first few weeks. Watch for blisters & take care of them before they get to bad or infected. If you start getting shin splints take it easy or take a day off. You will be amazed at how fast you will get your “Trail Legs”
Lack of money: Say you already have all the gear you need. You’re living in the woods. How much money do you need? Probably more than you think. In addition to the food you need on the trail eating in town is inevitable & costly. After a few weeks you will be hungry! The average hike burns up to 6,000 calories a day. About the same as someone running a marathon. It’s hard to carry that much food on the trail, so most hikers make up for it in town. It’s hard to resist that a cheeseburger & a few beers. Soon a large pizza becomes a nice single serving. Your favorite restaurant is an AYCE. To describe how much your appetite is hard. It will vary from person to person. I know at one layover I ate five separate meals, plus snacks. One hiker made a comment while taking a candid group shot at a break that it seemed like everyone was always eating something.
Even if you don’t plan on staying in town, you often will. Start to early & many hikers find themselves staying an extra day to wait out bad weather. Even on a normal resupply it’s hard to get everything done in one day by the time you shop, do laundry, eat, etc. Then most hikers end up traveling with others. It can be hard to leave your “Trail Family” & many hikers succumb to peer pressure. Hotels & hostels costs add up over 5-6 months.
Then comes incidental expenses. Replacing worn out gear, batteries & shoes. Unexpected medical expenses if you get injured. What if you get Lyme’s Disease , Giardia, or Norovirus while hiking. Medication & extended layover may be required.
Plan your budget as best you can, then have a contigency fund.
Boredom: This is often overlooked when planning a hike. Many refer to it as the Virginia Blues. After months & hundreds of miles it can become monotonous. By the time you hit the mid atlantic states hiking has become routine. You are hiking in the “Green Tunnel”. One becomes jaded to the now fewer, but routine views of the farmlands below the trail. Each day becomes a repeat of the previous one. Many become homesick. It’s no longer a physical challenge & some just say enough is enough.
If it happens to you I suggest taking a few days off close to the trail. Don’t quit on a bad day! Go visit some tourist attractions. If after a few days you don’t miss the trail, then go home.
