guided at hikes whaddya think?

hikerboy · Feb 5th 2015, 9:00pm

warren doyle runs guided at trips, sir packs alot has his school, and now more guide services are popping up.

is this a good or bad thing?:

wanderingbootsadventuretour.com/index.html

OzJacko · Feb 5th 2015, 9:04pm

Similar things run on Bibbulmun.
Ours are very expensive usually.
For the most part it gets people out there who wouldn't otherwise go so it's a good thing.
It's a PIA when you come across them though.
Having said that something along those lines may feature in my future employment so......

hikerboy · Feb 5th 2015, 9:04pm

funny that their primary guide hasnt thru hiked

WanderingStovie · Feb 5th 2015, 9:05pm

I have seen large guided tours on the AT - boy scouts.

OzJacko · Feb 5th 2015, 9:06pm

If you're talking about me I'm talking about the Bib and I have.

Tuckahoe · Feb 5th 2015, 9:08pm

It's neither good or bad, it just is. And in the end I really have a hard time caring how someone else enjoys the trail.

milkman · Feb 5th 2015, 9:09pm

Those escalators aren't far behind.

Rasty · Feb 5th 2015, 9:09pm

I guess some people feel more comfortable getting out there with a guide the first time.

I can't see an adult needing more then a few days off guidance to learn how to backpack so I'm don't see the value of the long distance guided trips.

Astro · Feb 5th 2015, 9:12pm

As long as there is not a negative impact on others let them do what they want.

Like others said it gets people out who normally might not, but 2,189 miles sure does seem like a long time for a guided tour.

OzJacko · Feb 5th 2015, 9:12pm

Looking more closely at it I can't see they are offering much more than a companion for a fee.

Wise Old Owl · Feb 5th 2015, 9:18pm

Thos of us with a college educasion need a guide. Its fine by me... They can pay it forward... it called trickle down eco-nom-ics.

No worries. Serious.

Wait I almost forgot... My dad paid for a huge trip from Cody down some river and the Brady bunch turned out to be decedents of William F Cody Best time ever.. I was a pup.

max.patch · Feb 5th 2015, 9:19pm

so ya pay $9,000 for a guide and the "security" of walking with a group. on someone elses schedule. (the 9k doesn't include your equipment, food etc.) whatta crock.

at least doyle gives ya crappy thru hike experience at a discount.

max.patch · Feb 5th 2015, 9:24pm

sir packs a lot also gives guided hikes on the a.t here in georgia but it seems like most of them are day hikes that are probably attended by those people who wouldn't hike if they had to do it alone. seems like they are the type where ya hike for a few hours and then ya go to a post hike winery and do a tasting. i'd never pay for something like that but i don't have an issue with him doing it or those who participate.

milkman · Feb 5th 2015, 9:25pm

max.patch wrote:

so ya pay $9,000 for a guide and the "security" of walking with a group. on someone elses schedule. (the 9k doesn't include your equipment, food etc.) whatta crock.

at least doyle gives ya crappy thru hike experience at a discount.

$19,200 if you choose the all inclusive option.

max.patch · Feb 5th 2015, 9:26pm

hikerboy wrote:

funny that their primary guide hasnt thru hiked

doyle has never done a thru hike either without vehicle assistance.

max.patch · Feb 5th 2015, 9:28pm

milkman wrote:

max.patch wrote:

so ya pay $9,000 for a guide and the "security" of walking with a group. on someone elses schedule. (the 9k doesn't include your equipment, food etc.) whatta crock.

at least doyle gives ya crappy thru hike experience at a discount.

$19,200 if you choose the all inclusive option.

omg i missed that option!!! that better be lobster and champagne at those prices. unfricken believable!

OzJacko · Feb 5th 2015, 9:29pm

Doyle's hikes strike me as totally bereft of enjoyment.
Tight schedule.
Pickup and transport for resupplies and basic accomodation needs.
No zeroes.
No flexibility.
They are at least cheap.

hikerboy · Feb 5th 2015, 9:32pm

OzJacko wrote:

Looking more closely at it I can't see they are offering much more than a companion for a fee.

i was talking about the wandering boots primary guide

milkman · Feb 5th 2015, 9:34pm

max.patch wrote:

milkman wrote:

max.patch wrote:

so ya pay $9,000 for a guide and the "security" of walking with a group. on someone elses schedule. (the 9k doesn't include your equipment, food etc.) whatta crock.

at least doyle gives ya crappy thru hike experience at a discount.

$19,200 if you choose the all inclusive option.

omg i missed that option!!! that better be lobster and champagne at those prices. unfricken believable!

I know Aussies that don't spend that much.

OzJacko · Feb 5th 2015, 9:34pm

We worked out that a group of 3 or 4 could pay a student type about $2000 to $3000 each to essentially slackpack most of the trail and be there personal "trail angel" and they could supplement that income with some shuttle runs etc for other hikers.
For a young bloke with an old pickup it could be a fun summer job.
Once you start charging the kind of money they are talking about, it is not the guide with you that you expect, it is the car at the road crossing taking you to your meal and 3 star accomodation.

max.patch · Feb 5th 2015, 9:35pm

did ya see this...

Parts of the Appalachian Trail are on Federal land where no commercial business is allowed, so our services are offered for free in these sections which have already been reflected in the price.

looks like what they are doing is illegal, so they are trying to skirt the law with some cute language.

max.patch · Feb 5th 2015, 9:37pm

OzJacko wrote:

Once you start charging the kind of money they are talking about, it is not the guide with you that you expect, it is the car at the road crossing taking you to your meal and 3 star accomodation.

they pay for hostels, but the client pays for hotels.

Rasty · Feb 5th 2015, 9:40pm

Start on April first and just hang out with the other 90 thru hikers and save $9000

Wise Old Owl · Feb 5th 2015, 9:48pm

Hmm April Fools Day... sucked a few managers and one owner into that... I have a huge topper for this year...

Rasty · Feb 5th 2015, 9:53pm

Rasty wrote:

Start on April first and just hang out with the other 90 thru hikers and save $9000

Buy a case of beer and you will have at least one guide with you the whole way.

Sarcasmtheelf · Feb 5th 2015, 10:01pm

Guides serve a purpose, I see them as training wheels. I think they're a silly thing to pay for on a social trail like the A.T., but that's nothing but my opinion. Just as long as they don't take over an area like the sherpa system in the Himalayas then I'm fine with it.

To be honest, in the past I had toyed around with the idea of going with a guided group to do a winter traverse of the presidential range.

milkman · Feb 5th 2015, 10:04pm

Rasty wrote:

Rasty wrote:

Start on April first and just hang out with the other 90 thru hikers and save $9000

Buy a case of beer and you will have at least one guide with you the whole way.

Isn't there already some kind of beer guide to the AT?

Rasty · Feb 5th 2015, 10:05pm

SarcasmTheElf wrote:

Guides serve a purpose, I see them as training wheels. I think they're a silly thing to pay for on a social trail like the A.T., but that's nothing but my opinion. Just as long as they don't take over an area like the sherpa system in the Himalayas then I'm fine with it.

To be honest, in the past I had toyed around with the idea of going with a guided group to do a winter traverse of the presidential range.

A guided winter presidential traverse makes sense.

hikerboy · Feb 5th 2015, 10:08pm

Rasty wrote:

SarcasmTheElf wrote:

Guides serve a purpose, I see them as training wheels. I think they're a silly thing to pay for on a social trail like the A.T., but that's nothing but my opinion. Just as long as they don't take over an area like the sherpa system in the Himalayas then I'm fine with it.

To be honest, in the past I had toyed around with the idea of going with a guided group to do a winter traverse of the presidential range.

A guided winter presidential traverse makes sense.

i took a 3 day guided canoe trip through amc on lake umbagog in maine that was awesome.

Socks · Feb 5th 2015, 10:22pm

hikerboy wrote:

warren doyle runs guided at trips, sir packs alot has his school, and now more guide services are popping up.

is this a good or bad thing?:

wanderingbootsadventuretour.com/index.html

some need guiding, none of my business.

...that said, a potential problem does exists. If and when permitting takes place on the trail, preferential treatment to guide services would most certainly be an issue.

jimmyjam · Feb 5th 2015, 10:30pm

I went on a week long guided trip in the BWCA in Canada. Guides were a necessity in a place like that- my arse would have been lost. On the AT no. But maybe the guides can teach some LNT to otherwise litterbug hikers.

Trillium · Feb 5th 2015, 10:56pm

This is nothing new. When I was first thinking about doing some backpacking on the AT back in 2006, my sister suggested that I find a guided tour. I didn't tell her to go pound sand with that idea, at least not out loud.

Anyway, I had been doing a lot of research, google is my friend, and I had already found some guided backpacking trips for women, anywhere from 3-10 days. I sent her the links in case she wanted to avail herself of same. I'm too independent for that kind of thing.

Also, you may or may not know of Certain who began her thru-hike in 2007, had to get off in mid VA due to injury, then completed the AT in 2008. Anyway, I became aware in 2013 that she was offering guided AT backpacking trips to groups of women. My recollection is that they were from 3-7 days.

For people just getting into backpacking, a guided trip gives them the comfort and secure feeling that they will have a successful trip. Other people are more risk averse than just winging it on their own. Others prefer to be part of an organized group. The goal should be to get people out enjoying nature and some physical activity and if they prefer to Hike Their Own Hike by being part of a guided group, that is great for them.

OzJacko · Feb 5th 2015, 11:07pm

I don't have a problem with guided hikes. I am seriously looking at options to run some on the Bibbulmun myself (watch here and on Facebook next week for a major announcement about an upcoming change in my life).
I just think that a guided thru hike of the AT is ridiculous. It would not be worth paying for. A SUPPORTED thruhike is a different thing altogether.

LIhikers · Feb 5th 2015, 11:27pm

The dog sledding trips that Kathy and I have done were through a lodge in northern MN, and of course we paid for the service.
The first and last nights were in the lodge where we got lessons in dog +sled handling.
They also supplied everything but your clothing.
And the trip consisted of 6 guests and 2 guides.
Worth every penny we paid, too. Those trips were wonderful experiences.

LIhikers · Feb 5th 2015, 11:32pm

I don't know about other states, but here in New York outdoor guides need a state license.
I wonder if the wandering boots people are licensed in all the states requiring that.
I would guess not. Just my 2 cents

The licensing of outdoor guides is administered by the New York State Forest Rangers. The Environmental Conservation Law Section 11-0533.8 requires the Department to publish a list of guides. A list of current New York State Licensed Guides is available on-line. You do not need to be a resident of New York State to receive a guides license.

In general terms, a guide is a person, at least eighteen years of age, who offers services for hire, part or all of which includes directing, instructing or aiding another in fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, whitewater rafting/canoeing/kayaking, or rock and ice climbing.

Individuals engaging in the business of guiding on all lands and waters of the state shall possess a license issued by the department. There are, however, some exceptions. They include persons operating or assisting upon a public vessel for hire (passenger carrying vessels), licensed by the United States Coast Guard or New York State while on the following waters:

The Atlantic Ocean
All other marine, coastal and tidal waters including: The Hudson River up to the Troy Barrier Dam
The St. Lawrence River and the navigable portion of its tributaries
The Great Lakes and the navigable portion of their tributaries
Lake Champlain and the navigable portion of its tributaries
Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake and the navigable portion of their tributaries

LDog · Feb 6th 2015, 11:31am

WanderingStovie wrote:

I have seen large guided tours on the AT - boy scouts.

The "campers" in the 100 mile wilderness ... In July groups as large as 20 well-heeled young teenagers thru-hike the HMW as part of their summer camp experience. All very nice and polite. But they'd quite hiking at 4:00 and take over every tent site at a shelter area ...

LDog · Feb 6th 2015, 11:33am

OzJacko wrote:

Doyle's hikes strike me as totally bereft of enjoyment.
Tight schedule.
Pickup and transport for resupplies and basic accomodation needs.
No zeroes.
No flexibility.
They are at least cheap.

And they get to experience being part of a cult.

Da Wolf · Feb 6th 2015, 12:01pm

OzJacko wrote:

Doyle's hikes strike me as totally bereft of enjoyment.

the average thru-hiker's hike is bereft of enjoyment in my eyes. always thinkin' about the goal and mileage. push, push, push

hikerboy · Feb 6th 2015, 1:52pm

[IMG:https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/10436247_10153073570311926_7498424270729649090_n.jpg?oh=7a4618d3a4b0cb690ff6bebd5ec06e6f&oe=5569875E]

Sarcasmtheelf · Feb 6th 2015, 1:59pm

hikerboy wrote:

[IMG:https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/10436247_10153073570311926_7498424270729649090_n.jpg?oh=7a4618d3a4b0cb690ff6bebd5ec06e6f&oe=5569875E]

I'm stealing this one.

guided at hikes whaddya think?

guided at hikes whaddya think?

max.patch wrote:

hikerboy wrote:

milkman wrote:

max.patch wrote:

OzJacko wrote:

max.patch wrote:

milkman wrote:

max.patch wrote:

OzJacko wrote:

Rasty wrote:

Rasty wrote:

Rasty wrote:

SarcasmTheElf wrote:

Rasty wrote:

SarcasmTheElf wrote:

hikerboy wrote:

WanderingStovie wrote:

OzJacko wrote:

OzJacko wrote:

hikerboy wrote:

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