Mountain Climbing with the Wizard
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3 members have voted
July 19th, 2018 at 1:21:50 AM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25010 | I'm following 4 thru-hikers on the AT now. I've even talked to a couple of them in comments on their videos. I never realized you have to be an athlete to do this, walk 2200 miles with a 25lb backpack. Of the 3000 or so that attempt it every year, less than 30% make it. Most drop out because of injuries, fatigue, trail depression, any number of reasons. I'm totally impressed with these people, it's grueling to walk 20 miles a day, pitch camp, and tear it all down every single damn day. For 5 months. I wouldn't last a week. I've even donated money to a couple of them and I never do stuff like that. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
July 19th, 2018 at 2:11:28 AM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
Not a Sikorsky, Chinook helicopter , |
July 19th, 2018 at 7:40:56 AM permalink | |
Ayecarumba Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 89 Posts: 1744 | Thank you for the correction and the image Paco. You are a better source for facts than my local television station. |
July 19th, 2018 at 10:22:30 AM permalink | |
Wizard Administrator Member since: Oct 23, 2012 Threads: 239 Posts: 6095 |
I thought the success rate was more like 10%, but maybe it has gone up since I was section hiking it. As for reasons people don't make it, a lot quit in the first 100 miles or so, mainly due to being unprepared. Of those who at least make it to Virginia, I think two main reasons for quitting are injury and losing interest. The part that goes through Virginia is about 25% of the trail. When hikers go through it, they call that phase the Virginia Blues. Listening to them talk about the experience on the trail, it will be 90% negative. The Virginia section is, to be honest, rather boring, like an endless green tunnel that goes up and down. If there is one channel you recommend most, which would it be? Would you like to be my first follower when I do it? I'm thinking maybe the 2021 season at this point. Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber |
July 19th, 2018 at 11:15:15 AM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25010 |
Evan, because he's so informative and has great editing. He's a lawyer in his late 50's. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDs1nbf70lU Ibtat, because he's so entertaining and his videos are real professional. Lots of foul language, but I hear there is nothing but foul language on the AT. He's 37. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QmfnZ2utrM And Liz Kidder because she's gorgeous and and has good videos and has the greatest body I've ever seen on a woman. She and Ibtat are together for the first 2 weeks and then they're separate. Liz is 29. If you watch any of these, remember that the current video is actually a couple weeks ago. They take video every day and edit every day, but there's no way to upload on the trail so they wait till they get to a town. This meant that it was 10 days before they could upload the first ones and they will always be behind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEebA4XIxYc If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
July 20th, 2018 at 10:02:13 PM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25010 | Mike, have you ever done any of the Continental Divide Trail. Mexico to Canada? 3100 miles, only 200 a year attempt it. This woman has a ton of followers and has thru hiked the PCT and the AT. Her videos are excellent, great quality editing. This would be no trial I would go on, too much desert. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
July 21st, 2018 at 12:46:39 AM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
I wonder how many people try to hike the longest one (4600 miles).
I am sure that tens of thousands do a section of it. |
July 21st, 2018 at 5:33:24 AM permalink | |
Wizard Administrator Member since: Oct 23, 2012 Threads: 239 Posts: 6095 |
I've only done a section of it when I did Mount Elbert in June. I met a couple guys who I think were section hiking a big part over a few weeks. You don't hear about the CDT much. It is not on my radar, to be honest with you. Too many things on the bucket list and I'm getting too old to do them all. Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber |
July 21st, 2018 at 6:00:07 AM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
The Camino de Santiago the walk should take you about 30 to 35 days which you said was out of the question. Most southbound hikers on the CDT start in Glacier in mid-June to early July, and finish the trail at the Mexican border in October. I would think that you would be divorced man if you did that hike. |
July 21st, 2018 at 9:55:11 AM permalink | |
Fleastiff Member since: Oct 27, 2012 Threads: 62 Posts: 7831 | Is it that these people make videos of their trail hikes in order to get money to continue the trail hikes or is the video stuff just a pleasant hobby for them? I know there are now dozens of young people sailing and making videos with many of those videos being the sole means of their maintaining their yachting lifestyle. The low-cut bikini tops and the short shorts In the videos obviously help in getting sponsors but even without that stuff, they really need the money from the videos. It sounds like many of the AT hikers that were mentioned surely are not dependent upon their youtube generated money. To me its like these "WAR walkers" and "WAR cyclists" they spend so much time concentrating on the electronics of it, they don't really see much scenery. I would think that anyone doing any trail at all would need to make full use of those various "drop boxes" that allow someone to go just a bit off trail and obtain a resupply kit of such things as socks, bandages, fresh clothing, granola, candy bars, batteries, film, etc. The hikers pack and send the boxes to themselves and then simply get re-supplied at various post offices and businesses along the way who sort the items by Expected Time of Arrival. "... divorced man if you did that hike." ..... Well, I understand that it is fairly common to encounter hikers who prefer to hike in the nude. As one woman said to me, urban cops would make arrests but rangers just tell you to put your clothes back on, particularly if they've been meeting other hikers in the area. |