AT Purist Mentality

imported
#1

This past year I hiked every step of the Appalachian Trail, not necessarily because I wanted to hike the AT purely but because I wanted to connect all my steps from Georgia to Maine. This is exactly what I did on the PCT and CDT in years past … connected my footprints from Mexico to Canada twice.

However, I was really surprised at the purist mentality on the AT as opposed to the PCT and CDT, and how judgmental AT purist are on the AT of other hikers.

I’m proud of my accomplishments but I never, not once, judged anyone who either skipped sections or took alternate routes. I was traveling with another group of hikers who were pure, but the negativity of their judgement eventually led me to hike alone.

I’m curious, that was my experience but I’m just wondering if others feel the same way that the AT purist are more judgmental vs. the PCT and CDT.

DREAMER

#2

Check out this video to see what a PCT hiker and past AT has to say about purism.

Miguel

Miguel

#3

The AT lends itself to purity. Very rarely do you encounter things like fires, dangerous snow, etc. The guidebnooks are precise. It’s easy to walk the white blazes–which is what I did when I hiked it (until later in the hike in when I remembered WHY I hike, and it had nothing to do with guidebooks and rules).

The PCT, in my opinion, is fast approaching AT purity status. My experience on the PCT regarding purists was the same as on the AT–both very dissappointing. I had hoped the west would be less restrictive, but CA, OR and WA are not really the west.

To each his own, but you will notice that purists can’t leave anyone else alone. Why? They are bureaucrats at heart.

I love the idea of WALKING from point A to point B. I loathe the idea of being forced along a specific path between those points due to peer pressure exerted by those who claim to be freedom loving in-duh-viduals.

We’ve all met the Purist Quizzer at camp. They are as absurd as they are annoying. Know them by the saying: “Hike your own hike and here is exactly how you’ll hike it…”

Oh…and…congratulations on your hikes! :cheers

Jason

#4

That’s interesting, Dreamer. I haven’t done the PCT or CDT yet, but when I did the AT in '08, but I didn’t find many purists that judged non-purists…I found that more people gave me and other purists a hard time, than the other way around. (and I, like you, didn’t judge non-purists…HYOH, right? :slight_smile: )

Peanut :slight_smile:

#5

When I attempted my first thru in 2007, most were’nt about the purist…most i met were very easy going, skipping sections, etc. That’s one thing I like about the people on the trail. I didn’t find judgments. I’m hoping to run across the same type of people in 2011. And, if I don’t, won’t ruin my time. In my section hike last year, I did meet on purist, but he didn’t boast or brag about it. He had the opportunity to slack pack and didn’t. That’s a purist no no. Again, I encountered no negativity either way.

Sorry for your encounters, but grats on your accomplishments,.

stylin

#6

It’s nobody’s business how or where you hike the AT, unless…

•You tell people you hiked the whole, official AT but you really didn’t

•You fill out the form to get your patch, certificate, and publication in AT Journeys for hiking the whole, official AT but you really didn’t

In these two examples, calling out the hiker who has not been truthful is fair. But if a hiker who has skipped sections or done alternates does not claim to have hiked the whole AT, and does not apply to ATC for recognition for completing the whole AT–whose business is it? Well, it’s the hiker’s business and his alone. He should be commended for Hiking His Own Hike and not lying about it.

Skyline

#7

A judgmental person will judge others regardless of what trail he/she is walking. Furthermore, all of us are judgmental of others (at least in thought) at times. It’s one of the ugly parts of human nature.

Many of the hikers on the PCT & CDT these days are former AT thru-hikers, so there’s really no difference in the mentality of the hikers. However, because the CDT is still incomplete there is no judgment for those who take alternate routes.

Personally, I really don’t care what others think about my hike. Like you, Dreamer, I always try to connect my steps on my hikes but I really could care less about how others hike their hike.

I was pretty much cured of caring about how others hike back in '97 on my first PCT thru-hike. That year some well-known hikers ‘yellow blazed’ (the cardinal sin for purists) repeatedly & then LIED about it to the rest of us. It offended me at the time, but now I would actually feel sorry for them - they missed some beautiful terrain & will have to overcome the compulsive lying habit if they want peace of mind.

One of the great things about a thru-hike is the opportunity to grow & progress as a human beings. All of us have room for improvement. A 2000+ mile hike provides plenty of opportunity to learn lessons & put what we have learned into practice.

freebird

#8

On the AT, I was a white-blazer, despite the heavy rains of '89… I never got in the book, since the Harper valley PTA office is closed on Sundays, at the time at least. I stupidly didn’t have enough money, which at the time, you had to have traveller’s checks since ATM’s only worked with banks in the state! On the PCT '93, I was for the most part a blazer, although when the trail’s under snow, who knows if you are on it? Ditto on the CDt, when you are lucky to even find a trailmarker, so you just make your way as best you can (especially when N.Bound in Montana which is discriminated against, at least in '04.)
In Europe, I cobbled together 3 trails to thru hike the alps from Bratislava to Nice… started flood season in mid-July; got to help dig up Roman artifacts on Austria’s 02-alternativ… stayed at huts as most of the alps trail is above treeline (which would have been much cheaper if I’d been a member of the British alpine club which comes with rescue insurance as well as discounts)I never had to forward food as the trail goes thru valley towns every few days! At the 02-A highpoint, I didn’t want to blue blaze the red-white-red trail in a snowstorm & found the west side of the highest pass (Hochreichkopf) a sheet of ice… long story short, I was balanced on a trail less than a foot wide above a huge chasm hoping to make it across 10 meters to the next tree… I was lucky the waterfall had a bouldery spillway I could hop down & kiss the ground of the 1st meadow I spied nearing Umhausen!
A similar thing happend on the Rottenmanner Tauern, when the blazes went vertical up a cliff with only grass clumps for handholds… I let out a Tarzan yell when I survived that & soon a helicopter came over, so perhaps that was not such a good idea! T
Climbing over the highest pass of France after a heavy October snowstorm, I soon descended to my reward of laying on the rocky Riviera beach in Nice, which can disapppear in October due to tides! (alternatively can finish at small town Menton, near the Italian border).

gingerbreadman

#9

Even though I don’t plan on doing the AT until after I complete the PCT in 2011 and the CDT in 201?, I have done some hiking during my time on earth and I do have my thoughts on purism and how I intend to apply it to these long trails.

The rules for me are quite simple…

  1. Don’t skip sections unless the law requires it and then walk the re-routes. I will consider re-routes as the official trail at that particular time.

  2. Enter the trail at the same point (+/- a few feet) as I exited. That’s close enough for me.

  3. No flip-flopping or slack packing. Hike in one continuous line.

I must stress that these are my rules and they only apply to me. Everybody else has the right to make and/or break their own rules and I would encourage them to do so.

I really don’t care how others hike their hike, I only care about how I hike mine. At the end of the day I will know what I have accomplished and that is the only thing that matters to me.

If others skip sections, slackpack, or bla bla bla and are also having fun, then more power to them and I would encourage them to continue hiking their hike and having fun.

If others skip sections, slackpack, or bla bla bla and claim otherwise then this is their problem and their actions only shows them to be cheats and liars and not someone that would instill confidence in their ability to be honest and trustworthy. Other than that their actions are no consequence to me.

I believe that what one does as far as purism is concerned is not the most important issue to thru-hiking. Being honest and truthful to yourself and others is a much more important trait on the trail.

Miguel

Miguel

#10

Freebird, and Miguel: You both nailed it!

Wingo

#11

This is quite an interesting subject and one that was much less pervasive on the PCT this year. On the AT, I tried to not let it bother me, but somehow like skyline said, the folks that told people they were thru-hiking but clearly yellow blazed would somehow bother me. I almost felt as if I had to earn it…why shouldn’t they?

As I matured as a hiker and realized what it was that pulled me into the long walks through beautiful landscapes though…I finally came to understand, like freebird said, it is their own peace of mind they will lack. Each section of trail brings a unique memory and experience for me. It is sad to think of how many potential amazing stories people are missing by skipping around.

In the end, as cliche’ as it is…it really is about enjoying your own adventure, and letting others enjoy theirs, however they seek to carry it out. At the root of it, no matter what percent of trail one accomplishes, or to what level of arbitrary “pureness” they hike…they are still out hiking…enjoying the beauty of this world…and not sitting on a couch somewhere wishing they were.

anyhoo,

thanks for posting the video link miguel :slight_smile: that was quite the roadwalk.

-john

lakewood

#12

In 02 I connected evry dot. Anywhere I see the trail these days I know that "yes " I touched that ground. Purist? Gee, I dont know. Compared to who? I was all about going into town for a beer. Some stayed in the woods for 2 weeks at a time. Did they beat me at purism?
But I will also say that I think the " hike your own hike " phrase is a lazy cop out. Sorry, just my opinion.

Virginian

#13

If you say you are a thru hiker, and you want to hike the AT, then why not hike all of it???

just hikin’

#14

I started out as a through hiker, but due to diet and a fall or two I managed to get to maine by hitchhiking, paddling a canoe, and just enjoying myself. Although I was out for 6 months, I met the best that America offered on the AT and enjoyed all those people and experiences along the way. The purists I met ignored me when I said I was just out for a stroll with no destination to pull me towards…just a walk. Well I did my own walk and will not get a certificate from ATC, but those who NEED to get a certificate to prove something enjoy it. I proved I can walk and enjoy for the experience, not because someone tells me how to and where I must walk. Bless you all in your future adventures. Step in a HALF.

elaine hamilton

#15

I find that people towards the front of the pack are more judgmental about other hikers. I’m a fast hiker and hike a pure hike, but never really judge anyone for skipping sections, I mean how silly, right?

Walker

#16

Who cares!!! Don’t worry about what others are doing on their hike. Hikers need to just stay concerned about their own hike and their purpose for doing what they are doing. Other hikers should care less if someone doesn’t talk to them or dislikes them for the way they are hiking or not hiking.

Seriously, this is getting to be very petty.

just hikin’

#17

I don’t know about hikers in the front, middle, or the back … but when I hiked the trail from Springer to Georgia two years ago and flipped, I did encounter a lot of judgmental people who said I wasn’t hiking the entire trail.

I got a lot of **** from NOBOs around me for flipping since they said only I would know if I ever came back to the exact spot I left (which I did). Then the SOBOs who I met also were judgmental of me because I was doing more miles because I had my trail legs than them who then accused me of skipping sections.

I’ve also hiked out west and I feel that people on the AT are much more judgmental than the other long distance trails when it comes to being pure, flipping, or whatever.

WonderBread

#18

I’m happy to know it wasn’t just me and thanks for the feedback!!!

This is the first post I’ve ever put up and I didn’t realize it would be such a hot topic, seems like the purist out there annoy a lot of other people!

DREAMER

#19

@ just hikin’ must be a purist!

hahaha!

just hikin’ and judging all the way!

#20

@ just hikin’

“If you say you are a thru hiker, and you want to hike the AT, then why not hike all of it???”

then you say “who cares …”

Precisely, you are the type of person that makes hiking on the AT miserable for other people. I seriously doubt you’ve ever hiked the entire trail.

Douglas “Bones” Martin