Was in Harpers Ferry this past weekend, and it appears just looking at the sheets, that the number of thru-hikers has gone way down over the past several years. But yet, the number of people who attempt a thru-hike remain the same. trailjournals.com is also showing this trend. Any ideas or suggestions why? Could the internet be the cause, getting people to believe that hiking the AT is some romantic adventure where everyone is in bliss and always happy?
Shawn Patrick
In 2008, at least, the decline might be attributable to the high rainfall totals after years of drought in much of the east.
But I have often wondered if there isn’t another reason.
Back in the early 1990s, my family and I began hiking to to spectacular Jacks River Falls in Georgia’s Cohutta Wilderness Area. Given Georgia’s rapid population growth, we expected the number of visitors to the falls to increase dramatically during the ensuing years, but that hasn’t been the case. As best I can tell, use has remained about the same.
As we age and a percentage of our population “graduates” to an age or condition preventing or dissuading them from hiking, perhaps their numbers aren’t being “replaced” or exceeded by young folks, because too many of them have grown up in front of televsision and computer rather than doing the things that kids used to do - biking, swimming, running, etc.
Dan
Number of trail towns that make it hard to leave. That has grown exponentially, in the same time frame that the actual number of thru-hikers has decreased.
In my opinion, at least.
bearbait
From the ATC Web Site
Northbounders 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Springer , Ga. 1,535 1,392 1,150 1,125 1,250 1,425
Neels Gap, Ga. 1,305 1,156 1,076 1,005 1,150 1,325
Fontana Dam, 864 1,124 N/A N/A 1,050 911
Harpers Ferry, 661 682 659 613 667 708
Katahdin, Ma 397 363 350 312 335 367
Completion rate 26% 26% 30% 28% 28% 26%
2010 1460 start 223 finish to date.
Tim
This could be reflective of the weakness of the younger generation in general. The data mirrors the high school graduation rate or the college completion percentage. It’s not the trail, the trail is getting easier. Everything about a thru-hike of the AT is easier. Better, communication, better food, equipment, transportation. Each year the trail is better marked, better graded, better routed and better cared for. We have more and better accomidations, better hostles, better shelters and way more convenience stores. When I hear young people complain about the trail, I always say, “you should have seen it in the 60’s”. The term “slack packing” did not exist. Wonder what Earl Shaffer would say about it?
Frank the Tank
From 1989 to 2007, I averaged at least 3 months per year of adventures. I built up my credit card debt proportionately, having been a courier that would accomadate such a lifestyle. I started paying off that huge debt for several years; then the bad economy & medical/dental bills put me almost back where I started in huge debt with a reduced income to pay it off! This may be affecting others as well… you can’t afford to quit your job since it might not be there when you get back!!!
PS. I passed thru Harper Valley PTA on a Sunday, thus did not check in or get my picture taken!
gingerbreadman
You don’t suppose the decline might be because many of the younger people who might be interested in thru-hiking are busy hiking in Afghanistan?
windblown
Do hiker counts take into account those that never sign trail registers or journals? I know my son never does and he’s done the CDT, PCT, and FT.
Also, the Baby Boomers (me) are starting to age out and not hike as much. I don’t know the demographics for the AT but out west maybe a quarter of the hikers are old fogies and our numbers might be declining.
bowlegs
Even if this statement is true and there are less people on the trail, I don’t see why this would be an issue?
From a donor perspective, the majority % of people who actually donate are recreational hikers (section or day) so who attempts or completes a thru-hike doesn’t matter. I know this because I work for one of the National Trails.
As a Triple Crowner and a person who has thru-hiked 8 other National Trails, I’m happy to know that fewer people are hiking because that means a better wilderness experience for people like me who don’t enjoy hiking in packs or seeing a lot of people on trail.
The theory that less people on trail means less federal protection is categorically false, since the National Trail System is protected under the National Trails System Act of 1968 and has no mention of funding based on the number of people who complete a thru-hike.
So again, how does having less successful thru-hiker bad for the trail?
WoodLost
Thru hiked with my wife this year and talking with the younger folks who are the in majority , it seems that they are not inclined to sign registries etc. Talk to our grandchildren and you will hear a near 70’s sentiment that this generation doesn’t trust authority, that government is bad and we are loosing our civil liberties. Not necessarily how our generation is thinking these days. I’ll bet if you checked the registers you would find that us older generations are signing them more often.
Cabana Boy
Hiked the trail this year with a group of young kids. We hiked every step of the trail and signed every register. All the hikers within a 10 mile radius around us were under the age of 30. Sure there were a few mature people hiking, but generally we were all young.
If everything that WoodLost says is true, then I have to agree with him/her. How could less people on trail be a bad thing?
Screech
Less people probably isn’t a bad thing. In fact, the AT if anything was way too overcrowded, especially in the years after Bryson’s book came out.
Tim, I don’t trust those figures, no way is the thru-hiker completion rate at 25-30 percent.
And the protection of the AT isn’t going away. It will still be there.
William Jefferson White
While AT is a fine trail the availability of other and more atractive long trails has become easier to plan. AT is no longer on top of my list of long hikes.
pytel
Fewer hikers and less use is good for the AT, but it’s not good for our health. Population in the US is increasing dramatically (it was about 220 million in 1980, now more than 300 million). So use should be up by about 1/3rd (or more, since publicity about the trail has increased). If use of the trail is holding steady, or even declining, this suggests a less active populace. That’s consistent with statistics about obesity and a younger generation growing up in the cluthces of electronic devices.
Dan