Difference Between

imported
#1

What are some of the differences you’ve noticed between unseasoned section and overnight hikers and seasoned/thru hikers.

I was out hiking this weekend up on top of a mountain on the AT and hiking past me while I was breaking came 5 section/overnight hikers. Now they were heavy loaded, sleeping bags, pads, tent, full backpacks. And not a hiking pole, staff, stave, trekking pole among the whole bunch of them. I knew immediately they were not seasoned hikers. Besides that they looked too fresh, too new, and their gear was also brand new.

So how can you immediately tell the difference?

See you out there.

Maintain

#2

You can usually tell by the smell…

And all the other things you mentioned, big packs, clean clothes without holes in them, plenty of food too…and they never seem to share, the meanies!

Apple Pie

#3

. . . well, they smell like soap. We just smell.

yogi

#4

Unseasoned hikers don’t start every sentence with: “last year, when I was on my thru-hike…” :tongue

Ardsgaine

#5

Unseasoned hikers don’t start every sentence
with: "last year…

Ha, well I guess we do say that quite often. Prior to thru-hiking we used to start out every sentence with, “Last year when I had this terrible job sitting in a cubicle farm where I popped my head up like a marmot every so often to see if the sun was out…”

Datto

Datto

#6

Hey, I’m one month away from being 41, so all my stories begin with: “when I was young…” :slight_smile:

Ardsgaine

#7

Yeah, that soap smell is disgusting… and the perfume nauseating.

Sometimes the facial hair / no facial hair will give it away too:boy

Apple Pie

#8

Are “unseasoned” hikers bad or something? The only way to get experience is to experience…

Owl Avenue

#9

I prefer my hikers seasoned.

:eek:

Hannibal

#10

When I started at Springer, I was looking for another thruhiker. Just as I started back down the trail, I saw 2 guys walking up. Hmmm, section Hikers, I thought. New clothes, new pack, etc. But what really caught my eye was the HUGE POLISHED 7 foot high, 2 inch around pole he had. That thing was the biggest shinest pole I had ever seen. It was all carved with neat designs and stuff. I asked him where he got it and he told me his father in law gave it to him the day before his hike. I asked him if he was going to carry it all the way and he answered sure, why not.

Turns out he was starting a thru hike. He had never been camping nor hiking and had read a good book on the AT. Anyway he did carry that thing all the way to Delaware, however on the 2nd day, he found an equally big natural wood stick to balance it out :slight_smile: Everyone else in our group evenually got or bought Lekis. It is amazing what people will bring because someone gave it to them :slight_smile:

Ask me about the big hachet a guy carried the whole way because his Father gave it to him :slight_smile: Winton at Neels Gap could not get him to give it up.

Not quite on topic but amusing never the less.

Rebel, with a Cause

Rebel with a Cause

#11

No, unseasoned hikers aren’t bad, we’re just having a little fun here :smiley:

Apple Pie

#12

Maintain. I have a philosophy about the size of the pack.
The bigger the load the shorter the hike.
The trail doesn’t take long in teaching everyone the value of a light load. If you don’t learn the lesson, you are no longer on the trail. I should know I’m a sectional.
Not bi-sectional. And by the way no ones a thru-hiker until they finish.

Bilko

#13

I was coming down into DWG and I could smell the synthetic scent of shampoo, perfume and various hair products… I felt like a wolf scenting his prey… I knew day hikers were coming soon… Ten minutes later I passed them… We both exchanged pleasantries (I had actually met one of them a few months earlier in the woods)… As we passed we both commented on how each other smelled. I smelled like HIKER GLORY… they smelled like cheap Babylonian synthetic smells (Mountain Breeze Deoderant). In three weeks I will rejoin the hunt… peace

ASWAH

Aswah

#14

one way to tell the difference between weekenders and section hikers from thrus, slackpacking is only done by the thrus!

wink… wink

#15

theres a look. in the eye. confidence, maybe. that is it, and it is immediately recognizable. i know my kin when i see 'em, i can hardly smell.

milo

#16

A Thru Hiker may say something like" My butt itches"(in public and out loud)

Virginian