Do(or would a)thru-hikers ever allow section hikers to “hang out” with them while out on the trail?I’m talking about a few days to maybe a week or so.A thru-hike is not in the near future for me but a section at a time could be possible.I think it would be very cool to be “mentored” by someone iv’e followed thru Trail Journals.
A.T.DREAMER
Thru hikers are in their own league, and have invested a lot into their unique journey. Thus, they’re an insular group and don’t relate well to outsiders, just as the native mountain folk don’t like them very well either. It’s not so much hostility as isolation; you can’t relate well to them unless you’re a thru hiker yourself. Bottom line, they won’t drive you away ordinarily but if a shelter’s full and you’re a section hiker touron, you’ll have to leave and make room for them.
Thru Blue
HYOH.
You shouldn’t have to make way for AT legends, all people are equal on the trail.
Cheers
Cheers
I had no problem hiking with section hikers or anyone else. The only problem I encountered was finding anyone slow enough to hike with me. However, when hiking with section hikers, weekenders or others, I did always keep a lookout for a place to hide the body. Just in case.
Nimblefoot
I can only speak for myself, but as far as the thru-hikers I have met they are great people and most do not mind section hikers hook up with them for a while, that is, if the chemistry is right. I was a section hiker myself last year and never had problems hooking up with thru-hikers whose company I enjoyed. This year I am the thru-hiker and do not expect to get the opportunity to hike with a lot of other thru-hikers so anybody is welcome as long as I don’t have to either run or crawl to keep the same pace.
Just go out there and meet people
Red Dane
Write to the hiker you think it would be cool to hang with and see if (s)he would want to hang out with you, or at least answer a few questions you might have. Though I would like to set my foot to the Trail some day, I personally would not hook up with an experienced hiker before hand with the hopes of hiking with that individual, no matter how much I liked the hiker. I would not want to slow them down or in any way make them feel responsible for me.
If you think of yourself as an outsider, you will be an outsider. If you think of yourself as part of the hiking community, you will be part of the hiking community.
And, it’s a great community 
Wild Hare
Most thru-hikers have no problem hiking or being around section hikers, tho you can understand that as thru-hikers they have developed a circle of friends you haven’t so you might feel left out sometime as they talk about people and places foreign to you.
Hiking with some thru-hikers might present a physical challenge, however. The closer to Springer you are the better your chances. But after thru-hikers develop their trail legs (anywhere from a couple weeks to over a month into their hikes), many would be doing higher daily mileage than most section hikers would be comfortable with day after day. YMMV.
Skyline
Come to a Ruck, or the ALDHA Gathering in fall, or events like the Billville Winter Warmer or a White Blaze get-together.
Check out www.aldha.org for the best hiker-mentoring opportunity on the planet. A very inclusive event, and you could email someone you resonate beforehand and see if they are willing to connect. Most hikers LOVE to share their knowledge.
Jan LiteShoe
I will add, that actually hiking with someone is a fairly personal event, irrespective of whether you’re thruhiking or sectioning.
If you want to meet thruhikers “in the wild,” just be hiking a section you want to hike during thruhiker season. Shelters are a place folks tend to congragate whether they are doing a long distance hike or not. That’s often where lifelong friendships begin - in the field. And nothing is more fun than planning future hiking trips with friends - except maybe actually doing those trips.
LiteShoe
During the 1400 miles section I did in '02 I had several friends come hike with me. In the beginning, it workded out fairly well, I was slower and we hiked well together. Farther into my hike I had assimilated into the hiker community and had a lot of close friends, and people I was used to hiking with. I had developed my own rhythm and being a hiker had become my world. It was a lot harder for people to hike with me at that point. I wanted to stay within the bubble of hikers I was with, and they couldn’t keep up, and resented the ‘family’ that had formed. I think a lot of is has to do with expectations. Hikers will accept just about anybody. If you expect to hike with just one person, you may not be as successful as if you pick a section to hike, and enjoy the thrus that are there when you are.
Good luck and have a great hike!
Grassy Ridge
Just remember, the section hiker you see today just may be a volunteer trail maintainer and the day hiker you may see tomorrow may be a thru-hiker of 5 years ago. Everyone is welcome to hike the trail and the non-thru hiker you may dismiss or ignore just might be the trail angel, shuttle provider, hostel owner, neighboring landowner or store owner whose help you just might need.
The Walking Stomach, Kent, CT
The section hiker or dayhike touron may be a thief, or vagrant, or mentally disturbed individual. Especially if they have a beard and haven’t been on the trail long enough to grow one.
Thru Blue
Seems like someone has had a bad experience with section and day hikers…the only people I had a problem with were those who clearly did NOT have hiking on their agenda. Key clues - no pack, fashionable clothing sporting the “Carhart” logo, and proximity to the road.
Lady Longlegs
As a one or two times a year section hiker I’ve frequently encountered thru hikers, and have generally sensed their friendship. Actually, most any hiker on the trail is a friend, with the few odd ones Thru Blue referred to. But it is also apparent that thru hikers have developed their own styles and relationships, and I felt it import to respect these. I was also careful to not ask too many questions realizing they have had to answer these same questions a zillion times already.
Dioko
Thru Blue said “but if a shelter’s full and you’re a section hiker touron(?), you’ll have to leave and make room for them.” I hope what he said was a joke.
I am glad no one re-stated this foolish notion. The AT is for everyone and the shelters most everywhere are “first come- first sever”. As a section hiker or what ever I would have to laugh if a Thru-Hiker thought I should move out for him/her/them. Luckly I have only seen a very few that thought the AT belonged to them. Sorry it belongs to all of us equally.
gardenville
I have met several thru hikers each year that have been a big part of my hiking experience. So far I’ve had 4 trips the last 4 years, completing about 715 miles (NOBO). I’ve met thrus each time, enjoyed their company, and felt a mutual respect. Never tried to “hike with” them, but I never try to hike with anybody, really. If it works out we spend the evening together somewhere and hike separately much of the time, often finding ourselves at the same shelter or campsite for several nights. I’m in my mid-50’s and have had great times with the 20-something crowd, and with the retirees, and everybody in between. If I felt any hesitation about a situation, I just went on or kept to myself, and I think most of the time if I felt something was a little strange, eventually everybody else felt the same way about a particular hiker. I never thought it had anything to do with me being a section hiker. So, just be realistic. The advice given above by others is very good. Any hiker can have things on their mind, their own pace and schedule (or lack of a schedule), and their own way of enjoying the hike. You meet them at a random time in their experience and they may be interested in you, or not, but don’t take it personally. Eventually, I’ve found that if I’m out there enjoying myself on the trail, that’s enough to make someone else show a little interest and that’s a great part of the experience. Just go along with it and assume that you are as much a part of the hiking community as anyone. Others will take their cue from you, and you’ll have a great time.
CBiscuit
We hiked with a lot of section hikers on our thru hike in '02. The only problem they had was staying up with our pace. Most of the time they just hiked and visited with hikers at the campsites or shelters. They never bothered me in the least. You learn the top ten questions and just answer ,yes, no, mac and cheeze, 15-20, yes, no, sometimes and you got it made.
One hiker friend of ours call the tag-a-long hikers Thru-Hiker Groupies!
Some of the first-time AT hikers were funny. We had a young couple in the Whites tell us we were like hiker “gods” to them. They couldn’t dream of hiking 2,000 miles. Needless to say that brought a lot of laughs at camp.
On the topic of shelters; first come first serve. The only problem we had with weekend hikers and section hikers was they took up too much room with all of their junk. We met a guy in the Smokies out for three daysw with an 82lb pack. He took up two bunks (if you’ve slept in a shelter in the smokies you know about the little wooden strips dividing the sleeping spaces). We asked him why he had so much stuff he said, “I only brought the necessities!”
I would say about 50% of the thru hikers spent as much time as needed to talk to the day, weekend, or section hikers. It is everybodys trail. Go hike you’ll enjoy it.
Papa Smurf