For the past 25 years I have hiked on the Trail and always smoked - a pipe. I know there are revulsions about folks who smoke cigs and dump there butts (heck, they ought to be shot on the spot!).
But what about a pipe? Is it time for me to kick the habit? I do not smoke near shelters and try not to around others.
I just want to get a more “modern” ethic about what’s right and wrong. Please help!
Brutus
An excellent opportunity to kick the habit! Me, I’ll pack my cigarettes in my backpack. Etiquette: Don’t annoy people who complain, don’t start fires, burn your filters in the campfire.
Harry Dolphin
I doubt people find pipe smoke any where near as offensive as cigarette smoke … as far as annoying people … if they can’t find space to get away from your smoke in a frickin forest thats they’re problem not yours, and I think anyone who would get annoyed at something like that will probably find something else to complain about anyway
Brian
Its about being respectful to those in the vacinity of where you are.
If you are chillin’ by a view or waterfall, and want a break time pipehit, or butt then do your thing. But as stated leaving butts on the trail just out and out sucks. I smoke, and that drives me batshit to see people leaving thier dang ciggies on the trail.
As with all litter, no matter how beatiful something is, your eye falls right to that which doesnt belong…usually a edge of a candy wrapper or a damn butt.
If at a campsite or shelter, then be cool and either step away to the fire pit(And again NO BUTTS THERE, unless of course the fire is blazin’) unless everyone else is lighting up too, which surprisingly, will happen.
Smoke, be free, and be respectfull of all others.
Smoke your own smoke.
Lion King
Lion King
Okay - the consensus seems to be that I can continue smoking my pipe. I’ll follow everyone’s suggestions on when and where.
If you see a middle-age man with gray hair and beard hiking northbound, smoking a meerschaum pipe - please either say “hello” or give him a piece of your mind.
Brutus
Lots of people smoke along the trail, some people smoke several things, some nothing at all. Before you smoke in a shelter or other crowded area, remember it is you the smoker, not the non smoker that needs to do the utmost to be respectful. You, the smoker, are introducing your habit upon the non smoker. If you take the time to think about others before performing all activites along the trail you’ll find there won’t be many issues that cause grief. One thing I would like to note, thru’s get a really selective olfactory sense. All the things that usually are found pleasing or un pleasent to the olfactory sense can get really re-arranged. Perfumes and pleasent smelling soaps can become almost unbearable after a couple of months on the trail and highly offensive “BO” no longer registers a second sniff! 
yo-yo
For those of you who may run across me on the Trail - I want to make one thing very clear: I do NOT intend to smoke inside a shelter; near a shelter; or around others. If I was a non-smoker, I would hate with a passion to have someone do so. It is my vice and I keep it to myself.
I usually don’t smoke when I’m actually hiking - only at first rise/breakfast and after dinner. Let’s not kid anyone - the smoke does get in your lungs and it does affect your hiking ability. That’s why I don’t like to smoke during breaks or lunch.
Again, thanks to all for the advice - which I will follow to the “nines.”
Brutus