I’m planning a thru-hike, SOBO starting in late June with some friends. I was wondering if anybody had any suggestions regarding “Unwritten Rules,” trail courtesies, etc… that I may not be familiar with. I would hate to make any seasoned vets angry.
Roberto
Mmmm…ask first befor you take, make room and no snoring. Most of all, when you go in some one elses place; hostel, home, car. It’s THERE space, be respectful like you’re at your Grandmas.
Bushwhack
This may be a stupid thing to post, but …
I wanna make a rule: no “burning” foil and other non-paper items in the fire pits. They ain’t no trash cans. Pack it out. Me hates fire pits filled with garbage that doesn’t burn.
What else? (I like this question.)
Oh, how about a big one: represent the hiking community well when you’re in towns, hostels, business establishments, etc. (well, Bushwhack just said this, I guess.) On several occasions, I got an earful about a hiker who’d been through before me, and that made me feel very baaaaad. And the people who were doing the legitimate griping then often generalized about the hiking community at large. There have been hostels that have closed because of disrespectful hikers. Not that someone who’d ask the question about “unwritten rules” would be anything but respectful. Just felt like writing it.
ramkitten
What foil? I fry mine but then I pick it all out the next morning and add the stuff, now very small cause it melted, to my trash stash. Mostly the tuna packs, they go poof and you can pull them out right away and they get to the size of a pea. We went by some pits in Conn that some scouts had stopped at and they were a trash heap. Nasty. Clean as you go.
BW
Good thoughts by ramkitten. No matter how fair it is, as a thru-hiker you represent the whole AT community. It’s no coincidence that a number of hostels and other services have closed their doors in the recent years. Hikers with crappy attitudes and behaviors have driven large groups of people away that have been there for us for years. As the saying goes “Don’t poop in your own nest.”
Having said that, anyone who asks for the skinny on unwritten rules seems like the have a good head on their shoulders. Best of luck with your hike.
Johnny Swank
My experience last year had about 80% of the SOBOs telling very tall tales to the NOBOs… places that didn’t quite exist in towns, great guaranteed trail magic that wasn’t, and especially sections of ‘easy and campable’ terrain ahead. Some SOs were honest, most not. If there is some unwritten rule to lie to NOBOs, don’t follow it-- by the time you see us, we’ve been too far to deal with the BS. I am not speaking just for myself- many of the other NOBOs last year I was around heard the exact same things. So, just be cool man… be cool :cheers :pimp Enjoy your adventure
Macgyver
Give’m hell MacGyver.
Also no peeing at the back of the shelter because your lazy. When you get to were there is a shower,dont lounge around half the day. WASH YOUR ASS NOW!!!
If slacking give right away to the people with packs.
White Blaze North-Pack On Back
Virginian
One thing that really bugged me was hikers who didn’t dig a cathole, or if they did it wasn’t deep enough. TP blowing around everywhere, it really spoils the woods. Also agree with all of the above posts.
Have a great hike.
Downunda
with small minds
who spend all day in a cubicle
following rules
made for fools
:pimp
steve hiker
Hey, Macgiver, SOBO tall tales is an honored tradition. It’s like sending Boy Scouts to get buckets of steam. After your first few SOBOs there is no way you could have believed them. The Whites actually do get higher the closer you get to them. The rumors they spread provide me with a great deal of amusement, especially when a faster NOBO passes you and tells you some crazy story they heard about you. It works both ways you know, start crazy SOBO stories, just keep them funny.
Blue Jay
I suspect it’s more of a written rule: Hike your own hike, but don’t force anyone to hike your hike.
Peaks
Macgyver, Couldn’t help but laugh at the SOBOS’s that “lied” to you. If I had a buck for every NOBO that “lied” to me I’d still be hiking. I don’t think it’s lying, I think it’s all about perception. Every single NOBO I passed told me to beware the Penn rocks. They’re sharp, they hurt, you’ll only hike 1 mph, they go on for days. Maybe when the NOBOS went through that section the rocks seemed that way to them. When we went through, we didn’t even slow down except to look for rattlers. Similarly, I’m sure I told NOBOS how bad the hundred mile wildernes was, how steep the Bigelows were and how much Pleasant Pond Mtn kicked my ass. Hell, I’d only been hiking for 2 weeks. They seemed that bad for me but I doubt the NOBOS even blinked an eye.
It goes both ways, and comes with the territory I guess. Hell, if you came to section that was as bad as a SOBO said, you could have made a rocket out of your stuff sack and whisper light and sailed over it right?
Grimace
Adefinite unwritten rule about digging cat holes. The privy at Hawk mtn shelter is past being usable so the woods surrounding is litered everywhere. This is heavy traffic there and the privy should be replaced. A really good project for volunteers in the Ga. Hiking Club. Since it is located near a road the project should be not too difficult.
Super Mom
Rules are what many are out there to avoid. “Suggested ethics” sounds better to me. Like the way LNT promotes. Rules are the basis of civilization. Nature defies the rules we try to impose. Good lesson there.
THA WOOKIE
Shelter etiquette - make room for others, especially if the weather is bad. If you are hiking late, don’t expect others to wake up and make room for you in the shelter. Most folks go to bed at or before dark, and hate latecomers who come to the shelter and start cooking while everyone else is trying to sleep. Also, if you are a very early riser, it is better to sleep in your tent as it is very hard not to wake everyone up when you pack your gear, even if you try. If you have a dog, don’t sleep in the shelter. If you know you snore badly, again, use a tent. (This one is usually ignored, unfortunately.) If you have a computer or cell phone, be discrete. A lot of people want to get away from reminders of their town lives, and won’t appreciate you talking to Mom while they are sitting next to you or playing games. Similarly, if you carry a radio, use earphones and don’t listen to it while you are in the shelter with others - it is rude and the noisy whine carries farther than you would expect. If you are unhappy with your hike - shut up and go home. No one likes a whiner. If you can make others laugh though, they’ll love you. Don’t expect trail magic. It will either happen or not, and can’t be planned for – or it wouldn’t be magic. And if someone offers you food, always say yes, nicely. Even if it’s something you don’t like, take it for another hiker. Good impulses are always to be encouraged.
Spirit Walker
Wookie, I did not ask for your interpretation of my cliche. I assumed that previous hikers would understand the point for which I was seeking advice. Please do not assume that because you have learned a good lesson, I too need to learn it or have not previously learned it. Rather than arguing semantically about your trite remark, I will end with this: we are not above, behind, in front of, or independent of nature. Everything we say, do, make; including rules, laws, and anything we observe is all part of nature. We can neiter separate ourselves from or ignore it because we are it. Please do not patrionize me again. I choose to ask a simple question and expected a simple response.
roberto
Nice response, Roberto.
Wookie, steve hiker: you’re wrong. And worse, you make hikers look bad when you have attitudes like that. We all have to follow rules even when out on the trail. Not just suggestions or whatever else is your current PC term. If you really want to get away to a place where you don’t have to follow rules, you’re not going to find it on the AT. Or anywhere else in the USA, North America, or any civilized place. Go buy an island if you want to be a primitive, unbound by society’s rules.
One good rule to remember: if someone asks for advice, you have two choices. Either offer useful and well-intentioned information, or keep your mouth closed. Being a jerk isn’t cool.
bachelor
Interesting topic, At the Port Clinton Hotel they have a register, like many business’ on the trail. Just like at the shelters. I did not stay in the hotel, I camped for free at the pavillion, but did drink many of ther one dollar draft beers. In the register I read many complaints from Thruhikers about the Hotels policy of showering before entering dining room. I could not believe the the attitude that came across in some of the negative entries. Thruhikers are not special. When we enter these towns we are imposing ourself upon the local population. How would you feel if every year, for a month, 100s of smelly,dirty, demanding people came down your Main St. Try working at a hostel the next year after your hike, and see what it feels like. So I ay be cool in the town and leave your attitude at home.
Chef