What does this mean?

imported
#1

I was reading someone’s journal over at TrailJournals the other day and I came across a term I have never seen before. She refered to another Thru-Hiker as a “Pink Blazer”. What does it mean?

M. Standish

#2

I’ve heard the term used in a derogatory way regarding how fast some folks hike. It’s not worth repeating here.

jaws

#3

it’s when a guy starts hiking with a woman on he meets on the trail for romantic intentions

swift

#4

I believe it refers to a hiker who changes the pace/direction/zero days etc… of their hike so they may hike with a member of the opposite sex.

jalan

#5

It is indeed about changing your hike to be with a girl. Interesting that you can change your hike a 1000 times to hike with your new found buddies, but as soon as you change things for a woman you get a label. After all the trail is about following your heart.

Just don’t be a pushy jerk lol

nokia

#6

I was always told it meant someone hiking in the nude?

berbaghanger

#7

This would be considered pushy. Try humor first

nokia

#8

This year I crossed paths several times with a young man named Wandering Bull. He hiked very fast, long days. (usually 30ish!) Anyway, when I saw him in Damascus he was infatuated with a certain young lady. His journal for the next few weeks indicated that he had slowed down a bit to “pink blaze”. She was a fast hiker, but not as fast as he was. I saw him later in Harper’s Ferry and he was still infatuated, but he had decided that she wasn’t interested and he picked up his old speed. He finished in July. (He started the AT in April after hiking the Florida Trail.)

Red Hat

#9

Also known as Beaver or Trouser-Mouse Blazing.

Kineo Kid

#10

During my thru-hike in 2002 there was this guy that was playing around with or in pursuit of two different female thru-hikers spaced out on the trail by a few days to a week or so I believe. He would speed up and slow down for one or the other. But when writing my journal I mentioned a lot of other thru-hikers using their trail names mostly. One afternoon in PA I believe he approached me and asked that I not mention him anymore in my journal. He was concerned that I might mention him and one of the women as to their association. He was more concerned that the still other woman might read my journal and figure it all out. What he didn’t know is that I seldom mentioned him and if I did it was just the fact that I had seen him. So yes men do pink blaze but some women do the same thing. The trail can be a little Paton Place at times.

Two Scoops