Did he really thrughhike seven times? Or ten like he said in Seltzer’s book Season on the Trail? Are the things that the Center for Trail Studies write about Wing foot really written by Wingfoot himsself? Does he really give backpacking seminairs, hike half the year, and design gear for backpacking companies? What gear has he designed? Does all the money you donate really go to the AT or just to him? Please no flames, just if you really know please answer honestly.
Need To know
Let’s just say he embellishes. The last time he was seen hiking was in 1992 and then he only hiked a few hundred miles. So 85-91 makes 7 thrus. 10? No. The only “gear” he has anything to do with is Thor-lo socks.
know
Only Wingfoot knows. Why not ask him? He does seem to know an awful lot about the AT, whether he has hiked it once or ninety-nine times. I would think he is about as honest as the rest of us “thru-hikers”.
Turtle
Who knows? Who cares. People spend entirely too much time concerning themselves with other peoples claims. What does it matter? If someone lies about hiking the entire 2172 mile AT, and submits a 2000-miler certificate, does that cheapen the accomplishment of the hiker that passed every white blaze? Of course not.
Still, there will be hikers who will go on & on about how this one and that one didn’t actually walk ALL of the AT. There are so many important and worthwhile causes to spin your wheels about. In my opinion, this topic is not one of them. It’s nothing more than gossip - he said, she said kinda stuff.
Little Bear
GA-ME 2000 (believe it or not)
Little Bear
As others have said, only Wingfoot really knows. However, he has done a lot of good for the trail through organizing resistances to certain encroachments on the corridor as well as helped save some sections. So, we should at least respect him for that…
Wingfoot bashing is the thruhiker’s past time. You won’t be able to take that away. I’ve done it for certain things. As long as you practice personal karma (thinking one good thought for each bad one) it all works out…
Gravity Man
Gravity Man
My only beef against Wingfoot is taking my 2000 trail journal offline and then not e-mailing me a link or a file… Now all I’ve got is a hard copy. I should have downloaded the data while it still was on trailplace, but didn’t think he’d remove it… I met him on our thru at Hot Springs, and while he comes off as a tyrant online, he was very nice in person… I like that he’s a man of conviction and willing to step on a few toes.
raru
I’ve had my share of fun at Wingfoot’s expense, largely because he booted me from his site for ‘violating an unwritten rule’. That said, I learned a lot from trailplace, have his trail guide, and had a nice conversation with him in Hot Springs.
He has publically admitted that not all of his hikes would fit the traditional definition of a thruhike. As I understand it when there was all the trouble over corridor acquisition near Highway 19 he simply skipped that section to avoid the possibility of conflict with the locals. That was certainly his right, though it saddens me to see him so insistent on setting a standard now that when he was hiking he chose not to follow.
I think in some ways he is a bitter and dissapointed man, and a good example of what can go wrong when you ‘love something to death.’
Joel
No. No. Yes. No. None. Just to him. You can email Wingy at Wingfoot@trailpalce.com, please share with us what he has to say about your questions.
TJ aka Teej
I’m sure Wingnut thru hiked many times and he claims alot of volunteer hours helping the trail - good for him - just remember wingnut pays himself a salary from his ‘non profit’ organization and also has the nerve to take the good name of MYRON AVERY, a true hero of the trail, for his anal retentive, utopian puritan thru hiker society.
g
What non-profit organization does NOT have salaried personnel? Obviously there are some personality clashes between Dan and several of the folks that write in this forum. Hell, I may not like the guy if I ever meet him, but I will remember that he and I share a love for hiking and he has done a hell of a lot more for the AT than I have. If he keeps 80% of every dollar for salary and appropriates the remainder, that is still more than 99.9% do. I appreciate that much and will leave it at that.
weed killer
I’m with you Weed Killer. I may not agree with some of his views but he has done a tremendous amount for the trail and the trail community.
Big B
After reading some of the posts on his site I didn’t know if I really wanted to hike or not! Most of the opinions on his site are their way or no way. Thank goodness I thru-hiked anyway and found out much of his site is patterned to his perceived ways! I have never visited his site since nor ever will. I could care less about his lifestyle or his policital views. I hope he doesn’t dissuade anyone from hiking the greatest trail in America- the AT.
Still did it
What, specifically, has he done for the AT that the ATC, ALDHA, U.S. Forest Service and maintaining clubs haven’t done?
Wolf
The Center for AT Studies is NOT a non-profit organization. Even if it was, he’d certainly have the right to pay himself a salary.
Greatest trail in America? I’m not sure what that is, but I wouldn’t vote for the AT.
Jeffrey Hunter
Since everyone is putting their own opinions out there…I might as well too. I trust Dan enough to beleive what he says about his own accomplishments. If he says he’s thruhiked conventionally 7 times and “mostly” hiked 3 other times, I believe him. He certainly does a lot for the trail, and whether or not his actions accomplish positive outcomes or not, his intentions are always for the progess of the trail. When I was planning my thruhike in 2000, his was the only “major” website related to thruhiking. His forums, just as active as the ATML, helped the largest-ever AT class plan and execute their thruhikes. Granted, after that he became quite totalitarian regarding what was said, and indeed what COULD be said, on his forums, thus driving away many of his good friends, supporters, and participants in frustration. If he had not become so overwhemlingly frustrated by the online journals, and left the forums alone, it’s quite possible that these other sites we all visit now would have very little need to exist. I think that there is alot to what Joel said above about Wingfoot having “loved the trail to death.” Having been trained as a classical violinist since the time I was two years old, I know what it’s like to burn out. And while he probably feels that he owes it to the trail to keep on keepin’ on, he has no doubt suffered enough unfounded flack in his efforts to help and improve the trail to dampen even the highest spirits. I’ve always thought that it was wrong of us to have so much fun at his expense (yes, I admit that I too have regretably done it). And while I can’t name any specific action that Wingfoot has done that the ATC, ALDHA, or other overseeing organiziation hasn’t done, he’s, in all likelyhood, done a hell of a lot more for the trail than any single person in this forum has done.
-Howie
Hungry Howie
What has he done for the trail a hell of a lot more than any single person on this forum has done?
Wolf
Well I can think of a few thing LW. He’s put together a quality publication that has benefitted hikers & businesses along the trail alike. A thriving business community that supports the trail is essential to local acceptance. By keeping an up-to-date publication with business listings, he’s benefitting the trail.
The way his books are written also encourages folks to appreciate nature along the trail. If you understand and respect the flora & fauna along the trail, your more apt to become an ambassador for the AT after hiking it.
His book lists park regulations, encourages the masses to camp in already impacted areas, and includes guidelines for trail users (don’t cut switchbacks, LNT, talks about how thru-hikers aren’t special, The Golden Rule, good manners, etc…)
You may not like the guy, but to deny that he’s done anything beneficial for the trail is simply silly.
Jeffrey Hunter
I discovered the AT through Wingfoot’s Trailplace website in 1999, and it was the forums and journals there that inspired me to hike the AT. During my visits to the forums Wingfoot personally gave me inspiration and many great tips. I feel indebted to Wingfoot for having provided Trailplace to me as an invaluable resource.
His Thru-Hiker’s Handbook is also a great publication and resource for the AT hiker and I expect that much of the cost of developing and continually refining this excellent publication is not covered by the purchase price.
Having said all of that I was very disappointed in the way Wingfoot treated those with whom he disagreed and the way he left everyone hanging when he pulled the plug on Trailplace’s journals and forums. In the latter months his forum was active he seemed to get quite bitter which I found hard to understand.
I certainly don’t bear him any ill feelings and would like to see him become active in hiker forums again as he has much to offer.
Downunda