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  1. #1
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    Default Safety being young and female on the trail?

    I'm hoping to thru hike NOBO in 2016 or 2017. However, I'll still be in college at that time. I'm strong and have four years of martial arts under my belt, but I'm also 5'4" and the AT is a sausagefest. Anybody have advice for thru hiking as a young woman amongst largely older men? Particularly on the more social NOBO route. I'm pretty obviously gay but for some inexplicable reason men are often undeterred.


    Notes: I am very much a creature of solitude, so getting a hiking buddy isn't for me. I briefly considered carrying a pistol, but decided it's not worth the extra weight and effort, especially since it could easily just be turned on me. I do usually carry a small can of pepper spray (the kind that clips onto your belt and extends out on a line when you pull it) when I hike, but I don't know if that will be enough.

  2. #2
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    Situational Awareness is your best advice. Not much crime on the trail and what little there is, is usually related to alcohol & drug abuse. Most are not concerned about whether you're gay or not, but there's always a fool around. If you don't make it an issue doubt anyone else will. Biggest problem you'll have is men trying to protect you. If you doubt that just read the posts about women being harassed on the trail. Learn to hike faster or slower, get up earlier or hike later than anyone that's annoying. Carrying a gun is unnecessary and illegal in many states. Don't know how often hikers encounter police on the trail but many LEO will find an excuse to search you and will certainly ruin your hike if they find a gun.

  3. #3
    Registered User Just Bill's Avatar
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    LOL, what does pretty obviously gay mean?
    You have a buzz cut, wear men's clothes, and aren't overly feminine or wear makeup?
    You mean you look like a hiker???

    Same advice- get on the trail- I think you'll mainly find this a bit less of an issue in the real world than on a cyber hike.
    That said- town is dangerous- and worth a bit of concern.

    Oddly- older men and women make pretty good trail partners say many folks of both sexes.
    Paces tend to be the same and there's more of a Father Daughter vibe than anything else in those trail partnerships.
    Other than hikers that enter a relationship, these seem to be some of the more successful partnerships.
    But again, despite what you read, it's not hard to hike alone.

    If nothing else- consider a SOBO, flip flop, or other itinerary to avoid crowds.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by dicaeopolis View Post
    I'm hoping to thru hike NOBO in 2016 or 2017. However, I'll still be in college at that time. I'm strong and have four years of martial arts under my belt, but I'm also 5'4" and the AT is a sausagefest. Anybody have advice for thru hiking as a young woman amongst largely older men? Particularly on the more social NOBO route. I'm pretty obviously gay but for some inexplicable reason men are often undeterred.
    If by "older" you mean like say 23-25, yeah, it will be full of lots of "older" men.

    Your apprehensiveness about men is a bit out there. Take a preliminary hike and you will see, 99.95% of people are great on the trail, and look out for each other. You are pretty much safer than you are around town at home. There are NO barriers with age, income, even orientation, etc on the trail. People are pretty much all the same. they are hikers.

    One of the greatest things about the AT, is the social nature of it, and the way there are no barriers between people. You may find your ideal hiking partner is a 70 yr old man. Seriously.
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 06-23-2015 at 01:32.

  5. #5
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    I'm not young and female on the trail but I have been female on the trail!

    I think things will be fine. You are much better off not worrying about it and just seeing what happens. Things on the internet always look much worse than they are in real life. If you have a concern, just head out and take some days on the AT in Connecticut, it's beautiful, and try it out. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

    It is like a lot of other scary things. If "it" were happening all the time, you'd be reading about it all the time... and since you aren't, you can pretty safely conclude "it" isn't happening quite so much as you might fear.

    Is that to say you will never run into a sketchy person? No, nobody can guarantee that. I have run into creepy seeming people, but you just move on and try not to get spun up about it. Because the creepy people are out-numbered by the safe, fun, normal people about 1,000 to 1 if not more.

    As I say, though, the best cure for this trepidation is just to get out there and you will quickly see, there isn't nearly as much to worry about as you might think.

    Jane

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    My daughter is smaller than you are. She began her thru-hike two days after turning 20, alone. She had a blast and says she'd love to do it again. She is sociable and gregarious and made many friends, men and women. Often she hiked only with women, sometimes one or another, sometimes groups of six or eight, all women. No gun and no pepper spray.

    Then again, she also went to Argentina for a year as an exchange student when she was 15. Fear is not something that controls her life.

    Your hike will be what you make of it.

    My gallery is full of her pics, the first few pages, that is.
    [I]ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: ... Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit....[/I]. Numbers 35

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  8. #8
    Registered User canoe's Avatar
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    Check out red panda....and scout and tumbles. Red panda is young female who doesn't look 5' from her pics, she is having a great hike. Tumbles is about 16 i think she too is having a grey hike. neither are gay and neither are having difficulties with the male population on the trail. If you go looking for issues you will find them

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by MuddyWaters View Post
    If by "older" you mean like say 23-25, yeah, it will be full of lots of "older" men.
    Ew, yucky old men!

    The short answer to the question is she'll be safer than she would on any college campus.

  10. #10
    Registered User Water Rat's Avatar
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    First, to White Blaze!

    I see by another post that you are entertaining the idea of hiking the AT during summer break from college. Have you thought about maybe going to school for summer session and taking the fall off to hike? That would allow you the opportunity to do a SoBo hike and avoid a lot of the traffic. It might also buy you more time for your hike. Why rush through the trail? Putting a time limit on it will most likely detract from your experience.

    Kind of consolidating my answers to both posts with this one post... A NoBo hike will mean more people (you said you prefer solitude) and more opportunities to run into those who are out there looking to do more than just hike the trail. A SoBo hike tends to draw those who are less into partying and want to focus more on hiking the trail. Just throwing that out there to give you something to think about.

    If you do a NoBo hike, you are far more likely to run into the guys who are out the for the sole purpose of having a good time... But fewer than you will encounter on a daily basis in college. My experience on the trail is not that of it being a "sausagefest." Yes, there are guys who are looking to hit on gals out there, but the majority of the guys (regardless of age) will respect your space and wishes. I almost always hike solo and it has not been an issue in all the years I have been hiking. Besides, the trail tends to weed out the clueless people pretty fast.

    You can take steps to avoid issues - Don't stay at shelters... Start your hike early each day and don't give out your number to anyone you wouldn't want to have call/text you. There are ways to be friendly with other hikers, yet firm about your wishes to not take part in the extracurricular trail activities. It is your hike - Make it what you want it to be. There is no need for a pistol, or pepper spray (unless it truly makes you feel safer to carry it). If someone is getting too friendly, just hike on and leave them in the dust. The odds of a random guy jumping out from behind a bush to club you and make you his cave wife....are far less on the trail, than they are in any city. The trail is by far more safe than any college campus. Just take the same precautions you do in everyday life and you should be just fine. And, in the event that you draw unwanted attention, there are many guys out there who will help you with telling the jerk "no."

    A little time at college and you will come up with what works for you with regards to making friends, yet not drawing unwanted attention. Most of all - Enjoy your hike!

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by canoe View Post
    Check out red panda....and scout and tumbles. Red panda is young female who doesn't look 5' from her pics, she is having a great hike. Tumbles is about 16 i think she too is having a grey hike. neither are gay and neither are having difficulties with the male population on the trail. If you go looking for issues you will find them
    I was going to suggest you check out Red Panda's trail journal as well. She does address this issue a couple of times by my recollection. You might gain some ideas for your hike from hers.
    The one who follows the crowd, will usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone, is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been.
    -Albert Einstein

  12. #12

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    I have a nifty rechargeable flashlight that is also a Million Volt stun gun.Makes an awesome sound and gives off plenty of light.They also make fake cell phone stun guns but as a hiker you would want a "double use" item.

  13. #13
    Registered User WalkingStick75's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Five Tango View Post
    I have a nifty rechargeable flashlight that is also a Million Volt stun gun.Makes an awesome sound and gives off plenty of light.They also make fake cell phone stun guns but as a hiker you would want a "double use" item.
    OMG you don't need a stun gun or any weapon of any type. Yes, some women have had stalker type issues but they are very rare and you will find the good guys will be there to rally around you if needed. Common sense is your best weapon. Enjoy your hike
    WalkingStick"75"

  14. #14

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    Sorry to disagree but I am overly sensitive to the personal safety issue as I had a classmate who was murdered on a bicycle trail in Georgia a few years ago.

  15. #15
    Registered User WalkingStick75's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Five Tango View Post
    Sorry to disagree but I am overly sensitive to the personal safety issue as I had a classmate who was murdered on a bicycle trail in Georgia a few years ago.
    If you carry a weapon you have to assume responsibility for the security of that weapon. A couple murders on the AT were killed with their own weapons. As a former instructor for concealed weapons I use to tell people that wanted to carry on vacation. If you feel the need to carry while on vacation you need to reconsider your vacation location.
    WalkingStick"75"

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by WalkingStick75 View Post
    A couple murders on the AT were killed with their own weapons.
    BS. post the facts

  17. #17
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    Oh by Apollo, hike with Amphithius, and you won't have any problems on the AT.

    Also, there's a Czech deli (Patak Meats in Austell, GA) just outside Atlanta, that has the best selection of smoked meats and sausages, better than any you'll find on the AT. My wife is from Ukraine, and any time we are near Atlanta, we have to visit Patak, most all their employees are Czech, Ukrainian or Russian, and it's well known in that area.

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by WalkingStick75 View Post
    If you carry a weapon you have to assume responsibility for the security of that weapon. A couple murders on the AT were killed with their own weapons. As a former instructor for concealed weapons I use to tell people that wanted to carry on vacation. If you feel the need to carry while on vacation you need to reconsider your vacation location.
    For the record,I did not recommend anyone carry a dangerous weapon.Pepper gas and "stun guns" are considered non lethal weapons.I don't think anyone is going to murder you with your own pepper spray or stun gun,just saying.If my classmate had had one at the time she needed one,there would have likely been a different outcome,just saying.

  19. #19
    Registered User Hadley Hal's Avatar
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    Hook -up with someone like me.I am seventy, all my life young woman liked hanging out with me. Everyone assumes I am somebodies father or grandfather,
    which I am . I have granddaughters you age. Also, check around, there are lots of 20-or30-40 experienced women to hike with. I was just talking with my Calif. yuppie, liberal sister last nite, and mention my thru NoSob hike during the same time frame. I'm from Hadley ,Mass. give me a shout.
    If you think you can, or you think you can't, your probably right.

  20. #20

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    Watch out for Hadley, he sounds like a dirty old man!

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