Kaiha Bertollini- Real FKT??

[rickb]

youre still not getting it. swift run gap and waynesboro are both places, essentially, ON the trail. at no point in her hitch was she ever 40, or 50, or probably not even 10 miles OFF the trail. she was driven in a car parallel to the trail.

perhaps you consider being moved 50 miles down the trail from the point at which you got into a car being taken "off the trail" by 50 miles. maybe thats the confusion. i dont think many people would ever call being driven to wayenesboro being taken 50 miles off the trail.

if i get a ride from springer to katahdin, have i been driven 2000+ miles off the trail?

A better annology might be someone hitching 50 or 100 miles off the Trail to attend Trail Days.

Can I say that?

Even though Damascus is not off the Trail.

But I take your point -- we all need an editor from time to time.

[tdoczi]

A better annology might be someone hitching 50 or 100 miles off the Trail to attend Trail Days.

Can I say that?

Even though Damascus is not off the Trail.

But I take your point -- we all need an editor from time to time.

you can say it, but i think most people arent going to understand what youre talking about. i could be wrong.

but back on topic- i think this hitch thing is just further evidence of not an attempt at deception, but of a deeply disturbed person who doesnt understand what shes doing.

shes probably capable of hiking higher than average days and has been mixing in a fari amount of yellow blazing, maybe without even realizing shes skipping sections of the trail. sort of like your word confusion- she gets off the trail, goes to a hsotel, gets back on. is it the same spot? is it 10 miles further down? 50? 200? she either doesnt think it matters (and it doesnt when she was just hiking for the heck of it) or isnt even paying enough attention to notice how much shes skipping.

then she she hears about karl's attempt at the record and goes "hey, i can do that!" without even realizing or putting any thought into the fact that what shes doing isnt remotely the same thing.

[Just Bill]

Well- here's Anish's "rules" for a Self-Supported FKT.

1-Arranging for no pre-planned outside support at any time, and only accepting truly random acts of kindness (trail magic) that come my way.
2-I will carry all of my own gear and supplies at all times (no "slackpacking" or "muling").
3-I will walk into and out of resupply locations where I will purchase food and/or collect supply boxes that I have sent to myself.
4-I will follow the Appalachian Trail and official relocations only (such as the detour around Falls Village, CT), no blue blaze or alternate routes.
5-When I leave the trail for resupply purposes, I will rejoin the trail at the same location I left, leaving a continuous line of footprints the entire distance.
6-Never accepting a ride in a vehicle for any reason.
7-As always, I will respect the wilderness landscape, the lives that dwell therein, other trail users, and the generations of users that will follow by practicing Leave No Trace Ethics.
8-Per the main page suggestions I will provide a way for the public to follow along with my progress at facebook.com/AnishHikes. Please understand that the posts made there are in NO WAY an invitation for anyone to attempt to help me, find me, join me, or otherwise take away from the nature of a thru-hiker's journey. They are intended to document only, as suggested by this site. I will carry a SPOT beacon, although for safety, its logs will not be publicly available in real time.

1-Sounds like there would be an easy debate to make regarding "truly random" acts as she stated some folks new about her and left things for her... MAYBE.
2-Let's give her that one- OKAY
3-Looks like we have at least two, if not three people and/or photos who have confirmed they gave her a ride- DISQUALIFIED
4-As pointed out just above... maybe some debate on cutting trail in and out of supply points- MAYBE
5-Same as 4
6-Clearly violated- DISQUALIFIED
7-Unsure, not critical to prove at this time- PASS
8- Debatable, but she is clearly transparent and actively posted. GPS IS NOT REQUIRED- but it is highly suggested for a no-resume or any modern hiker.

Announcement- there is an intention stated on HIKEFOROURLIVES prior to the trip and a belated post on Peter Bakwin's site on 8/27/16. PASS.

Omitted by Anish- Honestly and Thoroughly document your hike. (Matt Kirk) JURY IS OUT- but I'd call it a fail thus far.

So...
She is clearly in violation of several of the guidelines set by the current and former holders of the Self-Supported FKT and should withdraw her claim to it.
I don't see how she would clear up the ride issue, which as we all know disqualified Joey Camps' amazing accomplishment even if other questions were cleared up.
Joey got on the trail with an open heart, unsure of what he would find, and as a first time long distance hiker. He was not fully aware of all the guidelines and rules or even the AT itself. He simply started moving faster and faster until he stunned us all. But once he became aware of those who came before him and the rules he respected them and withdrew his claim to the FKT- but in no way did he withdraw or suffer any loss of respect from the community at large in that choice. If anything, most have only the deepest respect for him as a result and his name sits on Peter Bakwin's site in more than one location.

It could yet be possible she could clarify her splits, routes, and collaborate enough evidence to make a claim regarding the supported record.
That would require some serious effort on her part to do- but in theory remains a possibility.

It is possible she could achieve some recognition for her efforts, much like Joey Camps has, even if she does not receive recognition for an FKT. That she can honestly and thoroughly document what exactly did transpire, own up to what did and did not happen, and still perhaps tell a worthy story of a woman taking an empowering and inspirational journey. It may yet be possible for her to shine a positive light on the issue of sexual assault and the healing power of nature.

However, even as an excellent liar; I feel a bit stretched to make what is clearly the most generous statement I could possibly make regarding her hike overall.

[CalebJ]

4-I will follow the Appalachian Trail and official relocations only (such as the detour around Falls Village, CT), no blue blaze or alternate routes.
5-When I leave the trail for resupply purposes, I will rejoin the trail at the same location I left, leaving a continuous line of footprints the entire distance.

4-As pointed out just above... maybe some debate on cutting trail in and out of supply points- MAYBE
5-Same as 4

It could yet be possible she could clarify her splits, routes, and collaborate enough evidence to make a claim regarding the supported record.
That would require some serious effort on her part to do- but in theory remains a possibility.

I'm not sure how she could possibly clear up 4 and 5 if we can rely on the info about the ride into Waynesboro. Seems like clear evidence that she bypassed at least one large section.

[hobbs]

If you think your argueing on here,,, Try FB alot of hikers are calling Bull@#$% on it and other hikers are saying she did it...oh well LOL

[Just Bill]

[/I]

I'm not sure how she could possibly clear up 4 and 5 if we can rely on the info about the ride into Waynesboro. Seems like clear evidence that she bypassed at least one large section.

She clearly entered a vehicle. Self-supported is done.

I didn't follow that all perfectly and so called it a maybe (open for her to clarify).
However I agree, does look like she cut the trail coming in and out at that section from what is posted. Though I don't know it as well personally- I did go Rockfish to Waynesboro before and could easily see how it could be done.

To be wildly fair/play devils advocate:
It is not as cut and dry as the ride violation that she cut trail there-
IE- it sure looks that way but until given a chance to respond if she wanted.

[CalebJ]

Maybe the confusion is about the "Rockfish to Waynesboro" part. She was picked up 50 miles trail north of Waynesboro.

[Just Bill]

Maybe the confusion is about the "Rockfish to Waynesboro" part. She was picked up 50 miles trail north of Waynesboro.

No I know exactly what you are saying... the classic "purists" dilemma when approaching a shelter and there is the nobo access and the sobo access and you accidently go out the wrong one and skip a few hundred yards of "official" trail.
(to clear it up for Rick)

But I get it just fine- she hitched into Waynesboro from the north, then got back on at Rockfish Gap rather than the place she left from- She cut the course as the runners say.
(I just personally don't remember the crossing mentioned on the North side of that as I never used it- don't know why you would)

I just meant- there are at least three or more photos showing her getting a ride and people saying they gave her a ride- those are indefensible regardless of anything Kaiha could say.

There is one story about cutting this section- got no reason to disbelieve it- but in theory on a supported hike she could clarify it (she slackpacked that 50 miles while based in Waynesboro for two nights).

Not that I believe that- just saying it's one report. Likely more will pour in.

[Stlcrim]

I'm sorry but, when you are posting cell phone videos to youtube, time stamped of when you are supposedly on trail, when your cell phone was supposedly broken and unable to take photos, and some of these videos have the SAME background location, that's pretty damning that you are full of ****. Girl needs to come clean.

[RITBlake]

I'm confused. Did she yo-yo? This video says she is in New Hampshire in July? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4-uNQWD87s where she climbed Mt. Mussolini (can't make this up)

[TrailRunnerGuy]

But I get it just fine- she hitched into Waynesboro from the north, then got back on at Rockfish Gap rather than the place she left from- She cut the course as the runners say.
(I just personally don't remember the crossing mentioned on the North side of that as I never used it- don't know why you would)

I just meant- there are at least three or more photos showing her getting a ride and people saying they gave her a ride- those are indefensible regardless of anything Kaiha could say.

There is one story about cutting this section- got no reason to disbelieve it- but in theory on a supported hike she could clarify it (she slackpacked that 50 miles while based in Waynesboro for two nights).

Not that I believe that- just saying it's one report. Likely more will pour in.

They give dates though. Billie has the 4th, and says he has a receipt from the park to prove it. The hostel guy confirms she came in on the 4th, and he gave her a ride to rockfish gap on morning of the 5th. No time in there to slack pack it.

[Lone Wolf]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

[Marta]

This joins Governor Sanford's AT hike in the history books.

[Stlcrim]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

Doesn't work.

[RITBlake]

Can someone explain this story to me like I am five years old?

From what I can gather, she did a section hike last January. Then she was on the trail somewhere in Vermont/New Hampshire in July? Then she did a record sobo thru hike starting in August? HELP!

[tdoczi]

They give dates though. Billie has the 4th, and says he has a receipt from the park to prove it. The hostel guy confirms she came in on the 4th, and he gave her a ride to rockfish gap on morning of the 5th. No time in there to slack pack it.

what bill is saying is that after being dropped off in rockfish gap we cant, as of yet, prove that she didnt somehow proceed to hike the 50 miles north of there she had skipped in a vehicle.

this is technically true, but the old adage "you cant prove a negative" comes to mind.

i would also submit that jumping around like that probably to many minds disqualifies her, even if she did hike it.

she didnt do it. she did something else and doesnt see the difference.

its like a an issue i sometimes have with my occasional forays into book collecting. if i tell someone about my super rare edition of such and such book that is autographed and number and worth $1000 people who just dont "get it" will jump up and tell me they have it too, when of course what they really have is a cheap dimestore paperback copy of the same story by the same author all ripped to shreds and dog eared. now they probably go around telling people about this rare expensive book they have. happens all the time. seriously.

this is about the same thing.

[Just Bill]

Attachment 36331Attachment 36330Attachment 36332

One question about the hitch would be where she got back on trail. That's a 50 mile trip south from pickup to dropoff in Waynesboro.

Swift run gap is 1282.3 on the trail. Waynesboro is only 4 miles from where the trail comes through Rockfish gap at 1327.8. Would have been very easy to just bypass that section.

This gives us another data point. We don't know the time, but Billie Beartrap took her from Swift Run Gap to Stanimal's Hostel in Waynesboro on Sept. 4th. She then tells Stanimal's that the 4th was a 53 mile day and appears to have been dropped off at Rockfish gap the next morning at 6AM. This seems to confirm a bypass of that 46.5 mile trail section.
Attachment 36335

So... self supported is out.

Can we track down some of these folks or does anyone know this hostel owner?
If this can be confirmed; that's game over on the supported effort as well.

You don't get a record for hiking from Maine to Georgia- you get a record for hiking every step of the 2189 mile trail- you wanna HYOH that's fine.
But an FKT is not a casual hike so you have to be a purist and hike it all.

However Stanimals is asked directly if she used the shuttle service and he replies "No, she stayed at the hostel"

So she appears to have gotten a ride at swift run gap to Waynesboro.
She appears to have stayed at a hostel in Waynesboro-
it is not clear if perhaps Stanimal drove out to catch a pic the following day or dropped her off when she came through Rockfish Gap or how she got from Swift Run- Waynesboro- Rockfish Gap.

But maybe with one thing to focus on rather than the whole mess- we can clean up the whole mess by simply pulling the plug on this one item.

[TrailRunnerGuy]

OK. Something unique about that spot of Stanimal's picture. This is where the AT crosses I-64, and route 250. There is a bridge on the Blue Ridge Parkway you cross. The picture is at a wood guard rail on the south side of the bridge. You step over that guardrail and you are south bound. To go north bound, you'd have to walk on parkway pavement a few hundred yards to pick up dirt AT trail again.

I'm sure a 5 minute talk with the Stanimal guy would confirm he saw her go over the guardrail south bound. It's not worth my 5 minutes to check. From the out Bill is giving her, she could've gone 100 yards down the trail, remember she skipped a section, and walked back to hitch a ride into SNP to return to where she got off trail. She can claim whatever she wants, but when people document a skipped section she needs actual proof that she went back and did it.

[TrailRunnerGuy]

So... self supported is out.

Can we track down some of these folks or does anyone know this hostel owner?
If this can be confirmed; that's game over on the supported effort as well.

You don't get a record for hiking from Maine to Georgia- you get a record for hiking every step of the 2189 mile trail- you wanna HYOH that's fine.
But an FKT is not a casual hike so you have to be a purist and hike it all.

However Stanimals is asked directly if she used the shuttle service and he replies "No, she stayed at the hostel"

So she appears to have gotten a ride at swift run gap to Waynesboro.
She appears to have stayed at a hostel in Waynesboro-
it is not clear if perhaps Stanimal drove out to catch a pic the following day or dropped her off when she came through Rockfish Gap or how she got from Swift Run- Waynesboro- Rockfish Gap.

But maybe with one thing to focus on rather than the whole mess- we can clean up the whole mess by simply pulling the plug on this one item.

Go read the latest comments on Stanimal's FB page under that picture. He says he DID give her a ride back to Rockfish gap the next morning. I read his earlier comment as no ride at all too, but apparently he only meant he didn't pick her up from the trail.

[CalebJ]

So she appears to have gotten a ride at swift run gap to Waynesboro.
She appears to have stayed at a hostel in Waynesboro-
it is not clear if perhaps Stanimal drove out to catch a pic the following day or dropped her off when she came through Rockfish Gap or how she got from Swift Run- Waynesboro- Rockfish Gap.

But maybe with one thing to focus on rather than the whole mess- we can clean up the whole mess by simply pulling the plug on this one item.

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthre...=1#post2093847
https://www.facebook.com/STANIMALSHO...type=3&theater

Check my attachment to post 160. That shows his response to my question about that specific issue. He drove her to the dropoff at Rockfish Gap, and as TrailRunner Guy just posted above, it seems crystal clear that she went south from that point.

If you want to contact him, he has a Facebook page and responded to me twice within a short period this morning. Shouldn't be hard to confirm further details.