GLT has a bit of uppity-downity to it.
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The Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter ~ Cam "Swami" Honan of OZ
When I through walk I usually do around 4kms/hr or 2.5 miles/hr when walking. That is after the first few days to get settled and solo. To use my day 21 figures Hot Springs to Lick Log Gap, just under 25 miles. I left at 04.55 and reached there at 18.10 so just over 13 hours. It rained off and on during the day so I didn't stop much probably around 2 hrs, so call it 11 hours of walking. That means it was around 2.3 miles/hr. A lot will depend on the amount of ascent, weather how early in the walk it is, how I feel etc. Coming out of Hiawassee I only did 9.1 miles over 6 hours, probably had something to do with all the beer and pizza the night before, I was feeling a little chunderous.
"He was a wise man who invented beer." Plato
Backpacking Speed (vs dayhiking speed) is dependent on many factors---
** Condition of trail---blowdowns, bramble fields, ruggedness---or perfectly maintained for easy walking. If you stop to cut thru blowdowns your mileage will drastically change.
** Backpacking while sick. In February 2017 I pulled a 19 day trip and got really sick in the middle of it with some type of influenza---think hacking coughs and slow going. It took me 7 hours to go 2 miles on several days because I had to stop and hack my lungs out.
** Pack weight really slows you down. Let's say you're carrying an 80 lb pack for a 21 day trip because you don't want to see a town or resupply---Daily mileage will be low for the first week until the pack lightens. If I can go 4 miles on the first day of a winter trip with an 85 lb pack I feel good about myself.
Agreed. Sometimes the breaks are needed in order to continue, so they are really part of the total package. So too are sightseeing breaks. If you know there is an observation point or other attraction along a given stretch of trail you need to budget time for that into your hike. Can't tell you how many times I saw somebody pass up some really cool places after a two minute look around because they had to make so many miles per hour or get to the next whatever.
no way...a thur hiker can average in the 2.2 - 2.7 mph....average joe cut that in half...my mornings are always fast till lunch..then i slow down to enjoy my afternoon.. there is really no need to get to a shelter early...hike too five-six o'clock..eat then sleep...your body will appreciate it both in soreness and the falls you take when your tired
I consistently do 1.7 MPH over hill and dale with a 30 pound pack. I slow down tremendously up and down real hills. It's all a factor of age, fitness, weight skin in and skin out, etc.
I'd like to say that I do 2 - 2.5 - 3 MPH but that would be no pack, on a good day, good trail, downhill with a tailwind.
76 HawkMtn w/Rangers
14 LHHT
15 Girard/Quebec/LostTurkey/Saylor/Tuscarora/BlackForest
16 Kennerdell/Cranberry-Otter/DollyS/WRim-NCT
17 BearR
18-19,22 AT NOBO 1562.2
22 Hadrian's Wall
23 Cotswold Way
This thread is really making me feel good about my numbers and giving me a big boost of confidence. I always figured that I was a slow hiker since the friends I usually hike with have always been waaaaaayyyy faster than me. It used to bother me until I just accepted the fact that I was a slow hiker and kept going at my pace. I do this for fun and running or pushing myself to the point of exhaustion doesn't seem like fun to me. I don't care how fast I get there, I just want to get there!
On my section hike in Maine this summer, I had a few moments of discouragement. It seemed to me that EVERYBODY I came across was a lot faster than me and everybody seemed to be able of doing a lot more mileage in a day. Lots of hikers past me on the trail but I never past anyone, making me feel like I was the slowest hiker on the entire AT. Then I started reading this thread and the more I read, the more I saw that all in all, I'm not as slow as I thought I was. Yes, there are a lot of faster hikers out there and there always will be but it looks like I'm pretty average in terms of speed and that makes me feel good! I know it's not a race but it's never fun always being the last one at the finish line!
My average speed was 1.1 mph on my slowest day (big mother of a mountain to climb!) and 2.3 mph on my fastest day. So not too bad when you take into consideration that I left my watch on when I stopped for breaks and lunch. I think I'll go back to my stats and recalculate everything without all the stop times. Something tells me it might put a big smile on my face.
I personally wouldn't take too much notice of walking speed unless you wanted to walk with someone. More important is milage covered in a day. I was passed by many young people on the trail, didn't worry me as I was still walking as many if not more miles in a day as I started anywhere from 02.30 - 06.00 am except when coming out of town. A couple of hikers were pissed that I beat them in everyday, but they never saw me pass them. Happens when you sleep till 9am and I was walking at 5am. IMHO if I was walking 3-4 mph I wouldn't be enjoying the walk as I'd be head down bottom up all day. I have read too many comments in Trail Journals over the years of people that regretted walking so quick as they felt they didn't really see the trail and enjoy it. HYOH and all that and just enjoy it.
"He was a wise man who invented beer." Plato
I agree with you and I never had any intention to try to go faster for exactly the reasons you mention... I want to enjoy the trail and going faster would take away from that. What I meant is that I thought that most hikers were able to do a 3-4 mph average while I could only do a 2-2.5 average. I now see that many other hikers are in the same range that I am so I don't feel so slow anymore.
I know what you mean. And that hatred of being "last" can be a great motivator for self improvement...ask me how I know!
I'm not last anymore but dang, it takes a lot of courage and pride-swallowing to always be in last place.
It's easy to be the best at something. What a motivator to hear the accolades, be the winner, be the fastest. But being the worst...the slowest...and sticking with it? Not being a quitter. That's the real winner.
Last edited by Traffic Jam; 10-01-2017 at 22:26.
Overall, I avg about 2 mph with breaks. 1-1.5 uphill, 2.5-3 downhll.
Ive done 10 miles in 2:50 , slight downhill grade, smooth trail. With even light pack, its really moving to sustain that pace that long walking. At least with my legs at 5' 9". Doesnt happen accidentally.
Only part of speed thats important, is knowing jow many mpd to expect to crank out. Best to err on low side for planning purposes.
Last edited by MuddyWaters; 10-01-2017 at 23:08.
Nothing sucks the joy out of hiking like comparing one's hiking speed to others. Or trying to keep up with others, or wishing they'd keep up with you.
Normally 2/hr, on my thru after my trail leg it was 3-4 mph, even pushing a bit past 4 sometimes (town days). One day I averaged almost 4 mph over 36 miles.