Your Highest Learning Curve

[TwoRoads]

To thru hikers and others who've backpacked for significantly long distances, what was your biggest surprise, your most unanticipated difficulty, or your highest learning curve on your long-distance hike? I've hiked about 500 miles total in sections from 20-90 miles at a time. I'm planning on a thru-hike starting in April. Your responses will help me anticipate things I need to pay attention to. Thanks!

[Slo-go'en]

Hunger.....

[Emerson Bigills]

Honestly, I expected that at some point, probably in VA, I would fall in love with being in the woods and just enjoy walking each day. I just thought that if you could stay out there that long, you had to eventually just think it was great fun. I enjoyed my trip, but it was the challenge and commitment that kept me going. By the time I got to NY, it was about finishing and avoiding injury. In my discussions with other NOBO's, my attitude was very common. There are not many easy days on the AT.

Once I hit the White Mtns and Maine, it was about just surviving what the trail was dishing out each day. The challenge was almost personal. By then, we were all too invested in the hike to quit and just couldn't wait to summit Katahdin and go home for a while. I have no regrets and look at the hike as a great adventure and something I am very happy I did.

[TwoRoads]

On the hunger front, I have yet to experience that, since my longest hike was about 90 miles (about 1 week), and I've heard other hikers say it takes about 2-3 weeks for that to kick in, full scale. I'm sure that will be something I'll have to re-evaluate about 2-3 weeks in, how my appetite will increase and will have to anticipate that.

On the falling in love with being in the woods, I know that it will take a couple of weeks to get my trail legs under me before the physical stress starts to get easier. But I honestly thought it would work the other way than how you describe. I thought that the enjoyment would be early on, and that by Virginia or Pennsylvania, it will become a bit of a struggle a bit of a struggle. Like most hikers (I'm sure), I have a little trouble communicating my reasons for wanting to do this. I do love being in the woods, immersed in nature, and that is probably my main motivation. I also like walking; it's so de-stressing and pleasantly rhythmical. The challenge, is, of course, a factor also. Socially, I enjoy meeting people along the way, but have no desire to party in groups (or party at all). But all those reasons still fail to capture that essence of why I want to do this.

On my short hikes, the things that have been my greatest learning curves have been obviously the weight (I've never stopped learning to balance weight with comfort); managing food and food prep; walking the proper way (easy on the downhills; knees say thank you); water and camp routines (I've tried about a half-dozen purification methods, and have come to regard time-saving as an important consideration -- I am now trying a gravity-feed system so I can be doing other things while my water filters itself); layering (I hate being cold, but hate to layer up when starting my morning hike only to have to stop 300 yards up the trail to strip layers off - uggh!). I don't know if this fits in with learning curve, but the one wild creature I have no idea how to react to is the wild boars -- or even if they are that dangerous.

I know that the whole thing about challenge and commitment is irrelevant on short hikes, and 6 months away from home and my wife will be long. Anyway, those are some of my lessons learned, but I feel like my short hikes have limited lessons to teach.

[Gambit McCrae]

Carrying too much, or not enough..Water, Insulation, food...Its a personal/everybody is different curve

[Dogwood]

To thru hikers and others who've backpacked for significantly long distances, what was your biggest surprise, your most unanticipated difficulty, or your highest learning curve on your long-distance hike? I've hiked about 500 miles total in sections from 20-90 miles at a time. I'm planning on a thru-hike starting in April. Your responses will help me anticipate things I need to pay attention to. Thanks!

Directing thoughts with intention is #1.

Second is proficient off trail navigation in tough conditions ie; deep snow in a winter wonderland, flat featureless deserts, canyon country, deep jungles, etc. Can't rely or wouldn't be prudent attempting to solely rely on electronics in some of these situations.

Still developing both and always will.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[Malto]

In reality a thru hike is just stringing together a bunch of shorter hikes, it not any more glorious than that. Likely the biggest things that will be different is food intake and managing your resupply schedule and daily mileage on those legs.

[Goingforalittlewalk]

I'm with most of the answers above... longer the walk better I feel!
This year I hike 520 miles in Scotland in one go which was 3 coastal path and 2 coast too coast...
Learned at how important keeping clothes dry...after days of rain..

How the weather changes quickly and need to make different plans.

And at that low point, miles from no where, piss wet thru..cold..etc how you CAN keep going if you tell yourself..and in the morning the sun rise will be worth it.

[Highland Goat]

I got really cranky about two months in to my 2012 AT hike – a combination of too much time by myself, and regulations that did not actually relate to trail conditions. I kept going, but I just walked and did not see much. It mood passed by the time I got to Georgia and I enjoyed the last miles.

[fiddlehead]

Number of people on the trail.
And comparing it to my first hike in '77
Don't think I could enjoy it at today's numbers.
I'd go SOBO for sure, and then try to go off season.
Best of luck to you.

[peakbagger]

There have been observations over the years that the "Virginia blues" is a pretty significant hurdle that could be a combination of physical and psychological. I am sectioner and have not experienced it directly but ran into multiple folks who were attempting a thru hike who have talked about it. Most thru hikers have a nebulous goal of making it to Katahdin and obsess on it during the planning stage but once they hit the trail most are overwhelmed with day to day distractions of life on the trail and usually start picking shorter range goals. One in particular is Trail Days and it becomes a group goal where "everyone" is all heading there. When they get there its real big party and everyone in theory has a good time, but reality kick in soon after they leave town that there is no real next big group goal. Folks start spreading out again and it switches back to more of an individual goal and realistically Virginia is pretty much a series of slogs, inevitably many days in the rain in the spring. It becomes a job at that point. There is no big party to look forward to, its just 3 or 4 more months of self motivation. Physically there has been speculation that dietary issues kick in by VA. Folks start the trail with reserves but at some point the typically poor thru hiker diet is nutritionally lacking in nutrients. The body is asking for "fuel" and low cost fats and carbs supply the fuel but not a lot of vitamins make it into the diet. That can catch up with many folks, effectively they could be on the edge of getting scurvy which is vitamin C deficiency that usually kicks in 2 of 3 months. I have met many a thru hiker up north with minimal gear but a ziplock full of multivitamins along with ibuprofen.

[backtrack213]

Don't plan too much. Sticking to a plan isn't always easy and can be very frustrating if you can't stick to "your schedule". Take each day as it goes and enjoy yourself. If you plan things out just keep in mind they wont always go as planned and accept that it may change.

[dudeijuststarted]

I think the most difficult for me was getting proper nutrition, which I didn't. If I do it again I'll definitely get a full workup before I go, and probably stop somewhere for another mid-hike. The rest was just rambling about in the woods, which I love, unless its on the Long Trail, which I don't love.

[The Solemates]

Enough to eat..

[Tipi Walter]

For people living outdoors all the time, one of the biggest hurdles is a suffocating Loneliness which permeates the forest and the mountaintops. Nature feels aloof and indifferent. If a person can "conquer" this loneliness and the need for frequent social interaction---he/she has it made. That "40 days in the wilderness" mindset is a real learning curve.

[garlic08]

For me it was also learning not to carry too much, to conquer the fears that lead to over-packing clothing, food, and water.

It's amazing how liberating a few days of hunger and a few hours of thirst can be, when you realize you won't blow up if you run a little short.

[Christoph]

For me, the biggest learning curve was how to eat (somewhat) properly so I didn't loose too much weight/without carrying too much weight. Another was the logistics of meeting up with family members at certain points. Some spots looked easier on paper than they were in actuality, so I had to push it a few times, but nothing too crazy.

[Dogwood]

To thru hikers and others who've backpacked for significantly long distances, what was your biggest surprise, your most unanticipated difficulty, or your highest learning curve on your long-distance hike? I've hiked about 500 miles total in sections from 20-90 miles at a time. I'm planning on a thru-hike starting in April. Your responses will help me anticipate things I need to pay attention to. Thanks!

The highest steepest longest learning curve for first time really LD hikers is going to depend on what the individual brings to that first hike. For example, I brought to that first hike a very good base understanding of nutrition/generally clean eating, an excellent grasp of managing hunger and thirst, and questioning Materialism and rampant wasteful consumption(this translated well to aspects like not bringing too much, not overly relying on copious amts of gear, and a willingness to wisely reduce such.

There were many other categories that have been less steep though and continue to be areas of development. I try to stay humbled, apprecative, always observing, and always considering knowing these learning curves are always a never ending journey a path not an end destination. This mindset keeps me present engaged enjoying each hike from hr to hr day to day wk to wk and month after month.

One great approach that works supremely for myself in reaching these goals is being moment by moment acutely aware a LD hike can be/IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN HIKING. This translates for me in not getting bored, staying engaged, having wider life experiences, and defining a LD hike as a way to build character in not only myself but others. A LD hike DOES NOT have to be defined as a selfish endeavor.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[TwoRoads]

Some of these I have experienced on my shorter hikes as well, although not to the Nth degree like I might on a longer hike. Loneliness usually hits me about the 2nd or 3rd day in, just mostly missing my wife. At the same time, I am realizing that I'm having a great time, so it hasn't been too hard to fight off; I've come to regard it as just a characteristic of trail life.

Getting the right kind of food, and particularly how that affects the old bowel movements was an issue on my last hike. So I'm looking into the Harmony House veggie/soup meals hoping to help that situation.

Being flexible with my schedule is something I've managed pretty well on past short hikes. On one of my first hikes, I messed up a knee from clomping downhill and had to take a zero day and another couple of short days hiking after that. On two of my last three hikes, I got chased off the mountain by hurricanes coming in from the south. Unfortunately, in both cases, it caused me to have to get off the trail; however, I know that on my thru-hike, I won't have the time constraints to get back to work (I'm retired now). On other times, I hiked on past a shelter counting on finding a site to pitch my tent, and those were some of my favorite nights spent on the trail. And ultimately, while I want to make it all the way to Katahdin, I really want to enjoy this hike, and stop and smell the roses instead of making a chore of always pressing for some destination to keep making the miles.

In any case, I'm looking forward to the enjoyment of the trail, at the same time knowing it won't be easy.

[Dogwood]

You're demonstrating consideration. That's awesome.

So what might you do?

Schedule time to meet your wife on trail.
Get her somehow involved in the hike.
Like mailing out resupply boxes, sending her pics and sweetheart notes from the trail. Letting her know how much you love each other. Have her come out and do a section with you keeping in mind that its about the two of you being together. Go home for a wk;many successfully do this to enjoy time with loved ones coming back to enjoyably finish their anticipated hikes.

Don't go out too fast or too hard. Don't try to do anyone else's hike. Do your own. You don't have to race or get into a competition - unless you want to. Even after prepping work your way into your hike. It can take a wk or more to settle into being a hiker. It can take 3-4 wks or so to settle into thru-hiker life. I find it best to regularly monitor my ego to keep it in check. I actually hike to lose the ego.

Develop your hiking technique. This I make in context of your downhill(and possibly uphill) experience with the injury. Take smaller shorter gait steps with surer footing ascending and descending the hills rather than larger more fatiguing more apt to injury larger steps. Stretch out the gait on the flats and when your pack is lightest. Aim to reduce the riser heights(height to which you step up or down) with possibly two or even three smaller step heights rather than one larger one...very important. You determine your pace and don't be afraid to alter based on conditions.