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  1. #1
    Registered User
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    Default Ridiculous hypothetical question

    Silly hypothetical question. Do the 2190 miles have to be consecutive. I have no intention of doing this but what if someone walked 1100 miles Of the trail, decided they didn’t like it and turned around and walked back the entire path they just walked. Does this count? Is a through hike specifically point a to point b or is it the completion of 2200 miles of appalachian trail?
    Last edited by Flakes; 12-31-2017 at 00:17.

  2. #2

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    There is no "count." There's no official committee judging hikes. All that matters is what it means to you.

  3. #3
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    If I drive from NC to OK and back is that the same as driving from NC to CA?

  4. #4
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    Default

    I don’t think it would count as a through hike if that’s what you mean.

  5. #5
    Wanna-be hiker trash
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    Default

    1) No

    2) The only official recognition of completing the trail relies 100% on the honor system. It is only as valuable as your word.

    ​​2,000 miler application

    The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) recognizes anyone who reports completion of the entire Trail as a “2,000-miler.” The term is a matter of tradition and convenience, based upon the original estimated length of the Trail. Conservancy policy is to operate on an honor system, assuming that those who apply for 2000-miler status have hiked all of the A.T. between Katahdin and Springer Mountain, either as a thru-hiker or in sections. In the event of an emergency, such as a flood, a forest fire, or an impending storm, blue-blazed trails or officially required roadwalks are viable substitutes for the white-blazed route. Issues of sequence, direction, speed, length of time or whether one carries a pack are not considered. ATC assumes that those who apply have made an honest effort to walk the entire Trail, even if they did not walk past every white blaze. If you meet these standards, please complete and sign the form below.
    https://www.appalachiantrail.org/hom...er-application
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  6. #6

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    Default

    Your post/thread title says it all.
    [I]ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: ... Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit....[/I]. Numbers 35

    [url]www.MeetUp.com/NashvilleBackpacker[/url]

    .

  7. #7
    Registered User SoaknWet's Avatar
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    Default

    Why do people insist on worrying about what other people think? You didn't take up hiking to be judged. If that's what you're looking for join some competitive sport, cycling or swimming. When you're out there hiking put all that nonsense out of your head! Hike your hike for you no one else! If you section hike back and forth till you accumulate enough miles to match the miles of the complete trail and want to consider yourself a thru hiker that's you business. Be true to yourself, the hell with everyone else!

  8. #8
    Registered User
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Flakes View Post
    Silly hypothetical question. Do the 2190 miles have to be consecutive. I have no intention of doing this but what if someone walked 1100 miles Of the trail, decided they didn’t like it and turned around and walked back the entire path they just walked. Does this count? Is a through hike specifically point a to point b or is it the completion of 2200 miles of appalachian trail?
    If someone walked 1100 miles and didn't like it, why would they walk another 1100? Why not get off trail and go home?

  9. #9

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    to get back to their car of course.

  10. #10
    Hiker bigcranky's Avatar
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    The "2000 Miler" patch is awarded to hikers who submit a claim to the ATC that they have completed the entire trail. It's for completion of the AT, not for hiking some random part of it enough times to add up to 2000 miles.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by SoaknWet View Post
    Why do people insist on worrying about what other people think?.....
    I seriously doubt it has anything at all to do with caring what anyone else thinks, exactly
    as much as it is about playing a game of trivial pursuit around the virtual camp fire.....
    or in some cases it's just an effort to help in thinking things through....digesting ideas....brainstorming.

  12. #12

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    How did you get the trail name “Flakes”?

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by rdljr View Post
    to get back to their car of course.
    And imagine the chagrin felt if, upon getting to the car, the hiker realized something was left behind at the turnaround point!

    Is there a 4400 mile patch?

  14. #14

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bigcranky View Post
    The "2000 Miler" patch is awarded to hikers who submit a claim to the ATC that they have completed the entire trail. It's for completion of the AT, not for hiking some random part of it enough times to add up to 2000 miles.
    I like the idea of some guy hiking a mile on the AT to a shelter from the road and then hiking back out---repeat one thousand times. Yippee, you just pulled your 2,000 miles. Why not get the patch?

    Or even better: Some guy hiking the AT back and forth and here and there and blue blaze this or that for 10 solid years. Just live on the thing.

  15. #15
    Hiker bigcranky's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tipi Walter View Post
    I like the idea of some guy hiking a mile on the AT to a shelter from the road and then hiking back out---repeat one thousand times. Yippee, you just pulled your 2,000 miles. Why not get the patch?

    Or even better: Some guy hiking the AT back and forth and here and there and blue blaze this or that for 10 solid years. Just live on the thing.
    In the last twenty+ years I've hiked the stretch from Grayson Highlands to Damascus and the loop at the park enough times to get my patch. I'll send in my application...
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  16. #16

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SoaknWet View Post
    Why do people insist on worrying about what other people think? You didn't take up hiking to be judged. If that's what you're looking for join some competitive sport, cycling or swimming. When you're out there hiking put all that nonsense out of your head! Hike your hike for you no one else! If you section hike back and forth till you accumulate enough miles to match the miles of the complete trail and want to consider yourself a thru hiker that's you business. Be true to yourself, the hell with everyone else!
    This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

  17. #17

    Default

    By my reckoning, I've logged over 6,500 miles on the AT, but I have yet to complete it! Is there a patch for that? What am I missing? About 60 miles of NH. I've done all the highlights, just haven't seen a need to connect the dots. Maybe someday.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  18. #18
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by blw2 View Post
    I seriously doubt it has anything at all to do with caring what anyone else thinks, exactly
    as much as it is about playing a game of trivial pursuit around the virtual camp fire.....
    or in some cases it's just an effort to help in thinking things through....digesting ideas....brainstorming.
    This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

  19. #19
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    By my reckoning, I've logged over 6,500 miles on the AT, but I have yet to complete it! Is there a patch for that? What am I missing? About 60 miles of NH. I've done all the highlights, just haven't seen a need to connect the dots. Maybe someday.
    You live in NH.

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by egilbe View Post
    You live in NH.
    Yea well, that's what makes it so difficult It's easier to just bag a summit as a day hike then hike between them. Plus I'd rather run over to Maine or Vermont and avoid the tourists hikers in NH. I don't need to add to overcrowding at campsites or deal with the AMC huts. Of course I've done some of the AT through NH, just not all of it.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

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