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  1. #1

    Default Info Given On The Trail is Hardly Ever Accurate

    One of the best tips I can give folks is to know your trip, and have resources available to be educated on key factors about your hike. How many times has that shelter that is "just around the corner" been 2 miles away. Or that was source that is 30 feet down the trail ended up being .4 mile.

    I just did Clingmans Dome to Fontana Dam as a quick overnighter and personally was given inaccurate information 3 times.
    No I did not ask for this information, nor did I rely on it, but just noted their comments until proven inaccurate.

    It is all perspective, and a lot of it is opinionated. "Man that climb was rocky!" Well...not really, yea it had rocks on it? But it wasn't anything more rocky then the last 15 climbs were

    Some of it is not opinionated..."There is no water between here and Fontana Dam, better fill up now because that .5 liter is never going to get you to the dam!" Well...Actually sir ya walked right over 2 water sources on your way up the hill, and yes a .5 liter would get me to the dam no problem"

    Perhaps others words of others ignorance is not my burden, or perhaps I am just a grouchy old man in a 30 year old body haha

    My disclaimer: I personally take info given on the trail with a grain of salt, because it time and time again proves to be inaccurate. I have guthooks, I have a paper map, I study the trail on a daily basis. for me this personally more of a rant then looking for guidance on how to not get inaccurate info spewed at me while walking the trail.
    Last edited by Gambit McCrae; 05-29-2018 at 13:30.
    Trail Miles: 4,927.6
    AT Map 1: Complete 2013-2021
    Sheltowee Trace: Complete 2020-2023
    Pinhoti Trail: Complete 2023-2024
    Foothills Trail: 0.0
    AT Map 2: 279.4
    BMT: 52.7
    CDT: 85.4

  2. #2
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    I head to the trails to avoid information, no matter its provenance.

  3. #3
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    one thing to keep in mind-----that stretch is heavily populated...........and by people who dont normally hike or just hike once or three times a year......

    and they dont figure on passing someone that is obsessed with the trail....

  4. #4
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    One of my favorite responses when asking an oncoming hiker how far the next_______(fill in the blank) is; It's about 10 minutes or 30 minutes or whatever. For them, maybe so, but how does their pace compare to mine? It usually takes me longer --unless it is all down hill.

  5. #5
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    I've been told by multiple reliable sources that the secret to accurate information in remote areas is to ask men in pickups. Most information from most people about remote areas is inaccurate or completely wrong, except, men in pickup trucks can be trusted. Thus, the problem is that you aren't asking men in pickup trucks.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  6. #6
    Registered User somers515's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Seatbelt View Post
    One of my favorite responses when asking an oncoming hiker how far the next_______(fill in the blank) is; It's about 10 minutes or 30 minutes or whatever. For them, maybe so, but how does their pace compare to mine? It usually takes me longer --unless it is all down hill.
    I actually find that you get better information by asking how long till they left somewhere instead of how far something is away. If they say they left 30 minutes ago, I can usually give myself a good estimate based on their appeared pace of travel. Anyway usually nice to briefly chat with those coming in the opposite direction and trade a little trail info. Not always accurate as the OP correctly notes.
    AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com

  7. #7
    Registered User JPritch's Avatar
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    Yeah, distance estimations are all over the map. I do like messing with people who look like they are about to collapse and want to know how much farther to 'x'. Met one such couple up by Albert Mtn and told the lady she still had about 2 miles to the tower...the look on her face was priceless! I then told her it was about 200 yards just over the crest of the hill behind me. She probably called me every name in the book after I left.
    It is what it is.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by somers515 View Post
    I actually find that you get better information by asking how long till they left somewhere instead of how far something is away. If they say they left 30 minutes ago, I can usually give myself a good estimate based on their appeared pace of travel. Anyway usually nice to briefly chat with those coming in the opposite direction and trade a little trail info. Not always accurate as the OP correctly notes.
    I usually just add a few minutes to whatever they say, not that it matters much anyway. I, too, enjoy a chat with others on the trail.

  9. #9

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    I will never forget the nobo AT hiker who told me there was no water for the next 15+ miles and hoped I had plenty for the night. Thank you but did you walk across a footbridge about 1-mile back (it was actually less than that)? Yes I did. That was a water source. No there wasn't any water there then wanted to argue. Okay, have a nice hike. I was also told by the same person it's a steep climb expect it to take at least one hour. I was at the footbridge in 15-min, and crossed a second source the next morning 2-miles south of where I camped and a few more after that.

  10. #10
    double d's Avatar
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    The only concern I have when I talk about trail conditions is accuracy of water sources. Outside of that, I take information from other hikers with a grain of salt.
    "I told my Ma's and Pa's I was coming to them mountains and they acted as if they was gutshot. Ma, I sez's, them mountains is the marrow of the world and by God, I was right". Del Gue

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by JPritch View Post
    I do like messing with people who look like they are about to collapse and want to know how much farther to 'x'. Met one such couple up by Albert Mtn and told the lady she still had about 2 miles to the tower...the look on her face was priceless! I then told her it was about 200 yards just over the crest of the hill behind me. She probably called me every name in the book after I left.
    After crossing the 10 mile shadeless burned-out area on the CT after Platte river, in really hot conditions mid-day, I watered up at the fire station spigot, ate, rested, etc. This is a water supply everyone counts on.

    As I was leaving back to the trail I met a young couple coming toward the fire station. I had spoke to them briefly earlier that day as I passed while they were breaking .

    I couldn't resist and told them that the spigot was off and there was no water. The "oh crap" look on their faces was priceless. After a few seconds of anguish, i told them the truth, water was on, plentiful, and cold. They went from as low as you could get to extremely relieved.

  12. #12

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Uriah View Post
    I head to the trails to avoid information, no matter its provenance.
    Useless post...It is as out of place as your location

  13. #13

    Default

    I just about never ask for information on the trail ahead of me, likely because I really don't want to know. Nor do I offer any proactively, except for interesting wildlife, e.g. there's a bear ahead or I saw a rattlesnake on the rocks.

  14. #14

    Default

    Yeah, I'm guilty of giving bad advice myself and so try not to give any unless I'm quite certain. I recently told a worn and exhausted family that was hiking in the rain in Shining Rock that they were on a path that would lead them to their van. Through the conversation I thought "their van" was the maroon Honda Odessy that I had parked next to on HWY 215. Guess what? There were at least two maroon Honda Odysseys as it turned out. I assumed the one I saw was theirs and should not have (I met the owner of that van the next day...oh crap) . Hopefully they figured out they still had a 1/4 mile road walk to another parking lot. What a jackass move on my part. Next time I'll just help a confused group read their map if I can and not assume anything.

    Regarding bad advice and water: I was camping up at Mt Sterling in the GSMNP few years back and was approached by a panicked young female that told me there was no water on the mountain and could I please share mine? I had just gotten my haul for evening / next morning and told her no, the source is fine.... see? She said she walked and walked down the path but never found any water and turned back. It is marked as being 700 feet off the trail (a permanent wooden sign). I gave in and let her have some to get through the evening but then had to go get more the next day for me. Some folks give up too easy.

  15. #15
    Registered User lonehiker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PatmanTN View Post
    Yeah, I'm guilty of giving bad advice myself and so try not to give any unless I'm quite certain. I recently told a worn and exhausted family that was hiking in the rain in Shining Rock that they were on a path that would lead them to their van. Through the conversation I thought "their van" was the maroon Honda Odessy that I had parked next to on HWY 215. Guess what? There were at least two maroon Honda Odysseys as it turned out. I assumed the one I saw was theirs and should not have (I met the owner of that van the next day...oh crap) . Hopefully they figured out they still had a 1/4 mile road walk to another parking lot. What a jackass move on my part. Next time I'll just help a confused group read their map if I can and not assume anything.

    Regarding bad advice and water: I was camping up at Mt Sterling in the GSMNP few years back and was approached by a panicked young female that told me there was no water on the mountain and could I please share mine? I had just gotten my haul for evening / next morning and told her no, the source is fine.... see? She said she walked and walked down the path but never found any water and turned back. It is marked as being 700 feet off the trail (a permanent wooden sign). I gave in and let her have some to get through the evening but then had to go get more the next day for me. Some folks give up too easy.
    She played you.
    Lonehiker (MRT '22)

  16. #16
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    I gave in and let her have some to get through the evening


    i find that my ability to give up water (or other supplies) often depends upon how attractive the person is.......

  17. #17
    Registered User evyck da fleet's Avatar
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    I rarely care how long it’s been since I passed what may be an insignificant landmark and therefore avoid asking questions that are equivalent to how long or how much money will it cost me to do a thru hike. On the rare occasion if I stop and chat with someone it will be how long did it take them to get somewhere like a viewpoint or summit

    i hiked Alum Cave to Mt LeConte a few weeks ago and on the way down my answer to the how far question varied from a while to you don’t want to know

  18. #18
    Registered User evyck da fleet's Avatar
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    I rarely care how long it’s been since I passed what may be an insignificant landmark and therefore avoid asking questions that are equivalent to how long or how much money will it cost me to do a thru hike. On the rare occasion if I stop and chat with someone it will be how long did it take them to get somewhere like a viewpoint or summit

    i hiked Alum Cave to Mt LeConte a few weeks ago and on the way down my answer to the how far question varied from a while to you don’t want to know

  19. #19

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gambit McCrae View Post
    One of the best tips I can give folks is to know your trip, and have resources available to be educated on key factors about your hike. How many times has that shelter that is "just around the corner" been 2 miles away. Or that was source that is 30 feet down the trail ended up being .4 mile.

    I just did Clingmans Dome to Fontana Dam as a quick overnighter and personally was given inaccurate information 3 times.
    No I did not ask for this information, nor did I rely on it, but just noted their comments until proven inaccurate.

    It is all perspective, and a lot of it is opinionated. "Man that climb was rocky!" Well...not really, yea it had rocks on it? But it wasn't anything more rocky then the last 15 climbs were

    Some of it is not opinionated..."There is no water between here and Fontana Dam, better fill up now because that .5 liter is never going to get you to the dam!" Well...Actually sir ya walked right over 2 water sources on your way up the hill, and yes a .5 liter would get me to the dam no problem"

    Perhaps others words of others ignorance is not my burden, or perhaps I am just a grouchy old man in a 30 year old body haha

    My disclaimer: I personally take info given on the trail with a grain of salt, because it time and time again proves to be inaccurate. I have guthooks, I have a paper map, I study the trail on a daily basis. for me this personally more of a rant then looking for guidance on how to not get inaccurate info spewed at me while walking the trail.
    Yep, you're grouchy. People are just trying to be friendly and helpful which are desirable traits in humans.

    If you don’t want interaction, maybe choose to hike where there are less people? I can recommend a few trails, like the Cumberland Trail and the Benton MacKaye Trail.

  20. #20

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by lonehiker View Post
    She played you.
    lol, exactly...when I said some folks give up too easy I meant me.

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