First section hike

[emeggke]

We (my husband and I) did our first section hike June 18-20. We headed south from Dahlgren Chapel to Harpers Ferry. We had a terrific time and met some great people! (Seoul Patch, Timon, Maple, King Krawler are a few of them) We can't wait to go back again and do a longer trip, then when the kids are all out of school the plan is to thru-hike!

[bigmac_in]

Why ruin a good thing. Keep section hiking.

[Cookerhiker]

Glad everything worked out well. Yes, try some longer section hikes when you have the opportunity. Re a thruhike, play it by ear - see how you feel if you've accumulated hundreds of miles via section hiking when the time comes. You may want to just fill in the "missing links."

[LIhikers]

My wife and I are section hiking the northern half of the AT. We started a number of years ago at harper's Ferry and have been working our way north 1 or 2 weeks a year. So far we're up to Franconia Notch in New Hampshire. Once we finish the northern half of the trail we hope to do the southern half as one journey. It's great to be able to share this together.

Let me recommend that the two of you read a book called Soulmates by Randy Motz and Georgia Harris. It about a married couple who thru hike and what they go through. Not just the physical act of hiking, but how it affects them as people and as a couple.

[Lone Wolf]

Why ruin a good thing. Keep section hiking.

i agree. it's more enjoyable

[emeggke]

For the next few years it will have to be section hikes, then I guess we'll decide later on what to do.
LIHiker.. the book sounds interesting.. I'll look for it! Thanks!
Meg

[Nean]

Thru hiking is just a bunch of section hikes strung together.

I prefer thru to section because I think the longer you stay out the more you gain in personal growth and perspective.

Section hiking, day hiking or just camping is all wonderful. For me its about being out there- but if you can stay out there longer- it gets better and better.

Starting a thru doesn't mean you have to finish a thru. I don't think I have ever heard someone say they regreted their thru.

[berkshirebirder]

I think the longer you stay out the more you gain in personal growth and perspective. --NEAN

Good place to raise a question. Granted that many young people have overcome a lot of obstacles in life by the time they're in their twenties and that some "older" hikers have had things relatively easy...would you say that, generally, young hikers stand to gain more in personal growth from a thru-hike than older hikers?

In other words, a thru-hike can teach a lot about self-reliance, commitment, simplicity, bouncing back after setbacks, physical limitations, etc etc etc, that life teaches us through the years?

[Nean]

Good place to raise a question. Granted that many young people have overcome a lot of obstacles in life by the time they're in their twenties and that some "older" hikers have had things relatively easy...would you say that, generally, young hikers stand to gain more in personal growth from a thru-hike than older hikers?

In other words, a thru-hike can teach a lot about self-reliance, commitment, simplicity, bouncing back after setbacks, physical limitations, etc etc etc, that life teaches us through the years?

I was 29 on my first hike and as it turned out- the perfect time for me to gain a new perspective. I was also sobo and spent a lot of time by myself. I'm not so sure I'd of gained as much if I was a 21 year old nobo in with the herd. Even so- even now- 21years and 10LDH later- I'm still learning and growing. I think that first time (regardless of age) has the biggest impact if your mind is open and distractions are few.

[Kirby]

Thru hiking is not for everyone. Don't do it if you think it will ruin hiking for you. Section hiking is rather nice cause you can do things you might not want to do on a thru hike(like take the Gulf Hagus trail in Maine) and you can blue blaze without the fury of the WhiteBlaze purist gods coming down upon you.

[Nean]

Thru hiking is not for everyone. Don't do it if you think it will ruin hiking for you. Section hiking is rather nice cause you can do things you might not want to do on a thru hike(like take the Gulf Hagus trail in Maine) and you can blue blaze without the fury of the WhiteBlaze purist gods coming down upon you.

Since thru hiking is just a bunch of section hikes, maybe it would be more accurate to say everyone has thier limits. Hard to say what yours are until you try. You CAN stop whenever you feel like it. You CAN do side trips and still pass every white blaze. Deep down, purist who rant and try to discredit you for walking an alternative route, are really insecure. I wouldn't worry about what they say or think.

[Country Roads]

As long as you are hiking, it is all good. I think both have positives and negatives. I am doing sections hikes right now. I plan for a thru in 2014, but if my thru turns into a long section hike, then that is all good too.

I started a long section in 2006 that was suppose to be from Springer to Damascus. Illness forced me to leave the trail after Blygap. I was really bummed out for quite a while, but I still love hiking and go every chance I get. I think about all the folks that start thruhikes and do not even make it to Neels Gap and by golly I hiked all of GA. GA is tough hiking, but full of great people! I lot of those people that leave the trail after a few days never hike again and miss out on a lot of good stuff because their first experience with hiking becomes torture. It takes more than a couple of days to "find your zen".

Starting out with section hiking and backpacking close to home helps to hone the skills needed for long distance hiking and helps to keep all things, good and bad, in proper perspective: the rain won't last forever, it will warm up/cool down, you go down once in a while and you can eat whatever you like and not get fat.

[Nean]

I usually do one section per day.

Both have positives, but I'm not sure what the negatives are.