AT hiking records other than speed records

[PJWetzel]

I'm currently working on a 2012 double, hiking the entire AT strictly by day hikes, doing individual N-S, S-N daily yo-yo's and getting off the trail every night. In other words, I hike a small section of trail both ways every day - every white blaze twice, no exceptions (I'm a strict purist). So far I've finished 229 day hikes starting January 1, and have completed everything from Daleville VA south and from Caledonia SP, PA north. I'll be starting this middle section in a few days.

As far as anyone knows (I've asked Laurie Potteiger at the ATC), I'll be the first one to hike the trail this way in a single calendar year.

So my questions are two: First, does anyone here know of such an attempt (to hike the entire AT twice by day hikes in a single calendar year)? And second: It occurred to me that at age 63 (64 when I finish), I might be among the older people to do an AT double. Does anyone know the record for the oldest person to complete a double in a single calendar year?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Seeks It

[moocow]

Those would be some interesting records to find out. Does the ATC consider it a double thru? I don't know of anyone that's done this outside of yo-yo fashion.

[rickb]

My guess is that no one has ever hiked the trail like you are doing now-- regardless of age.

I don't read journals, but would definitely make an exception in your case. If you ever put up any details of your hile online I hope you will let everyone here know about it.

Cheers.

[Sly]

I could be mistaken but I think Ward Leonard tripled the trail, but backpacking in similar fashion. For example he'd hike from Springer to Neel, back to Springer, to Dicks Creek, back to Neel, to Winding Stair Gap, back to Dicks Creek, to Fontana Dam, back to Winding Stair etc all the way to Katahdin.

Some would call that insane and in this case, it could very well be true.

[Gray Blazer]

I could be mistaken but I think Ward Leonard tripled the trail, but backpacking in similar fashion. For example he'd hike from Springer to Neel, back to Springer, to Dicks Creek, back to Neel, to Winding Stair Gap, back to Dicks Creek, to Fontana Dam, back to Winding Stair etc all the way to Katahdin.

Some would call that insane and in this case, it could very well be true.

That's how I hike it, but, I ain't trying to do the whole thing. Shuttlers don't like it.

[forrest!]

My guess is that no one has ever hiked the trail like you are doing now-- regardless of age.

I don't read journals, but would definitely make an exception in your case. If you ever put up any details of your hile online I hope you will let everyone here know about it.

Cheers.

He has an excellent journal at trailjournals. I've been following it every day. Look for SeeksIt.

[forrest!]

I could be mistaken but I think Ward Leonard tripled the trail, but backpacking in similar fashion. For example he'd hike from Springer to Neel, back to Springer, to Dicks Creek, back to Neel, to Winding Stair Gap, back to Dicks Creek, to Fontana Dam, back to Winding Stair etc all the way to Katahdin.

Some would call that insane and in this case, it could very well be true.

Why would someone do this? Or is that a stupid question? Was there a car involved?

[tdoczi]

Why would someone do this? Or is that a stupid question? Was there a car involved?

A) from some accounts, hes not exactly "all there"

B) stories of this guy are vague, various, inconsistent and often contested. ive read he hiked the trail 3 times in a year also. ive read it described this way and in another way. ive read someone adamantly deny him having ever done such a thing. ive read various versions of what year this all took place and if his speed record was during this or seperate. as far as i'm concerned its all conjecture/urban legend.

[dperry]

I haven't been able to actually find whether you stay in a motel every night, but if you don't like camping, you're probably not sleeping in your car, either, so I'm wondering if you're also doing the most expensive thru-hike ever.

[yellowsirocco]

These speed and completion records are stupid. I would like to see someone who hikes the whole trail and has a beer every single night.

[slow mind]

These speed and completion records are stupid. I would like to see someone who hikes the whole trail and has a beer every single night.

That could very well be me in the not too distant future.

[Theosus]

These speed and completion records are stupid. I would like to see someone who hikes the whole trail and has a beer every single night.

Agreed. If you want to set records, go into running, hurdles, Swimming, etc. But hiking? Just complete the trail...
if I ever get to do it, I want to take the time and enjoy it, not just pound out miles and miss the fun.

[tdoczi]

Agreed. If you want to set records, go into running, hurdles, Swimming, etc. But hiking? Just complete the trail...
if I ever get to do it, I want to take the time and enjoy it, not just pound out miles and miss the fun.

The OP is hiking the whole trail twice, once in each direction, plus side trails, plus seeing every town and road and who knows what else along the way. trust me, hes getting more out of it than many thru hikers are.

[PJWetzel]

Thanks for all your responses. I once thought I had seen a web site that posts various records regarding AT hiking, but I couldn't find it, which is why I posted here.

Regarding some of your comments:

First, I have at least one beer every night - that's one of the big advantages of being 'back home' and off the trail every night.

Second, I don't like tent camping, but spend almost every night sleeping in my 'poor man's RV', which I also call my " two ton steel tent".

Third, I'm not just grinding out the miles, in fact I'm pretty slow and stop to see everything that interests me, stop to talk with interesting people, etc. In order to do a double in one calendar year you only have to do a bit more than 6 miles of new trail every day (both ways, that makes 12 or 13 miles per day).

Fourth, as Forrest! noted (thank you, sir), I'm keeping and posting a daily blog on three sites, all linked in my signature line. They duplicate one another in terms of text, but if you want to see daily GPS tracks and all the photos that I've selected to publish, go to EveryTrail. When it's all over, if I succeed, I hope to write a book about the experience, tentatively titled 'Home Every Night'.

[FlyPaper]

I'm currently working on a 2012 double, hiking the entire AT strictly by day hikes, doing individual N-S, S-N daily yo-yo's and getting off the trail every night. In other words, I hike a small section of trail both ways every day - every white blaze twice, no exceptions (I'm a strict purist). So far I've finished 229 day hikes starting January 1, and have completed everything from Daleville VA south and from Caledonia SP, PA north. I'll be starting this middle section in a few days.

As far as anyone knows (I've asked Laurie Potteiger at the ATC), I'll be the first one to hike the trail this way in a single calendar year.

So my questions are two: First, does anyone here know of such an attempt (to hike the entire AT twice by day hikes in a single calendar year)? And second: It occurred to me that at age 63 (64 when I finish), I might be among the older people to do an AT double. Does anyone know the record for the oldest person to complete a double in a single calendar year?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Seeks It

There are many places that have more than a day hike between road crossings, especially considering you have to go both ways.

What is the plan in those cases?

[PJWetzel]

There are many places that have more than a day hike between road crossings, especially considering you have to go both ways.

What is the plan in those cases?

The Smokies were the worst area for lack of road crossings. There are two 30 to 31 mile stretches of trail without any road crossings and with few options for inserting yourself via a side trail. In the Smokies I just 'sucked it up' and hiked 15 miles from either end to the middle and back. That made for four very tough days (for me) with 30+ miles of hiking. I would start before dawn and end after dark, but stuck to my (self established) rule of being 'home' before midnight every night.

In the Whites there are also long stretches of AT without road crossings, but in this area there are good (and usually easy) side trails that are no more than 3 miles in length that allow you to insert yourself into the middle of a roadless stretch and hike at least a small piece of AT every day. That's slow going, but got it done. Examples of side trails I used are the Zealand Trail and the Gale River Trail. In most cases these are also the trails that the 'croo' use to tote supplies up to the AMC huts.

Similarly in the Mahoosucs there is a long piece of trail without road crossings, but again here there are side trails. Two that I used are the Notch Trail and the Success Trail, and these are also easy trails of no more than about 3 miles in length.

Finally, many people along the way asked me how I was going to tackle the 'Hundred Mile Wilderness'. Well, this stretch of trail has many road crossings that are all part of the North Maine Woods private road system. These are toll roads (you pay $10 for the privilege to drive them each day), but there are more than enough road crossings to get the job done for a day hiker.

[jimmyjam]

Agreed. If you want to set records, go into running, hurdles, Swimming, etc. But hiking? Just complete the trail...
if I ever get to do it, I want to take the time and enjoy it, not just pound out miles and miss the fun.

My thoughts exactly. And I hope to have that beer or a shot of whiskey at least every other day while I take my sweet time and enjoy the trail.

[forrest!]

Fourth, as Forrest! noted (thank you, sir), I'm keeping and posting a daily blog on three sites, all linked in my signature line. They duplicate one another in terms of text, but if you want to see daily GPS tracks and all the photos that I've selected to publish, go to EveryTrail. When it's all over, if I succeed, I hope to write a book about the experience, tentatively titled 'Home Every Night'.

I love your photos too. And the map page with the photos embedded is great. Another benefit of not backpacking/camping? You must have a laptop in the steel tent and can drive to get internet access frequently.

So I admire your determination and will definitely buy your book when it comes out. But I still plan to do a traditional thru-hike when my time comes!

[k2basecamp]

I am sure you will be setting the day hiking record for the trail ! However, I think you're missing something special by not camping out and carrying a backpack. You may have already said it, but why don't you sleep on the trail ? Must be quite expensive.

Good luck with the completion of your trip.

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

I was referred to your account of this 2012 effort by a friend of Class of 2012 through-hiker "Sparky", who finished his NOBO on Saturday, 24 September. I am particularly amazed at the completion of two through-hikes in a single year's time, not to mention the challenge of having started in VA on New Year's Day!

So, my friend and I are watching your updates closely and enjoying each of them. This business of "home every night" has a lot of appeal to some. After all, don't we all need to HYOH? Thanks much for the considerable effort to provide such rich details and the map segments. All very well done, sir!

AO