Thru hikers who don't make it (What are some of the major reasons?)

[Donde]

First plus 1 to notyet.

Also if you just want to finish a thru hike ( why so you can claim a title) and pick a trail based on probable completion rate I suggest the BR&O in Fairfax County VA managed with help from the PATC. It will take depending on pace 6 to 48 hours. It really is very nice.

[SassyWindsor]

I do remember my knees hurting for the first time on the decent into NOC (coming from Wayah Bald). I also felt the difficulty level of the AT started to increase somewhere after Hanover.

[MedicineWoman2012]

I planned and prepared more than I would like to admit for 2012 thru hike but these things stopped me:

1) Missin my son and realizing it may not be his dream to participate during summer months.
2) Broken foot (poor decision to go back resort to trail runners after hiking yrs with boots) after hiking 250 miles without it broken seemed so much easier. The last 45 or so miles were miraculous views as I knew I was not going to be able to continue and really savored those moments and memories.
3)Your going to love this one..Realing my bf's dream wasn't the same as mine and managing his tantrums wasn't on my agenda

[Tuxedo]

The reason I left the trail in 03' I'd had a knee injury that had me off the trail for 6weeks and when I got back on the AT doing an incomplete flip-flop. I did 200 more miles having fun and hike'n at a good pace but... about 3 days before I got off I called my parents to tell them not to send the next drop and that something was wrong. My Spirit was ready to move on, to simplify I couldn't stop looking at my trail guide everytime flipping thru the pages saying I wanna hurry up and get to here.

I only state hike your own hike and hike'n mine in a poor state of mind of hurry up and get it over with was not my idea of hike'n.

[Spirit Bear]

Thanks for all the replies. I have lived in Atlanta most of my life and the first time I hiked a section of the AT was this past February, My girlfriend and I camped down at lake Winfield scott and as we went through suches we crossed over Woody gap. We decided to stop spur of the moment and take a walk northbound. We got up to the summit of Big cedar and just chilled out, the wind was blowing hard that February day on one side of the mountain but when we reached the summit, the wind was no longer blowing on that side, we sat down and relaxed for about 20 minutes, I wanted to keep walking, the trail started haunting me from that day, calling me. Two weeks later I did a section hike, a walk I mean from woody gap to neels gap.

Since then I have hiked much of the Georgia section of the trail, have encountered 6 bears, met 4 thru hikers, was introduced to whiteblaze by a guy I met at the Nantahala last April thru hiking, can't even remember his name but I gave him a bottle of Jim beam i had in my car for our camping trip.

I have spent more money than I would like to admit on hiking and I have truly enjoyed it. The AT keeps calling me everyday I am working in my office. I want to do a thru hike, I just have to set a date and do it. Evaporate from my life for 8 months and go.

I have already experienced hiking for 10 hours in the rain, what a 40lbs pack feels like, have gotten my pack weight under 20lbs, winter pack still figuring it all out. Made the mistake of hammock hanging in 25 degree weather with a 40 degree down bag and a liner that said added 25 degrees, LOL what a joke that was. Have been afraid when I encountered my first bear, then the 2nd bear with her cub just 30 feet away.

I think in my head my biggest fear is that I just quit and grow tired of the high I have gotten from hiking. I would like to think my mind is mentally tough enough to withstand the pain and boredom associated with day to day walking alone day in and day out. But with every section hike I gain experience and realize what challenges are going to come my way with a thru hike, the un glamorous days associated with the green tunnel and no summit view climbs. This past summer I hiked from Springer Mountain to Neel’s gap in 3 days and the next morning, I guess three and a half days. The weather was mid 90s all day and I survived that first test.

Could I do this for 6 months straight and from my home state of Georgia to Maine, a state I have only visited once just 2 years ago that took us 3 days to get to by car taking our time. I know how far that is, I have been there by car; the thought of walking there just blows my mind.

I have so much respect for any human who has hiked this entire trail, words can't describe the level of dedication and mental toughness one has to complete it.

I just hope my 40 year old body can handle the stress, I can work on the mental part of it, I just hope my body can.

Still planning my thru hike...

[DrRichardCranium]

It's all about the mind.

I thur hiked in 2010. Some people have been complaining about how on the AT, you're in the forest nearly all the time and mountaintop views are too rare.

I think part of my success was due to the fact that I love being in the forest. It isn't boring for me at all.

Often on long hikes I will identify the plants and trees as I pass them. Every species of plant has a story behind it, and there's really a lot to occupy your mind if you know something about what you're seeing in the forest. I feel bad for hikers who feel compelled to tune it all out with their mp3 players.

[T.S.Kobzol]

I think you hit the nail on the head

Regarding the AT vs. PCT completion rates--and "why" a greater percentage complete the PCT. I think there are MANY reasons. Let me inquire about another possibility....

I have never been to the PCT--but it would appear (on paper) that it MIGHT be a bit more difficult to quit the PCT than the AT. From what I can see, it seems that towns, crossroads and other potential "exit points" are much more common on the AT than the PCT. And, many of the PCT potential exit points seem to be much more remote than similar points on the AT. (What do you think--you people who have hiked both trails?).

If someone is having a "bad day" or a "bad week" on the trail--the presence of a greater number of potential "exit points" would seem to make it more likely than someone will actually quit the trail a bit more hastily. Conversely, if you have to keep hiking for another day or two on the trail before you can reach an exit point--perhaps the "mood to quit" will pass and you will keep hiking).

Would this theory have any potential validity?

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

[Hosaphone]

These ancient mountains offer a subtle beauty that will lift your heart if you chose to appreciate their mystery instead of wishing that they were something else.

Wow that's poetic!

[Karma13]

"Katahdin barada nikto."

Best sigline ever. Ever!

/derail

[4shot]

I just hope my 40 year old body can handle the stress, I can work on the mental part of it, I just hope my body can.

Still planning my thru hike...

there is a nice advantage to hiking the AT at 40 or over....from my observations, the older hikers tend not to cluster in packs and thus more likely to travel at their own pace. Usually, in a group, there is always the weakest link who tries to "keep up" with his or her faster buddies and ends up with some type of injury. Older hikers generally do hike their own hike so to speak.

[Hans Solo]

I disagree about the AT trail being a bad trail. In my opinion, it has the best of all landscapes to hike through with plenty of wonderful views. People get to hiking everyday like that and have overwelming feeling of being a total idiot for walking like that for no apparent reason. So, im just gonna walk over 2000 miles just to say I did or something. It's 25 degrees and you're wet trying to wrap up in a frozen sleeping bag. You've got to get up and climb out of your tent in the middle of the night into the freezing cold to do your business. You dont shower for extended periods of time and are constantly hungry. Spending a couple thousand dollars, just so you can walk to Maine.

Then, you get some annoying person that walks the same pace as you and wants to be friends. You cant get rid of them and they driving you insane. Then of coarse you have homocidal maniacs that like to cut hiker's heads off.

[Different Socks]

reason #5 boredom
reason #6 they miss mommy or daddy
reason #7 their relationships are faulting
reason #8 they don't like cold and wet

Reason #9--I thought it was gonna be fun, not hard work!

[Don H]

Spirit Bear, If I can do it at age 54 you can do it.

Getting up and hiking day after day in all kinds of weather is a challenge but for me the hard part wasn't the hiking, it was being away from my family for months at a time.

[SassyWindsor]

Many hikers attempting the AT are beginners carrying too much, out of shape, and dreamers. The trail is not difficult but I would suggest some miles of shorter overnight trips to gain experience before doing a long distance one. Also, don't make the PCT your first go at a long trail, it's more difficult in a lot of ways than the AT, do it second.

[bamboo bob]

I missed watching sports on TV. oh.... and my wife. But I kept going anyway.
On an earlier trip I hurt my foot after 1500 miles.
SOBO another time I just got lonely. I eventually fished each time.
i bet at least 90% of PCT people had done long hikes before and there were many AT veterans.
AT starters are newbies mostly. My first day backpacking was Springer Mountain. Who knew?

[Dogwood]

What are some of the biggest reasons for this and I would really like to hear from any of you who have attempted but failed to finish in the season. - Spirit Bear

So far you have received five pages of answers given the question, "why people quit?" While these answers can provide insight, I believe a MUCH MORE EMPOWERING question would be, "what characterizes those who DO NOT quit?" Personally, making that MY PRIMARY FOCUS is MUCH MORE helpful in acheiving my goals, which in this context is completing my thru-hikes. There will always be an infinite amount of reasons why folks quit. However, there are also reasons why folks DO NOT quit. Either way, realize patterns of behavior(habits) are being created and strengthened.

Try reading this in addition to what you' may have learned by the answers given on this thread: http://www.spiriteaglehome.com/cdt_what_is.html

[Don H]

I was just to stubborn to quit.

[bardo]

Thanks for all the replies. I have lived in Atlanta most of my life and the first time I hiked a section of the AT was this past February, My girlfriend and I camped down at lake Winfield scott and as we went through suches we crossed over Woody gap. We decided to stop spur of the moment and take a walk northbound. We got up to the summit of Big cedar and just chilled out, the wind was blowing hard that February day on one side of the mountain but when we reached the summit, the wind was no longer blowing on that side, we sat down and relaxed for about 20 minutes, I wanted to keep walking, the trail started haunting me from that day, calling me. Two weeks later I did a section hike, a walk I mean from woody gap to neels gap.

Since then I have hiked much of the Georgia section of the trail, have encountered 6 bears, met 4 thru hikers, was introduced to whiteblaze by a guy I met at the Nantahala last April thru hiking, can't even remember his name but I gave him a bottle of Jim beam i had in my car for our camping trip.

I have spent more money than I would like to admit on hiking and I have truly enjoyed it. The AT keeps calling me everyday I am working in my office. I want to do a thru hike, I just have to set a date and do it. Evaporate from my life for 8 months and go.

I have already experienced hiking for 10 hours in the rain, what a 40lbs pack feels like, have gotten my pack weight under 20lbs, winter pack still figuring it all out. Made the mistake of hammock hanging in 25 degree weather with a 40 degree down bag and a liner that said added 25 degrees, LOL what a joke that was. Have been afraid when I encountered my first bear, then the 2nd bear with her cub just 30 feet away.

I think in my head my biggest fear is that I just quit and grow tired of the high I have gotten from hiking. I would like to think my mind is mentally tough enough to withstand the pain and boredom associated with day to day walking alone day in and day out. But with every section hike I gain experience and realize what challenges are going to come my way with a thru hike, the un glamorous days associated with the green tunnel and no summit view climbs. This past summer I hiked from Springer Mountain to Neel’s gap in 3 days and the next morning, I guess three and a half days. The weather was mid 90s all day and I survived that first test.

Could I do this for 6 months straight and from my home state of Georgia to Maine, a state I have only visited once just 2 years ago that took us 3 days to get to by car taking our time. I know how far that is, I have been there by car; the thought of walking there just blows my mind.

I have so much respect for any human who has hiked this entire trail, words can't describe the level of dedication and mental toughness one has to complete it.

I just hope my 40 year old body can handle the stress, I can work on the mental part of it, I just hope my body can.

Still planning my thru hike...

Great post! After a long weekend trip of 12m days I am driving home dead tired and looking at my odometer. Seeing what 30, 40, 60 is in a car while being so tired the thought of hiking 2,200 miles is mind blowing.

[brian039]

Could I do this for 6 months straight and from my home state of Georgia to Maine, a state I have only visited once just 2 years ago that took us 3 days to get to by car taking our time. I know how far that is, I have been there by car; the thought of walking there just blows my mind.

Yes you can, the trick is to make yourself forget that you are walking from Georgia to Maine. It's not so much about mental toughness as it is about making yourself mentally dumb and living in the moment. Once you're out on the trail you're going to have to adapt to something every day so be flexible and don't plan too much. Learn to enjoy simple things like running water and a breeze in your face after a long, hot climb.

Avoiding injury is mostly about luck but start slowly and gradually increase mileage. Make sure your shoes have adequate traction once you get to New England, the downhills get steep and wet.

[Grampie]

My view of the reasons folks fail on a thru-hike:
#1 Not enough time..Even when they start they know they don't have enough time.
#2 Not enough money. Even though they don't have much money they start anyway....Need about $5,000.
#3 A injury that prevents them from continueing. Quite a few quit for minor sickness or injury but the strong continue.
#4 It's hard. Walking 8 to 15 miles a day for 6 months. I told folks that doing my thru-hike"was the hardest job I ever had."