Factors affecting hiker performance.

[10-K]

Ran across a link to this little ditty on Facebook.

An analysis of factors affecting hiker performance on the Pacific Crest Trail. --- Jenna Zechmann, PCT Class of 2013

https://attachment.fbsbx.com/file_do...tXEEpK2CWjZEfZ

[10-K]

Nevermind... the link doesn't work. Sorry. But it was interesting....

Here are the conclusions:

 If ‘performance’ in hiking the PCT is determined by higher average speed, men perform
better than women in groups that reach Washington State by early September; however,
women do not appear to suffer much of a drop in performance, compared to men, if they
lose weight. Women also carry packs that are heavier in proportion to their body weight.
Women do have the potential to outperform men during extremely fast through hikes, as
evidenced by Anish.

 Men who lose weight on the trail end up hiking more slowly than men who can keep
weight on.

 Women plan more conservative approaches to completing a through-hike (at least in start
date) and are to some extent able to coerce their male hiking partners into doing the same.

 The Pacific Crest Trail decreases the amount of BMI variation in hikers. Hikers from a
larger BMI range seem to approach a lower ‘ideal trail BMI’ (about 22.6 for men, 21.8
for women).

 Chivalry might play a role in changing male and female performance, but it might not be
beneficial. Men appear willing to carry more weight for women, but they do not appear
willing to give women their food. Chivalry increases a woman’s hiking pace, but also
decreases a man’s hiking pace.

[Malto]

 Chivalry might play a role in changing male and female performance, but it might not be
beneficial. Men appear willing to carry more weight for women, but they do not appear
willing to give women their food. Chivalry increases a woman’s hiking pace, but also
decreases a man’s hiking pace.

Chivalry dies when hiker hunger kicks in!

[10-K]

The piece is better than the conclusions..

[leaftye]

I'll do a lot of things, but on the trail...

[Dogwood]

Ran across a link to this little ditty on Facebook.

An analysis of factors affecting hiker performance on the Pacific Crest Trail. --- Jenna Zechmann, PCT Class of 2013

https://attachment.fbsbx.com/file_do...tXEEpK2CWjZEfZ

Sounds like Jenna, Pedaling Fool, and myself combined with free high test coffee refills and that discussion might last well into the morning. JAK and AK show up and there might be blood shed.

[SCRUB HIKER]

Where specifically on facebook did you see that? I want to have a look at it because I think I contributed data to it whilst sitting on the porch of the lodge in Stehekin. Or at least I contributed to something very similar by a woman whose trail name was Runs With Elk.

EDIT from a few minutes later: Never mind, I found it. It's on the Pacific Crest Trail general facebook page. And it was indeed the survey I contributed to.

[1azarus]

for me, the most interesting thing is the use of the word "chivalry." It is a word forever linked to knighthood -- with the earliest connection being to the behavior of (male) knights. Now that there are male and female knights (right???) I suppose chivalry is no longer a sex-linked word! ...so, yes, women hikers can be chivalrous.

[1azarus]

oh, and hello 10K. i am excited for you about your adventure (and your adventure planning...)

[Another Kevin]

I feel no need to practice chivalry with my daughter as hiking partner. She outhikes me.

for me, the most interesting thing is the use of the word "chivalry." It is a word forever linked to knighthood -- with the earliest connection being to the behavior of (male) knights. Now that there are male and female knights (right???) I suppose chivalry is no longer a sex-linked word! ...so, yes, women hikers can be chivalrous.

"Chevalerie" in French is, literally, "horsemanship*." (Of course, 'horseman' and 'knight' were nearly synonymous: a knight was simply a mounted soldier.) 'Cavalry' is the same word entering English by a different route.

* I feel the need to apologize for the use of the word, 'horsemanship.' In place of 'horseman,' I'd ordinarily use 'rider' or 'equestrian.' But 'riding' and 'equitation' do not carry the same meaning as 'horsemanship', and in this context the word is anything but gender-neutral in any case.

[bfayer]

I can say from my limited experience observing thru hikers in VA, when a solo female hiker shows up at the shelter, the male hikers scramble to see who can give her their food the first. I have rarely seen a solo female have to feed herself when there are male hikers around.

I would not call it chivalry, its more like men reverting to some type of ancient mating ritual practiced by our cave dwelling forefathers

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

[SCRUB HIKER]

I can say from my limited experience observing thru hikers in VA, when a solo female hiker shows up at the shelter, the male hikers scramble to see who can give her their food the first. I have rarely seen a solo female have to feed herself when there are male hikers around.

Is this a joke?

[JAK]

[rocketsocks]

Yo, git ova here. you want some slop, er whut?

[Capt Nat]

Eat, then bear male child…...

[sbhikes]

I offer to carry weight for my man all the time. He insists on carrying more than me, but it's all his own crap.

My own performance declined greatly on the PCT. I'm female. On the PCT I went 2.5 miles per hour and I often had trouble keeping up with others. I compensated with longer days. When I returned from the PCT I could not keep up with my friends on day hikes around my home area. It took a while before I could hike fast again.