Info Given On The Trail is Hardly Ever Accurate

[Gambit McCrae]

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.