What type of Hiker are you?

[McDowra]

At work we have a guy that always brings up how far he hikes, this got me to thinking. I couldn't tell you how far my bride and I hike on the weekends, but I can show you pictures of all the things we discover. Two totally different styles of hiking neither is right nor wrong just different. So which one are you?

[Cuffs]

I don't tend to tell my trail stories but when asked I share info based on what is asked.  "what did you see?" "how far did you go?" etc.

[Joshua Szulecki]

The distance thing has always bugged me about trail hiking. I don't begrudge people the need to feel like they accomplished something with their hiking, nor the feeling that they got good exercise, because I don't care what people do on their own time. But in my case... I could care less how far I hiked, unless I'm out specifically to cover distance, which I do a few times a year to wear out the dog after a period of being cooped up in the house.

As I've said before... I hike to see whatever it is I set out to see. Wildflowers, waterfalls, a historic structure, etc... Many of my hikes are less than a mile in length (very often off trail), and many times I drive three to four times as long getting to where I am hiking than I spend actually hiking. Case in point is a trip I am considering in Ohio this spring for wildflowers. I may drive eight hours to walk a few hundred yards. I'm also considering a trip to Wisconsin where I might drive twelve hours to walk a few FEET. That really isn't hiking, though.

And as I've also said before... Photography and fast hiking are mutually exclusive. You can take snapshots on a quick hike (which I do often when scouting an area), but making a decent photograph takes time and patience. Photograph really REQUIRES you to ditch the mileage mentality, other than as it pertains to getting to the subject while the lighting is what you desire. Camera gear is heavy, and most photographers, amateur or professional, will admit they only hike as far as they have to with heavy gear.

But, like Cuffs, I respond to the questions asked, and other than with you guys, I don't volunteer information. If somebody asks me what I saw, I tell them that. If they ask me how far, I tell them, explaining what I was doing, because I often get an "ONLY two miles" response. I usually politely explain bushwhacking takes a little longer. If they ask where I hiked, I often waffle nowadays, since my wildflower hiking has become more common than waterfall hiking. I'll share waterfall locations, but I usually keep wildflower locations locked up tight. I'm doubly tight-lipped here in TN where plant poaching appears pretty common.

[trailtigger]

my reply will depend on the question asked, I will admit that I keep up with miles but I think that it is from my time in the army and the fact that I used to do hikes for backpacker magazine and had to do a certain number of miles with the gps/phone they provided me with on each hike. Now that I am done with that I am trying to get out of this so many miles each day mentality, it has become alot more fun and now my boys are going with me so that makes it that much better.

[Joshua Szulecki]

my reply will depend on the question asked, I will admit that I keep up with miles but I think that it is from my time in the army and the fact that I used to do hikes for backpacker magazine and had to do a certain number of miles with the gps/phone they provided me with on each hike.

I hope they didn't pay trucker mileage rates!

[Uncle Wayne]

A slow one.

[luke724]

I have only been hiking for a little over six months. Started out doing short day hikes at state parks, out of my rv, after racing in different states. New years, I decided to do my first long hike and thoroughly enjoyed it. I count mileage and like to hike long distances for more than three days at a time. I would say I am thru hiker in training.

[Hetairoi]

Depends on what the goal is, but for me it's never been mileage. When I go to Sipsey it's either to find something new or to go back a quiet, beautiful place and stare at it.

I'm section hiking the Pinhoti, so the goal is different, but the reason is to see everything, not to say I've hiked a certain amount.

HYOH, if you want to say you hiked more than the next guy, great, but understand that next guy might have only hiked 1 mile because he found what he was looking for

[PastorLarryT]

Depends on what the goal is, ...

HYOH, if you want to say you hiked more than the next guy, great, but understand that next guy might have only hiked 1 mile because he found what he was looking for

Well said!

[Rob]

My hiking style is rather eclectic. Probably the least important thing is milage. Each and every step I take on a hike is just a small part of the adventure and experience. Sometimes I set out with a particular goal in mind, other times I just choose a trail and see what it has to offer. Even on hikes that I have repeated down the same trails I often make new discoveries. Like several others, I usually share the information that is asked about. For me it is not the distance hiked but the quality of the hike and the enjoyment of the time I committed to my efforts.  No matter your style... Happy Trails

[uabjeff]

I have to admit that I've been more concerned with mileage, but only because I've been scouting out hikes for our boy scout troop, and we're trying to meet certain requirements. I've always kept track of mileage when possible, just because I want to know, but when I'm hiking by myself, just for me, that isn't really my main concern. I just enjoy the sights and sounds. I like to take my time and go at my own pace, spending more time where things are more interesting to me, and picking up the pace when I'm in an unremarkable area or I'm running out of daylight. One of the main things I'm struggling with right now is convincing 11-16 year old boys that a hike isn't a race, and the point isn't to see how fast you can get there, but how much you can see on the way. (I was probably the same way at that age, but I'll never admit it.)

There's no wrong way to hike, and some people will look at things in a more competitive light, I guess. I just don't see hiking as a competitive activity. And, quite honestly, some of the more memorable hikes I have made over the years have been some of the shorter ones, or the ones where I really didn't have a destination in mind. It's an escape for me, a time to reboot my mind and relax and enjoy everything that is out there. Most of the time I'm going to talk about what I saw rather than where I went or how far I hiked.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents...

[Mountain Dog]

My personality is such that I am goal oriented.  Consequently, I plan hikes which are probably longer than a lot of people plan.  I started out light hiking on the AT and the culture there includes discussions about distance and zeor days.  However, they do not look down on people who hike relatively short distances.  You never know who will make it to Mane and who will quit.  Those enjoying the experience have a better chance than those just hiking to say they did it.  I saw a man that could easily do 25 mile days quit and a woman that struggled to do 6 when she started make it all the way. 

I do not find distance hiking to mean you can't enjoy the trail, and maby that is why I stumble so much.  I will stop anytime I see a need because I feel like I earned the right to see beauty.  I've tried the photography thing and just did not find it enjoyable so I have not had to balance light packs with the added weight of camera gear.  Now when people ask about a hike, I tell them what I saw and if on the AT, I normally have good stories about the people I encountered.  I especially like to relate the spiritual experiences.  If pushed about distance, I usually tell them but I always say it is not as difficult as they think because it takes all day and I just sit and rest anytime I tire.  I do not want to scare people away from hiking because of the distances I hike. 

I've asked a lot of people why they hike.  I've yet to find anyone saying they like to feel dehydrated, to stink, to fight bugs, to encounter either heat or cold, to brag about distances, etc.  They do it for the memories of places, experiences, and people they meet. 

[WolfVanZandt]

How far, is not an issue any more - I'm getting too old for distance. I'll talk about spectacular scenery first and the people I hiked with (especially if I'm talking to someone who knows them also).