Mountain Climbing with the Wizard

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3 members have voted

July 19th, 2018 at 1:21:50 AM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
I'm following 4 thru-hikers on the AT now.
I've even talked to a couple of them
in comments on their videos. I never
realized you have to be an athlete to
do this, walk 2200 miles with a 25lb
backpack. Of the 3000 or so that
attempt it every year, less than 30%
make it.

Most drop out because of injuries,
fatigue, trail depression, any number
of reasons. I'm totally impressed with
these people, it's grueling to walk 20
miles a day, pitch camp, and tear it
all down every single damn day. For
5 months. I wouldn't last a week.
I've even donated money to a couple
of them and I never do stuff like that.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
July 19th, 2018 at 2:11:28 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Ayecarumba
A daring helicopter rescue from Mt. Hood was in the news recently. The pilot of the twin rotor Sikorsky..


Not a Sikorsky,


Chinook helicopter ,

July 19th, 2018 at 7:40:56 AM permalink
Ayecarumba
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 89
Posts: 1744
Thank you for the correction and the image Paco. You are a better source for facts than my local television station.
July 19th, 2018 at 10:22:30 AM permalink
Wizard
Administrator
Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
Quote: Evenbob
I'm following 4 thru-hikers on the AT now.
I've even talked to a couple of them
in comments on their videos. I never
realized you have to be an athlete to
do this, walk 2200 miles with a 25lb
backpack. Of the 3000 or so that
attempt it every year, less than 30%
make it.

Most drop out because of injuries,
fatigue, trail depression, any number
of reasons. I'm totally impressed with
these people, it's grueling to walk 20
miles a day, pitch camp, and tear it
all down every single damn day. For
5 months. I wouldn't last a week.
I've even donated money to a couple
of them and I never do stuff like that.


I thought the success rate was more like 10%, but maybe it has gone up since I was section hiking it. As for reasons people don't make it, a lot quit in the first 100 miles or so, mainly due to being unprepared. Of those who at least make it to Virginia, I think two main reasons for quitting are injury and losing interest. The part that goes through Virginia is about 25% of the trail. When hikers go through it, they call that phase the Virginia Blues. Listening to them talk about the experience on the trail, it will be 90% negative. The Virginia section is, to be honest, rather boring, like an endless green tunnel that goes up and down.

If there is one channel you recommend most, which would it be? Would you like to be my first follower when I do it? I'm thinking maybe the 2021 season at this point.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
July 19th, 2018 at 11:15:15 AM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: Wizard
If there is one channel you recommend most, which would it be?


Evan, because he's so informative
and has great editing. He's a lawyer
in his late 50's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDs1nbf70lU

Ibtat, because he's so entertaining
and his videos are real professional.
Lots of foul language, but I hear
there is nothing but foul language on
the AT. He's 37.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QmfnZ2utrM

And Liz Kidder because she's gorgeous and
and has good videos and has the greatest
body I've ever seen on a woman. She and
Ibtat are together for the first 2 weeks and
then they're separate. Liz is 29.

If you watch any of these, remember that
the current video is actually a couple weeks
ago. They take video every day and edit
every day, but there's no way to upload
on the trail so they wait till they get to a
town. This meant that it was 10 days before
they could upload the first ones and they
will always be behind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEebA4XIxYc
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
July 20th, 2018 at 10:02:13 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Mike, have you ever done any of the
Continental Divide Trail. Mexico to
Canada? 3100 miles, only 200 a
year attempt it.

This woman has a ton of followers
and has thru hiked the PCT and the
AT. Her videos are excellent, great
quality editing. This would be no
trial I would go on, too much desert.

If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
July 21st, 2018 at 12:46:39 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Evenbob
Mike, have you ever done any of the Continental Divide Trail. Mexico to Canada?

I wonder how many people try to hike the longest one (4600 miles).



Quote: Evenbob
3100 miles, only 200 a year attempt it.


I am sure that tens of thousands do a section of it.
July 21st, 2018 at 5:33:24 AM permalink
Wizard
Administrator
Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
Quote: Evenbob
Mike, have you ever done any of the
Continental Divide Trail. Mexico to
Canada? 3100 miles, only 200 a
year attempt it.


I've only done a section of it when I did Mount Elbert in June. I met a couple guys who I think were section hiking a big part over a few weeks. You don't hear about the CDT much. It is not on my radar, to be honest with you. Too many things on the bucket list and I'm getting too old to do them all.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
July 21st, 2018 at 6:00:07 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Wizard
It is not on my radar, to be honest with you..


The Camino de Santiago the walk should take you about 30 to 35 days which you said was out of the question.

Most southbound hikers on the CDT start in Glacier in mid-June to early July, and finish the trail at the Mexican border in October.

I would think that you would be divorced man if you did that hike.
July 21st, 2018 at 9:55:11 AM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Is it that these people make videos of their trail hikes in order to get money to continue the trail hikes or is the video stuff just a pleasant hobby for them? I know there are now dozens of young people sailing and making videos with many of those videos being the sole means of their maintaining their yachting lifestyle. The low-cut bikini tops and the short shorts In the videos obviously help in getting sponsors but even without that stuff, they really need the money from the videos. It sounds like many of the AT hikers that were mentioned surely are not dependent upon their youtube generated money. To me its like these "WAR walkers" and "WAR cyclists" they spend so much time concentrating on the electronics of it, they don't really see much scenery.

I would think that anyone doing any trail at all would need to make full use of those various "drop boxes" that allow someone to go just a bit off trail and obtain a resupply kit of such things as socks, bandages, fresh clothing, granola, candy bars, batteries, film, etc. The hikers pack and send the boxes to themselves and then simply get re-supplied at various post offices and businesses along the way who sort the items by Expected Time of Arrival.

"... divorced man if you did that hike." ..... Well, I understand that it is fairly common to encounter hikers who prefer to hike in the nude. As one woman said to me, urban cops would make arrests but rangers just tell you to put your clothes back on, particularly if they've been meeting other hikers in the area.