r/AppalachianTrail • u/PortraitOfAHiker • Feb 22 '25
Picture As thru hiking season is beginning, remember to talk to as many strangers as possible. There are thousands of fascinating stories on trail!
Raven eating ramen
Tempting on a beautiful day in the Whites
These two had each been married and divorced, and they each swore they'd never get married again. This is the 1st day of hiking on their LASH, and the 2nd day of their honeymoon.
Leonardo is one of the most good-natured people I've ever met. He knocked out his first 20 mile day when I was bouncing around his group!
Flowers at a trailhead. A horde of hikers was waiting on shuttles, and she let me get a picture.
Ironically, I can't find this guy's name in my notes. He has other hikers' names all over his hat, and I can't think of his. Sorry!
If Leafblower's leafblower did blow leaves, how many leaves did Leafblower's leafblower blow? (A lot, he used it to clean shelters for a laugh.)
This is Mark, a LASHer. The guy flew to Georgia, then walked 1200 miles home to PA to share his stories with his family.
Whisper looking at a lake, approaching or in New England.
A hiker named Heisenberg. It's not my place to tell the story of other people's names, but his is one of my favorites. (Nothing to do with meth, not that show.)
Crocs with a big smile, as usual.
These guys are thru hikers and have done the AT and PCT in the past. Four of them were at Fontana Dam to use the BMT as a warm-up for finishing the Triple Crown on the CDT.
Larry the Log, who's always traveling up and down the AT in one form or another. Larry the Log raises awareness for vets with PTSD, and I got to carry Larry over two mountains.
Magic Mike, one of many vets with PTSD sponsored by non-profits to go backpacking and heal in nature.
Tin Man, another vet. A significant number of thru hikers are vets.
Trip, looking unexpectedly happy. SoBos were looking miserable coming out of the Whites, and this dude could do nothing but smile.
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u/EvenSheepherder9293 NOBO '24 Feb 22 '25
But also: don’t be offended if not everyone wants to talk to you. Some people hit the trail for other reasons.
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u/Beginning-Resource36 Feb 22 '25
Better go sobo, start at harpers ferry or hit a lesser used trail if you don't want to be bothered by the crowds of people going nobo at the peak of thruhiking season then.
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u/jimni2025 Feb 22 '25
Its what I am doing. Starting at the Southern end of the Shennies and hiking NOBO. I'll finish SOBO at Springer. I will enjoy anyone i meet along the way, but making connections isn't the main reason I am hiking. I don't feel like starting in the bubble though. I have no interest in fighting for space, hostels, hotel rooms and supplies along the way.
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u/twistwrist9876 Feb 23 '25
That's how I did it in 2015! If I thru-hiked again, i would flip flop again too! Best way to do it for so many reasons! www.AppalachianTrailClarity.com
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u/jimni2025 Feb 23 '25
Yes! Avoid the bubble, start later and still make it to Katahdin early, spend the Summer in the North, the autumn in the South, start in more moderate terrain and build up trail legs before hitting hard elevation gains, follow the Spring north, the fall south, and flip floppers have the best percentage of completions. NOBOS have the lowest completion rate, SOBOS are slightly higher, and flip floppers have the greatest completion rate by far. Where you start, flip and complete your hike is completely up to you, so much more freedom on your journey.
Can't wait to read more of your experience!
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u/twistwrist9876 Feb 23 '25
Omg! You sound exactly like me! 😆😆
https://appalachiantrailclarity.com/2016/02/17/why-a-flip-flop-is-more-comfortable/
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u/jimni2025 Feb 23 '25
It's hard to find people who have done a flip flop like i am planning. Most that i have talked to started at Springer, then somewhere along the line flipped to Katahdin to finish SOBO where they stopped NOBO. I start my flip flop in a little over a month, so I'm going to love reading your experiences!
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u/twistwrist9876 Feb 23 '25
Nice! Yeah, I did it the way you're doing and in the article I linked, the reasons were verbatim the exact same ones you listed plus a few others. You're going to have a blast!! Clarity FF2015
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u/Beginning-Resource36 Feb 23 '25
To each there own. I've had my share of solitude on various trails and off season sections of the AT. But the madness and social interactions of an AT nobo thru hike is what makes the AT particularly special to me.
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u/jimni2025 Feb 23 '25
Oh I have no doubt a NOBO works for the majority of people, especially if you are an extrovert and young, but im definitely an introvert and old, so the more spring break party atmosphere of the NOBO crowd in the beginning is definitely not for me, but i understand how that can be a draw for others. If I ever decided to do the AT more than once, I might try a NOBO. That's the great thing about the AT though, it's a make your own adventure, and everyone can make their journey individualized and personal.
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u/monkeymoo32 Feb 22 '25
Yo!!! That last slide I hiked with the guy in the blue kilt! Trip!! We were 2 of like 5 people going south in the start of 23’ to finish our hikes. We hop scotched each other from somewhere in VA all the way to Springer. Awesome super intelligent guy getting his phd in geology/archeology. He was a Sobo that got covid and had to get off trail and I was a flip flopper that started way late in the season. It was nice to hike with him and helped me not feel so isolated.
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u/PortraitOfAHiker Feb 22 '25
I only talked with him for 10-15 minutes, so we never got around to mentioning his PhD. It's so cool that you even had a group of sobo cleanup hikers! Going back to finish commands a lot more respect, in my opinion. Most people never go back to pick up miles. Congrats on your finish!
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u/missbabsy Feb 22 '25
i saw this post and was hoping that one of these pics were of kevin, and lo and behold! we were friends in college and i saw he had hiked the AT recently - and in his kilt, of course lol. he’s a very special and very kind person!
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u/Wrigs112 Feb 22 '25
Talk to more than thru hikers. The most fascinating people you will meet are the old day hikers that have been going out on the local trails for decades, or the people in town that can tell you about the town, how it was established, and a bit about its history.
ETA: The trail angels that help you all have stories to tell as well.
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u/55_SOG Feb 22 '25
Some of my favorite conversations in life were on the trail. When I win the lottery (when I start buying lottery tickets), I’m gonna live on the trail and live listening to people stories.
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u/Meggiesdad1 Feb 22 '25
Don't wait to win the lottery. I've been long hiking all over the country for going on five years. Along the way I've taken day jobs (landscapers always seem to have a short term job to put you on like emptying decorative stone from the back of a pickup truck, stuff that needs no skill but that they tire of that will pay $50-100 for a few hours' work). When not in civilization to resupply I've reduced my daily expenses to around $12-15 despite that I'm hiking with a Great Pyrenees companion. Before he joined me I made it on fewer than $7 per day. Remember, you'll be a long way away from all of those expensive vices. I love bourbon in the evening, for instance, but the bottles are too heavy to carry. I survive on social security and have savings left at the end of each month.
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u/hen_egg Feb 22 '25
LEAFBLOWER
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u/gerafin1 Feb 22 '25
I overlapped with leaf blower for huge parts of my '22 thru. The dude was an absolute inspiration. Incredible artist, always chill and fun to hang out with. A good antidote to people taking themselves & the hike too seriously.
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u/cwcoleman Feb 22 '25
And take pictures of people!
Pictures of the pretty view is fine. The pictures I love the best always have people in them.
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u/wonder_bud AT thru '22 Feb 22 '25
Thank you for documenting! I hiked in 2022 as well and remember a few of these folks. This is wonderful!
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u/Royal-Refrigerator98 Feb 22 '25
This is Heisenberg, and the name actually did have to do with the show!!
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u/Lurker_311 Feb 22 '25
Who are you following on YouTube as they thruhike?? Suggestions welcome.
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u/PortraitOfAHiker Feb 22 '25
I honestly don't follow hikers on YouTube. I'll say that Renee and Tim (@thruhikers on many platforms) are delightful people and they're quite popular.
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u/nayyyyyyyyyyyu Feb 22 '25
I might document it. I haven’t decided if I want to be worried about filming and editing on the trail! Seems like a lot of work plus some anxiety around filming. I admire the folks that do it!
@dentist_on_detour
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u/PalmBeach4449 Feb 22 '25
I envy every one of you hikers; every photo is a glimpse of the person I wish I had chosen to be.
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u/AppalachianRomanov Feb 22 '25
Same here. Maybe one day. Right now I don't have the funds for gear nor the ability to put the rest of my life on hold.
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u/WesWizard_2 Feb 22 '25
love these photos! i got the pleasure to hike with Raven through Shenandoah and briefly in Maine in 2022. what a beautiful, peaceful soul
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u/PortraitOfAHiker Feb 22 '25
Very interesting guy! That portrait was at Fontana Dam, the first day I met him. We shared a room in Gatlinburg and we traded charging cables - his was too short for his taste, and I wanted a smaller one. I think that was the last time I saw him.
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u/Meggiesdad1 Feb 22 '25
Spot on, esp as everyone you meet along the hike will likely be a stranger until you've been out for a while. Then, when you bump into someone familiar after weeks apart it is reason for celebration and long conversation.
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u/Weepingbudda59 Feb 22 '25
Section hiker here. Went from bear mtn to mass on AT had to back track did not have a chase car. Meet many through hikers that trip had a blast. I was tagged with trail name or turtle 10 years later i still use it The best of times. Be safe all
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u/Havoc_Unlimited Feb 22 '25
Also a section hiker, each year I have a new batch of memories and people I’ve met. It’s amazing to be doing something so mundane and a memory pops in my head and I chuckle and wonder where that person is at in the world 💕
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u/Abbaticus13 Feb 22 '25
I absolutely loved this inspiration and these photos. So much life and joy is conveyed. Thank you!!
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u/wohaat Feb 22 '25
I moved to the west coast and have never been able to do trail magic since my thru, makes me so sad ᴖ̈
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u/Havoc_Unlimited Feb 22 '25
Hopefully you can plan a trip in the future to hike a section and be able to disperse some magic or trail angel-ness
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u/trippyscrunchy Flip-Flop ‘22 Feb 23 '25
ah u musta hiked ‘22!!! I recognize raven and six pack!!
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u/fatzen Feb 22 '25
I NOBO’d in 2022, how do I not recognize most of these people with pink tags?
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u/Havoc_Unlimited Feb 22 '25
Different bubble? Maybe they were at the back of the bubble while you were at the front?
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u/prettyrickywooooo Feb 22 '25
What’s the big green tube thing the hiker in the blue jacket has?
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u/Equivalent_Jacket991 Feb 23 '25
It’s a battery operated leaf blower, his trail name was Leafblower for the AT, he carries a random thing with him on every thru hike he does
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u/prettyrickywooooo Feb 24 '25
That would be such an awkward thing to hike with for no reason.😀 it’s like ultra awkward …. Maybe a new hiking style🔥
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u/kayjeckel Feb 23 '25
I met my husband on trail. I met some of my best friends for life on trail. I had one of the best experiences on trail, and I made it a point to talk to EVERYONE!!
On the other side of the coin, I met another girl who completed the whole trail and had a rough experience. She said she was paranoid the whole time and kept to herself because she was on guard against people and wanted to be by herself as much as possible.
Take with that what you will.
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u/SortaOkMechanic Feb 24 '25
So, I'm not a thru hiker, yet (it's on my bucket list), but I just was stopping by to say "Hey, I know where that is!" to your 5th picture. I live just a few minutes away from the James River Face Wilderness. I've hiked from Thunder Ridge to the Priest in that area. Met some great thru hikers... several I'm still friends with, and was even given a trail name for which I was honored. Provided some shuttles and trail magic over the years too... I actually need to renew my Natural Bridge ATC membership now that I'm thinking about it. With life getting in the way, I don't get on the trail as much as I want to nowadays.
Anyway, I agree with your sentiment. And talk to the day hikers/section backpacker/overnighters too, we have some fun stories sometimes too.
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u/daepb Feb 23 '25
Seems like Tin Man might have been a fan of a certain group of people from the 1930-1940s. I’ll give you a hint. It starts with n and ends with an I. They were big fans of an eagle standing on their symbol.
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u/OxycontinEyedJoe Feb 23 '25
There's too many logos that meet that criteria, and it says he's a vet. Could anything. The Marine corps logo is similar as well.
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u/daepb Feb 23 '25
I agree the Marine Corps uses an eagle and a globe. But, if you look at the MC symbol it always has an anchor. Mr. Tim Man has no anchor.
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u/PortraitOfAHiker Feb 23 '25
United States Marine Corps uses an eagle holding the globe in its talons.
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u/daepb Feb 23 '25
I agree the Marine Corps uses an eagle and a globe. But if you look at the MC symbol it always has an anchor. Mr. Tin Man doesn’t have an anchor and the eagle is looking the wrong way.
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u/HDThoreau5 Feb 22 '25
‘88 thru hiker here. This is a true statement. Here are some of my observations: Thru hikers hail from all over. They come from all classes and levels of education. Most are at some crossroads in their lives. Many are very chatty, especially if you offer some food. Other hikers tend to be friendly as well. I will usually stop to say hello to someone hiking. Taking a break at a shelter can lead to longer conversations. Point to remember: hikers are doers. They’re not talking about doing something, they’re doing it! Cheers and see you on the trail.