Trail Terminology - Jack
Hey everyone,
For my second post I thought I'd talk a little more about the trail itself and what terminology you need to know in order to understand what we're talking about over the next few months. First off, the Appalachian Trail is a ~2200 mile continuous hiking trail stretching from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mt. Katahdin, Maine. Each year thousands of hikers called "thru hikers" attempt to complete the entirety of the trail. While thousands start, only several hundred complete the trek. The trail usually takes around 5-6 months to complete for the average hiker.
Thru hikers have developed a few terms over the years to describe the various experiences and happenings around the trail. These are a few that we will be using in our various posts:
Section hiker- This is what we are! Section hikers will do a portion of the trail varying from a day hike of only a few miles, to hundreds of miles.
Trail name- A hiker's trail name is something that the hiker will go by during their time on the trail. Sometimes a hiker will come up with their own name, and sometimes it will be given to them based on something they do or a characteristic about them. Most often you will get your trail name after you do something dumb or embarrassing!
HYOH- This stands for Hike Your Own Hike. This is a term hikers often use when talking about an action they perform on the trail that is a little unique or out of the ordinary. It is important on the trail to hike your own hike and not try to copy what someone else is doing. This will improve your experience dramatically.
White Blazes- All along the trail there are white blazes about 6 inches tall painted on anything from rocks to trees that mark the direction of the trail. These white blazes are considered unique to the AT and have become very iconic to hikers everywhere.
Blue blazes- Blue blazes denote side trails. There are blue blazed trails along the entirety of the AT and many of these contain better views and sightseeing opportunities than are along the main trail.
LNT- Stands for Leave no Trace. This is an extremely important principle when hiking. Essentially, a hiker's goal should be to leave a campsite how they found it. This principle also applies to picking up your trash, limiting your environmental impact, and disposing of waste properly.
Zero Day- This is a term used to describe a day where zero miles are hiked. On long distance hikes your body wears down quickly, and it is sometimes necessary to take a day off in order to recover.
Nero Day- Taking a nero day means you hike nearly zero miles. These are also useful if you need to rest up and heal your body.
Stealth Camping- Camping outside of a designated campsite.
Trail Angel- A person (usually a non-hiker) that does a good deed for a hiker. This can be anything from giving a ride into town, to free meals.
Trail Magic- Trail magic is unexpected acts of kindness from a trail angel. An example of trail magic that is commonly encountered is when trail angels leave a cooler of soda (or beer) on the side of the trail for hikers to enjoy.
Shelters- About every 10-20 miles along the trail there are small shelters available for hikers to stay at. Shelters usually have three walls, a wooden platform and sometimes a loft. These shelters are gathering places for anywhere from 10-30 hikers. Sometimes it is easier at the end of a long hike to sleep in the shelter instead of setting up a tent! If you prefer solitude, it is best to camp away from shelters.
Green Tunnel- Often times you will hear the parts of the trail in Virginia be called the "green tunnel" due to the lack of open sky above the trail. The trees get so thick that they cast a shadow over the trail. This can emulate the feeling of being in a tunnel.
This post has gotten quite lengthy, but I think this is all the terminology you will need in order to decipher what we write during our hike!
-Jack
For my second post I thought I'd talk a little more about the trail itself and what terminology you need to know in order to understand what we're talking about over the next few months. First off, the Appalachian Trail is a ~2200 mile continuous hiking trail stretching from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mt. Katahdin, Maine. Each year thousands of hikers called "thru hikers" attempt to complete the entirety of the trail. While thousands start, only several hundred complete the trek. The trail usually takes around 5-6 months to complete for the average hiker.
Thru hikers have developed a few terms over the years to describe the various experiences and happenings around the trail. These are a few that we will be using in our various posts:
Section hiker- This is what we are! Section hikers will do a portion of the trail varying from a day hike of only a few miles, to hundreds of miles.
Trail name- A hiker's trail name is something that the hiker will go by during their time on the trail. Sometimes a hiker will come up with their own name, and sometimes it will be given to them based on something they do or a characteristic about them. Most often you will get your trail name after you do something dumb or embarrassing!
HYOH- This stands for Hike Your Own Hike. This is a term hikers often use when talking about an action they perform on the trail that is a little unique or out of the ordinary. It is important on the trail to hike your own hike and not try to copy what someone else is doing. This will improve your experience dramatically.
White Blazes- All along the trail there are white blazes about 6 inches tall painted on anything from rocks to trees that mark the direction of the trail. These white blazes are considered unique to the AT and have become very iconic to hikers everywhere.
Blue blazes- Blue blazes denote side trails. There are blue blazed trails along the entirety of the AT and many of these contain better views and sightseeing opportunities than are along the main trail.
LNT- Stands for Leave no Trace. This is an extremely important principle when hiking. Essentially, a hiker's goal should be to leave a campsite how they found it. This principle also applies to picking up your trash, limiting your environmental impact, and disposing of waste properly.
Zero Day- This is a term used to describe a day where zero miles are hiked. On long distance hikes your body wears down quickly, and it is sometimes necessary to take a day off in order to recover.
Nero Day- Taking a nero day means you hike nearly zero miles. These are also useful if you need to rest up and heal your body.
Stealth Camping- Camping outside of a designated campsite.
Trail Angel- A person (usually a non-hiker) that does a good deed for a hiker. This can be anything from giving a ride into town, to free meals.
Trail Magic- Trail magic is unexpected acts of kindness from a trail angel. An example of trail magic that is commonly encountered is when trail angels leave a cooler of soda (or beer) on the side of the trail for hikers to enjoy.
Shelters- About every 10-20 miles along the trail there are small shelters available for hikers to stay at. Shelters usually have three walls, a wooden platform and sometimes a loft. These shelters are gathering places for anywhere from 10-30 hikers. Sometimes it is easier at the end of a long hike to sleep in the shelter instead of setting up a tent! If you prefer solitude, it is best to camp away from shelters.
Green Tunnel- Often times you will hear the parts of the trail in Virginia be called the "green tunnel" due to the lack of open sky above the trail. The trees get so thick that they cast a shadow over the trail. This can emulate the feeling of being in a tunnel.
This post has gotten quite lengthy, but I think this is all the terminology you will need in order to decipher what we write during our hike!
-Jack
Comments
Post a Comment