Is Hiking Pop Culture?

This is a ramble and question fest. I've been pondering this for the past several weeks. Is hiking pop culture? If so when did it happen? In New Hampshire, I think hiking is stressed in all the tourism guides. It almost seems like the "in" thing to do.

I guess that leads me to another question. Is that good for hiking in general? I'm glad that something like this is popular because it can open up new avenues for people who just might as well sit on the couch most of the day. At the same time, I look around and notice that some trails are becoming overcrowded. They don't call the Tuckerman Ravine trail a highway for nothing.

For me, hiking is about several things. I love the outdoors, and the mountains help to lure me to the trails. I am always blown away by the scenery, whether its a babbling brook or a sweeping view from Bondcliff. It also gives me a slight sense of being in the wilderness because I normally come in contact with some sort of big animal during the hike. I love all those feelings. And to top it off, its good exercise! But I think there is something that I love about hiking that I cannot explain. It goes beyond a love for the outdoors or a feeling of wilderness, I just can't explain it.

Back to the question-I was wondering what other people think about hiking being pop culture. In my opinion it has become kind of a mainstream or a cool thing to do. At the same time, I wonder if that it bad for the sport because its not taken seriously. I may be going out on a limb here, or worrying about nothing, but I think "pop culture" hiking could potentially be damaging to the whole idea and all the reasons that people go out. Trails become overcrowded, the limited sense of wilderness could become nothing at all, and a large amount of people have never had a positive influence on wild animals.

I'm not saying that us more serious hikers are helping our environment by trampin up and down the trails and bushwhacking thru the thick woods (thats a whole other debate) but I do think people who have hiked for years have more of an appreciation for what is going on other than newbies trying out hiking because it may be the flavor of the week.

So what are people's opinions? I am very curious, and maybe I'm worrying about too much, but I don't think so.

grouseking

I think most people still think we have rocks in our heads. If I tell someone I went hiking over the weekend the subject quickly moves on. If I tell them I watched an interesting bird while sitting out in the woods ,I'm moved from the crazy category to the nerd category.

I feel the same way as you grouseking. When I was a kid, I was considerated as a weirdo because my family vacations were camping and hiking in Gaspésie. Now it is impossible to have a camping spot without reservation.

grouseking said:

...than newbies trying out hiking because it may be the flavor of the week.

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Next week will be a better week, we just have to be patient.

Good question.

I'm relatively new to having hiking as a predominant hobby, so taking this post with a grain of salt may be in order.

While I suspect there has been an incremental increase in the amount of hikers over the years - I think there has been an exponential increase is in the marketing of hiking as various locales compete for tourism.

Thoughts?

There was a time when mountain hiking was something generally done by the wealthy. Unless you lived in the mountains you might not be able to afford nor have the time to travel to the mountains. In the late 1950s and 1960s disposable income and vacation time began to increase, private automobiles and other transportation became affordable, and the interstate highways were built.

The other aspect of hiking is will it ever be considered a mainstream physical activity - perhaps not. Thankfully hiking is not a spectator sport, and for most it is not competitive. So perhaps it will never have the same mainstream appeal that people follow in the news or sports broadcasts. In addition civilized comforts and sightseeing will probably always appeal to more people than camping and hiking.

Although hiking is now available to just about anyone, most may never choose to join in. Unfortunate for those who don't participate, but perhaps good to ensure that the wilderness is not overwhelmed.

Mark Schaefer said:

Although hiking is now available to just about anyone, most may never choose to join in. Unfortunate for those who don't participate, but perhaps good to ensure that the wilderness is not overwhelmed.

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I agree. The Pop Culture aspect of it is the marketing of the image; the clothes, Jeep commercials, pocket knives and day packs. It's not Pop to those who actually do it more than just the "once we hiked Tuckermans" group. It ain't all that Glam out in the woods.

And there was a time when mountain hiking was only done by a handful of people, and it wasn't considered fun. American attitudes toward "wilderness" have undergone a HUGE transformation in the last 150 years.

My favorite quote is from the 1860s, but I have no idea who said it "wilderness is a damp dreary place where all manner of beasts dash about uncooked"

Advances in clothing and equipment make it easy for tons of people to get out and enjoy themselves comfortably and safely. While crowding, increased social and environmental impacts are some of the major drawbacks to increased popularity, the benefits are far more numerous.

There has been extensive research into how recreation (especially outdoor rec) benefits people's lives. It adds to the quality of life in countless ways- and it has been said that a lot of mental health problems in this country are do to a disconnection with the natural environment. Getting out has been proven to make people psychologically as well as physically healthier. In turn, this results in less money spent on doctors and medication. Getting out releives stress, it's exercise, it's fresh air, it's FUN! In a society that works more hours than anyone else, and gets less vacation time in return, not enough people are getting out. This is also where the practice of Leave No Trace comes in, to help minimize the impact of all those folks. If you don't know what LNT is, go to www.lnt.com.

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits to increasing numbers of hiking, is just that they are enjoying the outdoors. When they enjoy it, they become aware of it, then they respect it, and finally they protect it.

I really don't like seeing or hearing anyone while I'm out in the woods, but that's what you get. I'd rather hear and see, even a lot, or people, and be able to get out, than to not be able to get out into the woods. The woods are real, they're physical and we cannot control them, you are responsible for your actions out there. Ipods, laptops, cars, reality tv, that's just filler, it's not real.

I don't care why you're out, just try and be prepared for the weather, and then do what you can to save our beautiful earth.

sleeping bear said:

...but I have no idea who said it "wilderness is a damp dreary place where all manner of beasts dash about uncooked"

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That's GREAT ! I may have to make that my signature line here. I Googled it, from www.wilderness.net:

"When did the idea of Wilderness come about? - Top
People have held various perspectives of Wilderness throughout history. During European settlement of America, Wilderness was something to be feared. One settler in the early 1600s stated, "Wilderness is a dark and dismal place where all manner of wild beasts dash about uncooked." Three centuries later, an American author stated, "[wilderness] is the ultimate source of health-terrestrial and human."

Sometimes it's great to be out and see no one. On the other hand sometimes it's just as good to see people, say hi, give a knowing nod, a smile of sublime contentment, hike on your way and feel good to know there are other people out here who get it too. Maybe not all of them, but many of them. We're all part of the pop culture, since we're here on the web. The real hikers are my 84 year old hearing aid clients who also happen to still hike, have seen it all, never used the internet, don't know about hiking websites and can truly appreciate the changes in hiking over the past, um, 70 years..... the rest of us are just different permutations of the hiking pop-culture from the '60s to present. Heck, 70 years ago, even those people were part of some kind of fad, movement, group that thought there was value in getting outdoors. Public lands are for everyone to discover on his or her own terms. For some people it will be a TNF, Patagonia, Backcountry.com fad that passes and for others it will be like gravity or the laws of thermodynamics. If you want to feel less like part of the pop culture, you'll just have to do your homework and search out beautiful places that aren't advertised. They do exist. I'm not telling you where they are! And I swear there aren't any of those kind of places in Vermont, so you can just skip this state and search elsewhere....... I think there are some in New Hampshire. But I'm not telling you where those are either!!!!

Toe Cozy said:

I think there are some in New Hampshire. But I'm not telling you where those are either!!!!

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I'm from NH, and I have my ideas!!!

These comments are awesome. I love hearing different view points. Keep it coming!

grouseking

Pop Culture

Well, I'm sitting here drinking a beer and wondering if I can get time away from my one year old this weekend to get above treeline, and I spy this thread. By way of introduction, I moved to the Adirondacks 11 years ago to spend more time on the trails, and before that i picked up an advanced degree in popular culture.

I have learned that there are just about as many definitions for hiking as there are for popular culture. So, in answering this thread, folks ought to be defining the terms.

I don't think hiking, these days, is an elite past time, like maybe polo. Heck, remember that golf used to be fairly high falootin' but no longer. Hiking is accessable to those who seek it. It can be fairly inexpensive or very costly indeed. in these ways, it meets most definitions. It is not really created for mass dissemination however, so it runs into trouble there in the eyes of some scholars. of course, it is depicted in cigarette and car ads, and usually appears in at least one slasher film each holiday season, but that's the idea of hiking and not really hiking itself. Reading a thread on the question of whether hiking is pop culture or not--is that pop cutlure?

There's my quick two cents.

boombloom said:

Reading a thread on the question of whether hiking is pop culture or not--is that pop cutlure?

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Oooo, ooo this is getting good, but I think we'll have to move the thread to philosophy.com soon.

Simply put! The more people that get out there and enjoy the outdoors. The more easier it will be to protect the wilderness. You noticed the drilling for oil in the Alaskan Wilderness was shot down again.

While I suspect there has been an incremental increase in the amount of hikers over the years - I think there has been an exponential increase is in the marketing of hiking as various locales compete for tourism.

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Simply put! The more people that get out there and enjoy the outdoors. The more easier it will be to protect the wilderness. You noticed the drilling for oil in the Alaskan Wilderness was shot down again.

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Maybe we'll soon have a hiking boot lobbying group as powerful as the snowmobiles/ATV lobbyists.

Note: I have nothing against snowmobiles or ATVs. Just want all sides to be heard.

Not much to add to some excellent comments here. We sometimes talk about "we" and "they" in reference to "experienced" hikers and "newbies" or non-hikers. I'm not always clear as to exactly where these dividing lines are. We were all newbies once and got turned on to hiking by one way or another. Is hiking popularity really increasing across the board, or just in some places? If it is widespread, what is fueling it? Media? Advertising? Internet boards? At what point in one's hiking experience can it be said that one is a "serious" hiker and what does that really mean? If it is right for "us," why not for someone new? Are all "newbies" victims of "pop culture?"

Of course, if we want to close the door to "newbies" we could just send them a copy of this!

definatelty!!!

I described hiking as pop-culture in a thread about over-use of trails. You will notice images of hikers everywhere you look and listen in advertisements. These days, hiker images are used for advertising every product imaginable, not just backpacks and tents. Lots of resourses go into advertisements, so it means that research has shown the idea of hiking through the forest to be extremely popular with the general public.

A little research will show the explosion of sales of hiking related gear. That can only happen when demand has likewise exploded.

Now, just like the idea of environmental conservation, the idea of hiking through the forest is very romantic and popular. Many folks have a calendar from an environmental group on their wall, but do little or nothing in their daily lives for the environment. Likewise, many people have a collection of hiking gear that gets little use.

I believe the our recreation has peaked in popularity and will plateau, then decrease. Todays' youth is lazy and pampered. Bad for them, but great for the forest. (red sqares are amusing )

Happy Trails!!!

Forest and Crag has a great amount of information about the trend of hiking over the entire Northeast. It seems that a pattern forms where outdoor activities rise and fall to a certain degree as years go by. I guess we are in one of those current peaks (pardon the pun .) I guess the pre-WWII years was another period.

I think for New Hampshire you see it advertised a lot as a tourist activity mainly because its such a big industry for NH. And it affects more than just hiking related businesses. If a campground is packed full for the weekend, the resturaunt down the street is bound to do some good biz.

I guess this popularity could be two-fold, though. More people on the trails means more trail wear. But it seems like the many years of dealing with it has made some fine trail crews able to stem any big problems. And I for one dont mind having other people on a peak (well, as long as its not elbow to elbow). It just means there are more prople to snap my picture for me .

Brian

Interesting thread. My own, unscientific observation, after twenty-six years of hiking is that there is a slight increase, and a greater increase in people doing more remote trails. Think of backcountry in New England such as BSP, much busier than twenty five years ago, and remote areas in the West such as The Tetons, Ranier etc. reservations are much more difficult. I think the increase is especially evident in the post thirty five crowd, as we want to maintain our activity level. I think perhaps the number of new people has remained constant, but many of us are staying out on the trails in later years. I would caution using "equipment" sales, as many people seem to wear a lot of great stuff to move around town. Of course, if you look at European hiking it has been steady and active for over two hundred years. I am not a skier, but a wonder if their trends apply to our sport? Good Luck and have fun, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

boombloom said:

Reading a thread on the question of whether hiking is pop culture or not--is that pop cutlure?

There's my quick two cents.

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I don't know if it is pop culture, according to what I understood pop culture to be. It is a form of culture, since everything under the sun is culture, but I don't understand how the question on the thread could be pop culture.

My view on it...well pop culture that is. I'll use music as an example.....for the last several years, the predominant music in pop culture was boyband or teeny bopper music. It was out of control. Now things are transitioning into something different. Back in the early 90s, one of the most anti pop culture musical genres-alternative, ironically became mainstream. I think of that as pop culture. A large amount of people like the music until something else becomes popular, and the cycle goes on.

Back to hiking...I have definitely not lived long enough to understand the complexities of the culture of hiking, but I do agree with pretty much all of the posts on here, especially the ones that highlight a business taking advantage of the appeal of being outdoors. In one way, it is positive because it can get people out doors. In other ways, they may not be informed about the outdoors so it becomes abused.

I definitely have more comments, but they are jumbled. More opinions, please. I love hearing about this fascinating subject. Eventually though, if we're not careful, the thread may become pop culture!

grouseking