What kind of hiker are you?

[Neil]

I like to hike at a moderate pace with a few short breaks. When I'm alone I set the inner dial to comfortable and move steadily all day long. On occasion I like to push hard and enjoy the feeling of simple hard work.

 

[Mike P.]

ANother non-botanist so I'll check out a pretty flower here & there & eat my share of blueberries when in seaon but I'm a view junkie so I want to get above treeline, some days it's just one peak, some days it's several, some days it rains, others are better, some days the bugs decide how fast I move.

I'm not much for the green tunnel, It's okay a mile here & there but if the terrain is not bad, the load is light & more on the way down, I'll jog a little, after all there's usually a four hour ride to start after the hike.

 

[sleeping bear]

I really enjoy stopping, looking, listening, smelling etc. etc. I like trying to identify plants and those who have hiked with me know I'm always on the lookout for scat or tracks. Although, I do more of this when I'm alone.

When I'm by myself I push until I'm totally out of breath and then stop for several minutes, usually listening. Then I repeat. It's kinda the best of both worlds.

 

[woodstrider]

what kind of hiker am I?

Well...I'll tell you

At times grumpy- when I see too many other people on the trails- especially when they are pissing up our wilderness.

Protective about my fellow living creatures

Definitely low inpact

Prone to seek out the less travelled road...and on my own.

Adventuresome

Year 'round, anytime of the day or night you may find woodstrider out and about

I prefer to backpack. I really like sleeping out of doors.

 

[the starchild]

i'll get there when i get there

i like enjoying everything. its most definitely the journey, not the destination. stopping for views, plants, libations, cool waterfalls is all good. i'll get there when i get there. I'll hike fast too though, if i am in a rush to avoid an impending deluge, hungry bear behind me or other reasons. The hike from lincoln parking lot to franconia falls is something i usually speed hike. generally i think i might be a fast hiker though, but its more natural, not a rush to get somewhere.

if i am hiking with me'erah we're always whackin' around to check out things, climb up this, climb down that and generally just poke around anywhere it looks interesting.

 

[jjo]

I'm in the middle tending toward "let's get there". Do stop occassionally to admire a view, have a drink of H20 or watch a waterfall. I do lull on the top, generally eat there, enjoy the view, feel a little proud of making it. Going down, I usually plod right along. Just my habits.

 

[Doodles]

I tend to move along quite quickly, but never miss out on a view, waterfall or point of interest. I keep moving along the trail and take my breaks on the Views From The Top. I figure the farther I go, the more I get to see.

While out on AT sections solo, I put in long mile days. I will hike into a sunset or hike before a sunrise or chose to camp on mountain top to view the sunset and sunrise.

Section hikes to complete the AT and peak bagging seem to be goal orientated which tend to push me a bit, but I don't feel that I miss anything along the way.

 

[forestgnome]

...most definately in there for the sights/sounds/smells as well as views. Therefore, I hike at different speeds. Sometimes it's an hour to cover a mile because I'm enjoying the forest or taking pictures. Other times it's warp speed to evade crowds or to make sure I can get deep in the time I have for my dayhike. Then something off trail may catch my eye and in I go, emerging at the same spot an hour later. Noone would enjoy hiking with me. I couldn't care less about point b.

Happy Trails!

 

[Danielle]

I am definitely a goal-oriented hiker, and as Ryan indicates in his post above, like to hike fast. However, despite being focused on where we're headed, one of the reasons I love to hike is that I have the chance to enjoy the flowers and birds and the views. Just because I'm moving along at a good clip doesn't mean I don't take in and appreciate my surroundings

 

[dougb]

Depends on the Grade

Let's see...

If the trail is flat and my pack is light, I tend to move along.

But on the way up, the steeper the trail gets, the more interesting the views become. Especially when it's hot. Then I really enjoy the views.

Coming down's another matter.

 

[JohnL]

Quite simply, I am a walking fool. I love to walk, I love to walk fast and I do not like to stop to snack or yack or catch my breath. I do, however, stop and gawk at what nature has to offer. I am a very early starter and often stop to let the woods envelop me with the sounds, the silence, the smells, the soft early orange sunlight as it filters through the branches and mists. I take photos of these sights in futile attempts to capture the feelings I experience as I gaze upon the sublime beauty of the woods. So, I guess I am both of the answers you propose.

JohnL

 

[snowshoe]

I think I hike at a moderate pace but everyone else says I am fast. I like to cover as much ground as possible. I stop for views, check out flowers, ect.. but usually only for a few minutes. I am not one for sitting around for long periods. For as fast as I go I never miss a thing. I see things that slower hikers miss. Then they look at me and say how did you see that when you are going so fast. Guess I have a good eye.

 

[iceNsnow]

Faaaaaaaaaast!

I drive fast to get there.
Then I run fast to cover as much ground as possible and of course I gotta drive back fast.

I would like to go slower, definitely not too slow ever!; then I'd have to stay home since I can't get long drawn out days away to do it that way. So I take what I can and make the most of it!

 

[Lawn Sale]

I'm a chameleon hiker! I enjoy hiking with others and I go whatever their pace is. I hike fast with my fast friends and slow with my slow friends. The social aspect of hiking is one of my favorite things.

Since I'm not a botanist, when I see something, I see a "pretty white flower" not a "whodad-spotted long-pesteled dispensia" so I say "Yup, that's pretty" and keep moving. On the rare occasions when I solo, I like to push myself and see how fast I can go to give myself a challenge. It's fun to compare my time to "book time"!

This describes me exactly. I will add that when the local scenery (if she's cute) is better than the distance scenery, I tend to pay less attention to the latter.

Hiking solo I find I tend to push myself too hard without rest breaks and get over fatigued. I turn into a strict "A to B" person and find I bypass a lot of scenery. I did enjoy the romp down Isolation last winter with the crew, loads of fun running with a pack (the people and the kind on your back).

 

[Adk_dib]

instead of stopping a long time on a lookout, i will spend some time on the way up and some more time on the way down. that way my legs do not cool down. I like to keep moving. same thing for waterfalls and rock formations. If if will not beback this way I will stay a little longer and take a picture.

 

[forestgnome]

I drive fast to get there.
Then I run fast to cover as much ground as possible and of course I gotta drive back fast.

Please don't drive fast if you come to NH. We have enough dead wildlife.

 

[LivesToHike]

It depends...

It depends upon whether I'm hiking alone or in a group, who I'm hiking with, committments at home, and weather.

When the weather's great or I don't care about the weather, I have few committments later that day, and I'm hiking by myself or with a like-minded group, I'll take my time, stop, take in the views, whether in forest or on crag, often snap lots of photographs, and enjoy.

When it's a really cold winter day or bad weather day, committments, or a very fast group, then it's almost strictly point A to point B, with quick stops at the summit, lunch rocks and other viewing points. It's almost strictly business in some ways, but not all.

I enjoy both speeds - the first for more introspection and inspection, but the 2nd for the challenge. Both are fun.

-- LTH

 

[Ketch-Up]

I like to hike fast until I find an interesting spot to stop. I then wait for my wife to catch up and hang out with her. Then I repeat over and over again. This way I get lots of time at nice spots. The only time I do not stop is if I am hiking with Spongebob. I just try to lose him. Has not worked yet.

 

[Paradox]

I have modified my hiking style significantly from my earlier post. Lately, I have been hiking, exclusively while sitting on my butt. I have a computer mouse in my right hand and a glass of single malt scotch on the rocks in the other. I pontificate endlessly to the equally bored about; how good a hiker I am, how prepared I am, the things I have seen, the pictures I've taken, how much water I carry, yadda, yadda, AND I WANT TO SCREAM AND YANK MY HAIR OUT!!!!

 

[Chip]

I have modified my hiking style significantly from my earlier post. Lately, I have been hiking, exclusively while sitting on my butt. I have a computer mouse in my right hand and a glass of single malt scotch on the rocks in the other. I pontificate endlessly to the equally bored about; how good a hiker I am, how prepared I am, the things I have seen, the pictures I've taken, how much water I carry, yadda, yadda, AND I WANT TO SCREAM AND YANK MY HAIR OUT!!!!

blame it on the mud, my man. work the stairs. do sit ups. weigh your cra...gear.
anyway, it's a good time to clear the desk, make la famille happy and plan the next outing...