Overheard on the trail

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Good stuff! That "where is Mt. Hood?" one just reminded me of an experience I had. I pretty much got into an argument w/ a guy asking for directions at the Box Canyon area of Mt. Rainier NP. Same thing. Where is the mountain? Uh, up there. It's huge, you can't miss it. I don't know what he was actually trying to ask, but he was getting mad at me and I was legitimately trying to help him. He got all huffy and asked how you get back to Tacoma. Probably best for everybody if he left the Park and didn't come back. I don't really throw the touron term around often, but this guy definitely earned it.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

If you only could take one thing with you on a hike, what would it be? It may depend on the trail, so lets say a 10-mile hike on a canyon trail with 1,500-2,000 feet of gain on a fair weather day, and let's call the trail Grinnell Glacier (Glacier NP) for some perspective.

You can rule out any of the 10 essentials on this one. A college-age male's response to this question was a football. I hope he had good hands because one fumble and that would be it for the game ball. My conclusion: his coach would only allow him on the family vacation if he tookt he ball everywhere.

The football was obviously a bear deterrent. You know, you see a bear, throw the football at it. If that doesn't work...well I don't know what Plan B would be.

[jalepeno]

My son and I were hiking up the Dosewallips River trail in Olympic National Park. My son was about ten years old. We were eight or nine miles into the hike when we spotted a man coming down the trail toward us. He was naked except for a large hat on his head. He didn't see us coming at first. When we got close to him, he grabbed his hat off his head and started fanning his privates. "Hot day, isn't it?" he said as he passed us. My son and I held it together for about 30 seconds and then we collapsed laughing on the side of the trail. We didn't go any further and camped there that night.

[BigBear]

The story of the nudist reminded me of the time a group of us hiked up Cold Creek Trail to the Devils Peak Lookout. There was a man spending the month in the lookout that was without clothing. He informed us he was "a minimalist and thought people should live in the woods with the bare minimum for survival." It was interesting that he had this belief but chose to use the only shelter in the wilderness to live rent-free for a month. It was even more interesting that he asked if his sports car parked at the trailhead looked okay. Yes, we replied, it still had its dust cover. Evidently, the minimalist approach only applied to wardrobe and monthly rent payments.

[forester]

We were doing a short hike up the North Umpqua trail during late spring. We were a mile or so up from the trailhead. We had already passed through a few mudholes on the trail, so we were fairly muddy. Came around the corner and here's a guy walking towards us wearing dress shoes, light grey slacks, white button up shirt, with a dress jacket draped over his shoulder. Just beyond him within sight was another mudhole. After we passed him, my wife smiled back about the way he was dressed. I pointed it out how he didn't have a speck of mud on him.

[Webfoot]

After we passed him, my wife smiled back about the way he was dressed. I pointed it out how he didn't have a speck of mud on him.

https://youtu.be/thjG8KXKcf4?t=25

[Hagbard Celine]

The funniest thing I have ever heard on a trail I cannot share as I was sworn to secrecy

At 6'4 and 450 pounds when I started hiking (360 now) I see or hear reactions often that range from surprise to find someone like me at places like Goat Rocks or Silverstar to fear and rude disbelief.

One of the worst such example is one of my many climbs up Angels Rest I had my headphones in but music paused as I passed a couple heading down when the man mumbled to the woman "what do you want to bet he has to be rescued out of here?" I felt like menacingly asking him the same question but I have become a much calmer and laid back person from all the hiking so I just ignored

[Webfoot]

That gives me a segue to ask something I have wondered about: is it rude to allude to your (generic you) size? When I see someone large on the trail or at a summit I want to say "well done" because I imagine it took above average effort. I have a bad back and people generally don't know the effort or discomfort it takes for me to complete a hike, and I wouldn't mind a "well done" now and again for encouragement. However I've refrained from saying anything to others as I didn't know how it would be taken.

[texasbb]

I'll "well done" a child, but no one else. Even apart from size, it can come across a bit condescending, like one way or another they look like a weakling. Now, sometimes people go on and on themselves about how tough a hike was or whatever...in that case I'll offer sincere congrats.

[squidvicious]

When I see someone large on the trail or at a summit I want to say "well done" because I imagine it took above average effort.

Jesus Christ no, you don't walk up to a total stranger out of the blue and patronizingly tell them, "Hey, good job for a fatass, I wouldn't have thought you had it in you!"