Just for Laughs, Most Annoying Hiking Partner Behaviors

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wb671987

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I came across this randomly a few hours ago and thought a few people on here may find some of these funny. It is by Backpacker Magazine and generally applies to backpacking, although most can be applied to day hiking.

THE WORST HIKING PARTNER BEHAVIORS

Hiking with others can be a blast—as long as your partner isn't making one of these egregious gaffes, that is. Here's a taxonomy of the worst backcountry offenders.


The Slacker
The most exasperating companion, hands down. He/she will find any excuse to shirk camp chores including, but certainly not limited to: setting up and taking down the tent; hanging food; getting water; gathering firewood; cooking; and washing dishes. Don't be this person!

The Foghorn
If you're prone to snoring, pack plenty of nasal strips and be sure to clue your tentmates in before the trip (so that they can bring earplugs). Failure to do so could result in you sleeping outside—by force.
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Link to Article
 
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Hello WB,

I can't say that many of these behaviors apply to the type of hiking I do (mostly day hikes), but I can offer an annoying behavior.

The "Turn-Talkers". These are the people when in a large group who stop, turn, and discuss matters that are not important enough to justify stopping the forward progress of the group.

Not to sound rude, of course, but if I am with a group and making good time I like to keep moving as much as possible. If someone is to slam on the brakes, and turn completely around, I expect the words coming out of the person's mouth to be fairly important like "Did we miss the trailhead?" or "Is that a mountain lion behind us?". Stopping the group to perform a type of discussion hijacking is a annoying in my book. I can hear you just fine from the front or the back. Sometimes not hearing at all is best ;)

Z :D
 
Hey Summitseeker,

Great Addition! And Oh I certainly find the people you just described quite frustrating. At least with me, I tend to notice that a) it is someone who finds everything they say extremely important and usually it is just some random fact or story of THEIRS, which has no relationship to the forward progress of the group. Like you said, sometimes not hearing this type of person is the best haha ;). OR b) it is someone who needs a quick breath of fresh air (on the UPHILL almost always) and uses a story to catch their breath. I certainly understand matching your groups speed to the "slowest common denominator" and am not one for making people feel like they are on a deathmarch. But usually this type of person could just step to the side and catch their breath while waiting to take up the rear OR wait until a scenic viewpoint, waterfall, interesting natural feature etc. that THE WHOLE GROUP would enjoy to catch their breathe/take a break.. After all, we are all out here to enjoy the scenery, bag the summit, get some solitude etc., not here "Pete's" fourth anecdotal story... (no offense to anyone here named Pete haha, just insert any name here).

Of course, there are situations where this is important (like you said). If the leader lost the trail I would also hope they stop and inform the group, there is a Black Bear cub sitting in the trail around the next bend, etc.

Great!, after you mentioned it I did realize many of these are more backpacking "in camp" situations. I hope people feel free to add any other day hiking partner pet peeves!
 
I know a few 'No Layer Managment' people. "If I keep moving I will be warm", but yet they run ahead of the group and then take a longer break than anyone else, and still refuse to put on a jacket.
 
18. The whiner, Mr. or Mrs. "Negativity." Getting discouraged is one thing, but constant complaining is another.

19. The hiker with the attitude: "I don't want to get out snacks and water and layer up/down when the group does, I'll take my own breaks and slow the whole groups down. Watch out when a group has three of these hikers. You'll still be looking back at the trailhead an hour into the hike.

20. The A$$ that comes barreling down the trail with no regard for others on the trail and nearly runs you down.

21. Years ago when I used to lead occasional group hikes, we were on a week long trip in Baxter. I remember a co-leader who would sit in a chair and suggest better ways for washing dishes to others in the group.

22. The "one right way to do things" hiker/camper. "That's not how you start a fire..."

23. Those who think aluminum foil should be burned in a fire pit. That's recycling. Take it out.

Of course, these are the small minority of people on the trails, most of whom I have found considerate and polite.
 
What amazes me is that this thread could be this long already, and not mention farting! :D Come on; get focused. people! :)
 
summitseeker said:
Hello WB,

I can't say that many of these behaviors apply to the type of hiking I do (mostly day hikes), but I can offer an annoying behavior.

The "Turn-Talkers". These are the people when in a large group who stop, turn, and discuss matters that are not important enough to justify stopping the forward progress of the group.


Z :D
Click to expand...


Perfectly said. Good friend of mine was famous for this. One day I coined his Indian name as "Mouth that Runs Like the River".....
 
I'd have to add "The Screamer"- the person or group that talks so freaking loud that you hear them coming from miles away...and can actually understand what they're saying! I was in the Northern Presidentials this summer and there were two guys talking so loud I thought sure they were right around the corner. As I got above tree line on Randolph Path approaching the junction with the Israel Ridge Path I could understand everything they were saying so I thought they were right ahead. Then I spotted two dots leaving Edmands Col heading toward me.....almost a mile from me! I know sounds carries in the mountains but come on. Put a sock in it and let me enjoy the tranquility! :mad:
 
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I just started reading the book "A walk in the woods" by Bill Bryson. An old acquaintance took up his offer to hike the AT with him. His description of the guy reminds me of Alan from The Hangover.

I should be wearing a patch on my shirt that says "I tend to talk a lot".
 
I'd like to add one if I may. " The Preacher" this is a hiker who has done a lot of hiking, he has done so much, that now he can preach to anyone just how everyone should hike and what gear they should use on their hikes.
 
Moderator Hat
I deleted the majority of the article.

Just a reminder to everyone - please don't post copyrighted articles in their entirety, just a small sample and a link to the original should cover it.
 
David Metsky said:
Moderator Hat
I deleted the majority of the article.

Just a reminder to everyone - please don't post copyrighted articles in their entirety, just a small sample and a link to the original should cover it.
Click to expand...

Sorry David,

I thought quoting the entire article and linking to the external source would cover it, in the future I will just post the beginning of the article and link to the rest.

Thanks


Sierra,

Yes, "The Preacher" is definetly another pet peeve of mine. Talking about every trail and summit as though they have been there the last 10 million years. Very frustrating.


DayTrip,

I hate running into "Screamers", I have never had them in my group, although I guess it would be hard to tell from an internal perspective. But that being said, I absolutely hate being at a viewpoint (usually a cliff) and hearing approaching hikers, to which I tell my group, "We've got company", only to gear up and leave the viewpoint and encounter them nearly 90 minutes later!!


Raven,

Numerous great additions! The two that particularly bother me are the Mr./Ms. Negativity (almost like a "Turn-Talker" but with nothing positive to say, constant complaining, "we should have reached the Desolation trail junction nearly 30 minutes ago", when your out for 12 hours is a 30 minute delay all that important to stop the group and complain, not really, hey we would be there 5 minutes sooner without having to hear your sermon about complaining how we're not there!) and the One Right Ways ("You shouldn't build a fire that way", well because of ME or Person X we now have a fire, much more beneficial than your opinions that it wasn't built according to the right Boy Scouts Troop K parameters that you learned!)


TJsName,

I dread these "No-Layer Management" people, particularly in the winter. It only takes two minutes to adjust your layers for breaks, no need to run ahead of the group taking personal abbreviated breaks just because you are too lazy to put on warmer layers for a brief break OR too minimalist/lightweight to have carried the appropriate layers (Which in the Winter is particularly bothersome because it borders on a safety issue, if you break your ankle, do you really expect others to cough up the cold weather gear?!)

Thanks All,
Great Additions!
 
I get annoyed by the guy who goes ahead and doesn't stop and wait for the rest to catch up at major trail intersections. How is the rest of the group supposed to know if the loner went the right way?
 
The Hike Along-sider: insists on trying to stay at your side even when the trail does not permit, thus driving you off trail and on to poor footing. Hopefully not off a ledge.

The Tender Skin Revealer: core of layering strategy consists of fully exposing pink, sweaty, tender moist skin to harsh elements while peeling off to put on a dry layer.
 
Andrew said:
The Hike Along-sider: insists on trying to stay at your side even when the trail does not permit, thus driving you off trail and on to poor footing. Hopefully not off a ledge.

The Tender Skin Revealer: core of layering strategy consists of fully exposing pink, sweaty, tender moist skin to harsh elements while peeling off to put on a dry layer.
Click to expand...

I have to change my base layet at the summit most of the time. I sweat a lot, so it is just easier to keep up my already slowish pace, rather than go so slow that I don't sweat. It is certainly invigorating.
 
Annoying---People who keep looking at their GPS and telling me how many feet we've climbed and how far we have to go...ugh...I ask them to not tell me.
 
I'm enjoying reading these and certainly have been nodding my head to some. However, I hate to be Sally Sunshine, but these days I'm so damn happy to be getting out there on a regular basis that very few people annoy me at all. That being said, there are some people I prefer not to hike with typically due to differences in pace, level of preparedness and sometimes worldview (okay, negativity is definitely not something I want to be around these days, so there's that ..... I hear enough rants from my 8th graders in the classroom Monday through Friday :D), but overall I am just happy when I'm hiking!! But please, keep adding to this, because it is good reading :)
 
The layer-management works both ways. Some of us ("me") start out cold rather than stop 5-10 minutes in and have to delayer. I'd rather not have to take off my pack, put on a jacket, and then have to take it back off again once we get going. To be fair to my companions, I advertise this up front.

As a general statement, one could simply say:

anybody who doesn't hike my hike at my speed and live up to my expectations could make this list.

Tim
p.s. I'd rather hike with these people than be stuck at work :)
 
All these reasons is probably why I like hiking alone :eek: While I can certainly relate with a lot that has been said, one that really bothers me is the guy who won't shut up and babble endlessly about topics I really do not care about.
 
I probably should have mentioned that I solo hike for the most part. I have a tendency to meet people who are coming up the trail when I am descending and yak away. I think I am aware enough when someone doesn't want to be bothered though. Most people are just pleasant to talk with. Have met some really nice people this winter.

If I am with others though, I am absolutely not one to talk while hiking. That drives me crazy. I met a dad with his son on Lafayette this last summer. The boy was jawing non stop. Yeah, that is certainly annoying.

For the most part, I try to not be a pest. I don't hook up with others, I let people pass, I say hi, smile...just trying to be friendly.
 
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