Titles and such

[robohiker]

Mrs. Robo asked me how many years does one have to have hiked to be considered a "Veteren Hiker" or to be precise a "Grizzled Mountain Hiker"?
We both know that people like to build themseles up in the eyes of other people,but we as robots just go on with our mechanical lives and let other robots tell us what we are.

 

[Mr. X]

Like I said...dude, I don't even hike that much!

 

[Quietman]

One of my favorite quotes would seem to apply here.

"It's not the years that count, it's the mileage!"

 

[Rik]

I don't think that can be determined in years. One hike a year for 30 years isn't as much as many of us do each year. Mileage works better but still not perfect as walking the same 5 miles every day isn't much of a variety of experience.

 

[sli74]

how many years does one have to have hiked to be considered a "Veteren Hiker" or to be precise a "Grizzled Mountain Hiker"?

Well, 2 things . . . first one can hike for 20+ years about 2-3 times a year and about 5 or so miles per hike totalling less than 400 miles in 20 years or someone could get out on the trails every weekend for 10-20 miles a weekend for 5 years for a count of about 2500 - 5000 miles in 5 years . . .
Don't know if years has anything to do with it.

And secondly, I sure hope NOONE EVER uses words like "grizzled" to describe me ever even after 20+ years of hiking

I have been hiking for about 12 years now . . . I used to hike about 3-5 times a year and probably hike a total of 25-35 miles per year UNTIL about 6 years ago. 6 years ago at a "turning point" in my life during a very difficult time I found myself feeling all alone, almost abandoned by everybody and tackling a difficult transition in my life and that is when I turned to the outdoors for solace and strength.

My hiking days per year as well as the miles per hike have steadily increased each year for the past 6 years. In a "normal" year now, I hike about 600-800 miles . . . BUT last year, my not so normal year of fun, I hiked about 1200-1400 miles (haven't counted them all up but I know it is right around that)

And even after all this hiking if someone were to ask me to "rate" my hiking experience and skill, I would still say I am an "intermediate" or "very advanced beginner" level hiker . . . don't know if any amount of time or experience will change my preception of myself all that quickly.

But in relation to this topic, I would wonder why anyone would want to classify themselves when it comes to hiking. I find that I get enough "categorizing" in my "daily real world" life.

 

[bill bowden]

Not sure about qualifications for a "veteran hiker" honorable discharge?, prior service? Pretty sure an "experienced hiker" is the one Fish and game is looking for because those folks are always described as "experienced hikers."

 

[Warren]

I've never really measured it in miles... I don't track my miles throughout a year, I add up the nights when I think about how much I've gotten out.

robohiker, for things like veteran, grizzled and other such labels of status those are the things that, to me, you can only be called by others.

So, yes, just let the other robots tell you what you are.

 

[Puck]

6 years ago at a "turning point" in my life during a very difficult time I found myself feeling all alone, almost abandoned by everybody and tackling a difficult transition in my life and that is when I turned to the outdoors for solace and strength.

But in relation to this topic, I would wonder why anyone would want to classify themselves when it comes to hiking. I find that I get enough "categorizing" in my "daily real world" life.

Couldn't agree more. The outdoors is always there. We leave it and then come back when we need an old friend and everything else in our lives is changing. Like a prodigal child returning home. The outdoors grounds us and helps us resort our values.

As for me I have my own system to catagorize myself.
1. Newbie.
2. conversational but ignorant.
3. knows just enough to be dangerous
4.still full of sh!t but has bagged many peaks
5. scarred and battered
6 experienced
7 dead due to an accident when I should have known better.

 

[Mad Townie]

I always thought "grizzled" was what I saw in the mirror after coming back from a really tough, multiple day hike. (Seema, don't worry--a person has to look really, REALLY bad to be considered "grizzled!")

 

[afka_bob]

Mileage works better but still not perfect as walking the same 5 miles every day isn't much of a variety of experience.

On the other hand, hiking 30-mile weekends every other weekend on a new trail, but not stopping to smell the roses -- or just peakbagging for peakbagging sake -- seems to ignore a lot of the "experience" altogether.

I like to see new places, but there are several trails I could hike every week and not tire of -- nor cheat myself of a worthy experience.

 

[Pucknuts61]

I NEVER thought I'd say this.....but..... I agree with Afka_Bob.

Is my membership revoked now?

 

[Ridgewalker]

Your a vetern hiker by the experience and knowledge you have in the outdoors. I judge it by miles, trips, and dumb mistakes. I learn something new each time I go hiking, can't say I'm perfect. I get better and better each time I go hiking.

 

[Rik]

I agree with Afka_Bob.

So do I which is why I didn't offer "peakbagging" as a measure of who is a veteran. I'm not sure there is a measure. I guess that was my point.

 

[afka_bob]

I NEVER thought I'd say this.....but..... I agree with Afka_Bob.

Is my membership revoked now?

Yes. Immediately.

So do I which is why I didn't offer "peakbagging" as a measure of who is a veteran. I'm not sure there is a measure. I guess that was my point.

Peakbagging is the icing on the cake, I think, but just the icing.

 

[sapblatt]

It is all relative

When I am reading and writing on VFTT I cerainly feel like a rookie although I have hiked off and on for the past ten years. Most of my mileage has been in a three month period last year, and 90 percent of that was solo. So when I am around non hikers in my family or at the office they think I am something between Sir Edmund Hilary and Aron Ralston. (Ever notice how non hikers do not seem to notice any difference between hiking, rock climbing and mountaineering?) I like to think that my limited experience along with my voracious reading on the subject allows me to chime in intelligently once in awhile, but I sure like to read an learn from the veterans here!

 

[Jaytrek57]

You are a "veteran" hiker when you don't care what your "status" is, try to compare it with others or refer to yourself as "veteran".

Peace.

 

[Rick]

Seema - You look so nice and "grizzled"!!!! Now, that reference, I like!!!

Somehow the years slipped by for me. I started off as an occasional backpacker in the mid-70's and through the 80's, logging just a few trips every year, more to just hang out in the woods or fish than anything else - but it's funny, one day around 1990 or 1991 I was walking through the woods on the Northville Placid trail and realized I didn't know anything about trees, other than oaks, maples and conifers.
Afterward I went out and bought a couple of books on trees and flowers and started learning about the forests and how everything fits together in a forest.
I think then I went from "newbie" to "knows enough to be dangerous"
Now I just feel scarred and battered. (thanks Puck)

But I do think it is more than just knowing gear and survival, there are young veterans and old veterans - mileage, time and variety of situations all count, I also think it's nice to have a few sticky jams or scrapes under your belt as well (Something you can always laugh or shudder at later).

 

[McRat]

Please don't tell me you reach a point where there is nothing left to learn, see, or do.

It would be funny to see a parallel survey - "How many years have you hiked" and see how closely the distributions match this survey.

 

[RGF1]

Well, 2 things . . . first one can hike for 20+ years about 2-3 times a year and about 5 or so miles per hike totalling less than 400 miles in 20 years or someone could get out on the trails every weekend for 10-20 miles a weekend for 5 years for a count of about 2500 - 5000 miles in 5 years . . .
Don't know if years has anything to do with it.

And secondly, I sure hope NOONE EVER uses words like "grizzled" to describe me ever even after 20+ years of hiking

I have been hiking for about 12 years now . . . I used to hike about 3-5 times a year and probably hike a total of 25-35 miles per year UNTIL about 6 years ago. 6 years ago at a "turning point" in my life during a very difficult time I found myself feeling all alone, almost abandoned by everybody and tackling a difficult transition in my life and that is when I turned to the outdoors for solace and strength.

My hiking days per year as well as the miles per hike have steadily increased each year for the past 6 years. In a "normal" year now, I hike about 600-800 miles . . . BUT last year, my not so normal year of fun, I hiked about 1200-1400 miles (haven't counted them all up but I know it is right around that)

And even after all this hiking if someone were to ask me to "rate" my hiking experience and skill, I would still say I am an "intermediate" or "very advanced beginner" level hiker . . . don't know if any amount of time or experience will change my preception of myself all that quickly.

But in relation to this topic, I would wonder why anyone would want to classify themselves when it comes to hiking. I find that I get enough "categorizing" in my "daily real world" life.

SLI I think you would be very experienced. It sounds like you get out a lot and enjoy it. Give your self-credit where it is due! It is the people who think they are experienced and do not think they can learn something form even a novice that are boasting and full of hem selves. We can always learn something.
I also agree with you about categorizing. There is too much of that in every day life. I hike and climb in part to leave that behind.
As for my experience, all I will say is that I have been hiking and climbing since I was a child and have hiked and climbed in NH, NM, CO, WY and MT. I also enjoy introducing people to hiking and climbing. To me seeing a person excited about their first summit regardless of where is priceless. I know you do not chastise novices but I wish others would act as decently as you. Remember we all novices at one time.
I do wish people would not be so judgmental you do not know that person for all they know they could be making fun of some one in Reinhold Messner’s league . I have seen it done. . Right now I am only day hiking due to a hernia and surgery to fix it that had complications. Yet some would chastise me as day hiker. Why has that word become a prerogative?
To be honest I do not like to talk much about where hike so some one does not cast a judgement on me. If asked I will talk about it though.
I also really do not know how many miles I have hikes that means math and I hate math I do not know if years or miles has any thing to do with it but what we learned in that time and distance .

 

[Skyclimber]

Please don't tell me you reach a point where there is nothing left to learn, see, or do.

There never comes that point. As with the Hiking/Climbing experience there is always something new to learn, see and do. Especially as the Season's Change. Whether you climb a particular Mountain once or twenty times over.