Have any of you anons ever completed a long distance trail in the US, or maybe completed the Triple Crown? I was curious to see what the longest trails in this country were and didn't realize something like this existed. What do you guys think? Apprently you have to complete the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail totaling around 8,000 miles long.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Hiking

>>2824874 (OP)

I think it's estimated that fewer than 1,000 people are Triple Crowners, but there's probably at least one on this board.

I sometimes think about trying one of these but I don't think I ever will. I'd rather just visit the best parts, and already have for the most part. Just an excuse really, but what off puts me as much as anything is the social aspect that seems to be a part of these, with hikers getting to know each other really well and having gay nicknames and shit. I'm sure some people do these hikes and rarely talk to anyone like I would if I ever did one but then I'd probably just feel out of place and would rather be doing my own different thing.

>>2824874 (OP)
>What do you guys think?
That you have to be a fit retiree, got rich early, or a trust fund kid to be able to take basically 3 years of your life off to train & do each of the hikes. Maybe you could do it in 2 years if you time your starts just perfect to avoid the harsh Rockey winters.

Also the North Country Trail is longer than all three (by themselves) but elevation isn't as bad and it's probably not as interesting as going down along the mountain ranges

>>2824874 (OP)
My wife and I did the AT and section-hiked all the good bits of the PCT.
We had a good time and I'd recommend doing one of them but the Triple Crown...ehh, the opportunity cost is too high for me.

>>2824919
these things last months, I bet you'd happily interact with other people from time to time. I don't think it's mandatory to be in some gay "tramily", but talking a bit with a bunch of other hikers at a camp after you've hiked alone for a day or two sounds nice (and the next day you can go back to being on your own)

It would be cool if people talked at all ever here about longer/backpacking trails that are not the main long distance ones.

>>2824938
>I don't think it's mandatory to be in some gay "tramily", but talking a bit with a bunch of other hikers at a camp after you've hiked alone for a day or two sounds nice (and the next day you can go back to being on your own)
You don't get a choice. People give you nicknames, not the other way around. Also if you're headed in the same direction you will run into them again and again and again unless you are trying to speedrun

>>2824874 (OP)
The Triple Crown is for trust fund babs that are "finding themselves" and don't, and won't ever, have a real job because their parents pay for everything.

>>2824960
There's like the Virginia triple crown which is just three hard hikes with good views near the Appalachian trail. That's for normies!

>>2824939
This board has devolved to the point that the average user struggles to just go outside. The days of an /out/ist attempting anything like the Triple Crown are long over.

>>2824960
But can't you budget this or do this without any money, or has the trail become so modernized that it requires transportation and other things to navigate efficiently.

>>2825016
It's going to cost you around 5 grand a pop to do each of the triple crown trails, people do it for way cheaper all the time but it takes a lot of experience and planning. You certainly don't have to be a trust fund kid, that's cope, but it's not a free experience. The old retired farts who stop in every town for dinner and a motel room blow 10 grand easy on the AT alone. If you want to be cheap you need to stay on trail, hike big miles, and eat like shit.

>>2825093
And you need to have no bills, no debt, and somehow have money and a place to live already lined up for you when you get done hiking. The only cope is that this is realistic for anyone that isn't a perpetual manchild living off of mommy and daddy's money.

>>2825093
even 10k is a bargain for what's essentially a 4-6 months vacation, what's costly is the income you miss out on by not working in that time frame

>>2825016
>or do this without any money
It takes 4-6 months for most people to do AT, PCT, CDT. How do you think they eat retard? You can't poach like you larpers think you can. Nobody is eating berries along the way to stay alive. Your survivalist larp is just that, larp.
Not to mention like >>2825270 said, If you rent or own a home good fucking luck you gotta still pay for it all.
>just sell it
yeah and all your belongings? It's not realistic for normal people. That's why most of them live with their parents. Not to mention unless you section hike + ride share every 1-2 weeks you can't do the thru hike without shuttling in and keeping your car at someone's house. Even the NF will come and tow your car after 2 weeks of not moving.

Having a social net is not being a trust fund baby. You ask your dad if you can keep the car at his house. If you got a house and/or kid already, it's just not in your cards. That doesn't make every thru hiker a trust fund baby or manchild, that's just fantasy.

>>2824956
yes, you run into them because you all need to stop in town anyways and unless they are fast as shit its basically impossible to get an extra 20 miles on someone going at a normal pace to the next town meaning you will see each other at the hostel and reset your progress, he just may get there at 8 am and you would at 4 pm or something. Also most people don't really hike together they just see each other in town and its nice to catch up over dinner and plan out the next section and shit, or fuck if they are a woman.

>>2824899
You would be correct. Triple Crowner here.

>The Triple Crown is for trust fund babs that are "finding themselves" and don't, and won't ever, have a real job because their parents pay for everything.

This is true for some, but in my experience (aside from retirees) a lot of people just saved for a while, took a leave of absence from work, or just quit their job. Many definitely had some level of anxiety over their decision and what they would do when they finished.

>It's going to cost you around 5 grand a pop to do each of the triple crown trails, people do it for way cheaper all the time but it takes a lot of experience and planning. You certainly don't have to be a trust fund kid, that's cope, but it's not a free experience. The old retired farts who stop in every town for dinner and a motel room blow 10 grand easy on the AT alone. If you want to be cheap you need to stay on trail, hike big miles, and eat like shit.

This is correct, although eating like shit is definitely a choice. Thru-hikers have some of the worst diets I've ever seen in my entire life and try to justify it by saying "it doesn't matter" because of all of the miles they're hiking. I mean, in a sense they're not totally wrong in terms of gaining weight, but there are far better ways to fuel up than living on Snickers bars and ramen, and nearly all of the former hikers I know gained back their pre-hike weight and then some after finishing. They don't seem to be aware of (or care about) the chronic inflammation and metabolic damage that their hiking diets do to them.

Also, don't believe completion rates. The amount of people who skipped sections and still recorded themselves as having thru-hiked was astounding to me. Obviously do what you want, but don't register as a thru-hiker if you didn't actually thru-hike.

>>2825598
You got any advice on lightweight, good quality hiking diets?

I'm going on an 8d7n hike later this year and since the longest I've done in the past was 3d2n I'm a little concerned about the weight of the food I'm going to have to carry.

>>2825599

If you don't have an opportunity to resupply during your trip, you won't have much choice other than to pack a lot of food. How much also depends on how many miles you're hiking per day of course and the elevation gain/loss.

My favorite meals / snacks consisted of:
- breakfasts: oatmeal, chia seeds, flaxseeds, protein powder, cinnamon, cocoa powder, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, powdered peanut butter
- lunch/snacks: whole grain wraps with natural peanut butter (you might think carrying a jar is crazy, but the kcal per gram is insane - or just buy the small packets)
- dinners: cold-soaked couscous / lentils with dehydrated beans
- snacks: dried fruit (unsweetened), nuts

You can also dehydrate stuff in advance if you want to take it to the next level.

Stuff I saw other people bring which seemed to have good kcal / g:
- tuna packets (seemed ubiquitous, often used in wraps)
- beef jerky (homemade and store-bought)
- powdered milk

The first few days might be obnoxious with the extra weight, but your bag will only get lighter. If you pack somewhat light other than the food you should be fine. Also, I would say it's better to have the food and not need it! Being hungry or having to ration food on a hike can be a bit demoralizing.

If you go into your hike fairly fit and do a few practice hikes with a heavy bag, you'll be even better off.