why people quit thru hiking on the appalachian trail

[@worklesstrekmore9091]

Firstly, thank you for sharing your story and thoughts. Secondly, people don't quit or fail. People make conscious decisions based on many factors. Good for you for going back. I started last year, never endured knee pain and I am a very physically fit 58 year old. I didn't quit, I made the decision that was best for my body. I too am returning to the trail in 5 weeks. Picking up where I left off because I don't buy into all of the labels people put on nature. Will that make me a thru hiker, indeed it will, in my eyes and that's what is most important. I wish you a fabulous trek on a very beautiful trail. Cheers from Canada

[@EliYoung12]

cheers! i like that mentality

[@DuffyGabi]

You stopped for a very good reason. But life definitely has plenty of people who are quitters.

[@MariaSimpson-rp1os]

I've read that thru-hikers and section hikers receive the same commendation certificate at the hikes end. There is no difference except in the way we perceive our own hikes. If your circumstances, mental and physical adaptability, and finances permit your 6-month stay in the woods then that is great! If not, there is more than one way to hike this hike. Either way it is a grand opportunity and a beautiful blessing!! Enjoy!!

[@johnfitch2208]

I started Mar 8, 2022. Made it to mm 571.2 where a knee injury took me out. ( torn meniscus and partial tear.of patellar tendon). 2 years rehab and I gave my 1 year notice at work a couple weeks ago. Starting over at Springer Feb 24, 2025.

[@EliYoung12]

i love that dude. are you starting where you left off?

[@johnfitch2208]

@EliYoung12 nope. Starting back at Springer. I also started March 6 2020 and a week later Covid shut the world down. This will technically be my 3rd attempt.

[@sheilahenry7279]

I’ll see you. I’m gonna be starting in Feb 2025 earlier but I’m slow.

[@EliYoung12]

Godspeed friend, I think this will be the one

[@EliYoung12]

I'll be slow as well, but ive been thinking about this trip everyday lately

[@dalemyers9439]

This is a great post. Funny and transparent. You have a great gift of storytelling. On your next thru hike, post this kind of video with facts and humor. You will have a huge following. Reminds me of the book, “Walk in the woods.” The best part of this was it was a 3 day hike. I laughed for the remainder of the post. Good luck on your future plans.

[@EliYoung12]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@thestumpnocker603]

I would add to your list expectations. 3 to 4 months, really. At 105 day (3 1/2 months), you would need to hike 21 miles a day no zeroes or neroes. Yes it can be done, and is by conditioned hikers. Start by getting real. 6 + months and then maybe you will see the terminus.

[@woodsman335]

Yeah his 3 to 4 month comment threw me off too. 15 miles per results in 6 months on the trail. 20 miles a day results in 5 months as I recall.

[@bl5cent]

I am doing the ECT and am home because I have to do taxes. All the planning, and I forgot about Uncle Sam. I fly out again tomorrow after a 4 day stay. The ECT is a different beast, but it is an All In thing. Until the day I die I came to win everything I got I am all in. Gonna let it ride and double down again. It's a way of life, I'm all in. The thought of not completing this is not even a consideration. I have the whole Florida Trail behind me and I seen a lot of people not make it. Some of them in the best of shape, but mentally did not prep themselves. I also seen people in horrible shape finish it. If you have given yourself an out, you will take it! That is fine if you want to be a section hiker there is no shame in it. Afterall, at the end the reward is the same if it takes 5 months or 20 years. A thru hike is more than a section hike, it is an odyssey. It is to do something epic! The AT has a 80% failure rate and that is because it is horrible and sucks. Lets face it hiking sucks. The reward is the end and when you look back you will forget the suck and remember only the good times. To succeed you have to eat sleep and breathe this thing some of us do.

[@Judy-fi7ce]

Totally understandable. Many things to overcome, as you mentioned and no matter how much a person plans, actually doing it is a different story. Being an outdoor person, I think I'd enjoy attempting a thru hike, but have no idea how long I'd last. No idea. I've hiked a small portion of the AT in the Smokies. Loved it. Wishing you well on your upcoming March hike.

[@EliYoung12]

thank you!

[@WarHawk-]

Made it 9-days on the trail before I got word through the trail-grapevine (via shelter logbook) that I needed to call home, which caused me to have to leave the trail to go home. It's a shame because I was just getting my 'trail legs' and starting to really enjoy the trip. Funny thing is that I had to go back South on the trail to Harpers Ferry where I took the MARK Train back to DC, then while waiting at Union Station for my AmtrakTrain to depart I ended up all of a sudden pulling a groin muscle (very painful) requiring assistance to walk (even without my backpack). I am SO GLAD that this did not happen while I was hiking on the trail.

[@KaraKirtley]

Great video! Really great points, made me laugh at times (the approach trail comment, lol). I left my thru hike at 1600 miles in. For me, the mental wasn't an issue, yeah the bad days sucked but I could get through them. Mine were the physical problems - everything that could go wrong went wrong! 🤣From vitamin deficiencies to losing 40 pounds in 2 months, almost having emergency surgery and a doctor telling me I could have died to then finally IT band issues when I ran out of time. My biggest problem was starting out of shape and assuming I could even hike 8 miles easily at the beginning of trail. They really don't tell you how hard it's going to be, how wet it's going to be, how you really do need to train if you are very out of shape to begin with. Great video and I'll be looking forward to your videos from trail and will be cheering you on! You can do it!

[@EliYoung12]

aww this warms my heart, thank you

[@EliYoung12]

i like that you’ve learned and moved forward

[@jedgarren2901]

If you want to go fast... Go Alone If you want to go far... Go with other people -African Proverb-

[@KevinRStrauss]

Keeping it real! I'll be curious to see how your mental preparation, mindset, level of motivation, etc. pan out this next time around. Wishing you all the best! ☮️❤️🤝 Ps. THIS is what "shakedown hikes" are REALLY about. The Daily Grind.

[@EliYoung12]

thank you for this, i also want to know if my mental is really changed or it just feels like it had

[@KevinRStrauss]

@@EliYoung12, it's hard to know and sometimes you may not know until you're actually DOING it. I'd be happy to discuss further, if you like. I feel like most people fall short of completing their thru-hike because most AT thru-hikers are incredibly inexperienced and simply do not know enough about backpacking, the lifestyle, and themselves, from the start. I believe most people choose such an extreme adventure for deeply rooted, poor emotional health, reasons they're not truly aware of. What I have found in my human behavior work is, "the more extreme the behavior, the deeper the emotional pain" - for what it's worth. I still do wish you and everyone ALL the best. My goal is to help, not deter. ☮❤🤝

[@philipwrightson9328]

I’ve met so many hikers over the years who ended up quitting their AT thru hike attempts after only a few days. Most were just not prepared for how difficult it is to mentally handle adverse conditions. No one tells them about that. You have done a better job explaining it after 3 days on the AT than I could after 4 thru hikes of the AT. Every hiker who is contemplating a thru hike of the AT should watch this video. I’ve subscribed to your channel and look forward to following your AT journey. “Boston”

[@EliYoung12]

thank you boston! that means alot to me. I wish you well

[@mobius9818]

Really very insightful, as well as good detailed story-telling. I believe folks would do well to take a shakedown few days trip in the same weather conditions...which is how I see your trip. You just didn't know it was a shakedown!

[@EliYoung12]

yeah i wasn’t ready for the shakedown

[@PaulsWanderings]

I think what would DRIVE me is the idea that I am getting closer to home. I grew up in New Hampshire. I think the rain is what would drive me nuts that and snakes.. The southern portion of the trail is what I dream of when I am hiking in New Hampshire. Level ground few if any rock and roots to trip over. Rockselvania just reminds me of hiking just about any trail in the Whites.

[@EliYoung12]

true, not a bad motivator

[@trexinvert]

The AT is a great trail for beginners with many safe spots to quit. If you are not ready, you will find out. Some people can start from scratch and figure it out then keep going. However, not something you can do on the PCT or CDT.

[@billpowell5207]

Mental component of this hike is 80%; physical 20%

[@EliYoung12]

THIS. i literally said this on day 3 yesterday how accurate this comment is

[@youflatscreentube]

Hey, now you know EXACTLY what the challenges are. You got this. BTW, take the approach trail next time, the falls are amazing.

[@YTusercomment]

If you wake up and it's wet all around in your tent...you bought the wrong tent. Water splash-back around the edge of the tent into your sleep space...that's the "dirty little fact" of those expensive ultralight tents they don't disclose. I'll gladly carry a tent that weighs 2 more pounds that keeps me dry.

[@amynapier3551]

A typical thru hike doesn't last 3-4 months. However I appreciated hearing your thoughts and wish you the best on your AT journey.

[@EliYoung12]

thank you! I am excited about the new journey

[@nsrvtqc]

So you were not prepared at all. Did you even go camping before? Smh

[@EliYoung12]

I’ve been camping like twice before this haha

[@douglaswood3083]

Hiking the AT is like basic training in the service. But 5 or 6 months instead of 5 or 6 weeks! And you are not getting paid! And it is costing you 2 to 4 grand! I like hiking, but at the 90 minute mark, my hips are screaming from the arthritis. And I am bored. Everyone is different.

[@EliYoung12]

yeah everyone takes a thru hike for different reasons

[@fiedelmina]

you say you did lots of preparation.... but it sounds like you didn't ever take a hike before attempting the AT nor camping out in the woods a couple nights as a test. you never even tried out your rain jacket in realistic conditions? That's just ridiculous.

[@jibberishusername8428]

are you trying again this year? i am going there. also not sure if you have hiked before but one tip that a lot of successful thru hikers have done is start slow, like 4-8 miles a day for the first couple of weeks before switching to 10-15 mile days.

[@EliYoung12]

yeah i am trying again this year! not committing to a thru hike but i am going back to see what happens!

[@markwalker4485]

I think most people just don’t understand exactly how far the trail is. Before I even thought about the attempt I mapped out the distance using places I knew very well to gauge the distance. It sunk in very quick just how far the trail is with out even taking into account the terrain. I was lucky only due to where and when I had trekked in various evil terrains before. And the bonus of the fact I was training in the Northern Rocky Mountains where the oxygen is much lower. And I had a really connected family member that was “Clinger” from the old MASH tv show good at moving my kit around and actually getting me the kit I needed.. The AP is a lot more than a 10 day bace camping trip.

[@jedgarren2901]

Pain is just weakness leaving the body✊️

[@EliYoung12]

I have heard this haha

[@frankynodots]

Appreciate your candor.

[@EliYoung12]

thank you

[@paganed]

Random cat noises on the trail .. can't sleep ..

[@EliYoung12]

i like the random noises

[@davidkendall6801]

Trey is your new trail name?

[@EliYoung12]

three

[@kgwash]

Cat does not want you to go back...dad, stop talking about leaving me.

[@EliYoung12]

she is the most vocal cat

[@tarantellalarouge7632]

what about bears and psycho killers ? or even psycho bears ?

[@todd4480]

Bear spray or gun.

[@EliYoung12]

bear spray, and you just walk past the psychos

[@EliYoung12]

lol no gun

[@tarantellalarouge7632]

@@EliYoung12 thanks for the answers, here in France we have very few bears, the government is struggling to maintain 20 of them in the Pyrénées mountains, but the hunters keep on killing them, very sad .... and we don't have many serial killers on the loose. I saw a movie "Cocaine Bear", last year, about a true story in the wild, the USA are really an unbelievable country ! Sometimes I pay a visit but I stay mainly in big cities. I like your videos very much, thanks

[@walkerpercy8702]

If I started a thru hike I would quit immediately. I like day hiking tho.

[@EliYoung12]

it’s not for everyone.

[@mayatuck]

3-4 months? 😂 It doesn't sound like you knew what you were getting into.

[@mommysilkers]

no intro no nothing just hyperfixation

[@wfr1108]

intros are annoying imo

[@EliYoung12]

i dont want to dilly or dally

[@mommysilkers]

okay well watch out for skin walkers

[@loua.1462]

3-4 MONTHS?! Damn, are you in some kind of hurry? I can tell you this buddy, the average is NOT 3-4 months! You better do some pre-A.T. calculations or this will be your 2nd FAIL. I'm not saying it's not doable---just not very realistic (FOR MOST). I'd say that for MOST, somewhere between 4-5 (and closer to 5) is actually pretty fast. Well, good luck!

[@wfr1108]

good video, I'd judge quitters harshly but I'm 18 and never hiked more than like three or four days in a row

[@EliYoung12]

its a different world on the AT

[@drewwilliamforbush2927]

most people with the intention to thruhike the AT quit. I wouldnt judge the quitters, but would give even more respect to those with the dedication and grit to finish.

[@wfr1108]

second comment fr wish I had a friend to do this with. I think I could manage probably. Would just mess up my head if I went alone. Plus like when tf do I have 3-4 months to spare? "spare march-june? spare march-june please?" GA native btw, used to the weather

[@EliYoung12]

you could do a week at a time. (section hiking)

[@chriskelly6559]

Please know that 3-4 months to finish is haulin' ass. Average hiker will plan on 5-6 and won't make it. Success rate is 20%, give or take a couple of points. Also, if you start in March rather than Jan., Feb., you'll not be alone, lots of bubbles.

[@Jamesgeeee]

It’s a manufactured hike . Go hike for a week . 6 months hiking to mt katahdin is pointless … it’s not mt Everest … it’s a very small mountain in middle of nowhere Maine

[@RC-qf3mp]

1:03 pro tip: edit out the parts where you pick your nose.

[@EliYoung12]

lol true

[@Dark_outlaw]

Get a job

[@EliYoung12]

who

[@Dark_outlaw]

@@EliYoung12 you

[@ClassicVillainz]

@@Dark_outlaw FREEDOM!!!

[@Our_Patterns]

lol

[@thestumpnocker603]

I would add to your list expectations. 3 to 4 months, really. At 105 day (3 1/2 months), you would need to hike 21 miles a day no zeroes or neroes. Yes it can be done, and is by conditioned hikers. Start by getting real. 6 + months and then maybe you will see the terminus.

[@EliYoung12]

true, 6 months is a real thing. i agree