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11 Types of People You Meet on a Hike
Trail time means different things to different people. There are those who take hiking as seriously as a standardized test; others float across the forest as if they left their mind back at the trailhead.
Maybe for you, it’s all about something else completely.
Whether you’re new to the outdoors, returning from a long sabbatical or just an average trail junkie, there’s a good chance you’ll run into the following hikers at some point. Some are friendly; some not so much.
Subscribe to proper trail etiquette and greet each one with a warm smile or head nod, no matter how menacing they appear. Looks are deceiving, and someone with a ugly mug could give you vital advice like, “hey, there’s a giant bolder blocking the trail ahead” or “we just ran into a great grizzly a half mile ago—watch out!”
So it’s cruel (to yourself) not to be kind. Note: The following pictures are from Flickr’s Creative Commons, and the corresponding write up does not necessarily represent those pictured.
1. The Boy Scouts – These little trouble makers look like the kids from Stand by Me. Maybe they have no business being on the trail, but chances are their parents aren’t far behind. Update: The picture below is actually of cub scouts, not boy scouts. We apologize for any confusion.
2. The Awkward Couple – Are they brother and sister? Are they married? Did they just meet in the parking lot? Let these questions swirl while you bypass them with a friendly wave.
3. The Crazy College Kids – They tend to roam in large packs and participate in questionable and potentially even illegal activities. Aside from those attributes, they’re also the most friendly and welcoming.
4. The Mysterious Lady + Cute Puppy – Much like some mystical apparition, she glides across the leafy ground and acknowledges you just enough to make you wonder if she actually did. Then a baby dog pokes his head from her carrier, and you wonder if she even knows it’s there. You start to say something, and just like that, she’s gone.
5. The Hardcore Hikers – Much like that mysterious lady, they appear out of nowhere and immediately leave you in the dust. However, during your five-second encounter, they make you feel completely inferior on every level—from your clothes, to your hiking gear, to your floundering athletic ability.
6. The Drunk Guy – Yep, that’s a Budweiser and a cigarette. This guy either really knows how to have a good time, or you’ll see him further up the trail passed out.
7. The Prison Escapee – Nobody knows if he just busted out of jail in Shawshank fashion. But you’re on the trail alone with him now. Best to buck up, break into a cold sweat, say “hello” and an even faster “goodbye.”
8. The Sweet Older Couple – Proof that you can be active at any age. Older hikers inspire the younger, out-of-breath chaps to strive for a life of health and fitness.
9. The Out-of-Shape Dude – As he shuffles along the pathway, you cross your fingers and hope he doesn’t straight up collapse in front of you. Hurry up and pass him unless he is in really bad shape. If that’s the case, just offer the poor guy some water.
10. The Slow-Walking Family – They take up the entire trail and they don’t move out of the way even if they see you quickly approaching. The nerve!
11. The Benchwarmers – The harder the trail, the less likely it will be lined with cozy benches. For these folks, it’s like lazy moths to a couch-shaped flame.
(Images via Flickr via fotoecke, exalthim, rsnyderpsc, heather, rickmccharles, chriggy, sultmhoor, mikebaird, burlyinthebay, nics_events)
(35) Readers Comments
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11 Types of People You Meet on a Hike
A fixture of our local mountains is the random naked runner A f
75 Reasons to Hike the Appalachian Trail
I really love this list. I'm 17 and have been planning on thru hiking
75 Reasons to Hike the Appalachian Trail
You are correct. Two statistics were incorrectly combined. I have upda
~willow~
A fixture of our local mountains is the random naked runner A focused but cheery sort in excellent shape, he wears nothing but a pair of professional running shoes and an infectious grin, remembered long after he’s passed. There’s nothing creepy or preverse about him. He is just exhileratingly free.
I admit the event is much more random in winter.
~willow in utah~
Ratty
These days, there’s another brand of hiker out there: groups of women hiking together, like the Trail Dames. We’re everywhere, and we’re having a blast!
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Shepherd
How about the “lost dude”? He is the overly ambitious but underskilled guy who is trecking without a map or compass and is just sooo glad to have met you.
Mr.Thomas
Love the list. So very true. For the record, this awkward couple was married while doing a difficult, extremely muddy hike in Kauai, Hawaii for this picture. :)
Alex
wow, along my life I’ve been in three of those categories, scouts, college kid and experienced hiker(rot really, but give me this one). so i guess i look forward to becoming an old Swedish couple.
Also, you forgot crazy rituals folks.
Emma
You forgot the inappropriately dressed group – we once met a group running away from a snake in Australia in high heel boots. They kept sinking into the sand. Sometimes seen in flip-flops on rough trails (we call flip-flops thongs in Australia, but I didn’t want Americans to get confused about what I mean by “inappropriately dressed”).
Jeremiah
You forgot Asian group, holding up peace-sign and taking photos, with you in them as if they know you.
LOL
Emily
As a #3 (crazy college kid), I can personally attest that there is no greater feeling than being on the trail, far away from all books, exams, and papers. I think that excitement may contribute to our enthusiasm. :)
Janet
Since I’m a trail runner, I feel like I was left out…. but love the descriptions.
eilene1226
We are the dog people that everyone says you should add. Although our two dogs are perfectly behaved and leashed at all times, but one weighs 130 pounds, so a few people give us a wide berth just in case! What always amazes me are the people that run right up and stick their hand on the dog before they ask if she is friendly. Good thing she’s a big lover.
I also qualify as sweaty girl. Why does it always look like I am working harder than everyone else on the trail? It’s the same hike. What is wrong with me?
Bill
Since #10, the slow-walking family, doesn’t quite fit our family, I offer…
#12 – Loud, often-singing, family that stops at every photo opportunity…but generally gets out of the way of other hikers. They’ll take your photo, if you ask them, and you know they won’t run off with your camera.
I enjoyed this funny list. Thanks.
Andrew
Tom, it’s obvious that #7′s a prison escapee. It’s not the beard, or the baldness, or any of that. It’s the smile. Or I should say, lack of smile. The face devoid of any emotion. The soulless eyes that say I’m going to shank you and still not feel any emotion. The soulless eyes that scream out I wasn’t loved as a child and still just want some lovin’. Yes, those eyes speak volumes.
liz
I just started to hike not to long ago and i’m so exited to meet and talk to great people that enjoy the outdoors..
Hiking Lady
So funny yet so true! I love the description and pictures :)
hikingff77
I like to believe I can still be the crazy college kids, but I’m normally a combination between 3, 5 & 6 but not nearly as old or out of shape as the out of shape dude. And no cigs or, ack, BUDWEISER.
Hamilton Shields
In Japan my favorite is the combo “Sweet Older Couple” and the “Drunk Guy.” The Drunk Sweet Older Couple are always funny, energetic, and if they are eating lunch close to you you’ll probably score a free tipple and some homemade treats.
The other here is the “Just Asked the guy at REI What I Need for a 6k Hike with a 300m Climb and Easy Train Access from Tokyo and he Sold me this Expedition pack and Everything in it.” But I tend to feel more pity for them…
Anna
As a Mysterious Lady, sans pooch, I concur with Craig. Your intrigue is completely justified–Ha, ha! In reality my solo jaunts are usually one of two things: either I felt like hearing a little silence for a change or I couldn’t get my city friends to commit to a weekend in bear-infested waters. Another type I’ve seen is the After Church/Sunday Best Hiker. They mince delicately up muddy trails in high heels or polished wingtips, their children in tow in uncomfortable little sport coats and velvet dresses with bows. Mind-boggling.
Chriggy
Hi, I’m “The drunk guy” pictured. For the record, passing out was not done till 4am at the campsite, and I had a good time :)
However, I (not ClintJCL) am the original owner of the pic, so please fix the attribution. Here’s the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriggy/656959918/
Ed
Haha. Pretty spot on. I’ve most often met the hardcore hikers and the sweet older couple. You do need to add the runner / fell runner. One top of one mountain, an old man ran up, in 70s type shorts (prob bought them in the 70s), vest, no bag. Summited & then proceeded to run off to the next peak!
Jeanette K.
Alex, I see that affectionate young couple EVERYWHERE! The movie theater, the mall, the grocery store, the airport…. ah young love! lol
Alex
Great collection of stereotypical people you meet on the trail. I’ve seen all these kinds of people. I know the list can’t be infinite in length, but I just want to ‘second’ some previous suggestions. (1) “The runner.” I always see them on the trail. Short trails, medium trails, long trails. What the hiker views as a tough days section hike, these guys think makes a great 1 or 2 hour run. And they amazingly do it all with a small little water bottle, at best. (2) The “affectionate young couple” (low 20′ish to mid 30′ish years old) tends to be another group I see all the time [their affection can sometimes be mildly nauseauting... but I digress]. You’ll usually find them holding hands as they walk up even tough, technical slopes, where they should be having both hands free for balance… but they risk it for love. :)
slinky
woooooow. It’s called a joke, people (Brian, Becky, Tom, etc). Chill out! Relax. Laugh!
I thought it was funny and mostly applicable. Looking forward to future installments that include the hikers with dogs, the creepy homeless guy, the purists who look down on everyone, the tree hugging hippy… etc etc etc.
Jeanette K.
Brian, there are certainly more types that haven’t been covered. Look for “The Happy Couple” in our follow-up post in a few weeks :).
Brian
I don’t “get” the awkward couple. I guess I don’t because my girlfriend and I hike together sometimes so we are probably in that category because we don’t hike enough to be #5. So, what makes people like us awkward? Because we don’t fit the prototypical hiker stereotype?
Kristin
Yeah you totally forgot the dog people and treehuggers!!lol this post is too much LMFAO!!!!!!!!! you rock=)
Dan
OMG! REALLY???? People are leaving comments that “Those are cub scouts you have pictured…” and “OK so the guy is an escaped convict because he has a beard and he’s by himself?” COME ON PEOPLE! Would it have really mattered to the gist of the story if the author talked about seeing a troop of brownies and had a picture of a Pillsbury box? NO! And the prison guy is pretty scary looking with his arms crossed. Probably hiding a shank he MacGyvered from the bones of his dead cell mate.
Becky
You forgot the dog people who have 3 large dogs and don’t believe in leashing them on the trail despite the rule that says dogs must be leashed at all times. The dogs get all muddy and jump on the other hikers, who hate dogs.
Craig
After this weekends walk, I think I fit the #9 category (sadly)
Always intrigued by the The Mysterious Lady
Michael
I miss the jogger. There’s always some hardcore guy or girl that looks at a 12 mile+ hike as a decent length for running. Just as #5 has all the right gear the jogger wears running shoes, tights and shirt, and maybe a little water.
Tom
OK so the guy is an escaped convict because he has a beard and he’s by himself? Idiotic. Some of the friendliest and most interesting people I’ve met while hiking have looked just like this.
Celia
I’ve run into them too. On my facebook page, on portlandhikers.org. They’re everywhere. ;-)
Graydon Gorby
“1. Boy Scouts”
Those aren’t Boy Scouts in your picture, they are Cub Scouts. Specifically Tiger Scouts, so they are most likely in the First Grade (aged 6-7). At age 11 (or after they finish the Fifth Grade) they transition from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.
Granted, 11 year olds on the trail provide a different dynamic that 6 year olds, but they change a great deal over five years. Cub Scouts should remain on trails in local community parks.
My son’s Boy Scout Troop is hiking the Appalachian Trail this summer and they limit the experience to those aged 13 or over so you are talking about boys who are in High School on the Trail.
At that age they pack out everything they pack in, including used toilet paper. So other than a higher level of exuberance than anyone else on the Trail (except for maybe ‘The Drunk Guy’), they are are quite responsible Trail Citizens.
Regards,
Graydon Gorby
Cincinnati, OH
boy_scout
Those are cub scouts you have pictured…
Russ
I laughed out loud at the Awkward Couple. I’m a #5 and run into them constantly.