Trail Terms to Know

Types of People on the Trail

SOBO southbound

NOBO northbound

FLIP FLOP(er) Starting at some point on the trail (typically the middle, but it does not have to be), hiking to one terminus, returning to that same point and hiking to the other terminus.

SECTION HIKER Hiking only a section of the trail (ie: Port Clinton to Delaware Water Gap).

LASH(er) Long A$$ Section Hike(r)

TRAIL ANGEL someone who takes care of hikers

TRAMILY trail family

SLACKPACKING hiking without the bulk of your backpacking gear. Typically your gear at a hostel or with a trail angel and you get it back at the end of the day.

HIKER TRASH A term of endearment for those in the long-distance hiking community who have chosen to ditch social norms and live another way while on a trail journey.

YOYO-ING/ER completing a thru-hike in one direction, then immediately turning around to begin another in the opposite direction.

RIDGERUNNER Someone hired by the ATC to look over a section of the trail. These people are trained in Leave No Trace principles and in the management concerns for their section of the Trail. They continuously walk their section of the trail, talk to hikers, making sure they’re okay and answering questions, and noting parts of the trail that need upkeep so that they can pass on the word to the appropriate entity.

On the Trail

WHITE BLAZING Hiking the official AT Trail

PINK BLAZING Chasing a girl while on trail

BANANA BLAZING Chasing a boy while on trail

AQUA BLAZING Canoe/kayaking from one section to another portion of the trail, instead of hiking it

RETRO BLAZING Hiking a section of the trail that is now “old” because it has since been re-routed

BROWN BLAZING Bathroom break

BLUE BLAZING Side trails, often leading to water or shelters but can also lead to viewpoints or other things

BUSHWACKING Hiking off trail for any reason, often into wild terrain where you may feel the need to whack bushes out of your way (maybe you missed a turn in the trail or you need to take a bathroom break, etc…)

SILK BAZING First on trail in the morning; blazes through the spider webs for others

PLATINUM BLAZING The practice of enjoying the finer or “premium” off-trail opportunities, typically platinum blazers stay in nicer hotels in towns, compared to the cheap or free Hostel’s. For example: a Platinum Blazer may eat food at restaurants more often than eat trail food, or always stay at the nice hotels rather than camp or stay in hostels

Town-Related Terms

ZERO DAY taking day off

NERO DAY  or “nearly a zero day” which in essence is not spending the entire day in town resting like you would doing a zero. Usually it means getting into town in the morning, doing laundry/resupply/mail, then packing out and getting back on the trail before sundown and camping on the trail.

VORTEX feeling like staying in town

MAIL DROP the act of having gear and/or supplies mailed to you at towns along the trail.

RESUPPLY buying food

General

TO YOGI making people want to give

TRAIL MAGIC unexpected act of kindness

HYOH hike your own hike

LNT leave no trace

PUDS pointless ups and downs.

TRAIL LEGS getting stronger while hiking

SHAKEDOWN Both the practice of an actual hike with your gear to test it and decide if it works for you, as well as going through your gear and removing unnecessary weight, or replacing heavier gear with lighter.

MACGYVERED IT Repaired trail gear with what ever was available. ie: repaired tent, shoes, rain gear with duct tape.

MOUNTAIN MONEY toilet paper

CAMEL UP Drinking lots of water at a water source so that you do not have to carry as much water on the trail

HIKER MIDNIGHT when the sun goes down, this is typically when most hikers go to sleep

HIKER HUNGER When you are constantly hungry all the time because your body is in a caloric deficit