Thru-Hiker Slang

Inspired by Dan’s comment last week, I’ve decided to do a post on the terms thru-hikers use on the trail when chatting with other thru-hikers. This is not an exhaustive list, but I think it covers much of the peculiar vocabulary of this group.

AYCE– All you can eat. Of course, the first term in this list has to do with food, which is on the mind of thru-hikers about 90% of the time. Refers to the all-you-can-eat buffets found in some towns.

Base Weight– Weight of all of one’s gear, not counting consumables like food, fuel, and water.

Blow-down– Trees that have fallen across the trail and have to be climbed over or walked around.

Bounce Box– A mailed package with food or gear sent to a hiker, if not opened the hiker can forward it to themselves for free, to be picked up in a town further up the trail. As long as it is not opened, this can be repeated over and over. On the PCT I had shoes sent to me when I thought I might need them, but the ones I had were still good so I kept bouncing the package up the trail until my existing shoes wore out and then I opened the box at the next post office where it was waiting for me.

Bushwhack– Walking where there is no trail.

Camel Up– At a water source, drinking as much water as you can before heading on.

Car Wash– Walking through wet brush after a rain.

Cowboy Camping– Not using a shelter, sleeping under the stars.

Crushing– Hiking a lot of miles every day, usually >25

Flip-flop– A non-continuous hike. For instance hiking a section of the trail then encountering deep snow, getting a ride further up the trail where there is no snow, and continue walking. Later in the season, after the snow is gone, coming back and hiking the section you missed.

Garage Sale– After a night of rain and packing up wet, you stop when you encounter a sunny spot along the trail. You get all you gear out and drape it over rocks and bushes and trees to let it dry in the sun. It looks like you’re having a garage sale.

Hiker Box – A box in a hiker-frequented area like a hostel where hikers can donate gear or food they don’t want or need for other hikers to take and use. Can’t stand the thought of eating another packet of ramen? Leave it in the hiker box for someone hungrier than you. Need a tent stake? Check the hiker box.

Hiker Midnight– Usually sundown.

Hiker Trash– A derogatory term for a thru-hiker, but often used ironically amongst thru-hikers.

LASHer– Long Ass Section Hiker – Section hikes of hundreds to thousands of miles. See Section Hiker below.

LNT– Leave No Trace. The goal of a real thru-hiker for every campsite.

NERO– Nearly zERO- meaning very few trail miles hiked that day.

NoBo– Northbound- the overall direction of travel.

Posthole– Breaking through the top crust of snow and sinking up to your knee or deeper. Very difficult and injury prone situation.

PUD– Pointless up and down- where the trail takes you up and over a hill, when it could have just as easily gone around.

Section Hiker– Hiking part, but not all of a trail in one season.

Slack pack– Hiking without most of your gear. Say a friend with a car meets you along the trail. The next day they take most of your gear to your next camping spot and you hike the trail with a day pack. That’s slack packing.

SoBo– Southbound- the overall direction of travel.

Stealth Camping– Setting up camp in a way no one is likely to find you. Often used when the legality of camping there may be in question.

Thru-hike– Hiking all of a long trail in one season.

Town Pull– The tendency for hikers to speed up significantly the closer they get to a town.

Trail Angel– An amazing person who offers food, drink, shelter, a ride, or any other kindness to hikers. These folks often go way out of their way to help out. Hence: Angel status!

Trail Family (aka Tramily)- A group of hikers you meet along the trail and end up hiking with.

Trail Magic– Unexpected food or drink along the trail. Often Trail Angels will leave a cooler full of drinks and snacks along the trail for hikers.

Vitamin I– Ibuprofen.

Vortex– A phenomenon in which a thru-hiker has great difficulty leaving a town or other pleasant place to return to the trail and continue their hike. They get stuck into the vortex.

Yogi– When a hiker tries to get a ride or food or water or assistance from a stranger. This is often done without directly asking. For instance, at a trailhead one might say to a day hiker, “Hi, I’m hiking the trail and I’m trying to figure a way to get into town. Do you know where the road is?” (This is usually where I give them one of my hiking business cards.) (The term “To Yogi” comes from the cartoon character Yogi the Bear who was always trying to acquire a picnic basket from the tourists.)

Yo-yo– When someone thru-hikes the whole trail then turns around and thru-hikes it back to where they started.

Zero– A day when zero trail miles were walked. Usually a day off in town.

Until next week safe travels and Happy Trails…