There is no question that thru-hiking communities tend to be pretty homogeneous. Here are some stats from the PCT Class of 2018 (and a similar survey from the AT):
56.7% of survey respondents identified as male, 43.1% female, and 0.2% as genderqueer. 65.2% of hikers are between 20 and 34, and a whopping 90.7% are Caucasian. 49.5% have a bachelor’s degree, and an additional 22% have a graduate degree (making a total of 71.5% of hikers have postsecondary education).
For a full analysis of this survey, check out Halfway Anywhere 2018 PCT Hiker Survey. He does a great job of in-depth analysis of the yearly PCT thru-hiker class, and it’s one of the most helpful planning resources I used for my thru.
The result of this homogeneity is that a lot of the stories told about thru-hiking come from the same kinds of people. Jenny Bruso has made it her goal to tell the stories of those she calls “Unlikely Hikers” —at, queer, POC, women, trans, and beyond. By doing so, she wants to encourage and build a welcoming community to people of all backgrounds. One of the ways that Jenny tells these stories is through her fantastic Instagram page. You can find some selections from that page featured below.
She also hosts group hikes all over the country. If you are interested in taking part in one of Jenny’s Unlikely Hiker hikes, check out her events page here on her blog.
Further reading
Privilege and Thru-Hiking: Food for ThoughtI've done a mountain of research in the past few months preparing for my March thru-hike start date. This research has allowed me to observe some trends in the outdoor community. I've joined a few ultralight backpacking groups on Facebook,…Read More
I Was Made for This Outdoor LifeSlowly, I make my way up the mountain. My trail family has already made it to the top of Spy Rock and has been waiting there for a while. They move much, much faster than me. Doubt begins to creep…Read More
Trail So White- Why The Trail Needs More DiversityThe trail is teeming with diversity. It's a very diverse group of white men. White men from all over with all different backgrounds and stories. But they are white, white, ultralight, white. I have so much love and respect for…Read More
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You can call me Samwise (or Sam). I attempted to thru-hike the PCT in 2017, but it turned into more of a LASH (long-ass section hike). I am a proud Canadian, and I revel in spending time in the woods with my partner and over-exuberant labrador mix.
Comments3
stealthblew : Mar 12th
I would encourage everyone to refuse to let goverments or social media type cast us into demographics. We are in fact all children of the world.
Comments 3
I would encourage everyone to refuse to let goverments or social media type cast us into demographics. We are in fact all children of the world.
Love the Unlikely Hikers!