Bear Bagging: Hang your food up high for protection.
Blue-blazer: A hiker who chooses an alternative route to the original.
Bounce box: A resupply box that is repeatedly sent along the trail.
Bushwhack: Hiking a path that is overgrown or not accessible.
Cache: A hidden supply of food, water or more for later access.
Camel Up: Drinking a lot of water at a water source before hiking along.
Cat Hole: A hole you dig for using the bathroom in the outdoors.
Cowboy Camping: Sleeping under the stars without a tent.
Dry camp: Finding a campsite without water.
FKT: Fastest Known Time – the fastest “official” time that anyone has completed a trail.
Flamingo: Sink into a deep section of snow with only one leg.
Flip-flop: Walking the trail in a non-continuous line, switching directions.
Glissading: Slid down a mountain on purpose. Use your rain pants for speed.
Gray Water: Dirty dishwater or water from washing clothes
Hiker Box: Usually a box at hostels or trail angels where hikers place unwanted food and gear for other hikers to use.
Hiker Hunger: The feeling of feeling hungry all the time. Normally after the first couple of weeks.
Hiker Midnight: The time when most hikers go to sleep normally as soon as it gets dark.
Hiker Trash: A hiker that develops a certain smell and who carries dirt like a trophy. Hard to describe, you know it when you own it.
HYOH: Hike your own hike.
LASH: Inspired by our girl Woodstock. Long Ass Section Hike. Hike an unusually long section.
Mail Drop: A resupply package that is sent ahead when no supermarket is accessible.
Nero: Hiking almost zero miles in a day. 1 night in town.
Nobo: Northbound – hiking the trail from south to north
Posthole: Sink hip deep into snow.
Privy: An outhouse
Purist: A hiker who wants to hike the official route of, with no exceptions.
Register: A log book we can sign and leave messages in.
Resupply: Refilling our food supply for the next stretch.
Section Hiker: Somebody who hikes a portion or section of a long trail.
Sobo: Southbound – hiking from north to south
Switchback: A sharp turn in the trail, like a zigzag down or up a mountain.
Thru-Hike: Hiking an entire long trail in one season.
Trail Angel (Tramily): Somebody who treats hikers nicely and offers food, drinks, a ride, a place to stay or a chance to do laundry.
Trail Blazing: Being the first hiker to walk through a section.
Trail family: The people that you meet on the trail and hike with.
Trail Magic: Unexpected food or help on the trail from someone
Trail name: The name another hiker gives you. Once you hike, this is what people will call you.
Triple Crowner: A hiker who has completed the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail
Vitamin I: Ibuprofen.
Yellow Blazer: A hiker who gets a car ride and skips a section of the trail. Yellow for a cap.
Zero: Hiking zero miles in a day. 2 nights. Equals a rest day.
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