Trail Lexicon

For those of you new to the hiking world, below are some words and phrases that are unique to the trail. They are listed in no particular order.

PUD : an acronym formed from “Pointless Ups and Downs”. This phrase is likely most often heard on the Appalachian Trail which is famous for steep grades and frequent elevation changes.

Yogi : This is a verb and refers to the act of begging/asking for food. Some hikers use it as a strategy to cut weight by carrying minimal food and hoping to “yogi” food from others on the trail if they cut their food supply too much.

Puffy: A light weight quilted jacket stuffed with down or a synthetic fill.

Bonus miles: Any miles hiked that don’t work toward reaching the final destination. It could be going to town for resupply, taking side trail for vistas, hiking to shelters located off trail, or getting lost.

SOBO: Southbound hiker. Rhymes with go-go.

NOBO: Northbound hiker.

Cruizy: Easy trail.

Bear hang or “hang”: The act of hanging food and/or scented articles from a tree limb in the hopes of preventing bears from accessing it.

PCT hang: A specific technique for hanging food from a tree.

Zero: Taking a day off from hiking, usually spent in town.

Nero: Spending most of the day off trail, usually in town.

Tramily: A random group of hikers who join forces to hike the trail. That can mean simply camping together at the end of the day or actually hiking together.

Yellow Blazing: Skipping part of the trail by getting a ride in a car.

Blue Blazing: Taking a side trail for the purposes of reaching a vista, historical site, etc.

Flip Flop: Hiking the trail in an unconventional manner, i.e., not in a continuous footpath. Usually it means starting in the middle and proceeding toward a terminus then returning to the middle and completing the rest of the trail.

The Bubble: The mass of hikers starting the trail at the traditionally optimal time. For the AT the bubble typically starts in early spring and moves north as the season progresses.

Trail Magic: An unexpected uplifting occurrence on the trail, typically in the form of food. This can range from a full blown picnic to finding a bag of raisins that someone dropped by accident.

Trail Angel: A person who does something nice for hikers out of the goodness of their heart.

Bear Can or Canister: A large container made of tough plastic, carbon fiber or similar material which protects food from bears. Bear cans can be carried inside a pack or strapped to the outside.

Slack Pack: To hike a section of trail without your backpack. There are many scenarios for how this can work. In some cases it allows the hiker to do a section in a direction that results in significant downhill hiking whereas the normal direction of travel would be uphill.

Green Tunnel: Usually refers to travel on the Appalachian Trail where dense foliage means views are limited. Sometimes the trail cuts through heavy rhododendron growth that feels very much like traveling through a tunnel.

Bear Box: A large metal box located at shelters or campsites for the purpose of protecting food from bears. Unfortunately, these boxes are often confused for trash containers.

Bear Cable: A steel cable

Hiker Trash: The self-deprecating name hikers use to describe themselves.

Yard Saling: The act of unloading a pack and spreading the contents over a broad area. In a shared space this can be rather obnoxious. Sometimes it is with a purpose such as drying gear after an extended rainy period.

Camel Up: To drink a lot of water at a water source. This can mean having to carry less water to the next watering hole. It is also a strategy to survive in arid conditions when water sources are scarce.

Hiker Midnight: For the most part, thru hikers and section hikers are not concerned with sing-alongs around the campfire. After a long day on the trail they need rest. Most will try to go to sleep around 9 PM if not earlier and this has come to be known as “hiker midnight.”

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A Cold Look at Hypothermia