AT HIKER GLOSSARY

For those of you interested in such things...

Thru-hiker = one who hikes from Georgia to Maine (or the reverse) in one year
Section hiker = one who hikes large sections of the trail over several years
Day hiker = one who hikes on the AT on day trips (often the best bet for getting trail magic)
NOBO = a northbound hiker
SOBO = a southbound hiker
Flip-flop = thru-hiking the trail in sections, not in geographical order
GAME = Georgia to Maine
MEGA = Maine to Georgia
Zero = a day of zero mileage, for rest, relaxation, and resupply
Nero = a short day of hiking (nearly zero miles), with R&R
Yogi-ing = the act of looking starving to trick picnic-ers into giving you some food
Trail magic = unexpected acts of kindness encountered along the trail, such as a cooler of cold sodas, snack food at a trail junction, a ride into town, a free place to spend the night, etc.
Trail angel (or trail magician) = one who provides trail magic
Shelter or Lean-to = generally a 3-sided building with a sleeping platform, free for all hikers to spend a night in
Campsite = flat area, pad or wooden platform for tenting
Huts = fully enclosed, full service AMC resorts, $100 a night, or work for a free floor space
Bridge = foot bridge or road bridge over large rivers
Bog bridge = wood plank or split log bridging small trickles or mud holes
Ford = river crossing with no bridge or convenient stepping rocks, boot removal is necessary
Trail town = towns which the AT passes thru or near, providing key hiker services such as shuttles, laundry, grocery, internet, hostel
Shuttle = cheap or free rides to and from town
Hostel = cheap bunk room
Maintainer = volunteer who keeps the trail corridor free of obstacles (branches, blowdowns, etc.)
Ridgerunner = person paid to patrol a high-use section of trail and to offer advice and assistance as needed
Caretaker = person paid to live at a shelter/campsite for the summer, to maintain and care for the site
Privy = aka outhouse, may be a simple hole in the ground or solar composting