[pct-l] Choices and Completion Rates

[Brick Robbins]

On Thu, Sep 2, 2010 at 2:35 PM,  <ned at mountaineducation.org> wrote:
> With the completion rate of a PCT thru hike at about 30%, something must not be going as anticipated. Is it an issue of planning, preparation, skills, experience, a series of mistakes, hopeful ignorance, judgment, injury, illness, training, loneliness, fatigue...? How can we help future thrus avoid the pitfalls, get through the challenges, and succeed in having their "hike of a lifetime?" That is what this discussion is all about. Are we encouraging aspiring hikers in a successful course of planning, preparation, and action? With this completion rate, I question it.<

Have a read of the Thruhiker Papers
http://www.spiriteaglehome.com/THP_top.html

I don't think poor-planning or lack of the right gear has anything to
do with the drop out rate.

I think it has to do with desire and expectations. I think Jim is
right when he says on http://www.spiriteaglehome.com/THP_reality.html:

'But the main reasons for not finishing are head and heart reasons -
what some might call lack of will. The Trail is a head game - and a
heart game. One of the more interesting reasons for going home is that
some people learn what they went out there to learn - and there's no
longer any reason for them to stay. Sometimes what they learn is that
they don't care enough about going all the way to put up with the bugs
and heat and rain....