Last Updated on May 15, 2019 by mountainswithmegan
You know the bro-hiker type, though he comes in many different forms. Maybe he’s got an ultra-light pack and wants to give you unsolicited advice on your gear choices and why his are better, citing everything in his pack to the gram even though you didn’t ask.
Or he’s the dude at the campsite grilling you on how many miles a day you’re making (“Oh you’re only doing 15 a day? I’m averaging 18, but next week I’m bumping up to 22, then after my first month I’m planning on doing 27 a day.”).
There’s the bro who acts like he owns the place (“I made that mountain my b****!”).
Perhaps the worst of them all is the bro-hiker who hates on female hikers (“All these girls are only out here because of WILD, and that chick wasn’t even a real thru-hiker.”).
Sometimes groups of bros clan up together, so they have fellow comrades to out-man. This is only bad if you get stuck at the same campsite as them and have to listen to them being loud and one-upping each other all evening. Spot them early in the day on the trail and they will be long gone by night fall, off to crush some miles and pretend they’re not struggling.
What’s the Problem with Toxic Masculinity in Long-Distance Hiking?
In a recent article, Why I Got Off the Pacific Crest Trail After 454 Miles, the author Vanessa talks about her interactions with bro-hikers (I recommend reading it for reference). She experienced constant competitiveness of men questioning how far she’s hiked, what day she started, and giving unsolicited advice about her gear.
While these sound like minor things and could just be conversation starters, I understand where she’s coming from. In the early phases of a thru-hike, there are an abundance of bro-hikers who want to compare themselves to others and feel like they’re better. If you’re female, a slow hiker, over-weight, older, or a combination of these things, you’re an easy target for bros who want to inflate their egos.
I’ve had men assume I don’t know what I’m doing and explain basic concepts of hiking to me. I’ve had guys ask me where I’m headed before telling me that there’s no way I’ll make it (I always do). I’ve been the only girl at a campsite, while a big group of bro-hikers take turns trying to hit on me.
The last thing was not flattering. I did not feel special because random men I didn’t know deemed me cute enough to try to claim me (or probably just try to hook up with me).
(Outside Magazine has ran a few articles recently about sexual harassment in the outdoors. Here’s one that’s pretty in depth.)
More than once, men have straight up yelled at me for being solo because “it’s dangerous for a woman”. It’s unsettling to have a man I’ve never met get in my face and yell at me. They might claim it’s dangerous for me to be alone, but them yelling at me is the most danger I’ve felt in the wilderness.
Trying to express my discomfort later in regards to these situations, I’ve had trustworthy male friends and even my ex-boyfriend (emphasis on ex) tell me to take it as a compliment or ignore it or say I’m taking it too seriously.
People always want to question women on why we don’t speak up in the moment. Would you want to speak up in the moment if you’re alone with an aggressive stranger who’s yelling? Or if you’re the only female around and feeling intimidated? No, my physical safety and personal well-being is my primary focus. Not educating creeps.
However, for every negative experience I’ve had with a bro-hiker, I’ve had dozens of positive experiences from regular guys.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
I created this blog with the intention of inspiring and giving guidance to women. However, my Google Analytics stats show me that 60% of my readers are men.
Guys message me all the time asking for beta on specific trails or just to let me know that my blog is helpful to them. Why? Because I know what I’m talking about and they trust my opinion. Me being a female does not get in the way of my experience where most people are concerned.
In 2015 in Nepal’s Everest region, I was going to base camp with an old friend. I had already done the more challenging Three Passes trek a couple months before, and a group of guys at the guest house heard about it. All day long they asked me for information about the passes, navigational tips, and my suggestions for stops along the way. They treated me as a person who had already done the trail and had insight for them.
I’ve hiked with plenty of dudes who see me as an equal and value my opinion just as much as anyone else in the group. My second trip to Nepal with my hiking partner Buckey was a good experience for me of male and female equality. We each had our own strengths, and we relied upon one another’s expertise when necessary. He was far more athletic than me, and I was more familiar with Nepal. We worked together without competition, which is how I like it.
What I’m trying to get at is that yes, bro-hikers exist and they suck. And also, most hiker guys do not fit into the bro-hiker category.
I’m not saying this to make a “not all men” argument, but to let future hikers know that there will be more grown-ass, respectful men on the trail than not.
The Inner Workings of a Bro-Hiker
For all you men and women out there who have been on the receiving end of condescending comments and intimidation, here’s something I think will make you feel better.
Those hiker-bros? They are just your average playground bullies. They act competitive because they are the ones who are insecure. They are so aware that there’s other people who are faster and stronger than them, that they have to put down the underdog to feel good about themselves.
A thru-hike is a major accomplishment that speaks for itself. There’s no need to step on others to feel good.
Times Are a-Changing
Edit: I’ve made some revisions to my original post after hearing that toxic masculinity is also a problem amongst experienced hikers as well as beginners.
Yes, it sucks that you are the person on the receiving end of this behavior. Keep hiking knowing that the following is true.
Bro culture doesn’t usually last after the beginning stages of a thru-hike. These bros drop off the trail because they don’t have what it takes to rise above.
Those who do remain on the trail don’t continue being bros. Doing a long hike is humbling. The wilderness offers enough competition, and everyone soon realizes there’s no need to squabble amongst each other. A few hundred miles of trail squashes bro culture, and the people who remain create the community that is revered as a true trail family of support and consideration.
While you may still encounter bros along the way, it will be far less the more you hike. Find a solid community and get more hiking experience under your own belt, and you will no longer be an easy target. And if you do still encounter these guys, it won’t bother you as much when you have rad people to offer emotional support.
Keep pushing through the BS, and you too will find your trail family.
This was an excellent article. As an older hiker, I am in awe of how many young women are taking to the trails and their adventurousness to do thru hikes. I think you nailed it when you referred to bro-hikers as “bullies”. It’s a lack of self esteem. While some of them have a stronger skeleton structure, it does not take into the fact that women’s bodies are shaped different. While we may be carrying extra weight on our bodies, it does not show the muscle strength, inner strength, and down right tenancy when it comes to hiking. When people tell me I am strong willed or stubborn, I take it as a complement. Keep hiking, keeping writing and thank you for a wonderful article!
Being strong willed and stubborn is totally a compliment! I agree with you. We’re all shaped differently and have our own set of strengths. It doesn’t matter how fast we go, as long as we’re trying to accomplish our personal goals.
I am on the European side, where hiking extremely long thru-hikes is less popular. As such, there is less competition, as it’s hard to make huge differences in a long-hike which takes… 8 or 10 days to complete. Not much of a difference, right? I hike solo and keep to myself on campsites. But I also spent some nights with others (in bothies) or happened to bump into some male hikers on my hikes. I am lucky that I’ve never had any creepy experience from them. No mansplaning, no hitting on me (thank goodness I’m older – 41 – and not what is commonly considered as attractive)… I had some awesome conversations with random guys met on the way. But even when I was hiking West Highland Way (probably the most popular Scottish trail, about 120 km I think) I can’t remember anyone asking when I started or how early on I started (always very late).
In my experience, I fear most what I call “Sunday tourists” – day hikers close to tourist towns, sometimes with beer in their packs and not really hikers at heart.
Ioanna
A Woman Afoot
The European style of things sounds more peaceful. I have done some day hiking in the Balkans. I would love to check out the backpacking scene in the rest of Europe. Any suggestions?
I want to say something but I’m not sure what. Maybe “I’m sorry”, or “I’m glad that there are people like you around”. Or maybe something else again. Anyway…
I can say that I quit my last job on July 7, 2005 because I decided I’d rather die than keep working there. That scene included some of the unpleasant things you mentioned, even though it had nothing to do with trails. The first thing I did after quitting was to go on a 200-mile two-week backpacking trip, which was a great first step. I haven’t worked since, and because I lucked out somehow, I haven’t needed to. Now I’m old.
I don’t know how, but at least in some areas and for some people, backpacking has become a competitive sport. People are out to set speed records. Too bad. Others cheer them on. Even worse.
In 2016, on a trip around Mt Adams in Washington State, on my last luxurious day of wallowing in the experience, I met what I think were PCT hikers going north while I was going south. Some of them were jogging. Seriously. None of them looked happy.
I waited at a narrow stream crossing for one woman going north to pass unimpeded before I crossed. As she passed me I glanced at her and said “Good morning” while standing off to one side. She didn’t reply or even look at me.
I’m not complaining that I was “dissed” or anything. I don’t deserve respect. I don’t expect respect. I’m just some random guy. I was only hoping to wish someone well.
I am sad that this woman was either too focused on getting to Canada to enjoy the trip or maybe afraid to even acknowledge that there was a stranger standing there addressing her.
Anyway, thank you for what you’ve written. I do appreciate your intelligence. Please carry on.
Yeah, like you said, this competitive scene exists everywhere. It really is too bad. Rock on though for being able to continue your adventurous lifestyle for so long. That’s awesome!
I agree with a lot of what you said in the article but I am less sure of the sentiment that its too bad that some people are competitive. Don’t get me wrong, I am on the non competitive side, but thru hiking has taught me HYOH. If they want to hike fast, good for them. Hike your own hike. What I would prefer to stem is if they try to force it on others. Again, hike your own means let them do what they want and hopefully they let you do what you want.
It never bothers me when others want miles over smiles or if they want an FKT. But disapproving of them because they want something different or just do things in a different way isn’t the best attitude in my opinion. Bros, like you said, who think they need to push their accomplishments above yours to prove away their insecurity are a problem. And I think its sad that some are so focused on hiking or running that they cant say hi, but I don’t think they are wrong.
I also know a few hikers that often hike ‘normally’ but now and then have either fast days or fast trips. So I try to give some slack and understanding when I see someone on trail doing that, maybe they are trying it out or training, basically, their goal may not be hiking.
When I think of the counter factual: should competitive people not be allowed on trail?, that just doesn’t seem right to me. They should be educated like the rest of us, and what better environment than the trail.
I agree. It’s not so much about those who are pushing for their personal best or those who find a group of friends to have some healthy competition with. Like you said, it’s more about those who want to put down others (especially those not interested in the competition) to feel better about themselves.
What a colossal bummer. I am working toward doing some long thru-hikes and I am (or was) in the same camp as Vanessa: this is going to be a wonderful experience with wonderful people (maybe 0.5% awful) because it would simply DEMAND that type of person to be doing it. *sigh*
In Vanessa’s article, she pretty much nailed it when she said this is a cultural problem:
” Most of the language we use to describe our “playground,” which truthfully is stolen land from Native American tribes, is racist: talking about “bagging peaks” or “conquering mountains” is as much part of the problem as anything else. It’s not about just one bad man or a couple of jerks, it’s about the entire culture. We all have work to do. ”
We are raised to compete. From school age on, we are taught to treat EVERYONE as a competitor. You have to be better, faster, stronger, and smarter than the person next to you or they will take your spot as a success and you will be left a failure. I absolutely abhor that culture. It is truly toxic.
Competition is not inherently bad. Evolution is natural competition. But, when it becomes the sole driver of everything that we as humans do, it eats away at our souls and there can be no peace.
I do like your final analysis: “Just keep hiking.”
On another note, I very much appreciate the fact that you do not use derogatory language or name calling in your writing. I find it refreshing, especially on topics such as this. And if you have done it, it was so well done, that I didn’t even notice it. I suppose there’s nothing “wrong” with it. It’s simply language, but I feel it girds the whole “cultural” problem mentioned above. Not sure why folks feel compelled to drop the “f” bomb or use epithets to make a point. Sometimes it can be used for dramatic effect, but maybe only once in a hundred pages. (Try asking someone to “clean” up their language and see what happens to you…)
I stumbled across your blog while looking for info on the Great Himalaya Trek. Then I stumbled on this post , and Iwas worried what it might contain, as I had aready seen Vanessa’s clouded view of the trail life. I much appreciate the more balanced approach that you took. While I am a guy, which completely discounts my views to some, I have fortunately never experienced a tpxic culture on the trail. Even as a guy, I have had other hikers provide me with helpful advice. I just thank them and maybe have a little laugh later on when it is silly or look to apply it when it is useful. Maybe my experience is different because the furthest south that I have hiked on the PCT has been the southern end of the JMT. I uave only found genuinely nice people, though. Some have been misguided in my opinion but still with their hearts in the right place.
I can’t believe that someone would yell at you. I hope that if there were others around they would have supported you, I know I would have. There’s no room for that on the trail. I’m happy that you continue to hike and can see that most of us are out there to enjoy nature and that includes our fellow man.
Amazing write up Megan. I would not say in a large extent but in Nepal somewhere this bro-hiking attitude thing exist.
Yeah, I’ve certainly experienced it on the more popular Nepal trails. Usually it comes from middle-aged foreign guys.
When reading Vanessa’s article, what I found most disheartening (and likely because it pertains to me explicitly) is the fact that WOC seemed to get snubbed within the community as well. I am well aware that I am very underrepresented in the backpacking/hiking community but we all ultimately want the same thing. I am going to the outdoors to seek clarity, adventure, and peace. When I am on the trail and have to deal with microaggressions from men and women because I don’t “look like a normal hiker” (how do normal hikers look?), it completely dampens the experience for me. It’s really unfortunate.
Yeah, it sucks that some people feel the need to act rude to hikers who don’t fit the mold, even though it’s an incredibly narrow mold. Sorry you have to deal with micro aggressions and getting snubbed.
As a guy let me apologize for the rudeness you have experienced. I am an old guy, almost 60,and just getting back into backpacking. As an archery hunter I have spent a lot of time in the wilds not on trails and get a lot of negative attitude from hikers when met on trails or camps. I have nothing but respect for anyone who spends as much time in the outdoors as most hikers . That said your time in the wilderness should be spent on iner contemplation and not competition with someone who doesn’t even know they are competing with you. A bigot is a bigot no matter where they are. Your gear may not be the same as mine, your gender and skin color may differ and no matter your attitude you will get a smile and a wave from me.
I really enjoyed your article. I agreed with many points in Vanessa’s article. When I am thru-hiking, I always find it weird when people use language like “I made that mountain my bitch!” It’s like, that mountain has been there for millions of years……it is no one’s “bitch”. It was important that she wrote it, because it addresses a real problem out there in thru hiking community. In life, you meet lots of cool people, and you meet lots of jerks. While thru hiking, you will meet cool people, and you will meet jerks. I have met friends for life while hiking, so to me the positive way outweighs the negative.
I am an older guy, been backpacking for 30 years, and what I am about to say may sound condescending, but please keep an open mind, as I do not mean any disrespect, but while I respect your feelings, I ask that you respect the feelings of we men who have spent decades working for and with women of all ages and doing our best to treat them with respect.
What people describe as “toxic masculinity” is what I would describe as simple immaturity. As far as backpacking is concerned, I prefer to go where there are as few people as possible. I go to the wilderness for solitude, which is in short supply in our world these days. The AT and the PCT are the slums of the outdoors, overrun with the very people I go to the wilderness to get away from.
I have some favorite places and I don’t tell anyone about them. They are my secret and the secret of those few people who have dared to get off the road, learn to use map and compass, and follow their curiosity into the wild.
I’m a 40 yr old dude and been hiking since I was a teenager and I can tell you the bro culture thing exists on the trails. Unfortunately it’s not just hiking but its anything from the gym, guns, hunting ect. Some people (yes women do it also) feel they have to constantly prove themselves to others. They have a mentality that they are either less or more. Hilariously this is usually because they have a serious inferiority complex and this is how they compensate for it. So it’s not necessarily a male thing as much as a human thing. Guys don’t just do it with women either they’ll do it with other men as well. This is even more humorous because on average men who are not like them are aware of what is going on and look down on them. They are kinda like the clueless children in the bunch trying to impress the adults. Men, real men, who are physically strong or knowledgeable about something or intelligent don’t have to prove it to others because they already know they are and that’s enough. Men who do are just trying to convince themselves. My advice is to just do what I do and ignore them. They’ll stumble away eventually.
Not so much the bro-hikers, but the inconsiderate jackasses who hang Bluetooth speakers off their packs like it’s the club.
No, this is nature – we come here to get away from you.
That was good for me to read. Some of those were not to far from where I have been. I’m older and much more respectful now, I gather younger men are much less toxic than when I was younger. At this point, I’m cautious about talking to women on the trail, because I’m worried they would think I’m hitting on them. I’m glad on the whole, the world is slowly getting more accessible to women
I guess I never knew what I was missing out on by hiking alone later in the day after virtually everyone else is off the trail.