I attempted a thru hike in 2005.  The thing about hiking is, doing it is a lot more difficult than talking about it. Something like 60% of thru hikers give up in the first 20 miles of their 2100 mile hike.<p>That being said, of course there are people like in this article, but they&#x27;re only at the shelters that are close to town. Walk a bit away from the town, and you&#x27;re golden.<p>Walking 15 miles into the woods to &quot;party&quot; is a huge ask. Shitty people are lazy.<p>The real story behind all of this is how young &#x2F; homeless &#x2F; disenfranchised people are turning to the trail as an outlet &#x2F; support group. That is more interesting to me, and worthy of a story, rather than judgement as doom of the trail.