What to do when your hiking group leaves you behind 

Equally, it's rude to be overly confident and sign up for hikes beyond your skill level. A reasonable hiking pace should be the responsibility of every hiker in the group.

My Dad would do this growing up and I developed a hate for hiking. Not only did he constantly slingshot my Mom, sister and me, I’d barely be pulling out my snack at the destination before it was time to head back. Fast forward 50 years and I’ve developed a love for backpacking. Though I’ll go with others, I prefer solo. When going with others, we set timing, meet-up, hiking and break rules before we start. I believe my love of backpacking is because I CAN get to my destination and then ENJOY. I love getting to camp and I love lazily waking up with coffee before I head on the following morning.

It really sucks to get left behind, then not get a rest like the faster hikers/skiers when you catch up. This is one reason I go alone. I'm not in the woods for the destination. I'm a journey hiker. I stop and look at things and identify birds and flowers. I compose pictures of nice views. Not a peak bagger.

I have experienced this myself, and also unintentionally done this to other people when I was quite inexperienced. In groups now, we often put a slower hiker in the front to set the pace, as it is really difficult for faster hikers to hold themselves back. Psychologically, it is also much worse to be 'left behind', and that can make slower hikers move progressively slower and slower as the day goes on.

Well done, and thank you for addressing this topic. I've been on both sides and agree that it is so important to discuss pacing and regrouping before the hike begins. It makes everyone more comfortable.

When I first got back into hiking 20 years ago after a long hiatus, I was the weaker, slower hiker so have experienced sling shotting many times but found people within the group who either hiked the same pace or were willing to slow their pace to hike with me. As time went on and I became stronger in my pace and abilities I started leading some hikes and always, ALWAYS set up hikes with two of the strongest hikers....one being the lead and one being the sweeper, establishing meet up/rest points along the way. The sweeper is a strong hiker who hikes at the back of the group at a slower pace.

Apart from good communication, which I fully agree, I found this to be helpful: You win a hike when you have less weak points. So don't work on your strength, work on your weak points. For example for me it was downhill in general. Then I began to purposefully workout my legs in the eccentric portion of the movement. This made my bad knee more stable and gave me a hell lot more confidence and speed downhill.

This is one of the reasons why I hike alone. Fortunately, I love going solo! There are times, however, it would be nice to hike with a group. But, I'd be stressing over keeping up which would totally lower the enjoyment level. When I hike with my adult children, I tell them to just go ahead from the trailhead. They don't wait for me, thus thoroughly enjoying their hike...and I don't have the pressure to keep up. Then, when we regroup at a lake, a summit, or back at the trailhead, we have many stories to swap! So, it's a fun day for everyone! I wouldn't have it any other way.

I don’t often hike in a group. But I have experienced this. I recall one hike a lady joined the group with no experience and was quite slow. I knew the trail. I knew she had no clue what she had just embarked on. So another person and I hiked with her at her pace encouraging her. I have no doubt it was a learning experience for her. I will never leave a person behind. I’ve seen it done and heard of it being done. Even injured people left behind. It happened to me on a bushwhack. I learned from that experience. No hiking with unknown people without a trail map. If I can’t navigate the hike alone I don’t go. Otherwise, even in a group I hike my own hike and don’t get caught up in other people’s expectations. 🤷‍♀️

I have quit hiking groups because of chronic slingshotting, whether we're hiking or kayaking or snowshoeing. We hike in the Adirondacks, and getting left behind can be dangerous for slower hikers, but I've hiked with "experienced" groups that don't believe in setting up and sticking to basic safety practices, like having a leader and a sweep. If they do it to me (or anybody) more than once, I'm history. It's a hike, not a competition. If the objective is to finish the hike and get to a favorite restaurant, I question why people bother with the hike. Fast hikers miss a lot, and leaving anyone behind is definitely rude, as well as unsafe.

Outstanding topic 😂, this was brilliantly presented!

When I'm hiking with a group our rule is that at key points (junctions, lookouts, lunch spot, etc) we wait for people to catch-up. The last person arriving is the person who says "good to go" to continue.

Its frustrating to hike with slow hikers as well. I did a throughhike last summer and someone was tagging along one day when it rained all day in close to freezing temperatures. I got so cold from the slow speed that I almost forgot to adjust my clothing and was close to becoming dangerously cold.

Oh wow, I honestly did not know that was a thing lol ... great video !!!!

If I’m out with faster hikers I do not expect them to wait up for me, I either keep pace or I don’t. I understand that my own fitness level is my own responsibility and I wouldn’t blame other people if I can’t keep up.

It's tireing to hike slower than your normal pace.waiting is a courtesy to make sure the slower hiker is okay.

Sea kayakers call it "mock waiting".

I think it's just more about finding a group whose culture aligns with yours. Some idea of the pace should be communicated well before the hike too. I've avoided joining hikes when the pace had been described as "brisk". I'm a sightseer...I like to take in the surroundings and the experience. I'm not out there just trying to get in miles. I also think that one reason group hikes appeal to me is to have other people to experience it with. If I'm hiking alone anyway... what's the point?? I also tend to do group hikes to new places so that I'm not out there on an unfamiliar trail alone. I'm not the slowest but I usually hang back with the newbies or slower crowd to offer support if they need it. I want people to feel empowered to keep hiking and not left to feel like they aren't fast enough to keep up so they should just quit.

One thing that helps me not accidentally do mini slingshotting (getting 20’ ahead and waiting over and over again) is having the slower hiker just in front so I can match their pace. Also, it seems like sometimes I have to adjust my pace 100% to the other person’s, who are unwilling to adjust their pace upward even 1%. I don’t expect anyone to hike faster than they can hike but them shifting up 1 gear if they have it in them and me shifting down 3 gears instead of me having to shift down 4 gears doesn’t seem unreasonable.

I never encountered it since I almost always hike alone

Really? That's a thing? But how would I know as I prefer to go hiking all by myself and generally avoid human contact all together when doing so. And this video reminds me why -- a lot of humans are just idiots to get away from. But when I hike in a group, (unless explicitly agreed upon otherwise) we start together, we stay together and we leave together. No one gets left behind! That's the point of going out as a group, i.e. as a unit, isn't it? People leaving you behind aren't good friends.

Please relax, do not get triggered. And share the world with your co-travelers

Sounds like a lot of yall should just stick to hiking alone