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If you hike with a significant other/friend/hiking partner, and let's just say they want to abort the hike due to tiredness, etc. but they say 'Go ahead and finish, I'll wait here for you'.

Do most of you A. complete the hike, etc. or B. say, 'no let's just go'?

I am very curious to hear responses to this question.

I finished when someone had to wait at a spot recently. Picked them up on the way back.

Like most things, it depends.

If there is any hint of distress, that just ain't happening. If it is a long ride back home and they seemed a bit perturbed that I want to climb just one more hill or go just one more mile, then nah, probably not worth the grief later on the ride back. That of course might influence my eagerness to bring that person along on the next adventure.

Now if they happen to be enjoying the nice view from the saddle, but I want to hit the summit, that is a different animal. Everyone is happy and all is good.

In general I'm reluctant to break up a group up unless there is a good reason and there is sufficient talent in each subgroup to handle potential situations, especially if we are in a remote area.

I tend not to break up the group if I'm the one who's leading, so I'll bite my tongue and begin the return. If someone else is leading the hike, I'll go along with the general consensus. A person getting tired may lead to something worse further along the way.

I think to some extent, this can lead to the question, "Do you prefer to hike alone or in groups".

It depends for me, too. My approach is about the same as AZ Wandering Bear's. A couple times, I've been the one to just wait someplace for a bit while a partner or the rest of the group does something I'd rather forego (usually something climby), so I do consider it a valid request, but not one to take lightly. There should be agreement on how long to wait and what to do when the deadline passes. I agree that capabilities and mental and physical state are vital considerations and just bailing out is often the right answer for me.

Really depends, if it is a SO then you stop hiking when they stop hiking. Or keep going if you enjoy sleeping on the couch.

SpiderLegs wrote:Really depends, if it is a SO then you stop hiking when they stop hiking. Or keep going if you enjoy sleeping on the couch.

I'm sure you're not surprised to hear that I turned around and didn't make her wait, etc.

I'll complete the hike. I'm usually the one saying, "Go ahead and finish, I'll wait here for you." I actually get disappointed if they choose not to finish the hike. I don't mind waiting. I can sleep, reflect, think, looking for things to photograph, etc.

My mom and dad and my out-of-shape friends will wait when I'm out hiking. They don't have a problem with it. Neither do I.

I'm no fool [-X If my wife says " gone on without me" THAT'S A TRAP!!!

On the serious side, to me the determining factor is time. If there is still more than 2 hour, I think I'd turn back with everyone. It's not always a bad thing... Just a little more time at the after hike bar ;)

gummo wrote:I'll complete the hike. I'm usually the one saying, "Go ahead and finish, I'll wait here for you." I actually get disappointed if they choose not to finish the hike. I don't mind waiting. I can sleep, reflect, think, looking for things to photograph, etc.

I feel the same way. People who know me, know that I'll be exactly where agreed as discussed unless disaster strikes. Unfortunately, some people, especially the inexperienced or distressed, are more likely to improvise based on undiscussed criteria. They might go for their own solo wander and forget the time, or bail out and assume that you know how to tell the difference.

Like most others, if my wife is the one who asks, we're just going to turn around.

This brings up group hiking in the context of meet groups and other clubs. No matter what you say about the hike, sometimes unprepared people will show up. This happened last winter when a group of us went up a very easy canyon in the Mount Nutt Wilderness area near Oatman. Despite how easy I or most of the others thought it was, several could not keep up. They thought there would be a real trail. They said they would wait for us. They had little other choice since we had all carpooled there in a couple of 4WDs. They could not just go back to their cars because they didn't have their cars. It ended up they had to wait about 3 or more hours for us to return. They were not too happy. Oh effing well (is what I thought.)

I wasn't the organizer or I would have put the info about the hike into stronger terms.

Next time, if I'm the organizer of such a hike, I will lay it thick. NO trail. BE prepared. If you can't hike where there is NO trail then don't show up, etc., etc. Bring a book.

AZ Wandering Bear wrote:...........................In general I'm reluctant to break up a group up unless there is a good reason and there is sufficient talent in each subgroup to handle potential situations, especially if we are in a remote area.

I had an almost search and rescue incident a few years ago when I was hiking with a few friends and we got separated. We were all three going at a different pace, our thinking was to hike up the ridge and meet at the top. I made it up first and waited, but when I saw our third hiker (and not the second) we got concerned and had to go back to try and find him. No signs of him, and no answers to calls, that and we were a good 4 miles from the TH. Somehow he had missed me and made it back to the trailhead, he must have taken a use trail or something and passed by me when I thought there was no other way around. Everything ended up OK, but valuable lesson learned. And oh yeah, if hiking with your significant other turn around when she says so, regardless of what is actually said. ;)

A little misogynism in this thread huh? You'd think hiking actually requires a third leg.

chumley wrote:A little misogynism in this thread huh? You'd think hiking actually requires a third leg.

Ah, Chums. Cynical as always (which I greatly admire, btw :worthy: ). And in this case OVERLY optomistic, biologically speaking.

Another RULE OF THUMB(a little phrase to stick with the misogynistic theme ;) ), never leave the person that drove!

We break the group if we are aware of the skills of all hikers... keep in touch via radios brought along for that purpose. We ask that the retreating group stay to the planned exit route so that we pick them up on our way out. We recently turned around short of the goal with a group of 23 hikers... to make sure all hikers were out before dark.

Since most of my hiking has always been solo... I like giving folks some time alone if it is safe.