Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 30, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

abstract: More than 200 hikers are rescued annually in the greater Phoenix area. This study examined the impact of hiking in hot (HOT), dry temperatures versus moderate (MOD) temperatures on dietary intake behaviors as well as markers of heat stress. Twelve recreational mountain hikers climbed “A” Mountain four consecutive times (4-miles) on a HOT day (WBGT=31.6 °C) and again on a MOD day (WBGT= 19.0 °C). Simulated food and fluid behavior allowed participants to bring what they normally would for a 4- mile hike and to consume both ad libitum. The following heat stress indicators (mean difference; p-value), were all significantly higher on the HOT hike compared to the MOD hike: average core temperature (0.6 °C; p=0.002), average rating of perceived exertion (2.6; p=0.005), sweat rate (0.54; p=0.01), and fluid consumption (753; p<0.001). On the HOT hike, 42% of the participants brought enough fluids to meet their individual calculated fluid needs, however less than 20% actually consumed enough to meet those needs. On the MOD hike, 56% of participants brought enough fluids to meet their needs, but only 33% actually consumed enough to meet them. Morning-after USG samples ≥1.020 indicating dehydration on an individual level showed 75% of hikers after the HOT hike and 67% after the MOD hike were unable to compensate for fluids lost during the previous day’s hike. Furthermore, participant food intake was low with only three hikers consuming food on the hot hike, an average of 33.2g of food. No food was consumed on the MOD hike. These results demonstrate that hikers did not consume enough fluids to meet their needs while hiking, especially in the heat. They also show heat stress negatively affected hiker’s physiological and performance measures. Future recommendations should address food and fluid consumption while hiking in the heat. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Nutrition 2020

This thesis explores the motivations and experiences of those thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in the 20th and 21st Century. A detailed analysis examines the influence of conservationism, urban development, and collective American values on trail culture. The analysis uses Susan Fast's methodology from her 2000 article, "Rethinking Issues of Gender and Sexuality in Led Zeppelin: A Woman's view of Pleasure and Power in Hard Rock," as a model. Personal experiences from hiking the A.T. in 2003 are analyzed in juxtaposition with other hiker's written accounts. The bulk of these journals come from the website TrailJournals.com. The Appalachian Trail extends over 2,100 miles from Georgia to Maine. The A.T. was initiated based on the ideas of Benton MacKaye. The trail was completed in 1937 and is now used by three to four million people per year. The popularity of hiking the trail has increased with time, in part due to people's perceived ideas of what nature holds for them. The study explores various accounts of those who found themselves in transition, such as retiring, graduating from school, or experiencing a divorce. These individuals looked to hiking the Appalachian Trail as an enriching experience before going back to normalcy in everyday society. This particular form of outdoor recreation is contingent upon the individual's experience living in an urban/suburban environment. Hikers escape from and yet long for connectivity to civilization. The Appalachian Trail is therefore an environment that not only reveals Americans' ideal of nature but what Americans value. This study looks at the unique outdoors experience hikers face and the emergence of their transformative selves that result from such an adventure. It reveals common trends in hiker motivations over the years, and contrasts thru-hiking culture with collective values promoted by modern American society.

While many people enjoy hiking as a weekend activity, to many outdoor enthusiasts there is a hiking culture with which they feel affiliated. However, the way that these cultures interact with each other is still unclear. Exploring these different cultures and understanding how they relate to each other can help in engaging stakeholders of the trail. This is an important step toward finding ways to encourage environmentally friendly outdoor recreation practices and developing hiker-approved (and environmentally conscious) technologies to use on the trail. We explored these cultures by analyzing an extensive collection of tweets (over 1.5 million). We used topic modeling to identify the topics described by the communities of Triple Crown trails. We labeled training data for a classifier that identifies tweets relating to depreciative behaviors on the trail. Then, we compared the distribution of tweets across various depreciative trail behaviors to those of corresponding blog posts in order to see how tweets reflected cultures in comparison with blog posts. To harness metadata beyond the text of the tweets, we experimented with visualization techniques. We combined those efforts with ethnographic studies of hikers and conservancy organizations to produce this exploration of trail cultures. In this thesis, we show that through the use of natural language processing, we can identify cultural differences between trail communities. We identify the most significantly discussed forms of trail depreciation, which is helpful to conservation organizations so that they can more appropriately share which Leave No Trace practices hikers should place extra effort into practicing. / Master of Science / In a memoir of her hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, Wild, Cheryl Strayed said to a reporter in an amused tone, “I’m not a hobo, I’m a long-distance hiker”. While many people enjoy hiking as a weekend activity, to many outdoor enthusiasts there is a hiking culture with which they feel affiliated. There are cultures of trail conservation, and cultures of trail depreciation. There are cultures of long-distance hiking, and there are cultures of day hiking and weekend warrior hiking. There are also cultures across different hiking trails—where the hikers of one trail have different sets of values and behaviors than for another trail. However, the way that these cultures interact with each other is still unclear. Exploring these different cultures and understanding how they relate to each other can help in engaging stakeholders of the trail. This is an important step toward finding ways to encourage environmentally friendly outdoor recreation practices and developing hiker-approved (and environmentally conscious) technologies to use on the trail. We decided to explore these cultures by analyzing an extensive collection of tweets (over 1.5 million). We combined those expoorts with ethnographic style studies of conservancy organizations and avid hikers to produce this exploration of trail cultures.

This study explored how recreation specialization and different types of motivations were related to environmental settings preferred by backcountry hikers. A questionnaire was developed that measured the level of hiking specialization, desired psychological outcomes, and preferred environmental setting attributes. Ouestionnaires were mailed to 619 backcountry hikers from three Intermountain West hiking areas; a response rate of 68 percent was attained. Results of the study revealed significant associations between the level of hiking specialization and the psychological states desired by backcountry hikers. In general, increased hiking specialization served to increase the importance of specific psycholoqical outcomes such as autonomy, exercise, achievement and nature. Significant associations were also found between the level of hiking specialization and the types of environmental settings preferred by hikers. Hiking specialization exhibited significant relationships with 55 percent of the studied environmental setting attributes, especially within the physical and managerial setting domains. The five study motives were especially adept at explaining the physical setting attributes desired by hikers, but lacked predictive power in explaining preferences for managerial settings. The final study analysis utilized two canonical correlation analyses to allow the specialization and motive variables to be combined as a set of independent variables to see which combinations would emerge as important predictors. The specialization variable emerged in both canonical analyses as the first and dominant indicator of the setting attributes. Additional interpretations of the canonical results indicated that two motive-based orientations to backcountry hiking may exist. The findings of this study have implications for researchers and managers seeking to understand why environmental settings are valued differently by recreationists, even within the same activity style. Secondly, researchers studying recreation motivation could utilize recreation specialization as a useful developmental framework for explaining differences in motivational states over time. The results also imply that management strategies sensitive to changes in levels of recreation specialization may be less costly in dollars and offer a more precise way of defining the diversity of opportunity and settings sought by recreationists.

This focused ethnography of Appalachian Trail (AT) long-distance hikers explored the situated and informal nature of individual knowledge construction as mediated through a community of practice. Unlike place-based or cyber-bound communities, the ever-changing membership and location dynamics of AT hikers offered a unique and researchable community for study. The complex and understudied sensemaking trajectories of individuals moving through this mobile community were investigated over three years through in-depth interviews and participant observations. Inductive analysis of expert and novice stories illuminated experiential patterns and collective traditions that comprise the AT learning culture. In contrast to traditional approaches to knowledge and skill acquisition, this study found socio-reflective exchanges, nested in hiking pods, to be critical sites for cognitive modeling and informal scaffolding between experts and novices. The situated encounters and developmental support of these nomadic pods were found to facilitate individuals' construction of community-based knowledge. / Ph. D.

Clothing is the primary means that wilderness backpackers have to protect themselves from injuries and illnesses that can occur while hiking in the cold. The current method of layering clothing may not meet backpackers' needs for both thermal insulation and heat dissipation, particularly in areas of the body that produce greater sweat, and during times of high physical exertion. No previous studies have addressed backpackers' needs for thermal and moisture comfort in different body areas within a single layer garment. The purpose of this study was to design and evaluate a single-layer garment of different textiles, to improve the physiological comfort of male backpackers hiking in cold winter weather conditions. The objectives of this study were to identify the physiological comfort needs of male backpackers hiking in the cold, to design a prototype backpacking shirt to improve comfort, and to evaluate the comfort and performance of the prototype over time, in comparison to a control. Male backpackers were recruited from a wilderness therapy company in Bend, Oregon, where subjects' employment duties included regularly backpacking in the cold. Qualitative data was collected by interviewing the subjects about their physiological comfort needs, types of garments and materials worn, dissatisfactions and preferences with hiking clothing, and locations on the body that need better attention to thermal and moisture comfort. Information provided by the qualitative interviews was used to develop design criteria. From the guarded hot plate and moisture management testing, results were used to select one thermal insulation, moisture management, and control fabric for the garment design. Based on the design criteria, a prototype shirt was developed. A prototype garment was constructed using the combination of the thermal, moisture, and control fabrics; while a control garment was constructed in an identical style using only the control fabric. The prototype and control garments were worn and tested by subjects while they backpacked. Additionally, comparisons of thermal insulation data between the prototype and control garment were collected on a thermal manikin. Major findings from the qualitative interviews were that subjects preferred base layer shirts made with synthetic fibers and style features that helped retain body heat. Subjects preferred to have greater thermal insulation in the chest and the arms, and less thermal insulation in the underarms and upper back area. Additionally, subjects were concerned about durability. A polyester fleece pile-knit was selected for the thermal insulation fabric and located in the arms and chest of the prototype. The moisture management fabric selected was a polyester fiber mesh knit fabric and was located in the upper back, underarms, and side seams of the garment. The control fabric was a brushed polyester double knit fabric and was located in all other body areas of the prototype and in the entire control garment. The wear test data indicated that both the control and prototype garments were perceived to be comfortable. The prototype had slightly better overall comfort than the control, and there were significant differences found between the prototype and the control in the areas of overall comfort, combined thermal comfort, and combined moisture comfort. The prototype did not consistently have better comfort performance than the control in each trial and for each subject. It was found that the prototype and control shirts could be worn without additional layers when the temperatures were above 35 ��F and 40 ��F, respectively. Thermal manikin testing results confirmed that the overall thermal insulation of both test shirts was equal, but that the prototype had greater or less thermal insulation than the control in specific body areas, depending on the placement of the thermal insulation or moisture management fabric. In summary, the prototype shirt designed in this study has accomplished the goal of providing backpackers' physiological comfort needs identified in the qualitative interviews.�� The design prototype, when worn alone, is able to keep backpackers comfortable when hiking in cold conditions, particularly in temperatures above 35��F. Although not intended to be worn as part of a layer system, the prototype also keeps backpackers comfortable when they are wearing multiple clothing layers. The use of different fabrics in different body areas satisfies the backpackers' needs of both retaining and dissipating body heat with changes in physical activity. Although both the prototype and the control shirts were found to have good thermal, moisture, and overall comfort, the prototype had slightly higher overall comfort ratings than the control.�� In addition, both the prototype and the control were perceived to be better than the subjects' own base layer shirts, and all subjects were willing to recommend the shirts to other hikers. / Graduation date: 2013

Syftet med föreliggande studie är att jämföra två nattvandrarföreningar i två diametralt motsatta områden i Stockholm, en i ett välbärgat område och en i ett socialt och ekonomiskt utsatt område. De bostadsområdena som har valts är Lidingö och Hallunda-Norsborg. Metoden utgår från en kvalitativ metod där det genom intervjuer undersöks hur segregation och demokrati i ett socialt och ekonomiskt utsatt område respektive välbärgat område påverkar dess civilsamhällesorganisering. Resultatet visade att föreningen i Hallunda-Norsborg var mer demokratiskt då de bland annat har en ledare som gemensamt röstats fram av medlemmarna. Föreningen har även goda relationer och samarbetar med kommun, polis och sjukvård. Hur väl ställt ett område är spelar med andra ord inte någon roll för varken det civila engagemanget eller demokratin inom nattvandrargrupperna. Det handlar mer om vad som pågår inom ett område. I det socialt och ekonomiskt utsatta området krävdes mer resurser och en strukturerad förening på grund av oroligheterna i området. Detta gjorde att de fick en förening som var uppbyggd på demokrati och jämlikhet. / The purpose of the present study is to compare two night-hiking associations in two diametrically opposite areas in Stockholm, one in a prosperous area and one in a socially and economically vulnerable area. The residential areas that have been selected are Lidingö and Hallunda-Norsborg. The method is based on a qualitative method where through interviews it is examined how segregation and democracy in a socially and economically vulnerable area and well-off area, respectively, affect its civil society organization. The result showed that in Hallunda-Norsborg it is more democratic as they have a leader who is voted by the members. The association also has good relations and cooperates with the municipality, police and medical services. In other words, how well-positioned an area is does not matter for either the civil commitment or democracy within the night-hiker groups. It's more about what's going on in an area. In the socially and economically vulnerable area, more resources and a structured association were required due to the disturbance in the area. This meant that they got an association built on democracy and equality.

This paper presents a master’s thesis research project that aimed to explore the attitudes of members of Lithuanian hiking community and derelict building owners towards the possibility of adapting country’s abandoned rural buildings into a network of recreational ‘travelers’ huts’. Participants’ opinion on the need of such network as well as their management, location, building age, type, and other preferences were considered. During the two-phase mixed methods research project data was gathered through online questionnaire filled in by 624 members of Lithuanian hiking community and 10 in-depth interviews with derelict building owners, members of country’s hiking community and caretakers of two already operational travelers’ huts. The findings indicate that majority of research participants support the implementation of such project in Lithuania, preferring potential locations of huts in more remote and natural areas. Regarding type of buildings, it was given less significance than the location aspect, however a potential renovation of old wooden huts of traditional vernacular architecture was preferred slightly more than that of modern or Soviet-era buildings. Findings of the study also highlighted rather strong participants’ concerns regarding a diverse spectrum of issues: lack of history and ‘heritage’ of hiking and hutting in Lithuania, potential maintenance and management of the huts, safety, vandalism, privacy, and other. Qualitative data analysis provided evidence that many of those concern can be linked to low levels of social capital within Lithuanian society. Questions of huts’ management approaches, especially those of openness and accessibility of such buildings, showed rather unanimous opinions, suggesting a network of differently managed huts to cater divergent hikers’ needs might be a reasonable solution in Lithuania.