If you have any additional questions, please email extreme.ct.hiking@gmail.com. FAQs will be updated periodically as additional questions come in.
Is there a time limit for completing each individual hike?
There is no time limit once a hike has begun. As long as you do not pause your hike other than to camp along the route, you are free to take as long as you need.
Do I need to complete the entire challenge within a certain time period?
This is a lifetime challenge, so there is no time limit to complete all of the chosen hikes, as long as each individual hike is completed without interruption (other than to sleep on or near the route). Therefore, you can choose to complete one of the hikes each month, each year, or at any frequency you choose.
Do these hikes need to be unsupported?
No, you may arrange for friends or family members to meet you along the route to give you supplies and support. They may not take you away from the route midway through a hike however (i.e. a hike would be deemed invalid if it was discovered they brought you into town before completing the route).
How far off from the route may I travel to a legal campsite if completing
a route as an overnight?
You are free to travel as far off from a route as you need to find a legal place to camp but you must hike to and from the campsite. Additionally, you must backtrack to where you deviated from the route to resume the next day (i.e you can 't skip a section of the official route).
Could I plant a car midway along the route to sleep in if no legal camping
is available?
You may absolutely sleep in a car but you may NOT drive away. As long as the car is used only for shelter overnight it is perfectly valid.
If I encounter an unexpected obstacle that brings my safety into question, what should I do?
Occasionally, trail obstructions do occur, the most common being bridges collapsing over a large and fast-moving stream, water and ice rising to submerge stones used for rock-hopping, and timber harvests. When safety is a concern, you may seek a bypass route along a nearby trail or road, and rejoin the original route when it is safe to do so. As long as you rejoin the original route at the soonest and safest opportunity, you do not need to backtrack to complete the missed section. When you submit your hike, please email extreme.ct.hiking@gmail.com and explain the situation so that the organizer can make an announcement on Facebook with the recommended bypass and ensure you get credit for completing the route.
What should I do if the trail markers lead me in a different direction than the referenced Strava map?
Trails are continuously being rerouted to avoid roadwalks, private property, or for general improvements. Please follow the posted markings and signage when this occurs, even if it temporarily deviates from the uploaded Strava map. When you submit your hike, please email extreme.ct.hiking@gmail.com so that the Strava map can be updated.
I accidentally got off course from the main route, but it is easier to
just keep hiking forward and rejoin the route a little ways ahead, is that
still valid?
No, if you realize you have strayed off course due to a wrong turn, you should turn around and rejoin the route to avoid skipping any sections. The organizer of the challenge maintains the right to deem a hike invalid for skipping sections of the route.
What are the rules around GPS recordings when completing a hike as an
overnight?
You may upload multiple recordings upon completion of your hike, but each
recording must show that you stopped and resumed in the same place. The
organizer reserves the right to deem a hike invalid if two or more
sequential recordings do not stop and start in the same location.
What should I do if my GPS recording gets paused or truncated due to
reasons outside of my control during the hike (phone died, GPS glitch,
etc.)?
If this situation occurs and you have, in good faith, completed the route
according to all of the rules set forth by the challenge, please upload
what you can of the recording, specify the issue that occurred, and
provide a summary of your hike to give the organizer reasonable assurance
that you did indeed complete the route.
Is there any additional reward for completing more than 10 routes (or 9 if
choosing to do the Bonus instead)?
There is no additional reward other than bragging rights!
Can I bike, ski, or run any parts of the routes?
You may not bike or ski any parts of the route as this is intended to be a
hiking challenge, but you may absolutely run parts or the entirety of a
hike!
