Jumping ahead (skipping section)
Overview
Jumping ahead refers to temporarily skipping a section of trail and resuming the hike farther along the route. It is done for logistical, safety, or weather-related reasons.
Key points
- Used to avoid hazards such as fires, snowpack, or closed segments.
- Does not necessarily prevent a thru-hike if skipped areas are completed later.
- Often paired with shuttles, public transport, or hitches.
- Common during fire seasons or spring snow melt on high routes.
- Requires careful tracking of remaining mileage.
- May influence personal definitions of a thru-hike.
Details
Jumping ahead involves bypassing a segment of trail—temporarily or permanently—to adapt to conditions such as hazardous snow, wildfire closures, extreme weather, injuries, or timing issues. Hikers commonly use transportation to move ahead to a safer or more accessible portion of the route.
Some complete skipped segments later, either during the same season or in a future trip, while others choose to continue forward without returning. Trail communities differ in how they define thru-hike completion, and hikers adopt their own standards.
Skipping ahead can keep a journey on schedule, avoid dangerous conditions, or maintain momentum during unpredictable seasons.
Related topics
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Illustrative hiking footage
The following external videos offer general visual context for typical hiking environments. They are not official route recommendations, safety instructions, or planning tools.