Significant hike vs. Long hike (>10 km)

[+yukionna]

For hikes greater than 10 km, which attribute do people choose between the two attributes: Significant hike and Long hike (>10 km)?  At first glance, it seems to me that choosing the "Long hike" attribute would cover anything that could be considered a "Significant hike".  I've read some of the previous posts on "Significant hike" but none offer me clarification on my question.  Most agree that the use of "Significant hike" is subjective.  In that case, why even have a "Significant hike" attribute?

Edited October 13, 2022 by yukionna

[+Smitherington]

Some hikes may be long and easy. Others long and difficult. Terrain and other features may rise to significant without being long.

[+cerberus1]

3 hours ago, yukionna said:

For hikes greater than 10 km, which attribute do people choose between the two attributes: Significant hike and Long hike (>10 km)?  At first glance, it seems to me that choosing the "Long hike" attribute would cover anything that could be considered a "Significant hike".  I've read some of the previous posts on "Significant hike" but none offer me clarification on my question.  Most agree that the use of "Significant hike" is subjective.  In that case, why even have a "Significant hike" attribute?

 

Yeah...I agree...   "Significant" (to me) means considerable, but "long hike" already says a hike longer than 6 miles.

Possibly I'd add "significant hike" along with the long hike attribute for a 6+ mile hike on varied or rough terrain.

[+Smitherington]

I am not the guy who does either the long or significant hikes.  Legs too short.  Body too old.

 

So what is significant or what is long for me is much different than for you.  

 

I remember being somewhere in Ontario years ago about a mile from my car by myself without cell phone service (in Canada) and thought what would I do if such and such would happen?  And I usually cache alone.  That event modified my caching.

 

But I like it that there are those who do those long and significant hikes.  

 

Cache on.

[+JL_HSTRE]

I thought "Significant Hike" was an old attribute grandfathered in from before the three distance-based attributes existed.

 

That said, "Significant Hike" or "Not A Significant Hike" can be relevant if the length of the hike is misleading.

 

A short, but steep hike could be significant, even if there is no climbing involved. Clingman's Dome in the Smokies has a paved trail from the parking lot, without stairs. It's not long hike, possibly under 1 km. But the steady uphill grade is significant!

 

Conversely, a long but fairly level paved rail trail with few access points (ex: Van Fleet Trail in Florida) may have caches more than 10 km from the nearest trailhead yet, other than distance, is an easy trek.

[+Wet Pancake Touring Club]

I look at the Long Hike > 10km as an objective attribute. Is it longer than 10km, yep, the attribute applies.

 

However, IMO Significant Hike would be a subjective attribute. And, it should require explanation in the cache description. Significant could be because of the elevation, or the grade, or whatever.

 

Here are some examples of what I would consider Significant Hikes.

• A 1.5 km long hike at 3,000+ meters elevation, with a steep grade. That one really winded me.
• A multi-cache along an abandoned rail line. We had to cross a number of trestles along the way. The spacing of the ties did not correspond with a normal walking gait. Having to alter ones gait, especially over any distance, caused a real pain in the a--. Significant Hike because the 'trail' was not a normal walking trail. 
• A cache, only 3 km from parking, with a 250 meter elevation change over a distance of .25km. Climbing equipment not required.

[+barefootjeff]

I've used the Significant Hike attribute on eight of my hides and, in the absence of any formal guidance to its usage, have taken it to mean "you'll really know you've been out hiking after you get home from this one." Two have the >10km attribute but those ones also involve some steep elevation change and/or some off-track scrambling, the shorter ones even more so.

 

After I've found a cache with the Significant Hike attribute, I'll usually go down to the local beach to soak in the surf for a while. I don't know whether it really helps much but it feels good.