Thru-hikers commonly have trail names. The rules are pretty simple. You are given a trail name by another hiker – you don’t name yourself. It’s usually inspired by something unique about the hiker or earned based on something that happened on trail. While you can initially refuse a trail name, once it sticks, it becomes your trail name. You sign trail registers with it and introduce yourself to other hikers with it. Warning: if you try to use it at the post office or a motel, they will not be amused.

As you might have guessed, my trail name is Butterfingers. I received it on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2014, after dropping something during dinner with a group of other hikers. It was a plastic bowl and actually I did more than drop it. I had just finished eating ramen for dinner and was trying to rinse out the greasy bowl by swirling water around inside. It slipped out of my grasp and with surprising aerodynamics it flew like a frisbee into a rocky ravine. After the initial shock and laughter died down, I scrambled into the ravine to retrieve it, I was promptly given the trail name Butterfingers. I have also had the privilege of naming another thru-hiker. Here is a link to the post from my 2014 PCT Blog where I shared that story.

The picture attached to this post is also from my 2014 PCT blog. After sharing my trail name on my blog, I received a care package from someone that included a bag of mini Butterfingers candies. I packed out the whole bag and saved enough to celebrate hiking 400 mile mark with this sign!

Thanks for following along!

Loren, AKA Butterfingers