Glossary

Trail Marks

True Trail 

An arrow with three cross marks down the stem means you are going the right way, or true trail!

On Trail

Trails are marked with flour, chalk (or toilet paper if in shiggy) and when you find three in a row you might be going the right way!

Intersections

Circles are checks or intersections, and trails can go in 369º in any direction. Some circles will have symbols in their centers like dots, music notes, or whatever the hare feels inspired to draw.

False Trail or YBF

You have just followed a long false trail and must return to the last circle/check.

Be Very Careful

When you see these, Be Very Careful, or BVC. The trail up ahead is dangerous so pay extra attention to where you are going. Usually this means it's a busy intersection so be careful crossing. Sometimes you’ll see BVFC, which means Be Very F*king Careful.

Back Check

When you come upon this mark, you've gone the wrong way. Turn around the way you come, counting backward the same number of marks as the number next to the "B✓". This last mark is now considered a circle, start solving it!


Runner/Walker Split or Turkey/Eagle Split

True trail can go in either two directions depending on the hasher’s preference. Runner/Eagle is generally the longer route if you want to run trail and collect mileage. Walker/Turkey can be the slower-shorter route if you want to walk trail.


Beer Near or Shot Near

These are our favorite marks! BN =  Beverage Near & SN = Shot Near!


Old Frederick H3 Glossary 


We say a lot of silly terms and lingo at the hash. Here is a brief explanation of some terms used in hashing.


Hare: The person who is laying trail. 


Hasher: A person who considers themselves a member of the Hash House Harriers. 


Hashing: The act of running a hash trail (ex. "I'm hashing this weekend!")


Hash Cash: Collected at sign-in. What you pay to run a trail. Collected by a MisMan Member. 


Kennel: Hash House Harrier chapter or club


“Are You?”/ RU?: A question shouted on trail by the pack, meaning “Are you on the right trail?”


“On-On!”: Answered by members of the pack when they're asked “RU?” Indicates they believe they are on true trail. 


“True Trail”: The correct trail to be followed. Usually indicated by finding 3 consecutive blops of flour on a trail or finding a true trail arrow -/-/-/->


“False Trail”: The wrong trail. Keep searching until you find true trail. Usually marked on trail with a YBF or 3 stacked horizontal lines. 


“Looking”: Members are looking for true trail still or have not found trail yet. 


“Check”: A trail mark has been found indicating an intersection where true trail may take another direction


Shiggy: A trail description for thick vegetation, streams, mud, etc. Trails can be Shiggy rated 1-10, with 1 being a simple sidewalk & pavement trail to 10 being bushwhacking, shoe sucking mud, and water.  


On-Out: The pack is out on trail


On-In: The pack has finished trail.


Circle: An assembly of hashers at trail's start & end


Down-Down: The ceremony of drinking a beverage at end circle (an honor)


Violation, Accommodation, Accusation: Reasons to call out someone in circle for a down-down


FRB: Front Running Bast*rd. First member of the pack to finish trail. Someone who is generally a fast runner or very cunning at solving trail


DFL: Dead F*cking Last. Last member of the pack to finish trail. Either someone who got lost on trail or was the slowest on trail


Dry Bag: A bag you brought with a change of clothes, shoes, socks, etc. post trail


Cranium Lamp: A head light or flashlight to bring on trail to light your way in dark areas (ex tunnels). 


A-to-A: Trail that ends where it starts


A-to-A’: Trail that ends really close to start


A-to-B: Trail that ends away from start, always has a way to get back to start



Hash History

Hash House Harrier roots extend back to the old English schoolboy game of "Hares and Hounds," in which some players, called "hounds," chase others, called "hares," who have left a trail of paper scraps along their route across fields, hedges, streams, bogs, and hills.You can learn more about the history of hashing here.


The Hash Philosophy

The philosophy of the original Hash House Harriers from their 1938 charter is: