Trail Miles: 90
Highest Point: Mount Greylock, 3,491 feet
The commonly held image of New England is of rolling hills, hardwood forests interspersed with evergreens, and charming towns with village greens and picturesque churches. This is exactly what is found in the Massachusetts section of the AT. The trail passes through the Berkshires here, through small and easily traversed mountains that inspired the pens of Melville and Thoreau, among others.
Part of the fun of this stretch of trail is the access to some of these prototypical New England small towns, places like Sheffield, Cheshire, Dalton, and North Adams. Something that is not fun about this stretch of trail can be the busyness of the trail at peak times. The area is easily accessed by the millions in Boston and New York, making it a popular place with day hikers on weekends.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Vermont
Trail Miles: 146
Highest Point: Killington Peak, 4,241 feet
In Vermont, the AT journeys through the spectacular Green Mountains. These mountains in Vermont gradually become more difficult and higher as you progress northward. Still, though, they are not the difficulty level of those that still lie ahead. About 100 or so miles of the AT here follows the same path as the Long Trail. The Long Trail was begun in 1910 and was the first long-distance hiking trail completed in the US. It traverses Vermont in a mostly north-south direction.
Of all the places I have never been that I want to see, Vermont in September is near the top of the list. But if I am thru-hiking northward, I would need to be through Vermont before September, because the remaining trail in New Hampshire and Maine are brutal and unforgiving.
Highest Point: Killington Peak, 4,241 feet
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| The Green Mountains. By From the nek (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
Of all the places I have never been that I want to see, Vermont in September is near the top of the list. But if I am thru-hiking northward, I would need to be through Vermont before September, because the remaining trail in New Hampshire and Maine are brutal and unforgiving.
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| Vermont in fall. By chensiyuan (chensiyuan) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
New Hampshire
Trail Miles: 161
Highest Point: Mount Washington, 6,288 feet
When the trail hits the Presidential Mountains in New Hampshire, it gets very real very quickly. The elevations become higher, the terrain rockier, the footing less steady, and the climbs steeper. ATC's website has a terrain guide that rates the difficulty of the trail by state from 1 to 10, with 10 being the most difficult. New Hampshire gets a rating of 6-10. They define a rating of 6 as "Extended climbs that may last hours or shorter climbs with difficult footing." A rating of 10 has a foreboding definition of "Use of hands required for extended periods of climbing, footing
precarious, and leaping may be required — not recommended for those with
fear of heights and not in good physical condition. Shorter hikers may
be at a disadvantage." Sounds like a nice walk in the park, doesn't it? (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/about-the-trail/terrain-by-state/new-hampshire)
The AT crosses 17 peaks in New Hampshire that exceed 4,000 feet. Hikers experience alpine conditions on a few of them, staying above the treeline for sustained stretches. The biggest and baddest of them all is Mount Washington. At 6,288 feet, it is the highest peak in New England and the highest on the AT north of Tennessee. It is a place of incredibly brutal and unpredictable weather conditions. In April of 1934, a wind gust here was measured at a record 231 miles per hour. Temperatures at and near the peak rarely go higher than the low 50s. Snow can fall during any month of the year, and fog and wind are normal conditions. Mount Washington is a force to be reckoned with, and an unprepared hiker can quickly find the conditions dangerous and even deadly.
Highest Point: Mount Washington, 6,288 feet
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| Bronayur at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons |
The AT crosses 17 peaks in New Hampshire that exceed 4,000 feet. Hikers experience alpine conditions on a few of them, staying above the treeline for sustained stretches. The biggest and baddest of them all is Mount Washington. At 6,288 feet, it is the highest peak in New England and the highest on the AT north of Tennessee. It is a place of incredibly brutal and unpredictable weather conditions. In April of 1934, a wind gust here was measured at a record 231 miles per hour. Temperatures at and near the peak rarely go higher than the low 50s. Snow can fall during any month of the year, and fog and wind are normal conditions. Mount Washington is a force to be reckoned with, and an unprepared hiker can quickly find the conditions dangerous and even deadly.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Maine
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| Katahdin. By TJ aka Teej (Self-photographed) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
Highest Point: Mount Katahdin, 5,267 feet
The finish of a northbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail is reminiscent of a bicycle ride I did a few years ago in Chattanooga. The ride is called the Three State Three Mountain Challenge. The 100-mile ride starts in Tennessee, travels up Raccoon Mountain. Raccoon is a long climb of several miles, but it is not overly steep or strenuous. After descending Raccoon Mountain, riders cross over into Alabama and soon climb Sand Mountain (I grew up on Sand Mountain about 50 miles south of here). Sand Mountain's climb is shorter than Raccoon Mountain, but it is also steeper and has several switchback curves that can be intimidating to navigate.
Sand Mountain is a relatively broad plateau, and bikers have quite a few relatively easy miles before they cross into Georgia. By this point, the ride is approaching 90% complete. You would be home free if not for that third mountain, Lookout. The climb up Lookout Mountain takes place at Burkhalter Gap, which is probably the hardest climb I have ever ridden on a bicycle. Not only is it more than two miles long, it is incredibly steep. About a third of riders have to get off their bikes and walk the final few hundred feet (I did not; I made it all the way).
Maine is like Lookout Mountain. After struggling with climbs and long distances for months, a hiker is faced with the hardest section of all right there at the end. The trail is slippery, tricky, and good footing is sometimes hard to come by. Another thing hikers must consider here is the resupply of food and needed equipment, especially through a stretch known as the "Hundred Mile Wilderness." The Maine section is the most remote on the trail, and opportunities to obtain needed items are scarce. Careful planning here must be done well in advance to make sure one does not run out of food.
A section of trail here in Maine called the Mahoosuc Notch is known as the toughest mile of the AT. Hikers must travel over, under, around, and through boulders. The squeeze through some areas is so tight that a hiker must take off his backpack to be able to fit through it.
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| Boulders in Mahoosuc Notch. Public Domain photo. |
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| The Katahdin ascent on an unusually beautiful day. By RichardMarcJ at en.wikipedia [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
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| The end of the trail. By kworth30 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kworth30/2275256845/) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
Friday, February 22, 2013
Thru-Hiker Stories
A fair question to be asked is why someone would want to take months out of their lives to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. There are actually a multitude of reasons, and the motivation is rarely the same from one person to the next. Sometimes they simply want to hike the trail. "Because it is there" is all the reason some people need to hit the trail. Perhaps the most common reason many people hike is to celebrate a milestone, such as graduation from college or retirement from a job. But not always.
I remember a few years ago, my wife, daughters and I were in the Great Smoky Mountains. My youngest daughter Casey had begged to go horseback riding at the Cades Cove section of the park, where guided trail rides were offered. We had promised we would take her, but we only had one day where our schedule allowed. The weather that day turned out to be dreary and miserable. It had rained hard the day before, and there was mud everywhere. This day there was drizzle, fog, wind, and even though it was late April, it was unseasonably cool. But we went anyway. It turned out to be OK, because we had the entire trail and guide to ourselves, and the trail wound through heavy woods that sheltered us from the weather.
Our guide was a young lady in her twenties whose name I forget. Because it was just the five of us riding in the group, we had plenty of time to chat as we rode. She told us she was from Florida, where she went to college and then got a job after college. After three or four years, she said, she finally realized that even though she was successful and making a good living, she really hated it. She was miserable, but she really did not know what she wanted to do differently. So she quit her job and thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. She said the trail was a life-changing experience because it taught her that she should do what she wanted to do to be happy above all else. So what she wanted to do right then was live in the Smokies and work in the National Park. She said that if that changed tomorrow, she would go and do something else. The AT made her realize that her own happiness was more important than jobs or careers or what others thought she should do.
Below are a few tidbits about some of my favorite thru-hikers and brief tidbits about their stories.
Earl Schaffer
The first person credited to have thru-hiked the AT was World War II veteran Earl Schaffer, who did it in 1948. He hiked the trail from south to north without the use of guidebooks, relying largely on road maps and any available maps he could find from park and forest rangers along the way. He also did not have fancy gear designed for hiking. Mostly he used military surplus items much like the gear he had used during the war. Schaffer had first decided he wanted to attempt a thru-hike before the war with a friend of his. His friend was sadly killed at Iwo Jima, so Earl hiked the trail himself as a way of dealing with the stress of war and the loss of friends who were killed. He would hike the trail from north to south in 1965, becoming the first to thru-hike in both directions. Then in 1998, at age 79, he would again thru-hike from south to north, becoming the oldest to ever do so.
Grandma Gatewood
Emma Gatewood is perhaps the most famous thru-hiker to AT enthusiasts. She became the first woman to thru-hike the trail in 1955, when she was 67 years old. She had read about the AT in a magazine article, and thought it would be a great accomplishment to hike it. Grandma, as she was known on the trail, was anything but conventional in her hike. She wore Keds tennis shoes rather than boots, and she carried her gear in a homemade shoulder bag rather than a backpack. Her 1955 trek was followed by Sports Illustrated. She was quoted as saying of Katahdin, "I'll get there except if I break something or something busts loose. And, when I get atop Mt. Katahdin, I'll sing 'America the Beautiful, from sea to shining sea.'" (Emblidge 214). And made it she did. And then did it again two years later. She also completed the trail again by section hike in 1964. Grandma Gatewood is a true legend of the AT.
Bill Irwin
Bill Irwin's story is an incredible one. Irwin thru-hiked the AT in 1990 with his guide dog Orient. Yes, I said guide dog. Bill Irwin has been blind since losing his sight in the 1970s due to illness. His life both before and after the blindness was a struggle, as he battled alcoholism and failed marriages. The blindness only added to his struggle. He saw the AT as an opportunity to prove to himself that he could persevere over life's obstacles. He succeeded in his attempt, but it was not easy. He estimates that he fell at least 5,000 times along the way. He is now an inspirational motivational speaker and writer (http://www.billirwin.com/home.html) and his book Blind Courage is an encouraging and uplifting read.
David Miller
David Miller's trail name on the AT was Awol, because that is what he was on the trail. He quit his job as a software engineer with his wife's blessing, then went on the adventure of his life. His book AWOL on the Appalachian Trail is a wonderfully written account of his hike. It is filled with a great balance between introspection and personal reflection, facts about the trail, and advice on what to do and not to do on a thru-hike attempt. After the hike, he went back to his old job and now writes a handbook updated annually for those planning a thru-hike. His story is an example that not always is there a particular reason to hike the trail. It was a matter of simply something he wanted to try to do. His book is one of the best on the AT that I have read.
Bob Barker
No, not the game show guy. This Bob Barker needed two years to complete the trail. That is perfectly understandable, since he suffered from multiple sclerosis, and two times was interrupted by the illness. Yet he managed to stay the course even through the health setbacks and finally made it to Katahdin.
I remember a few years ago, my wife, daughters and I were in the Great Smoky Mountains. My youngest daughter Casey had begged to go horseback riding at the Cades Cove section of the park, where guided trail rides were offered. We had promised we would take her, but we only had one day where our schedule allowed. The weather that day turned out to be dreary and miserable. It had rained hard the day before, and there was mud everywhere. This day there was drizzle, fog, wind, and even though it was late April, it was unseasonably cool. But we went anyway. It turned out to be OK, because we had the entire trail and guide to ourselves, and the trail wound through heavy woods that sheltered us from the weather.
Our guide was a young lady in her twenties whose name I forget. Because it was just the five of us riding in the group, we had plenty of time to chat as we rode. She told us she was from Florida, where she went to college and then got a job after college. After three or four years, she said, she finally realized that even though she was successful and making a good living, she really hated it. She was miserable, but she really did not know what she wanted to do differently. So she quit her job and thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. She said the trail was a life-changing experience because it taught her that she should do what she wanted to do to be happy above all else. So what she wanted to do right then was live in the Smokies and work in the National Park. She said that if that changed tomorrow, she would go and do something else. The AT made her realize that her own happiness was more important than jobs or careers or what others thought she should do.
Below are a few tidbits about some of my favorite thru-hikers and brief tidbits about their stories.
Earl Schaffer
The first person credited to have thru-hiked the AT was World War II veteran Earl Schaffer, who did it in 1948. He hiked the trail from south to north without the use of guidebooks, relying largely on road maps and any available maps he could find from park and forest rangers along the way. He also did not have fancy gear designed for hiking. Mostly he used military surplus items much like the gear he had used during the war. Schaffer had first decided he wanted to attempt a thru-hike before the war with a friend of his. His friend was sadly killed at Iwo Jima, so Earl hiked the trail himself as a way of dealing with the stress of war and the loss of friends who were killed. He would hike the trail from north to south in 1965, becoming the first to thru-hike in both directions. Then in 1998, at age 79, he would again thru-hike from south to north, becoming the oldest to ever do so.
Grandma Gatewood
Emma Gatewood is perhaps the most famous thru-hiker to AT enthusiasts. She became the first woman to thru-hike the trail in 1955, when she was 67 years old. She had read about the AT in a magazine article, and thought it would be a great accomplishment to hike it. Grandma, as she was known on the trail, was anything but conventional in her hike. She wore Keds tennis shoes rather than boots, and she carried her gear in a homemade shoulder bag rather than a backpack. Her 1955 trek was followed by Sports Illustrated. She was quoted as saying of Katahdin, "I'll get there except if I break something or something busts loose. And, when I get atop Mt. Katahdin, I'll sing 'America the Beautiful, from sea to shining sea.'" (Emblidge 214). And made it she did. And then did it again two years later. She also completed the trail again by section hike in 1964. Grandma Gatewood is a true legend of the AT.
Bill Irwin
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| My autographed copy of Bill Irwin's book Blind Courage |
David Miller
David Miller's trail name on the AT was Awol, because that is what he was on the trail. He quit his job as a software engineer with his wife's blessing, then went on the adventure of his life. His book AWOL on the Appalachian Trail is a wonderfully written account of his hike. It is filled with a great balance between introspection and personal reflection, facts about the trail, and advice on what to do and not to do on a thru-hike attempt. After the hike, he went back to his old job and now writes a handbook updated annually for those planning a thru-hike. His story is an example that not always is there a particular reason to hike the trail. It was a matter of simply something he wanted to try to do. His book is one of the best on the AT that I have read.
Bob Barker
No, not the game show guy. This Bob Barker needed two years to complete the trail. That is perfectly understandable, since he suffered from multiple sclerosis, and two times was interrupted by the illness. Yet he managed to stay the course even through the health setbacks and finally made it to Katahdin.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The Future of the Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail's number one obstacle has always been the development of the land around it. The suburban sprawl that first began after World War II has continued to encroach further and further into the Appalachians and the areas through which the AT travels. This is a constant threat to the sanctity of the trail and the wilderness it traverses. A good example of the fight to protect this natural sanctuary can be found in the book Stand Up That Mountain by Jay Leutze. The story is an encouraging one as a community works together to preserve the mountains, but it is an ominous one that shows the tenuous status of the Appalachians.
A question facing the AT is also in relation to its length. There are those who support additions to the trail on both the north and the south. In the north, some say the trail should be extended to include the International Appalachian Trail, which goes from Maine through Canada all the way to Quebec. This is currently not part of the official trail. In the south, there is support from some to extend the trail to include the Pinhoti National Recreational Trail, which extends into Alabama to the east of Birmingham. There seems to be little support for making these extensions part of the trail at this point.
There is one thing that the Appalachian Trail has going for it in a big way. In today's political climate, one governmental agency that always seems to be facing budget cuts is the National Park Service. They always seem to come up on the losing end when politicians decide where to spend. While the AT is officially part of the National Park System, it does not rely on a great deal of funding for maintenance. That duty falls to the large group of trail clubs and volunteer groups who do a tremendous job of keeping the trail passable, visible, and safe. It truly is a labor of love for these volunteers. As long as there are these volunteers, the trail will continue to be available for generations to come without having to depend on bureaucrats in Washington.
Perhaps the most important factor working in the favor of the AT in the 21st century is its popularity. It continues to be a popular place for hikers of all kinds. It represents the hopes and dreams of many, myself included. Thru-hike attempts are at record highs, and the enthusiasm surrounding the trail in neighboring trail towns continues to remain high. Simply put, it is a great time to be on the Appalachian Trail. I can't wait to attempt a thru-hike myself someday. In the meantime, I will have to be content reading and writing about it.
A question facing the AT is also in relation to its length. There are those who support additions to the trail on both the north and the south. In the north, some say the trail should be extended to include the International Appalachian Trail, which goes from Maine through Canada all the way to Quebec. This is currently not part of the official trail. In the south, there is support from some to extend the trail to include the Pinhoti National Recreational Trail, which extends into Alabama to the east of Birmingham. There seems to be little support for making these extensions part of the trail at this point.
There is one thing that the Appalachian Trail has going for it in a big way. In today's political climate, one governmental agency that always seems to be facing budget cuts is the National Park Service. They always seem to come up on the losing end when politicians decide where to spend. While the AT is officially part of the National Park System, it does not rely on a great deal of funding for maintenance. That duty falls to the large group of trail clubs and volunteer groups who do a tremendous job of keeping the trail passable, visible, and safe. It truly is a labor of love for these volunteers. As long as there are these volunteers, the trail will continue to be available for generations to come without having to depend on bureaucrats in Washington.
Perhaps the most important factor working in the favor of the AT in the 21st century is its popularity. It continues to be a popular place for hikers of all kinds. It represents the hopes and dreams of many, myself included. Thru-hike attempts are at record highs, and the enthusiasm surrounding the trail in neighboring trail towns continues to remain high. Simply put, it is a great time to be on the Appalachian Trail. I can't wait to attempt a thru-hike myself someday. In the meantime, I will have to be content reading and writing about it.
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