http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQwPg-JwEy8

Who do I contact to get information onhow to get to the trail if we are getting there by grey hound bus we leave the 30th of April and The Hikers Hostle is too expensive We plan on doing a thru hike and I cant dish out $200 for my kido and I to stay there for one night. :( Help please if you know of anyone who can drive us up to the start of the trail for less then $70 then Message back :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnST2Rq8K6I This is my first video for our camping supplies. sorry for the horrible editing :P


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrxUq...feature=relmfu This one is Part 2 :)

I just bought a lap top for the trip and now i think i may may have made a mistake its heavy and bulky and i dont even know how i am going to get serivce out there with the thing. can i use an iphone just like a lap top ex: blogging staying in touch with friends camera and video recording map look up. the reason i post in here is because for some reason i am not able to post in the forum section i may not be doing it right.:rolleyes:

How to put into words how I feel right this minute?
My daughter and roommates are all snoozing.
I went outside to smoke a cig and looked up into such a vast sky. Tredecillions of stars are blinking at me. And I think to my-self “God,if you’re up there… and can hear me down here, good job…. You did such a good job.”
I feel so placated with life and the awesome power of it. The exquisiteness.
This is my time. During this time I am not a mother. I am not a friend, sister or daughter. I am not a co-worker or the base of anyone’s stability.I am just me. I am unimportant and yet most important.
The world will keep to its crazy cycle thousands of years after I have faded. And yet, at the same time, it is the here and the now that makes the most since. I am just another on this planet full of individuals just like me. And I don’t know why but that feeling in itself delights me. It is just a strange and powerful feeling. Like being in the middle of the ocean with no land in view and realizing just how tiny you are.

Originally Posted by kayak karl

when Princess died in '09 i was not going to get another dog. Princess was 15. grand kids got me Kaia (Kaia; a Greek princess :)). she is only 15 months and has over 300 miles of trail under her collar. probably more then most WB'ers:D. this is PRINCESS. :sun









R.I.P Princess,. I miss you.

KK

friends like these never die they only grow more in your heart. Its great to see how humans can be so compatible with their doggy friends

really tired have not slept in two days lots going on nervous about my new job. this job is going to be paying for my trip every ounce of cash going straight to the bank. it takes about 1.50 per mile to comfortably do the hike (many say) and since i will be having my kido with me I will say around $4,000 total at max. so my concern is this: travlers checks or a green dot card* ?

* green dot cards are easy to get at walmart or at any drug store. it takes about three bucks to activate but I dont know if they are accepted everywhere or not. :jump:jump:jump I feel a little silly from lack of sleep lol good night my wittle bloggy see you one the other side of normalcy!

Use in researchThe Appalachian Trail has been a resource forresearchers in a variety of disciplines. Portions of the trail in Tennesseewere used on a study on trail maintenance for the Trail's "uniformenvironmental conditions and design attributes and substantial gradient invisitor use. Beginning in 2007, various citizen groups, including theAppalachian Trail Conservancy and the American Hiking Society, began a study tomonitor environmental changes that have resulted from higher ozone levels, acidrain, smog, and other air quality factors. Such research has been supported bythe National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Cornell University, theNational Geographic Society, and Aveda Corporation.

Behavioral studies have also been conducted on hikersthemselves. A 2007 study on hikers found that most persons hike the trail"for fun and enjoyment of life and for warm relationships withothers" and that "that environmental awareness, physical challenge,camaraderie, exercise, and solitude" were chief results among hikers.Since the highest single demographic of thru-hikers are males between the agesof 18-29, one informal study sought to find the correlation between this groupand male college drop-outs.

;)

Major Inter sections Listed from south to north.

Southern Terminus: Springer Mountain, Georgia

U.S. Highway 76 in northeast Georgia
U.S. Highway 64 near Nantahala River, North Carolina
U.S. Highway 19/U.S. Highway 74 near Fontana Lake, NorthCarolina
U.S. Highway 441 at North Carolina/Tennessee border
Interstate 40 at North Carolina/Tennessee border
U.S. Highway 25/U.S. Highway 70 in Hot Springs, NorthCarolina
Interstate 26/U.S. Highway 23 at North Carolina/Tennesseeborder
U.S. Highway 19W at North Carolina/Tennessee border
U.S. Highway 19E near Roan Mountain, Tennessee
U.S. Highway 321 at South Holston Lake, Tennessee
U.S. Highway 421 near South Holston Lake, Tennessee
U.S. Highway 58 in Damascus, Virginia
Interstate 81 near Marion, Virginia
Interstate 77/U.S. Highway 52 near Wytheville, Virginia
U.S. Highway 460 in Pearisburg, Virginia
Interstate 81 near Roanoke, Virginia
U.S. Highway 501 at James River, Virginia
U.S. Highway 60 near Buena Vista, Virginia
Interstate 64 near Waynesboro, Virginia
U.S. Highway 250 near Waynesboro, Virginia
U.S. Highway 33 in Shenandoah National Park
U.S. Highway 211 near Luray, Virginia
U.S. Highway 522 near Front Royal, Virginia
Interstate 66 in Front Royal, Virginia
U.S. Highway 17/U.S. Highway 50 near Waterloo, Virginia
U.S. Highway 340 in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
U.S. Highway 340 in Sandy Hook, Maryland
Interstate 70/U.S. Highway 40 near Hagerstown, Maryland
U.S. Highway 30 near Fayetteville, Pennsylvania
Interstate 76 near Middlesex Township, Pennsylvania
U.S. Highway 11 near Middlesex Township, Pennsylvania
Interstate 81 near Middlesex Township, Pennsylvania
U.S. Highway 11/U.S. Highway 15 in Duncannon, Pennsylvania
U.S. Highway 22/U.S. Highway 322 in Duncannon, Pennsylvania
Interstate 81 near Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania
Interstate 476 near Slatington, Pennsylvania
Interstate 80 at Pennsylvania/New Jersey border
U.S. Highway 206 near Frankford, New Jersey
Interstate 87 near Harriman, New York
U.S. Highway 6/U.S. Highway 9W/U.S. Highway 202 near FortMontgomery, New York
US. Highway 9 near West Point, New York
Taconic State Parkway near Shenandoah, New York
Interstate 84 near Whaley Lake, New York
U.S. Highway 7 near Falls Village, Connecticut
U.S. Highway 44 near Salisbury, Connecticut
U.S. Highway 7 near Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Interstate 90 near Lee, Massachusetts
U.S. Highway 20 near Lee, Massachusetts
U.S. Highway 4 near Rutland, Vermont
interterstate 89 near West Hartford, Vermont
U.S. Highway 5 near Hanover, New Hampshire (US-5 is inVermont)
Interstate 91 near Hanover, New Hampshire (I-91 is inVermont)
Interstate 93/U.S. Highway 3 near Franconia, New Hampshire
u.S. Highway 302 in White Mountain National Forest
U.S. Highway 2 near Berlin, New Hampshire
U.S. Highway 201 near Bingham, Maine
Northern terminus: Mt. Katahdin, Maine

The state line is also the western boundary of a 480 acre(190 ha) Connecticut reservation inhabited by Schaghticoke Indians. Inside it,the AT roughly parallels its northern boundary, crossing back outside it after2,000 feet (640 m). The trail proceeds northward through the Housatonic Rivervalley and hills to its west, veering northwesterly and, at Salisbury,ascending the southern Taconic mountains, at Lion's Head affording a viewnortheasterly towards Mt. Greylock and other points in Massachusetts, and atBear Mountain, reaching over 2,000 feet (610 m) in elevation for the first timesince Pennsylvania and yielding views across the Hudson River valley to theCatskills and across the broad expanse of the Housatonic valley and theBerkshire and Litchfield Hills to the east. Just north of Bear, the trail, asit crosses into Massachusetts, descends into Sages Ravine, a deep gorge in theeastern Taconic ridgeline which is home to a fragile old growth forest. As thetrail crosses the brook in the ravine, it leaves the area maintained by theConnecticut section of the Appalachian Mountain Club.



Massachusetts

View from Mount Greylock in Massachusetts.Massachusetts has90 miles (145 km) of trail. The entire section of trail is in western Massachusetts'Berkshire County. It summits the highest peak in the southern Taconic Range,Mount Everett (2,602 ft., 793 m), then descends to the Housatonic River valleyand skirts the town of Great Barrington. The trail passes through the towns ofDalton and Cheshire, and summits the highest point in the state at 3,491 feet(1,064 m), Mount Greylock. It then quickly descends to the valley within 2miles (3 km) of North Adams and Williamstown, before ascending again to theVermont state line. The trail throughout Massachusetts is maintained by theBerkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club.
VermontVermont has 150 miles (241 km) of the trail.Upon entering Vermont, the trail coincides with the southernmost sections ofthe generally north/south-oriented Long Trail (which is subject to a request byits maintainers to protect it in its most vulnerable part of the year byforgoing spring hiking). It follows the ridge of the southern Green Mountains,summitting such notable peaks as Stratton Mountain, Glastenbury Mountain andKillington Peak. After parting ways with the Long Trail at Maine Junction, theAT turns in a more eastward direction, crossing the White River, passingthrough Norwich, and entering Hanover, New Hampshire, as it crosses the ConnecticutRiver. The Green Mountain Club maintains the AT from the Massachusetts stateborder to Route 12. The Dartmouth Outing Club maintains the trail from VT Route12 Woodstock to the New Hampshire state line.
New Hampshire
Franconia Ridge, a section of the Appalachian Trail in NewHampshire. New Hampshire has 161 miles (259 km) of the trail. The New HampshireAT is nearly all within the White Mountain National Forest. For northboundthru-hikers, it is the beginning of the main challenges that go beyond enduringdistance and time: in New Hampshire and Maine, rough or steep ground are morefrequent and alpine conditions are found near summits and along ridges. Thetrail reaches 17 of the 48 four-thousand footers of New Hampshire, including6,288' Mount Washington, the highest point of the AT north of Tennessee. TheDartmouth Outing Club maintains the AT from the Vermont border past MountMoosilauke to Kinsman Notch, Woodstock New Hampshire, with the AMC maintainingthe remaining miles through the state.

Maine
Northern terminus of the Trail atop Mount Katahdin inMaineMaine has 281 miles (452 km) of the trail. More moose are seen by hikersin this state than any other on the trail. The northern terminus of theAppalachian Trail is on Mount Katahdin's Baxter Peak in Baxter State Park.

In some parts of the trail in Maine, such as the MahoosucNotch, even the strongest hikers may only average 1 mph. There are other partsin which hikers must hold on to tree limbs and roots to climb and descend,which are especially dangerous and hazardous in wet weather conditions.

The western section includes a mile-long (1.6 km) stretch ofboulders, some of which hikers must pass under, at Mahoosuc Notch, often calledthe trail's hardest mile. Also, although there are dozens of river and streamfords on the Maine section of the trail, the Kennebec River is the only one onthe trail that requires a boat crossing. The most isolated portion of theAppalachian Trail, known as the "Hundred-Mile Wilderness", alsooccurs in Maine. It heads east-northeast from the town of Monson and endsoutside Baxter State Park just south of Abol Bridge.

Park management strongly discourages thru-hiking within thepark before May 15 or after October 15.

The AMC maintains the AT from the New Hampshire border toGrafton Notch, with the Maine Appalachian Trail Club responsible formaintaining the remaining miles to Mt. Katahdin.

Tennessee has 71 miles (114 km) of the trail, not includingmore than 200 miles (325 km) along or near the North Carolina Border. Thesection that runs just below the summit of Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky MountainsNational Park is along the North Carolina and Tennessee border and is thehighest point on the trail at 6,643 feet (2019 m). The Smoky Mountains HikingClub (Knoxville, TN) maintains the trail throughout the Great Smoky MountainsNational Park to Davenport Gap. North of Davenport Gap, the Carolina MountainClub (Asheville, NC) maintains the trail to Spivey Gap. Then there mainingTennessee section is maintained by the Tennessee Eastman Hiking &CanoeingClub (Kingsport, TN).


The Pocosin cabinalong the trail in Shenandoah National Park Virginia Virginia has 550 miles(885 km) of the trail, including about 20miles (32 km) along the West Virginiaborder. With the climate, and the timing of northbound hikers, this section iswet and challenging because of the spring thaw and heavy spring rainfall.Substantial portions closely parallel the Blue Ridge Parkway and, in ShenandoahNational Park, the Skyline Drive. Parts of the trail near the Blue RidgeParkway and the Skyline Drive are often considered the best for beginnerhikers. In the southwestern portion of the state, thetrail goes within one halfmile of the highest point in Virginia, Mount Rogers, which is a short side-hikefrom the AT

West VirginiaWestVirginia has 4 miles (6 km) of the trail,not including about 20 miles (32 km)along the Virginia border Here the trailpasses through the town of HarpersFerry, headquarters of the Appalachian TrailConservancy. Harpers Ferry isconsidered the "psychological midpoint"of the AT

MarylandMaryland has41 miles (66 km) of the trail, withelevations ranging from 230 to 1,880 feet(70–570 m).Hikers are required tostay at designated shelters and campsites. Thetrail runs along the C&OCanal Towpath route for 3 miles (4.8 km).

PennsylvaniaPennsylvania has 229 miles (369km) of thetrail. The trail extends from the Pennsylvania - Maryland line at PenMar, atiny town straddling the state line, to the Delaware Water Gap, atthePennsylvania - New Jersey border. The Susquehanna River is generallyconsideredthe dividing line between the northern and southern sections ofthePennsylvania AT, and Pine Grove Furnace State Park the halfway point oftheentire AT.
The AT passes through St. Anthony's Wilderness, which is thesecond largest roadless area in Pennsylvania and home to several coal miningghost towns, such as Yellow Springs and Rausch Gap.





Sunfish Pond on the Appalachian trail in New Jersey. NewJerseyNew Jersey is home to 72 miles (116 km) of the trail. The trail entersNew Jersey from the south on a pedestrian walkway along the Interstate 80bridge over the Delaware River, ascends from the Delaware Water Gap to the topof Kittatinny Ridge in Worthington State Forest, passes Sunfish Pond, continuesthrough Stokes State Forest and eventually reaches High Point State Park, thehighest peak in New Jersey (a side trail is required to reach the actual peak).It then turns in a southeastern direction along the New York border for about30 miles (48 km), passing over long sections of boardwalk bridges over marshyland, then entering Wawayanda State Park and then the Abram S. Hewitt StateForest just before entering New York near Greenwood Lake.



Black bear activity along the trail in New Jersey increasedrapidly starting in 2001. Hence, metal bear-proof trash boxes are in place atall New Jersey shelters.





Island Pond, Harriman State Park New YorkNew York's 88 miles(142 km) of trail contain very little elevation change compared to otherstates.From south to north, the trail summits many small mountains under 1,400feet (430 m) in elevation, its highest point in New York being Prospect Rock at1,433 feet (438 m), and only 3,000 feet (800 m) from the border with NewJersey. The trail continues north, climbing near Fitzgerald Falls, passingthrough Sterling Forest, and then entering Harriman State Park and BearMountain State Park. It crosses the Hudson River on the Bear Mountain Bridge,the lowest point on the entire Appalachian Trail at 124 feet (38 m). It thenpasses through Fahnestock State Park, and continues northeast and crosses theMetro-North Railroad's Harlem Line. This track crossing is the site of the onlytrain station along the trail's length. It enters Connecticut via the PawlingNature Reserve. The section of the trail that passes through Harriman and BearMountain State Parks is the oldest section of the trail, completed in 1923. Aportion of this section was paved by 700 volunteers with 800 granite-slab stepsfollowed by over a mile of walkway supported by stone crib walls with boulderslining the path. The project took four years, cost roughly $1 million, and wasofficially opened in June 2010



ConnecticutConnecticut's 52 miles (84 km) of trail liealmost entirely along the ridges to the west above the Housatonic River valley.

HazardsThe Appalachian Trail is relatively safe. Mostinjuries or incidents are consistent with comparable outdoor activities. Mosthazards are related to weather conditions, human error, plants, animals,diseases, and fellow humans encountered along the trail.

Many animals live around the trail, with bears, snakes, andwild boars posing the greatest threat to human safety. Several rodent- andbug-borne illnesses are also a potential hazard. In scattered instances, foxes,raccoons, and other small animals may bite hikers, posing risk of rabies andother diseases. There has been one reported case (in 1993) of hantavirus (HPS),a rare but dangerous rodent-borne disease affecting the lungs. The afflictedhiker recovered and hiked the trail the following year.

The section of the trail that runs through the Mid-Atlanticand New England states have a very high population of Deer Ticks carrying Lymeand other tick-borne diseases, and represents the highest density of reportedLyme Disease in the country. Hikers should understand the risks, and takeappropriate precautions.

Plant life can create its own brand of problems. Poison ivyis common the length of the trail, and more plentiful in the South.

Hiking season of the trail generally starts in mid to latespring, when conditions are much more favorable in the South. However, thistime may also be characterized by extreme heat, sometimes in excess of 100 °F(38 °C). Under such conditions, hydration is imperative. Light clothing andsunscreens are a must at high elevations and areas without foliage, even inrelatively cool weather.

Further north and at higher elevations, the weather can beintensely cold, characterized by low temperatures, strong winds, hail or snowstorms and reduced visibility. Prolonged rain, though not typicallylife-threatening, can undermine stamina and ruin supplies.

Violent crime, including murder, has occurred on the trailin a few instances. Most have been crimes by non-hikers who crossed pathsrelatively randomly with the AT hiker-victims. The official website of theAppalachian Trail Conservancy points out that the number of violent crimes isextremely low when compared against the number of people (3 to 4 million) whohike on the trail every year.

The first reported homicide on the trail was in 1974 inGeorgia. In 1981, the issue of violence on the Appalachian Trail receivednational attention when Robert Mountford Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay, bothsocial workers in Ellsworth, Maine, were murdered by Randall Lee Smith. Anotherhomicide occurred in May 1996, when two women were abducted, bound and murderednear the trail in Shenandoah National Park. The primary suspect was laterdiscovered harassing a female bicycler in the vicinity, but charges against himwere dropped, and the case remains unsolved.

Trail completion Trail hikers who attempt to complete theentire trail in a single season are called "thru-hikers"; those whotraverse the trail during a series of separate trips are known as"section-hikers". Rugged terrain, weather extremes, freedom fromillness or injury, and the desire to commit the time and effort required makethru-hiking difficult to accomplish.

Traditionally, only about 10% to 15% of those who make theattempt report to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy that they completed it.However, since 2001, the number of people starting out in Georgia to do athru-hike (or at least registering to do so) has dropped considerably, yet thenumber of people reporting that they have completed a thru-hike has remainedapproximately the same. This has resulted in an apparent increase in thecompletion rate to 29% (as of 2006).

A thru-hike generally requires five to seven months,although some have done it in three months, and several trail runners havecompleted the trail in less time. Trail runners typically tackle the AT withautomobile support teams, without backpacks, and without camping in the woods.

The current speed record for thru-hiking the AT was set byJennifer Pharr Davis in 2011, at 46 days, 11 hours and 20 minutes. Pharr Davismade the trip southbound, from mid June to late July.

Thru-hikers are classified into many informal groups."Purists" are hikers who stick to the official AT trail, follow thewhite blazes, except for side trips to shelters and camp sites. "BlueBlazers" cut miles from the full route by taking side trails marked byblue blazes. The generally pejorative name "Yellow Blazers," areference to yellow road stripes, is given to those who hitchhike to move downthe trail. There are also those who hike the entire trail in sections known as"section hikers" as opposed to those who hike the whole trail as onecourse.

Most thru-hikers walk northward from Georgia to Maine, and generally start out inearly spring and follow the warm weather as it moves north. These"north-bounders" are also called NOBO (NOrthBOund) or GAME(Georgia(GA)-to-Maine(ME)), while those heading in the opposite direction aretermed "south-bounders" (also SOBO or MEGA).

Part of hiker subculture includes making colorful entries inlogbooks at trail shelters, signed using pseudonyms called trail names.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy gives the name "2000Miler" to anyone who completes the entire trail. The ATC's recognitionpolicy for "2000 Milers" gives equal recognition to thru-hikers andsection-hikers, operates on the honor system, and recognizes blue-blazed trailsor officially required roadwalks as substitutes for the official, white-blazedroute during an emergency such as a flood, forest fire, or impending storm onan exposed, high-elevation stretch. As of 2010, more than 11,000 people hadreported completing the entire trail. About three-quarters of these arethru-hikers.

The Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and thePacific Crest Trail form what is known as the Triple Crown of long distancehiking in the United States. In 2001, Brian Robinson became the first one tocomplete all three trails in a year.

RouteMain article: Appalachian Trail by state

Map of theAppalachian TrailThe trail is currently protected along more than 99% of itscourse by federal or state ownership of the land or by right-of-way. The trailis maintained by a variety of citizen organizations, environmental advocacygroups, governmental agencies and individuals. Annually, more than 4,000volunteers contribute over 175,000 hours of effort on the Appalachian Trail, aneffort coordinated largely by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC)organization. In total, the AT passes through eight national forests and twonational parks.

In the course of its journey, the trail follows theridgeline of the Appalachian Mountains, crossing many of its highest peaks, andrunning, with only a few exceptions, almost continuously through wilderness.The trail used to traverse many hundreds of miles of private property;currently 99% of the trail is on public land.


A hiker signs the register on Springer Mountain[edit]GeorgiaGeorgia has 75 miles (120 km) of the trail, including the southernterminus at Springer Mountain at an elevation of 3,280 feet (992 m).[50] At4,461 feet (1360 m), Blood Mountain is the highest point on the trail inGeorgia. The AT and approach trail, along with many miles of blue blazed sidetrails, are managed and maintained by the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. Seealso: Georgia Peaks on the Appalachian Trail.

North CarolinaNorth Carolina has 88 miles (142 km) of thetrail, not including more than 200 miles (325 km) along the Tennessee Border.Altitude ranges from 1,725 to 5,498 feet (525 m to 1676 m). The trail entersfrom Georgia at Bly Gap, ascending peaks such as Standing Indian Mountain, Mt.Albert, and Wayah Bald. It then goes by Nantahala Outdoor Center at theNantahala River Gorge and the Nantahala River crossing. Up to this point, thetrail is maintained by the Nantahala Hiking Club. Beyond this point, it ismaintained by the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club. 30 miles (48 km) further north,Fontana Dam marks the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

There is a drastic change between the lowland and subalpine, evergreen forest, as well as another, higher break, at tree line, above which only hardy alpine plants grow. The sub-alpine region is far more prevalent along the trail than true alpine conditions. While it mainly exists in the north, a few mountains in the south have subalpine environments, which are typically coated in an ecosystem known as the Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest. Southern ranges and mountains where sub-alpine environments occur include the Great Smoky Mountains, where sub-alpine environments only begin around 6,000 feet (1,800 m) in elevation, Roan Highlands on the North Carolina-Tennessee border, where sub-alpine growth descends below 6,000 feet (1,800 m), and Mount Rogers and the Grayson Highlands in Virginia, where there is some alpine growth above 5,000 feet (1,500 m). Appalachian balds are also found in the Southern highlands, and are believed to occur due to fires or grazing in recent centuries, or in some cases due to thin, sandy soils. Several balds are sprouting trees, and on some, the National Forest service actually mows the grasses periodically in order to keep the balds free of trees.


Diagram of the Appalachian Mountain systemNo sub-alpine regions exist between Mount Rogers in Virginia and Mount Greylock in Massachusetts, mainly because the trail stays below 3,000 feet (910 m) from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Mount Greylock. Mount Greylock, however, has a large subalpine region, the only such forest in Massachusetts, extending down to 3,000 feet (910 m), which in the south would be far from the sub-alpine cutoff. This is especially low because Greylock is exposed to prevailing westerly winds, as the summits along its ridgeline rise approximately 200 feet (61 m) to 650 feet (200 m) higher than any other peak in Massachusetts. Further north, several peaks in Vermont reach into the sub-alpine zone, the bottom of which steadily descends as one proceeds northward, so that by the White Mountains in New Hampshire, it often occurs well below 3,000 feet (910 m). At Mount Moosilauke, which summits at 4,802 feet (1,464 m), the first alpine environment on the trail is reached, where only thin, sporadic flora is interspersed with bare rocks. Between the two regions is the krummholz region, where stunted trees grow with their branches oriented away from the winter's prevailing northwest wind, thus giving the appearance of flags (they are often called "flag trees").
In Maine, the trail extends into even harsher environments,and sub-alpine and alpine growth descends to lower elevations. Alpine growth inthe state ranges from around 2,500 feet (760 m) in the Mahoosuc Range to below1,000 feet (300 m) in parts of the Hundred-Mile Wilderness, where nearly everyarea higher than 1,000 feet (300 m) is evergreen forest. These forests includemore species of evergreen, as well. In addition to the white pine, spruce andhemlock prevalent further south, Maine has many cedar trees along the trail.Near the northern terminus, there are even some tamarack (larch), a coniferous,pine-needled deciduous tree, which provides displays of yellow in the late fallafter the birches and maples have gone bare. The hemlocks in Maine are alsonotable, as the woolly adelgid, which has ravaged populations further south,has not come into the state yet, and may be unable to make it so far north dueto the cold climate.

Maine also has several alpine regions. In addition toseveral areas of the Mahoosuc Range, the Baldpates and Old Blue in southernMaine have alpine characteristics despite elevations below 4,000 feet (1,200m). Saddleback Mountain and Mount Bigelow, further north, each only extend abit above 4,000 feet (1,200 m), but have long alpine areas, with no tree growthon the summits and unobstructed views on clear days. From Mount Bigelow, thetrail extends for 150 miles (240 km) with only a small area of alpine growtharound 3,500 feet (1,100 m) on the summit of White Cap Mountain. MountKatahdin, the second largest alpine environment in the eastern United States,has several square miles of alpine area on the flat "table land"summit as well as the cliffs and aretes leading up to it. Treeline on MountKatahdin is only around 3,500 feet (1,100 m). This elevation in Massachusettswould barely be a sub-alpine region, and, south of Virginia, consists oflowland forest. This illustrates the drastic change in climate over 2,000 miles(3,200 km).
Despite the alpine environments well below 5,000 feet (1,500m) in New Hampshire and Maine, some higher places further south are not alpine.Examples include Wayah Bald in North Carolina 5,342 feet (1,628 m) andClingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park 6,643 feet (2,025 m).

Shelters are generally maintained by local volunteers.Almost all shelters have one or more pre-hung food hangers (generallyconsisting of a short nylon cord with an upside-down tuna can suspended halfwaydown its length) where hikers can hang their food bags to keep them out of thereach of rodents. In hiker lingo, these are sometimes called "mousetrapezes."

In addition to official shelters, many people offer theirhomes, places of business, or inns to accommodate AT hikers. One example is theLittle Lyford Pond camps maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club. Inns aremore common in sections of the trail that coincide with national parks, mostnotably Virginia's Shenandoah National Park.

Trail towns
An information house in Boiling Springs, PennsylvaniaThetrail crosses many roads, thus providing ample opportunity for hikers tohitchhike into town for food and other supplies. Many trail towns areaccustomed to hikers passing through, and thus many have hotels andhiker-oriented accommodations Some of the most well-known trail towns are HotSprings, North Carolina; Erwin, Tennessee; Damascus, Virginia; Harpers Ferry,West Virginia; Duncannon, Pennsylvania; Port Clinton, Pennsylvania; Hanover,New Hampshire; and Monson, Maine. In the areas of the trail closer to trailtowns, many hikers have experienced what is sometimes called "trail magic,or assistance from strangers through kind actions, gifts, and other forms ofencouragement. Trail magic is sometimes done anonymously. In other instances,persons have provided food and cooked for hikers at a campsite.

:cool: Appalachian Trail
Length Approx. 2181 mi (3510 km)a
Location Appalachian Mountains
Trailheads Springer Mountain, Georgia
Mount Katahdin, Maine
Use Hiking
Elevation Change 515,000 ft (156,972 m)
Highest point Clingmans Dome 6643 ft
Lowest point Hudson River 124 ft
Trail difficulty Moderate to strenuous
Season Spring to Fall
Sights Appalachian Mountains
Hazards: Severe weather
American Black Bear
Tick-borne diseases
Mosquitos
Yellowjackets
Biting flies
Chiggers
Steep grades
Limited water
Diarrhea from water
Poison ivy
Venomous snakes
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately 2,184 miles (3,515 km)a long. Along the way, the trail passes through the states of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The path is maintained by 30 trail clubs and multiple partnerships, and managed by the National Park Service and the nonprofit Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The majority of the trail is in wilderness, although some portions traverse towns and roads, and cross rivers.

The Appalachian Trail is famous for its many hikers, some of whom, called thru-hikers, attempt to hike it in its entirety in a single season. Many books, memoirs, web sites and fan organizations are dedicated to this pursuit.

An unofficial extension known as the International Appalachian Trail, continues north into Canada and to the end of the range, where it enters the Atlantic Ocean.

The Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail form what is known as the Triple Crown of long distance hiking in the United States.
1 Georgia
2 North Carolina
3 Tennessee
4 Virginia
5 West Virginia
6 Maryland
7 Pennsylvania
8 New Jersey
9 New York
10 Connecticut
11 Massachusetts
12 Vermont
13 New Hampshire
14 Maine
The trail was conceived by Benton MacKaye, a forester who wrote his original plan shortly after the death of his wife in 1921. MacKaye's idea detailed a grand trail that would connect a series of farms and wilderness work/study camps for city-dwellers. In 1922, at the suggestion of Major William A. Welch, director of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, his idea was publicized by Raymond H. Torrey with a story in the New York Evening Post under a full-page banner headline reading "A Great Trail from Maine to Georgia!" The idea was quickly adopted by the new Palisades Interstate Park Trail Conference as their main project

Bear Mountain BridgeOn October 7, 1923, the first section of the trail, from Bear Mountain west through Harriman State Park to Arden, New York, was opened. MacKaye then called for a two-day Appalachian Trail conference to be held in March 1925 in Washington, D.C. This resulted in the formation of the Appalachian Trail Conference (now called the Appalachian Trail Conservancy).

A retired judge named Arthur Perkins and his younger associate Myron Avery took up the cause. In 1929, Perkins, who was also a member of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association and its Blue Blazed Trails committee, found Ned Anderson, a farmer in Sherman, Connecticut, who took on the task of mapping and blazing the Connecticut leg of the trail (1929–1933). It ran from Dog Tail Corners in Webatuck, New York, which borders Kent, Connecticut, at Ashley Falls, 50 miles (80 km) through the northwest corner of the state, up to Bear Mountain at the Massachusetts border. (A portion of the Connecticut trail has since been rerouted [1979-83] to be more scenic, adhering less to highways and more to wilderness, and includes a Ned K. Anderson Memorial Bridge.)

Anderson’s efforts helped spark renewed interest in the trail, and Avery (leading the charge since Perkins’ death in 1932) was able to bring other states onboard. Upon taking over the ATC, Avery adopted the more practical goal of building a simple hiking trail. He and MacKaye clashed over the ATC's response to a major commercial development along the trail's path; MacKaye left the organization, while Avery was willing to simply reroute the trail. Avery reigned as Chairman of the ATC from 1932 to 1952 (he died that same year).

Avery became the first to walk the trail end-to-end, though not as a thru-hike, in 1936. In August 1937, the trail was completed to Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine, and the ATC shifted its focus toward protecting the trail lands and mapping the trail for hikers. From 1938 to the end of World War II, the trail suffered a series of natural and man-made setbacks. At the end of the war, the damage to the trail was repaired

In 1948, Earl Shaffer of York, Pennsylvania, brought a great deal of attention to the project by completing the first documented thru-hike. Later Shaffer also completed the first north-to-south thru-hike, making him the first to do so in each direction. In 1998 Mr. Shaffer, nearly 80 years old, again hiked the entirety of the trail, making him the oldest person ever to complete a thru-hike.

In 1994, a story appeared in the Appalachian Trailway News describing a 121-day Maine to Georgia thru-hike in 1936 by six Boy Scouts from the Bronx. Although the story has been accepted by some members of ALDHA, a great deal of doubt has also been expressed and this earlier thru-hike has never been verified. Shaffer's 1948 journey is still generally recognized as the first A.T. thru-hike.

In the 1960s, the ATC made progress toward protecting the trail from development, thanks to efforts of politicians and officials. The National Trails System Act of 1968 designated the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail as the first national scenic trails and paved the way for a series of National Scenic Trails within the National Park and National Forest systems. Trail volunteers worked with the National Park Service to map a permanent route for the trail, and by 1971 a permanent route had been marked (though minor changes continue to this day). By the close of the 20th century, the Park Service had completed the purchase of all but a few miles of the trail's span.

ExtensionsThe International Appalachian Trail is a 1,900-mile (3,100 km) unofficial extension running north from Maine into New Brunswick and Quebec. It is a separate trail, not an official extension of the Appalachian Trail. A further extension to Newfoundland has recently been completed.

In 2010, a group of geologists representing the International Appalachian Trail began a push to extend the trail across the Atlantic Ocean, across Greenland and Iceland in the North Atlantic and into Northern Europe, then down to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

In 2008, the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail in Alabama and Georgia was connected to the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail via the Benton MacKaye Trail. Promoters of the Southern extension refer to MacKaye's statement at the 1925 conference that the Georgia to New Hampshire trail should, in the future, extend to Katahdin, and "then to Birmingham, Alabama". The Pinhoti Trail now terminates at Flagg Mountain, near Weogufka in Coosa County, 50 miles (80 km) east of Birmingham.

Flora and faunaThe Appalachian Trail is home to thousands of species of plants and animals, including 2,000 distinct rare, threatened, endangered, and sensitive plant and animal species.

Animals
The American black bear, one of the largest animals on the Appalachian Trail.The American black bear (Ursus americanus) is the largest omnivore that may be encountered on the trail, and it inhabits all regions of the Appalachians. Bear sightings on the trail are uncommon, except in certain sections, especially Shenandoah National Park and the New Jersey section; confrontations are rarer still. Other hazards include venomous snakes, including the Eastern timber rattlesnake and copperhead, which are common along the trail. Both snakes are generally found in drier, rockier sections of the trail; the copperhead's range extends north to around the New Jersey-New York state line, while rattlesnakes are commonly found along the trail in Connecticut and have been reported, although rarely, as far north as New Hampshire. Other large mammals commonly sighted include deer; elk, reintroduced in the Smoky Mountains; and moose, which live as far south as Massachusetts but are more commonly seen in northern New England


A timber rattlesnake among the leavesFor most hikers, the most persistent pests along the trail are mice, which inhabit shelters, and bugs, which include ticks, mosquitos, and black flies.

PlantsPlant life along the trail is varied. The trail passes through several different biomes from south to north, and the climate changes significantly, particularly dependent upon elevation. In the south, lowland forests consist mainly of second-growth; nearly the entire trail has been logged at one time or another. There are, however, a few old growth locations along the trail, such as Sages Ravine straddling the Massachusetts-Connecticut border and atop higher peaks along the trail on either side of the same border, the Hopper (a glacial cirque westward of the trail as it traverses Mt. Greylock in Massachusetts), and "The Hermitage", near Gulf Hagas in Maine. In the south, the forest is dominated by hardwoods, including oak and tulip trees, also known as yellow poplar. Further north, tulip trees are gradually replaced by maples and birches. Oaks begin to disappear in Massachusetts. By Vermont, the lowland forest is made up of maples, birch and beech, which provide spectacular foliage displays for hikers in September and October. While the vast majority of lowland forest south of the White Mountains is hardwood, many areas have some coniferous trees as well, and in Maine, these often grow at low elevations.

http://relicradio.com/otr/stream/ <= listening to this as Iwrite.



It’s snowing in West Texas. From what I remember "back in the day" it would snow maybe once, and that is a big MAYBE, a year. It seems that it snows more frequently now. Lush white hills of snow cover my front yard as I type right now. People don’t seem to know what to do.

I wonder what it would be like to be out in this weather no lights or... or heater. Nothing. And baby, I think I would love it!

In fact I know I would.

Every time I went camping with daddy it was the best of times in my life. It was when all the distractions, all my worldly fears melted away and the only things that dad and I had to worry about were; where we would find our food, where we would get our water and if we were to sleep outside or forfeit the view of the stars for the warmth and security of our one person tent. Usually daddy would sleep in the tent and I would brave the bugs and scary noises coming from the bushes from beside me as I nodded in and out of sleep wondering what strange creature was staring at me through the shrubs and considering me as a yummy night time snack. But even that I would love.


Such great memories that I have and I will love to make even more with my own daughter. I want to raise her loving the outdoors and learning that she can be a beautiful self-sufficient young woman who can enjoy all the adventure she craves as much any man ever could wish for.

Safety is the first thing that pops into my head after writing that sentence. So many things could go wrong rather it be from dangerous people or dangerous animals or even just falling down and breaking a foot. But they are chances that I am willing to take. It must make me a bad mother to knowingly put my daughter in situations like that I suppose. But I would consider myself a worse mother to not teach her about avoiding things like that and how to deal with them if they do happen.