If you really want to hike the Appalachian Mts, you are starting in the wrong place.

[The Counselor]

Flagg Mountain, near Sylacauga, Alabama, is the southernmost Appalachian peak. Breaking News: The 762 acres of land between Flagg Mountain and the beginning of the Pinhoti Trail, which already connects to the AT, has just been purchased by the Conservation Fund.

With all due respect to Georgia's Springer Mountain, folks who want to hike all of the Appalachians need ship their packs south to Alabama. Once the particulars are complete, you would begin hiking in rugged, old growth forest along Weogufka Creek before entering the wooded mountains of the Talladega National Forest. Completing the Pinhoti Trail on the front end adds about 300 miles to the AT.

Realizing the economic boon that comes with a state having the southern terminus of the AT and the lobbying that would inevitably take place to preserve it, would the ATC expand the trail yet again?

So the informal poll question is:

*Do you value the tradition of starting at Springer and wish to preserve it?

*Or would you rather see the Appalachian Trail get longer by laying claim to all of the Appalachian Mountains?

[Pedaling Fool]

The cycle of life...

[WisconsinHiker2011]

Flagg Mountain, near Sylacauga, Alabama, is the southernmost Appalachian peak. Breaking News: The 762 acres of land between Flagg Mountain and the beginning of the Pinhoti Trail, which already connects to the AT, has just been purchased by the Conservation Fund.

With all due respect to Georgia's Springer Mountain, folks who want to hike all of the Appalachians need ship their packs south to Alabama. Once the particulars are complete, you would begin hiking in rugged, old growth forest along Weogufka Creek before entering the wooded mountains of the Talladega National Forest. Completing the Pinhoti Trail on the front end adds about 300 miles to the AT.

Realizing the economic boon that comes with a state having the southern terminus of the AT and the lobbying that would inevitably take place to preserve it, would the ATC expand the trail yet again?

So the informal poll question is:

*Do you value the tradition of starting at Springer and wish to preserve it?

*Or would you rather see the Appalachian Trail get longer by laying claim to all of the Appalachian Mountains?

This would only work if we expanded the trail into Canada and make the International Appalachian Trail a reality.

Of course you can already walk the above if you want. Why wait for official names and titles?

[Cookerhiker]

Good news about the Conservation Fund's purchases around Flagg Mountain.

Re. extending the AT, my question would be how much of the existing corridor from Flagg to Springer lies on existing public lands or at least lands accessible to hikers? Would there be a lot of inevitable road walks because of large gaps consisting of private land? I ask this because given financing limitations, I'd rather see horizontal expansion of the existing AT corridor than verticle extension of the length. A longer ribbon of trees doesn't make for a great hike if the ribbon is surrounded by sprawl.

I know there are WB threads on the Pinhoti which may answer some of these questions.

[Manwich]

If you hiked the appalachian trail, you've hiked the appalachian trail.

If you hiked the appalachian mountains, you've hiked the appalachian mountains.

no need to get pedantic about it.

[Hobbler]

I have often wondered why the southern-most point of the appalachians were not included in the A/T and would be very interested in the ideas of expansion. This will however make the window of time much narrower, and the seasonal planning for the thru-hiker possibilities a tad more involving.

There will be a few more weeks to reach Springer and start the already established A/T route NOBO and a longer added time with the trek extension for those SOBO. There will be some who might feel that the value of their already completed thrus will be tainted...So be it! Just go and add the 300 mile trek to your "to do" list and you will feel much better.

[Tennessee Viking]

Pinhoti Trail promotion.

[Tuckahoe]

I am alright with the AT only including that portion of the Appalachian Mtns from Springer to Katahdin. The Appalachians are certainly a large enough range to include more than one trail and more than one name and any route that the builders want.

[The Counselor]

"Of course you can already walk the above if you want. Why wait for official names and titles?"

Thanks for the wisdom. Why does the ATC officially name/title the AT at all? You think I started the conversation because I am debating waiting until someone title's a trail before I'll walk it?

I just thought it was an interesting conversation piece. I would imagine the conversation has taken place every time a trail is officially designated or expanded......

[Dances with Mice]

"Of course you can already walk the above if you want. Why wait for official names and titles?"

Thanks for the wisdom. Why does the ATC officially name/title the AT at all? You think I started the conversation because I am debating waiting until someone title's a trail before I'll walk it?....

We've seen stranger.

Speaking of interesting conversations, which of the mountain bike clubs and equestrian trail clubs that helped build and still maintain portions of the path think absorbing their unique scenic trail into the AT is a good idea?

[Sickmont]

Maybe instead of making the trail longer if it ever gets connected to Flagg mtn. perhaps it could be another blue blaze trail?

[Hobbler]

Good news about the Conservation Fund's purchases around Flagg Mountain.

Re. extending the AT, my question would be how much of the existing corridor from Flagg to Springer lies on existing public lands or at least lands accessible to hikers? Would there be a lot of inevitable road walks because of large gaps consisting of private land? I ask this because given financing limitations, I'd rather see horizontal expansion of the existing AT corridor rather than verticle extension of the length. A longer ribbon of trees doesn't make for a great hike if the ribbon is surrounded by sprawl.

I know there are WB threads on the Pinhotti which may answer some of these questions.

Let's remember that the A/T has faced its share of road-hiking through the years and through activism and determination of the supporting organizations has over-come a lot of that. There are still some areas of relocations regularly and they are addressed and made better. Any new trail will take some time to get the kinks out. If it happens, it will be an on-going process.

[Luddite]

*Do you value the tradition of starting at Springer and wish to preserve it?

*Or would you rather see the Appalachian Trail get longer by laying claim to all of the Appalachian Mountains?

The AT is already completed and those Alabama hills are only mountains on a technicality. The real Appalachian mountains begin in north Georgia.

[double d]

"Of course you can already walk the above if you want. Why wait for official names and titles?"

Thanks for the wisdom. Why does the ATC officially name/title the AT at all? You think I started the conversation because I am debating waiting until someone title's a trail before I'll walk it?

I just thought it was an interesting conversation piece. I would imagine the conversation has taken place every time a trail is officially designated or expanded......

Counselor, don't you have any sense of American political history? The ATC was granted this power by the Federal government when the AT became a protected trail by Congress in 1968. Congress had to move to protect this land called the AT (and of course the protected trails in your state) because of land development and private ownership. Try hiking on someone's private land, see how far that gets you.

[Sly]

I have often wondered why the southern-most point of the appalachians were not included in the A/T and would be very interested in the ideas of expansion. This will however make the window of time much narrower, and the seasonal planning for the thru-hiker possibilities a tad more involving.

Have you also wondered why the northern-most point of the Appalachians was not included in the AT?

As Cookerhiker pointed out it would be best to widen the trail than lengthen it.

[Kerosene]

What John means is that this has all been debated before at WhiteBlaze. Of course, if you insist on hiking the entire Appalachian range, then you'll want to hike all the way to Newfoundland, although I don't believe that an official ferryboat has been designated to get you to the island from New Brunswick.

[flemdawg1]

Maybe instead of making the trail longer if it ever gets connected to Flagg mtn. perhaps it could be another blue blaze trail?

IT's a blue blaze now, connected to the BMT.

The AT is already completed and those Alabama hills are only mountains on a technicality. The real Appalachian mountains begin in north Georgia.

Whats the diff between a "technical" mountain and a "real" mountain?

What the Pinhoti needs in order to be considered to be part of the average thur-hiker's plan is some services. Get a few volunteers to offer some shuttles, some of those ma-paw convenience stores to carry fuel canisters and better hiking food, get the local law enforcement more serious about protecting trailheads from vandalism and theft.

[buff_jeff]

I highly doubt it will ever become part of the "official" AT route. I mean, the Approach Trail has been around for how long? and it isn't white blazed.

[Sickmont]

IT's a blue blaze now, connected to the BMT.

Oh. Oops. I failed.

[max patch]

Here's what you need to do Counselor:

1. Get the Pinhoti off the roads and into the woods.
2. Get rid of the horses.
3. Get rid of the bikes.

Then come back and make your case.