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RLC_FLA
09-07-2005, 09:13
My wife and I are getting back into hiking since our '89 thru hike and are planning on spending the 1st week in Nov in N Ga with a friend, novice hiker. We are going to do the Springer approach trail , overnight at Springer and back down. After that we'll probably spend a few days at Vogel SP and use that as a base camp to do some day hikes to several of the waterfalls in the area.

My question is, is it necessary for us to wear blaze orange while we're out visiting these well travelled areas of the trail and waterfall (Helton Creek, Dukes Creek, Raven Cliffs, etc) approach trails? The AT Conservancy recommends the use of blaze orange while hiking the trail and if we were going to go north from springer, we would most certainly wear it in the more remote areas of N Ga.

Ideas, opinions, recomendations welcome based on where we'll be hiking.

RLC_FLA
GA=>ME '89

Tramper Al
09-07-2005, 09:26
It's just so easy to wear orange that I don't give it a second thought.

Definitely any time during breach loading (rifle or shotgun) deer season, I wear plenty of blaze orange. Other times in mid Oct to mid December, or during a lesser hunting season (i.e. muzzle loader or Turkey or whatever), I still wear some.

Walmart or the like is a good source for very inexpensive orange stuff. The ball caps are like $2. I recommend the nearly weightless orange vest for your day pack (which largely covers the venst if worn). You can also get a decent short- or long-sleeved synthetic orange blaze shirt for a pittance. With a shirt like this, electing to wear orange is an option without any weight penalty.

Hope that helps . . .

max patch
09-07-2005, 10:12
Tramper Al basically makes the same point I do re blaze orange....you have to wear a shirt anyway so all my hiking shirts are orange. No extra weight or expense for the enhanced safety since all my shirts are orange its one less thing I have to remember.

In any event, the waterfall hikes should be getting a lot of use in the Fall, especially on the weekends.

Moxie00
09-09-2005, 09:26
The University of Tennessee football team has worn blaze orange for years. It works out well for them. They wear it to play football on Saturday, then they go hunting on Sunday, and the rest of the week they wear it to pick up trash beside the highway.

orangebug
09-09-2005, 11:11
UT has a sickly yellow version of "orange."

Take it from me, Blaze Orange is Clemson Orange. You can find it in WalMart and other thrift stores throughout the South.

frieden
09-09-2005, 11:35
True UT orange is a bright orange, but I've seen some UT stuff that was light orange. Moxie00, you aren't kidding. If I learned anything at UT, and living in TN, is that everything is orange and white. Some people have vans painted just for football season, and are parked the rest of the time (boats, too). We got points off in classes for not going to games, or wearing orange and white on Fridays. They are very serious about their orange. Luckily, not everyone is as serious about hunting. I get the point about picking up trash along the highway, but you are giving them too much credit. I didn't see too many of the locals putting out more effort than required, including getting in trouble with the law. That too would be just too much work. It's better to sit on your porch, and watch the grass grow. ;)

Rain Man
09-09-2005, 13:38
UT has a sickly yellow version of "orange."

Man, ain't THAT the truth! It's such a weak, yellowy, washed-out version of REAL orange.


Take it from me, Blaze Orange is Clemson Orange. You can find it in WalMart and other thrift stores throughout the South.

Well, Clemson Orange is officially BURNT Orange, not blaze orange, but it's a hell of a lot closer to blaze orange than U of Tenn ever thought of being.

Rain:sunMan
Nashville, Tennessee
Clemson '75

.

neo
09-09-2005, 14:38
wear orange,i would,walmart has a great orange selection,even a hooded fleece

jacket:cool: neo

Footslogger
09-09-2005, 14:41
Bought a blaze orange knit hat in Andover on my thru in 2003. Started to hear lots of crack/thumps kinda close to the trail and thought it might be a good idea. Wore it all the way to Katahdin and summitted with it. Now it's a sort of special piece of warm weather clothing on all my winter hikes.

'Slogger