View Full Version : Legends of the Appalachian Trail
Chair-man
08-04-2014, 23:16
Legends of the Appalachian Trail
Most of us a familiar with AT trail legends like
Earl Shaffer - first person to thru hike the AT
Grandma Gatewood - first woman to Thru hike th AT
Benton MacKaye - AT developer
Some of the the other names that keep coming up as I read Trailjournals are
Cookie Lady - trail angle
Bob Peoples - hostel owner
The Captain - trail angel
to name a few I would consider legends
So, what hostel owner, trail angel, shuttle driver or someone else would you consider to be a
Legend of the Appalachian Trail ?
Most so called "trail legends" Leonard, Tattoo Joe, Baltimore Jack, all of Billville, The Out of Bubble Gum Crew (SOBO 2013) are in fact the illegitimate children of Bob Peoples.
Another Kevin
08-04-2014, 23:40
Start with some of the other progenitors of the Trail: Myron Avery, Raymond Torrey, William Welch, Arthur Perkins.
George Washington Outerbridge (Philadelphia gynecologist; section hiked the Trail between the years 1932 and 1939).
Steve Longley, the ferryman.
I won't mention the living legends. That carries too much political freight.
Wise Old Owl
08-04-2014, 23:46
My vote - Shelterbuilder... just because he's dedicated to the trail.
Hill Ape
08-05-2014, 01:11
every wounded warrior ever
the orient express
dirty girl
the hansons
Sarcasm the elf
08-05-2014, 08:24
Peace Pilgrim.
Horace Kephart (At the very least those interested in the history of the trail should read up about him.)
[QUOTE=Hill Ape;
the hansons[/QUOTE]
Maybe the least recognized, but very deserving! They were the definition of Trail Magic.
Gambit McCrae
08-05-2014, 10:44
Horace Kephart (At the very least those interested in the history of the trail should read up about him.)
Found a PDF version of "Our Southern highlanders" quite interesting so far thanks
Lone Wolf
08-05-2014, 10:47
the hansonsthe owners since Jeff and Dorothy don't compare
Start with some of the other progenitors of the Trail: Myron Avery, Raymond Torrey, William Welch, Arthur Perkins.
George Washington Outerbridge (Philadelphia gynecologist; section hiked the Trail between the years 1932 and 1939).
Steve Longley, the ferryman.
I won't mention the living legends. That carries too much political freight.
Yeah I've been enjoying reading the AT hardcover book from the ATC store and learning about all these original pioneers, creators and first thru-hikers. A beautiful book. I also appreciate a little more my hike up the Major Welch Trail at Bear Mountain, knowing more about who it was named after!
I would vote for Bill Irwin. Amazing to think a blind person could complete the journey. Probably be even more amazed after my hike over Mt. Moosilauke this Friday. First time in NH. Iceman
rocketsocks
08-05-2014, 11:41
Start with some of the other progenitors of the Trail: Myron Avery, Raymond Torrey, William Welch, Arthur Perkins.
George Washington Outerbridge (Philadelphia gynecologist; section hiked the Trail between the years 1932 and 1939).
Steve Longley, the ferryman.
I won't mention the living legends. That carries too much political freight.
I agree, to my way of thinkin' legend always meant posthumorusly...Sorry Lone wolf, hope you can wait??? :D
Just Bill
08-05-2014, 12:16
Dead or not-
I'd put pappy in there. Same with Doyle.
I hear there's a dead bird in pappy's beard; that's likely good enough.
More my speed hiking take on it- but David Horton. Ward is already a legend without any help or mention from me. Jen, Matt, and others- time will tell.
And I'm with Hill Ape-
From the first wounded warrior Sai Shaffer on down to this year's crew- Can't say the trail is a fair trade for your service- but it's a fine thing to bring you home just the same.
Don't know if she would consider herself a legend, but try and meet Miss Janet for a memorable experience !!!!!
I would call the Myron Avery the AT Developer, and Benton MacKaye more the Visionary.
If it wasn't for Avery and Perkins, the AT would still just be something MacKaye wrote about. A great idea, but someone had to go make it happen. As Thomas Edison said "vision without execution is hallucination".
How about Bob Peoples if any body deserves to be considered an AT Legend it's Bob, no body deserves it more than him.
Theirs a quite a few of them, the list would be too long to name here.
Sarcasm the elf
08-05-2014, 14:40
As Thomas Edison said "vision without execution is hallucination".
When Edison said execute, he mostly meant electrocuting kidnapped house pets, plus the occasional elephant.:eek:
rocketsocks
08-05-2014, 16:11
When Edison said execute, he mostly meant electrocuting kidnapped house pets, plus the occasional elephant.:eek:Well done :D
AfghanVet
08-06-2014, 13:42
Dang, I just barely got here and already I'm looking at legend status :P Seriously though, as a "wounded warrior" it means a lot to me that you guys and gals hold us in such regard.
rocketsocks
08-06-2014, 14:15
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqgo26Fo_28
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqgo26Fo_28
Rolls Kanardly
08-06-2014, 18:12
http://vimeo.com/102747098
Just ran across this video of Grandma Gatewood. Rolls
No Directions
08-06-2014, 18:53
Cody Coyote.
I shared a shelter with him last week. I enjoyed hearing his stories. I would have loved to hike with him for a couple days and get to know him better.
Chair-man
08-06-2014, 19:03
I guess you'd have to say the barefoot sisters (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg8Xn5s7cMM) would be considered legends.
Just Bill
08-06-2014, 19:14
I guess you'd have to say the barefoot sisters (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg8Xn5s7cMM) would be considered legends.
Wouldn't go that far myself.
Legend to me implies some notable achievement(s) or service to the trail.
"Famous" hikers, well known personalities, trail angels, not so much.
History turns some of the more notable of these folks into "iconic" figures; but I'd be hard pressed to put the cookie lady on the same level as Gatewood.
Semantics only really but...
Lone Wolf
08-06-2014, 19:21
Wouldn't go that far myself.
Legend to me implies some notable achievement(s) or service to the trail.
"Famous" hikers, well known personalities, trail angels, not so much.
History turns some of the more notable of these folks into "iconic" figures; but I'd be hard pressed to put the cookie lady on the same level as Gatewood.
Semantics only really but...
agree. walkin' the trail one or a dozen times does not make one a legend. it's a walkin' path
Hill Ape
08-06-2014, 19:23
garvey been mentioned?
Lone Wolf
08-06-2014, 19:52
garvey been mentioned?
he's just a personality
Is Trek still hiking the AT every year? On my thru in 2011 I think he was on thru-hike #11.
he's just a personality
What about that guy who has hiked the AT 16 or 17 times? Across 4 or 5 decades.
Not talking about a legend on the global stage, but on the AT.
Another Kevin
08-07-2014, 09:49
garvey been mentioned?
he's just a personality
Do you have Ed Garvey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_B._Garvey) confused with Ed Garvey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Garvey)?
Hill Ape
08-07-2014, 14:32
seriously i'd count him as a founding father
Lone Wolf
08-07-2014, 14:41
seriously i'd count him as a founding father
who?......
I think these guys should be trail legends.
1 Tom Levardi ( Trail Angel, Dalton MA )
2 Zach Davis
3 Benton Mckaye
4 Bill Irwin
5 Bob Peoples ( is he a Personality )
Hill Ape
08-07-2014, 15:18
who?......
ed garvey, are you kidding, just a personality? c'mon wolf, not saying he's the most interesting man in the world but i think his name is on the list
mtntopper
08-07-2014, 17:56
Jen and Matt don't make it in my book
CrumbSnatcher
08-07-2014, 23:04
you got to do more than hike, maybe throw that pack down once in awhile and do some trail work
Wandering Deer
08-08-2014, 08:27
No mention of "Free Man". From what I learned, he's hiked the trail back, and forth continuously.
Lone Wolf
08-08-2014, 12:30
No mention of "Free Man". From what I learned, he's hiked the trail back, and forth continuously.
why is that legendary?
rocketsocks
08-08-2014, 12:49
you got to do more than hike, maybe throw that pack down once in awhile and do some trail work
I agree, but for the founders and a select early few AT firsters, I think legend imparts to high a statice, that said, trail maintainers are the ones worthy in my book...but then I'm not real big on Hall of Fame type grammy oscar award whiners anyway.
Wandering Deer
08-08-2014, 14:36
why is that legendary?
Have you hiked the AT back, and forth in one shot, let alone continuously for years? That's out of this world.
Lone Wolf
08-08-2014, 14:45
Have you hiked the AT back, and forth in one shot, let alone continuously for years? That's out of this world.
i averaged over 1000 miles a year for 14 years, been living in a trail town for another 14 years. never heard of or met "free man". must be a legend. like bigfoot:)
Sarcasm the elf
08-08-2014, 15:07
Bigfoot certainly qualifies as a trail legend.
Chair-man
08-08-2014, 18:45
you got to do more than hike, maybe throw that pack down once in awhile and do some trail work
I think you're right. With that I would say "The Cleaner" would qualify as a legend. I don't think he belongs to any trail club. He just takes it upon himself to go out and clean shelters and scrub them down with bleach mostly in the southern part of the trail. He even comes on Whiteblaze once in a while.
Wandering Deer
08-08-2014, 18:55
i averaged over 1000 miles a year for 14 years, been living in a trail town for another 14 years. never heard of or met "free man". must be a legend. like bigfoot:)
I met him in Connecticut about 20 miles from the border of New York (he was heading northbound). He's a very tall gentleman with a white beard that extends past his waist line. Quite old. He's real. I saw brief journal entries, albeit, poorly spelled they may be, in New York. He was nice. Met someone with the trail name "Giuseppe" who said that when "Free Man" hikes back down to Georgia, he hitches to Florida, checks in to mental health facilities, is clothed, and fed, and then hits the trail again when weather permits. I don't envy that way of life, but I admire the passion.
bamboo bob
08-08-2014, 18:58
I agree just hiking doesn't count. We hike for ourselves. But doing unpaid service to the trail is what counts to me. Cookie Lady is a legend. I don't know about a few years doing trail magic is such a deal. I think we get as much fun as the hikers do. The the Free and No Pay Hostels might be. Kincora and all Peoples Trail Work wins. But I agree that some people are founders and some others are legends.
Giuseppe
08-08-2014, 20:35
I met him in Connecticut about 20 miles from the border of New York (he was heading northbound). He's a very tall gentleman with a white beard that extends past his waist line. Quite old. He's real. I saw brief journal entries, albeit, poorly spelled they may be, in New York. He was nice. Met someone with the trail name "Giuseppe" who said that when "Free Man" hikes back down to Georgia, he hitches to Florida, checks in to mental health facilities, is clothed, and fed, and then hits the trail again when weather permits. I don't envy that way of life, but I admire the passion.
The "FreeMan" that I met on the trail only partially jived with your description of him. He was not overly tall- 5 feet 10 inches or there about, age about 60 years old, his beard was long- but not beyond his waist, and as far as him going into mental health facilities in Florida, you never heard that from me. Don't know about the truth to it, but, I heard that he wintered over in the lower elevation areas of the smokies and then started north when the weather got better. Saw him for the first time in Erwin, then a few more times, with the last time being in Massachusetts. He had a cabin in the Augusta, ME area and hiked with a blue external frame pack and used a hammock. He had been a welder at Bath Ironworks prior to following his more holistic and natural life style. Good dude with his own outlook on life and the pursuit of good karma.
Guiseppe
I think some of you are confusing legends with heroes.
There are a handful of hikers who are legends just for the miles under their feet.
Nothing wrong with that. Their legend in no way diminishes the heroes and legendary heroes who have given so much.
Speakeasy TN
08-11-2014, 20:28
Shame on all of you for not mentioning Gene Espy in this thread.......... #2 thru hiker and a lifelong champion of the AT, True Southern gentleman