View Full Version : The Appalachians beyond the AT
Brushy Sage
11-15-2006, 20:11
In his book "Mountains of the Heart" (Fulcrum Publishing, 1994), Scott Weidensaul, a naturalist, maintains that the Appalachian Mountains extend from Cheaha Mountain, Alabama, to tiny Belle Isle, fifteen miles offshore in the frigid waters between Newfoundland and Labrador (not to be confused with Bell Island, near St. Johns).
Can anyone envision the AT's ever being extended to reach the extreme southern and northern ends of the mountains?
Jack Tarlin
11-15-2006, 20:26
I'm sure there are some who "envision" it, and might even welcome it, and there may in fact be "connector trails" that go the whole length of the Appalachians someday, but "The Appalachian Trail" runs from Springer to Katahdin and should stay that way.
I assure you, the folks who are charged with the care, maintenance, and protection of the Trail have more than enough to worry about, without the addition of hundreds of miles of more Trail.
There may well be an "extended" series of Trails that goes from one end of the Appalachians to the other someday, but as far as the whole thing becoming "The Appalachian Trail", well, this is one thing I can envision, but that doesn't mean I think it's a particularly good idea.
.....There may well be an "extended" series of Trails that goes from one end of the Appalachians to the other someday, but as far as the whole thing becoming "The Appalachian Trail", well, this is one thing I can envision, but that doesn't mean I think it's a particularly good idea.
Among other things it would take an Act of Congress, since the route of the existing AT was set by Congress years ago.
Weary
Among other things it would take an Act of Congress, since the route of the existing AT was set by Congress years ago.
WearyThe termini were set, you mean. The route changes all the time. The endpoints remain the same.
In his book "Mountains of the Heart" (Fulcrum Publishing, 1994), Scott Weidensaul, a naturalist, maintains that the Appalachian Mountains extend from Cheaha Mountain, Alabama, to tiny Belle Isle, fifteen miles offshore in the frigid waters between Newfoundland and Labrador (not to be confused with Bell Island, near St. Johns).
Can anyone envision the AT's ever being extended to reach the extreme southern and northern ends of the mountains?
Here's one that I've thought about and mention as a possible alternate route, not as an official change to the existing AT. There are obviously sections missing, but its a thought.
1.From High Point NJ, leave the AT and continue North on the Schwangunk Ridge Trail.
2. Join the Long Path and continue North across the Catskills to the end at Thacher State Park.
3. Pick-up The Northville Placid Trail in Northville and continue across the Adirondacks to Lake Placid.
4. Go from Lake Placid to the northern terminus of the Long Trail and follow that South to rejoin the AT.
Geologically, I don't Know if the Catskills and the Adirondacks are considered to be part of the Appalachian Chain, but they do have a lot to offer.
Anyway, thats my idea for the ultimate Blue Blaze. Kind of like the northern equivalent of the BMT. There would be a lot of road walking right now, but I think it could be a great alternate route someday.
Pokey2006
11-16-2006, 02:01
I read an article not too long ago that talked about how the Appalachian Mountains actually extend across the Atlantic into Britain and even Scandinavia. A trail that far would be a little loopy, but believe it or not, there is a guy in Maine who wants to do it, that is, build an extention of the trail overseas. I forget the guy's name, though.
StarLyte
11-16-2006, 06:13
Surprised Mowgli didn't chime in.....
Yes, I've heard of this and would like to research it further. Always found this quite fascinating.
You can start here on the IAT website (http://www.internationalat.org/Pages/SIAIAT_News/I00897559).
Yes, talk about a blue blaze!
Alligator
11-16-2006, 09:21
...
Geologically, I don't Know if the Catskills and the Adirondacks are considered to be part of the Appalachian Chain, but they do have a lot to offer.
...The Adirondacks are not, but I don't know about the Catskills.
The publication Birth of the Mountains (http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/birth/) is a good general publication for the geologic history of the Appalachians [southern].
Brushy Sage
11-16-2006, 10:06
Just for the record, here are the termini originally proposed by McKay:
What is suggested, therefore, is a "long trail" over the full length of the Appalachian skyline, from the highest peak in the north to the highest peak in the south -- from Mt. Washington to Mt. Mitchell.
The termini were set, you mean. The route changes all the time. The endpoints remain the same.
The Appalachian Trail Corridor remains the same. The footpath changes within the confines of the corridor, but cannot go outside the narrow corridor as established by federal rule making under guidelines set by the Congress, as I understand it.
Weary
First off, Scott Weidensaul is a GREAT writer. I have read three of his books, and they are all winners.
Secondly, regarding extending the AT, that's not going to happen. There are trails that connect to the AT that can take the hiker to Cheaha Mounatin in Alabama and beyond. Some of the great trails that connect to the AT here in the SE include the Benton Mackaye, Bartram, Chunky Gal & Mountains to Sea Trail to name a few.
Thirdly, Benton MacKaye's vision involved side trails to Chattanooga, Cumberland Gap, and more. That is all happening here in the southeast.
mnof1000v
11-16-2006, 17:26
I heard that Jolly Green Giant and Fat Camp were trying to complete their journey all the way north into New foundland. Anyone hear if they made it?
I read an article not too long ago that talked about how the Appalachian Mountains actually extend across the Atlantic into Britain and even Scandinavia. A trail that far would be a little loopy, but believe it or not, there is a guy in Maine who wants to do it, that is, build an extention of the trail overseas. I forget the guy's name, though.
That would make for one h*** of an aqua blaze!
Monkeyboy
11-16-2006, 19:33
Read somewhere....I'll have to dig it up.....that they were going to have the Florida Trail meet up with BMT in Alabama to meet up with the AT, so you could hike from Katadin to the Everglades.
Monkeyboy
11-16-2006, 19:46
Here's the article....and it goes all the way to Key West...
http://www.nimblewillnomad.com/eastern_continental_trail_guide.htm
Brushy Sage
11-17-2006, 21:51
Thanks for posting the link to Nimble Will Nomad's article. I found it highly informative and exciting.
gtothero
11-18-2006, 21:44
Cheaha will be on the recently proposed Great Eastern Trail which will go from Alabama to New York. Details at http://www.greateasterntrail.org/. The PA section is more than 90% complete with additions of the Mid State Trail under development.
upstream
11-20-2006, 22:29
A few points related to other posts in this thread:
A USFS employee told me recently, "There are plenty of groups with Ideas to build new trails, but nobody wants to maintain them". Many USFS hiking trails are disappearing because of budget cuts.
Bikers and other "multi-use trail" advocates will have none of expanding "hiker only" trails, so don't expect congress to be expanding it.
The southern terminus, in concept at least, has changed three times since McKaye wrote his piece. Mitchell first, Cohutta second, Oglethorpe third, and Springer last.