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SalParadise
03-16-2004, 15:08
I am curious if there are shuttles available up the forestry service road at Amicalola to skip the Approach Trail. If so, how might one go about procuring such a favour? Are there enough people who use this road in late March that a person could maybe just bum a ride?
Thank you in advance,
Sal

Jack Tarlin
03-16-2004, 15:44
Sal---The ATC has a great list of local shuttlers who can help you; check out their website at www.atconf.org

smokymtnsteve
03-16-2004, 15:48
http://www.hikerhostel.com/

Bankrobber
03-16-2004, 17:10
There are no such shuttles available. Hike the Approach Trail. If you complete it, you are worthy to hike the AT.

Speer Carrier
03-16-2004, 17:36
If you really wanted to avoid the approach trail and were already at Amicolola Falls, I'm sure you could find someone to shuttle you around to the forrest service road approach. However, that would be a fairly long drive in itself (perhaps 1/2 hour) and people probably would think you nuts to even ask.

And, like others have said, if you are going to hike all the way to Maine, whats another 8.8 miles to get to the trail. I think part of the experience of the whole trip is weighing ones gear at the welcome center, making friends with those others who are about to start the trip, saying good bye to friends and loved ones, and heading out into the great unknown from behind the welcome center.

I have always felt that people who just drive up the forest sevice road, hike the 1 mile up to Springer and then backtrack miss out on a great part of the experience.

Jack Tarlin
03-16-2004, 18:04
Hike the approach trail if you want; skip it if you want. It is not part of the A.T.; there are no white blazes til you see the summit of Springer; that's where the Trail begins, and not at Amicalola Falls park.

Likewise, there is no "test" to see if you're worthy of hiking the A.T., and if there were any such test, the Approach Trail would have nothing to do with your worthiness. Not hiking the approach trail does not make you in any way "unworthy."

People should hike it if they want, and they should skip it if they want, but whatever they chose to do, it's THEIR business, and they should be permitted to make their own decsisions without anyone commenting on their "worthiness."

smokymtnsteve
03-16-2004, 18:25
you know most folks that hike the approach trail do not make it to maine...

so hiking the approach trail doesn't make you worthy..what it makes you is starting out a low down blue-blazing hiking trash ..just at the very beginning..

a real purist wouldn't stoop so low as to start out blue blazing! LOL

Peaks
03-16-2004, 21:21
you know most folks that hike the approach trail do not make it to maine...



Most people who start the trail don't make it to Maine. The approach trail has little to do with it.

Bankrobber
03-16-2004, 22:57
Come on guys, lighten up. I was just kidding around about the Approach Trail being a test.

smokymtnsteve
03-16-2004, 23:44
Most people who start the trail don't make it to Maine. The approach trail has little to do with it.

but peaks your right most people who start the trail don't make it and where do most of these people start??

that's right..the approach trail ..a blue blazed trail....

these people START out BLUE BLAZING!!!!

and there in lies the problem....now a real purist wouldn't even consider blue blazing...esp. to start out....it is very possible to walk the WHOLE AT without blueblazing..including that approach trail....which I happen to know is BLUE BLAZED!!!!

torch
03-16-2004, 23:50
How many miles of blue-blazed trail along the AT? Maybe we should start a new culture of blue-blazing. Will you get an XX-miler patch if you complete all the blue-blazed trail from Georgia to Maine? But be careful, no cheating and skipping a blue-blaze in favor of the white-blaze short-cut!

Waterbuffalo
04-05-2004, 20:26
Sal when are you going to be looking for a ride b/c i'll be up at springer on 4-7-04

Waterbuffalo
Email me if ya need it.

Mausalot
04-05-2004, 23:10
Isn't the question here really: how do you like the approach trail? I found it pretty lame hiking. It kind of meandered and was a bit too wide. So maybe it's 8.8 miles that's better off skipped.

But to play devils advocate, blue blaze or not, it does feel like it is part of the Whole AT experience with that arch and the signs....

:dance Cameraman

Jaybird
04-06-2004, 07:52
I am curious if there are shuttles available up the forestry service road at Amicalola to skip the Approach Trail. If so, how might one go about procuring such a favour? Are there enough people who use this road in late March that a person could maybe just bum a ride?Sal


Yo Sal:

Do your own thang! If you feel like hiking the extra 8.8 miles...DO IT!....but, it is NOT part of the A.T.


That's why i skipped the approach & parked my car ("Silver Bullet") in Springer parking lot &, along with "TeePee" (my 2002 hike partner) hiked up. :D

hikerltwt
04-06-2004, 17:12
Bankrobber, I hiked the approach trail and every step of the AT. How many blazes did you pass before you gleaned this wisdom?


Yo-YO