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John Klein
10-17-2008, 20:58
The November issue of the much maligned magazine Backpacker has what I thought was a good article on the much revered Mountain Crossings at Neels Gap. It focused on pack shakedowns and included a good summary of the Mountain Crossings method for gear selection. The article by itself was worth the price of purchase, IMHO. There was also an AT feature that briefly mentioned White Blaze as "thru-hiker-centric". I'm not a thru-hiker but I like White Blaze.

Kirby
10-19-2008, 17:34
I was there when they were taking photos and conducting interviews, great people from the magazine.

Kirby

Kirby
10-19-2008, 17:35
IS that article online somewhere?

Kirby

Lone Wolf
10-19-2008, 19:53
IS that article online somewhere?

Kirby

nah. you probably gotta buy that rag

KG4FAM
10-19-2008, 19:58
The article about Mountain Crossings was good, but the AT article was full of errors. They suggested that you "pack cash for a tip" when crossing the Kennebec by ferry.

Lone Wolf
10-19-2008, 20:02
a tip for what?

NICKTHEGREEK
10-19-2008, 20:28
a tip for what?
You fold a dollar into a little boat and float it ahead when you ford the river. When it starts throwing a bow wave it's a "tip" the current is picking up and it's time to put a rush on it.

budforester
10-20-2008, 07:57
IS that article online somewhere?

Kirby

Try this link (http://www.backpacker.com/global/47), Kirby. It's not the whole article but there are several parts to click. It seems to get the gist of the text and there is a photo gallery. I flipped through the magazine at the library; the article is interesting enough for me to read some more on my next visit.

Jim Adams
10-20-2008, 10:07
I liked the article....anything that may get more people interested in the trail and protecting it.

geek

jersey joe
10-20-2008, 13:30
There was also an AT feature that briefly mentioned White Blaze as "thru-hiker-centric".
I would agree with this statement.

Mags
10-21-2008, 14:46
I read it for free at the library. :)

Nice article. If you read carefully, there is a famous (infamous?) person listed in the article from WB....

Lone Wolf
10-21-2008, 14:50
Nice article. If you read carefully, there is a famous (infamous?) person listed in the article from WB....

warren? minnesotasmith?

jhick
10-21-2008, 14:55
it said somehting about carrying 9 rolls of toilet paper.....

Jack Tarlin
10-21-2008, 14:56
The Backpacker article on Mountain Crossings and Winton Porter is long overdue.

Winton is a great guy and runs a first-class facility.

I have passed thru this place just about every spring since 1995 and have spent a lot of time there. The number of folks that Winton and his staff have helped, and the number of thru-hikes they've saved is impossible to count.

This is one one of the three best outfitters on the entire Trail, and occupies a very special place in a lot of hearts.

I wish Winton, his staff, and his familiy many more happy years at Mountain Crossings, and it's really good to see them get some recognition for everything they do.

Lone Wolf
10-21-2008, 14:59
of course winton and staff stepped into a business set up by jeff and dorothy hanson.

Bulldawg
10-21-2008, 15:03
Yeah Winton and his entire staff are awesome people. Winton has helped me and so many other people over the years. He and his staff don't care if you are a day hiker, section hiker, weekender, or thru hiker; you get their help each time you ask for it. I am a little biased to them since I am so close and spend so much time up there. But they get my vote hands down for the best outfitter I've ever been to. I second what Jack said about the recognition and praise are long overdue. Thanks Winton, Cola Monkey, Alpine, and all the others there.

minnesotasmith
10-21-2008, 15:07
Try this link (http://www.backpacker.com/global/47), Kirby. It's not the whole article but there are several parts to click. It seems to get the gist of the text and there is a photo gallery. I flipped through the magazine at the library; the article is interesting enough for me to read some more on my next visit.

The article has some pretty well-informed comments on later pages, too. ;)

max patch
10-21-2008, 15:10
The three musketeers of WB were mentioned in the mag;

MS, Mowgli, and Baltimore Jack.

Jack Tarlin
10-21-2008, 15:11
Wolf:

Winton "stepped into" the business at Mountain Crossings eight years ago, and this is a long time. The Hansens were (and still are) great folks, but if you've hiked the A.T. in Georgia in this century, then you've most likely been helped by Winton and his staff. We're talking about thousands of folks, and Winton and his people deserve everyone's thanks.

Mags
10-21-2008, 15:14
The three musketeers of WB were mentioned in the mag;

MS, Mowgli, and Baltimore Jack.

This is true. I guess I should have said "An infamous WBer, who has a penchant for TP, was mentioned" :)

Lone Wolf
10-21-2008, 15:14
whatever. just sayin' that it was a thriving, successful place before this century and thousands of folks were helped by the hansens in the last century

Jack Tarlin
10-21-2008, 15:17
No one's disputing this, Wolf, and people that hiked before the year 2000 have very fond memories of the Hansens. I know I do.

The Backpacker article, however, was principally concerned with the past decade, and with PRESENT services at Mountain Crossings. Giving public praise to Mr. Porter's efforts in now way minimizes or negates the work of his predecessors. Mountain Crossings has been a blessing to hikers for a very long time.

Tabasco
10-21-2008, 16:06
I heartily second Jack's sentiments on this issue.

Winton is a great asset to the hikers that pass thru Mountain Crossings.

Bulldawg
10-21-2008, 16:14
IS that article online somewhere?

Kirby

I've looked for it online, to no avail. Why would you not put your magazine's articles online? Maybe to get people to buy your rag I guess.

Mrs Baggins
10-21-2008, 16:46
I thoroughly enjoyed the article. Brought back wonderful memories of our attempted thru-hike last year and how much we enjoyed MC and meeting Winton and Pirate. We got to borrow the old van to go into town to run errands and we were put up, along with 6 other hikers, in a house a few miles away from MC that Winton owns. It had a washer and dryer and a decent bathroom, full kitchen. And I felt a little warm glow of pride, when the article mentioned how many people end their hikes at MC, that we had at least made it past there and on to Dick's Creek Gap.

CrumbSnatcher
10-21-2008, 19:10
in 2003 winton picked me and bear(dog) up in hiawassee and brought us back to the walasi-yi. he had me repair some of his stone steps leading up to the store( i am a brick,block, stone mason, by trade. i'll always remember that. that was fun!winton and all the guys at neels gap are really great people.

Kirby
10-24-2008, 15:07
Winton ensured I was prepared for some of the cold weather I had farther north.

Kirby

big_muddy
10-29-2008, 11:46
Did anyone else notice that the woman in the phone that Winton was helping was wearing pantyhose? I'm surprised she made it the 30 some miles from Springer.

take-a-knee
10-29-2008, 12:05
Did anyone else notice that the woman in the phone that Winton was helping was wearing pantyhose? I'm surprised she made it the 30 some miles from Springer.

What's wrong with wearing pantyhose? Many a young Ranger and Green Beret wore them all winter back before all these tech fabrics came to be.

Nean
10-29-2008, 14:25
I was talking to Heald yesterday and he told me about the artical.
I was fortunate to work and get to know the fine folk at Neel (no s) :eek: Gap a few springs back. This past year Alpine and Winton provided myself and Pete Kartsounes with our gear to hike the Colorado trail to raise money for kids with cancer.:sunI love those guys!:)

mudhead
10-29-2008, 14:27
Pantyhose worked under a wetsuit. Not that I would know.

Jack Tarlin
10-29-2008, 15:21
Hey, I know a lot of hikers that wear panty hose.

And some of them are guys.

Best anti-chafing weapon known, hands down.

But needless to say, I'm talking about OTHER guys.

Right. :rolleyes:

MOWGLI
10-31-2008, 13:27
The three musketeers of WB were mentioned in the mag;

MS, Mowgli, and Baltimore Jack.

We're doing a thru-hike together next year. We'll be known as Dumbass, Dumb and Dumber. (just kidding fellas) ;)

MOWGLI
10-31-2008, 13:29
I was fortunate to work and get to know the fine folk at Neel (no s) :eek: Gap a few springs back. This past year Alpine and Winton provided myself and Pete Kartsounes with our gear to hike the Colorado trail to raise money for kids with cancer.:sunI love those guys!:)

Nean, you're a Mensch. We miss you here back east!

Spogatz
10-31-2008, 13:47
in 2003 winton picked me and bear(dog) up in hiawassee and brought us back to the walasi-yi. he had me repair some of his stone steps leading up to the store( i am a brick,block, stone mason, by trade. i'll always remember that. that was fun!winton and all the guys at neels gap are really great people.

I go up there all the time and they always have stones coming loose on those steps. A lot of people cross that doorway...

They are the bestl...

Mags
10-31-2008, 14:49
Nean, you're a Mensch. We miss you here back east!


Nean and I still manage to just barely miss each other.

Nean, we'll get together one of these days. :)