AT-CDT-PCT Feature in National Geographic Adventure

[Tim Rich]

The current issue of National Geographic Adventure magazine has feature articles on the triple crown trails. Some of the articles are online at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/

[SavageLlama]

Thanks for posting. I still want to see the picture of Baltimore Jack.. have to pick up the latest issue.. unless some kind whiteblazer will post a scan. :D

[pdhoffman]

Just finished reading the National Geographic article and the maps. They've done a very nice job. Looks like someone did their research, fact-checking and actually interviewed people, rather than just replaying the same old stuff. The only error I saw was saying there was a white blaze every 39 feet. Based on their own data of 82,366 blazes, the correct answer is 139 feet. I think that the calculation was done correctly and then the 1 got mislaid somewhere in the typing/editing process.

The AT Conference site shows last year completion rate of 22%. They are still using the method of getting a count/estimate at Neel's Gap and assuming a 20% dropout before that. While that may have been valid at one time, I have serious doubts it is still true. People are much better prepared information-wise due to forums such as this one. The National Geographic article says that "Winton Porter, co-owner of outdoor sports store Mountain Crossings at Walasi-Yi estimates that 5 percent of thru-hikers call it quits at his facility". That sounds more realistic. It is not easy to bail out before getting to Neel's Gap. Someone want to volunteer to sit at the FS42 parking lot for about four months and take a real count next year?

Pete Hoffman
"Old Corpus"

[Lone Wolf]

I'd like to sit at the base of Katahdin and give truth serum to every so-called "thru-hiker" to find out if they actually walked the trail. Probably 1 out of 20 would be the results.

[Tim Rich]

Just finished reading the National Geographic article and the maps. They've done a very nice job. Looks like someone did their research, fact-checking and actually interviewed people, rather than just replaying the same old stuff. The only error I saw was saying there was a white blaze every 39 feet. Based on their own data of 82,366 blazes, the correct answer is 139 feet. I think that the calculation was done correctly and then the 1 got mislaid somewhere in the typing/editing process.
<snipped>

Pete Hoffman
"Old Corpus"

I thought the blaze every 39 feet was wrong, too, but I didn't check the math. In addition, half of the blazes are generally seen in one direction, so you then have one about every 280 feet in each direction.

[pdhoffman]

Actually the 82 thousand is the northbound count, I think. I know that Blaze (nee Gary Monk AT'02) counted more than 80 thousand. Can't find the AT News that had the article on him. That includes double blazes counting as two, but we won't quibble on the feet/blaze calculation. I know that one place in Vermont, just before Goddard shelter where I couldn't find any blazes for a longgggg way.

Pete Hoffman
"Old Corpus"

[Tim Rich]

Actually the 82 thousand is the northbound count, I think. I know that Blaze (nee Gary Monk AT'02) counted more than 80 thousand. Can't find the AT News that had the article on him. That includes double blazes counting as two, but we won't quibble on the feet/blaze calculation. I know that one place in Vermont, just before Goddard shelter where I couldn't find any blazes for a longgggg way.

Pete Hoffman
"Old Corpus"

You're right that there are some stretches with sparse blazing, and then others where they seemed to have surplus paint and wanted to twist you through the woods. There may well be more paint per mile on the NY stretch than any other place.

[Mountain Dew]

Lone Wolf..."I'd like to sit at the base of Katahdin and give truth serum to every so-called "thru-hiker" to find out if they actually walked the trail. Probably 1 out of 20 would be the results" ---Hilarious... It's sad but true that most people can't even go a day without telling a lie. Such is the world we live in.

[Pencil Pusher]

Just get percival to get his tree-sit ladies out to Baxter Park. If they're appeasing to the eye, a guy will tell you anything you want to know. He probably won't remember a lick of what he said, so bring a tape recorder.

How do you not go bananas, trying to count 80+ thousand blazes on a thru-hike? That has got to be the greatest pencil pusher that ever lived, I am in awe.