View Full Version : Extending the AT in Alabama
traildust
01-26-2010, 13:18
Back in July of 2008 I read a piece in the local paper about Alabama trying to get the A.T. extended from Springer to Weogufka in Al. Then nothing. Is the ATC even working on this or considering it? Excellent article on the shifting origins of the southern terminus.
I doubt the Southern Terminus will ever leave GA.
No this is not on the ATCs agenda. That was one person speaking for what he thot was the whole. The pinhoti connects to the benton mackaye which runs to springer. That's all it will be.
brian039
01-26-2010, 17:03
It was just wishful thinking.
SGT Rock
01-26-2010, 17:05
It's kind of nice having it the way it is. The BMT isn't like the AT, and the Pinhoti isn't like the BMT. It would be a shame if all trails were the AT.
It's kind of nice having it the way it is. The BMT isn't like the AT, and the Pinhoti isn't like the BMT. It would be a shame if all trails were the AT.
Agreed... a diverse choice of trails.
ShelterLeopard
01-26-2010, 17:58
True- I agree with Sgt. Rock.
JustaTouron
01-26-2010, 18:08
I could see there being a trail from Springer to Alabama or even Florida. And I could see a trail going past Baxter into Canada. But the AT has too much history to change the end points. But I could see some folks deciding to start as far south and ending as far North as possible in some sort of AT+. But I don't see them moving the end points.
brian039
01-26-2010, 19:50
I could see there being a trail from Springer to Alabama or even Florida. And I could see a trail going past Baxter into Canada. But the AT has too much history to change the end points. But I could see some folks deciding to start as far south and ending as far North as possible in some sort of AT+. But I don't see them moving the end points.
This actually exists. It's called the Eastern Continental Trail. It starts with a road walk from Key West to the Everglades. Then you take the Florida Trail to a road walk in South Alabama. From there to the Pinhoti Trail. The Pinhoti takes you to the Benton Mckaye Trail which takes you to the AT. When you finish the AT you take the International Appalachian trail which takes you to Newfoundland. It's about 5,400 miles in all. 'Lil Buddha is attempting it this year and you can follow him on Trailjournals.
jackietreehorn
01-26-2010, 19:54
I think the new plan is to incorporate the Pinhoti in the Great Eastern Trail. http://greateasterntrail.net/
This actually exists. It's called the Eastern Continental Trail. It starts with a road walk from Key West to the Everglades. Then you take the Florida Trail to a road walk in South Alabama. From there to the Pinhoti Trail. The Pinhoti takes you to the Benton Mckaye Trail which takes you to the AT. When you finish the AT you take the International Appalachian trail which takes you to Newfoundland. It's about 5,400 miles in all. 'Lil Buddha is attempting it this year and you can follow him on Trailjournals.
If your not following 'Lil Buddha' s journal you should be. He has just cleared the big swamp and is heading north. He doesn't know it yet but he has more swamp in Brevard County.:D
Lil B's journal
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=295009
Dovetail
01-26-2010, 21:28
It would be nice if each state could create and boast of it's own unique "Long Trail".
but somehow I can't imagine the beginning of the AT being anywhere but Springer MNT.
It would be nice if each state could create and boast of it's own unique "Long Trail".
but somehow I can't imagine the beginning of the AT being anywhere but Springer MNT.
Your right! Always will be Springer/Katahdin. I first hiked on the AT in 1960 and it was already an Iconic trail then. It's even more so now.
brian039
01-26-2010, 22:02
It would be nice if each state could create and boast of it's own unique "Long Trail".
but somehow I can't imagine the beginning of the AT being anywhere but Springer MNT.
It used to start at Mt Oglethorpe. Not sure when it was moved.
It used to start at Mt Oglethorpe. Not sure when it was moved.
It was moved in 1958.
I could see there being a trail from Springer to Alabama or even Florida. And I could see a trail going past Baxter into Canada. But the AT has too much history to change the end points. But I could see some folks deciding to start as far south and ending as far North as possible in some sort of AT+. But I don't see them moving the end points.
The endpoints have changed at least once. It used to end on Oglethorpe..but there's all houses up there now.
The endpoints have changed at least once. It used to end on Oglethorpe..but there's all houses up there now.
I knew Bert Garner who helped build that section of the trail. I remember him lamenting about the shortning of the trail back in the 50's. Bert lived near Maryville Tn about 2 miles from where I lived. But even though it has been moved I don't believe the AT Conservancy will allow any changes again with the Trail Heads of the AT. Of course never is a long time. 100 years from now all bets are off.
SouthMark
01-27-2010, 11:05
It used to start at Mt Oglethorpe. Not sure when it was moved.
Too much industry developed around Oglethorpe.
Dances with Mice
01-27-2010, 11:07
The endpoints have changed at least once. It used to end on Oglethorpe..but there's all houses up there now.Sounds like someone else has driven to the end of Monument Road too. This is probably more than anyone wants to know, but I have never let that stop me before.
Mt. Oglethorpe and the portion of trail between there and Amicalola was not on protected land, like National Forest or the State Park. Development like logging and, especially, chicken farms encroached on the Trail corridor. Walking through a chicken farm was not a glorious start to a great adventure. It was decided to move the terminus to a more protected site.
By sorta reading between the lines of the GATC's history book (http://openlibrary.org/b/OL8114545M/Friendships_of_the_Trail)I believe that Amicalola was considered as a terminus location but in those days it was felt that the State of Georgia might not be a reliable partner in protecting the Trail corridor, though the GATC historians were too polite to say so directly. If so it was a good call since the State later built a lake, now drained, over the Trail. And later the State would support extending the Blue Ridge Parkway right over the Trail.
Springer was chosen mostly because it was on protected National Forest land and partly because it is the intersection of two major ridges of the Appalachians, the Blue Ridge and the Duncan Ridge. That would become important later in the '70's during the Blue Ridge Parkway extension scare when an alternate AT was laid out by GATC member George Owen. That footpath still exists and is now part of the Duncan Ridge and Benton MacKaye trails. Mr. Owen, btw, is still very active in both the GATC and the BMTA.
So. What was the question again?
Two Speed
01-27-2010, 11:26
It's kind of nice having it the way it is. The BMT isn't like the AT, and the Pinhoti isn't like the BMT. It would be a shame if all trails were the AT.
Agreed... a diverse choice of trails.
True- I agree with Sgt. Rock.Got my vote, too. The AT is good stuff. So is the BMT, the Pinhoti, The Bartram, etc. and I can think of no rational reason why they should be the same.
. . . Mt. Oglethorpe and the portion of trail between there and Amicalola was not on protected land . . . Mr. Owen, btw, is still very active in both the GATC and the BMTA.Guess I need a life because I found that informative.
Yeah, I know it's gonna ruin your reputation, but there it is.
traildust
01-27-2010, 11:47
Thanks Dances with Mice for the history lesson. Insights I had never heard.
Dances with Mice
01-27-2010, 12:18
And as an extra added bit of trivia, when you start at Springer and head north on the AT you're actually following the Duncan Ridge. If you take the Benton MacKaye Trail from Springer you're tracing the Blue Ridge. Then both trails drop and meander around in the valley between before they separate, Three Forks is almost exactly halfway between the two ridges.
This actually exists. It's called the Eastern Continental Trail. It starts with a road walk from Key West to the Everglades. Then you take the Florida Trail to a road walk in South Alabama. From there to the Pinhoti Trail. The Pinhoti takes you to the Benton Mckaye Trail which takes you to the AT. When you finish the AT you take the International Appalachian trail which takes you to Newfoundland. It's about 5,400 miles in all. 'Lil Buddha is attempting it this year and you can follow him on Trailjournals.I stayed at Woods Hole Hostel a week or so ago and met a Canadian named Simon who was southbounding the ECT, having started at Cape Gaspe. Quite the lonely adventure. He was waiting out some bad weather.
Appalachian Tater
01-27-2010, 18:46
This is a good map but it seems to be missing the Georgia Pinhoti and the International AT up in Canada. It will be great to walk off road from one end of the country to the other in any direction in a couple of generations!
http://www.greateasterntrail.net/get_map_large.html
It would be nice if each state could create and boast of it's own unique "Long Trail".
My home state has the North South Trail. (http://www.rigreenways.org/paths/nst-data.htm) :D
Get an ice cream cone at the southern terminus and Dunkin Donuts along the way! :banana
Of course, my current home has an OK trail. ;)
This is a good map but it seems to be missing the Georgia Pinhoti and the International AT up in Canada. It will be great to walk off road from one end of the country to the other in any direction in a couple of generations!
http://www.greateasterntrail.net/get_map_large.html
Note that the GET and ECT are different concepts.
GET will use only part of the GA Pinhoti to a future connection to Chattanooga, and will stop at a junction with Finger Lakes Trail just north of Corning, NY. GET is undertaken by the Great Eastern Trail Association and its member organizations, as a link among 4 National Scenic Trails but not significantly overlapping any of the 4. There should be many connections eventually enabling hikers to create many routes in the Eastern mountains of their own choosing. However the mapmaker was directed to simplify the possibilities by showing only the designated NST's.
ECT is a concept promoted by Nimblewill Nomad (http://www.nimblewillnomad.com/eastern_continental_trail_guide.htm) and not an organizational entity as such.
Only in Alabama, the part of GA Pinhoti included as stated above, and a possible brief GET/AT overlap in the Pearisburg, VA area, do the GET and ECT coincide.