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trailangelbronco
04-26-2011, 02:03
What kind of changes will we see in 20 years?

I predict passes will be required on most of the trail, and they may ecome hard to get.

Somewhere down the line there will be so many trailangels that they will need passes to, and may all resort to pulling shifts at each road crossing, cheering at confused hikers as they cross the road.

Commerce at roadcrossings will be addressed, I'm sure.

What do you guys and gals predict?

88BlueGT
04-26-2011, 08:42
Outdoor gear companies advertising on billboards along the trail? OR more realistic, just OFF the trail to the point where they're not in the woods but still visible with the eye.

Toll's from state to state?

Definitely passes, thats a given

More of a tourist attraction, w/ small tours taking strolls past the blazes

Less wildlife, more bugs

Less hikers, why hike when u can shuttle to the moon and go bounce around for a few days?

mweinstone
04-26-2011, 09:45
bladerunner................................replica hotty hiker chicks. score!

fredmugs
04-26-2011, 10:53
Sherpa types to carry your packs while you stroll along the trail. Then getting sued because someone twisted an ankle or stubbed their toe on a rock because that wasn't in the brouchure.

weary
04-26-2011, 11:13
The right to name each section of the trail will be sold to the highest corporate bidders. Maintainers will refuse to work on most corporate sections, so they will fall into disrepair. By the end of this century the trail will be finally abandoned, as too clogged with blowdowns and brush to be restored.

Cookerhiker
04-26-2011, 11:30
The right to name each section of the trail will be sold to the highest corporate bidders. Maintainers will refuse to work on most corporate sections, so they will fall into disrepair. By the end of this century the trail will be finally abandoned, as too clogged with blowdowns and brush to be restored.

Not just sections of the Trail but also mountains, gaps, rivers, and other natural landmarks. How's Mt. Georgia-Pacific or Comcast River sound to you?

sherrill
04-26-2011, 11:39
Paved for 508 compliance.

max patch
04-26-2011, 11:42
The right to name each section of the trail will be sold to the highest corporate bidders. Maintainers will refuse to work on most corporate sections, so they will fall into disrepair. By the end of this century the trail will be finally abandoned, as too clogged with blowdowns and brush to be restored.

Interesting comment, Weary.

Here's a question: What if your land trust was approached was approached by a large corporation - lets say Mazda just because a lot of outdoorsman use their cars which actually get pretty good mileage -- and offered to write a check that would allow you to buy every single piece of property on the land trusts wish list. All they wanted was naming rights.

What would you do?

Rockefeller
04-26-2011, 12:00
Mazda Speed 6-hundred mile wilderness

Jeff
04-26-2011, 12:04
Sherpa types to carry your packs while you stroll along the trail.

Very possible in the future.

20 years ago who would have imagined the slackpacking that goes on.

88BlueGT
04-26-2011, 13:04
I'll be anyones sherpa for the right price :D feel free to PM!

Skid.
04-26-2011, 16:15
[QUOTE=fredmugs;1151302]Sherpa types to carry your packs while you stroll along the trail. QUOTE]

Wait a minute, we already have that. It's called the US Postal Service!!

44terryberry
04-26-2011, 16:15
When I started hiking the A.T. back in `71,there were very few hikers,and wearing the new vibram soled shoes really brought the stares.A hiker was viewed as something of a kook.Today,the trails are often crowded in certain spots-it was rare to meet a hiker on the trail years ago.Perhaps in the future,the A.T. will be even more popular than now.

88BlueGT
04-26-2011, 16:25
Lets hope not. We could always start a NEW trail :sun

general
04-26-2011, 17:38
more people = more people on the trail. more dogs too. much less wildlife, except for bears who like to screw with people. gear that is virtually weightless.

baddog
04-26-2011, 18:20
The developement of anti-gravity materials will mean that the more you carry the less you weigh. Might need a few rocks in your pack to keep your feet on the ground.

weary
04-26-2011, 18:57
Interesting comment, Weary.

Here's a question: What if your land trust was approached was approached by a large corporation - lets say Mazda just because a lot of outdoorsman use their cars which actually get pretty good mileage -- and offered to write a check that would allow you to buy every single piece of property on the land trusts wish list. All they wanted was naming rights.

What would you do?
I would oppose it. But my board would probably accept the offer. But only if, as you suggest, we were "approached" twice.

BTW here on midcoast Maine, we are all fans of Subaru

max patch
04-26-2011, 19:22
I would oppose it. But my board would probably accept the offer. But only if, as you suggest, we were "approached" twice.

BTW here on midcoast Maine, we are all fans of Subaru

Actually, my mind was thinking Subaru (good gas mileage for an SUV) but my fingers somehow typed Mazda.

I'd take the money under the premise that protected property with a corporate name is better that property not protected. And then hope the maintainers would buy in to that.

mateozzz
04-26-2011, 19:24
I've thought that it might be nice to expand the trail with some loop sections. For example, add the BMT in Georgia. Connect the Long Trail back to Katahdin. Run a loop up into the Adirondacks of New York since CT and MA are turning into day parks. There wouldn't be any way to hike the whole thing in 1 season anymore, but it would add some variety for sure.

Cookerhiker
04-26-2011, 20:16
I've thought that it might be nice to expand the trail with some loop sections. For example, add the BMT in Georgia. Connect the Long Trail back to Katahdin. Run a loop up into the Adirondacks of New York since CT and MA are turning into day parks. There wouldn't be any way to hike the whole thing in 1 season anymore, but it would add some variety for sure.

Don't forget you have a large loop now - the Tuscarora Trail whose southern terminus is in the North District of Shenandoah NP running to just before Darlington Shelter in PA via VA, WV, MD, and PA.

fiddlehead
04-26-2011, 20:52
I doubt there will be much different at all.
20 years ago, the only difference was Frogg Toggs were just about to come out.
People were starting to wear lighter shoes (Hi-tecs)
Polypro was already in use.
The trail was the same.
The shelters were the same except some had electricity back then ( a few)

The biggest difference IMO will be that most everyone will be carrying a form of keeping in touch. (Ipod, netbook or similar) and there will be signal most everywhere and there will be a company that makes a reliable, good solar battery charger.

The hills will still be hard, the hostels will be there, the trail angels too.
20 years is not a long time.
hell, I might even still be hiking.

Kepley
04-26-2011, 21:11
Paved for 508 compliance.

http://pavetheappalachiantrail.org/

It might actually happen! You could ride a segway instead of walking, how bout that!

10-K
04-26-2011, 21:17
All hostels will meet current building codes? (with an emphasis on electrical code...)

Papa D
04-26-2011, 22:10
I sure hope all of this doesn't happen - this is very depressing to me - really - this post needs to end

WILLIAM HAYES
04-26-2011, 22:10
starbucks at every shelter

dperry
04-26-2011, 22:20
I predict passes will be required on most of the trail, and they may ecome hard to get.




Definitely passes, thats a given




Today,the trails are often crowded in certain spots-it was rare to meet a hiker on the trail years ago.Perhaps in the future,the A.T. will be even more popular than now.


more people = more people on the trail

While one should always hesitate to assume that a trend is going to continue indefinitely, the statistics for backpacking in recent years indicate the opposite--they say that long-distance hiking is becoming less popular, not more. Perhaps places like Bear Mountain and so forth will become more crowded with day-hikers, but the trail as a whole may well get less use.

dperry
04-26-2011, 22:22
I would oppose it. But my board would probably accept the offer. But only if, as you suggest, we were "approached" twice.

BTW here on midcoast Maine, we are all fans of Subaru

Let's say it was a very wealthy individual instead, who wanted it named after him. Would you say the same thing? If not, why not?

Dogwood
04-27-2011, 03:06
4 oz backpacks, 10 oz sleeping bags, food pills, radiation, natural gas pollution, windfarms, quotas, more stringent camp fire restrictions if you allowed to light a fire at all, FEES!, FEES!, did I mention FEES?, FEES are SURELY around the corner! electronic weigh stops, greater views of housing developments, more paved roads, mandatory water purification, MUCH GREATER GOVT INTRUSION, GREATER OVERSIGHT!, DEFINITELY! more warnings, more fear, less wildlife overall, MORE PEOPLE!, MORE ON TRAIL CONTACT WITH MARKETING/ADVERTISING, NO or NO VERY SOON VIRGIN FOREST hiking experiences, more garbage!, prison crews in orange jumpsuits attempting to clean up the increasing garbage, greater stress/conflicts between those desiring to preserve/conserve/maintain the trail and those who desire to profit from the resources on/adjoining the AT.

Jack will still be hanging around somewhere nearby though, probably handing out How To Hike The AT TRACTS or something similar!

I might come back ocassionaly from my home in Patagonia, Costa Rica, or New Zealand to relate stories of the price of a loaf of bread or stammer on how it used to be free to hike the AT and we used to thru the AT in 10 ft of snow!

And, of course prospective AT hikers will still be asking questions like: how little money can I hike the AT with? what's the best pack, tent, shoes, etc? And, plenty of us, including myself, will still attempt to answer such questions!

fredmugs
04-27-2011, 07:43
The right to name each section of the trail will be sold to the highest corporate bidders.

Two words: Trump Trail

kofritz
04-27-2011, 07:52
I wondered how Snicker's Gap was named. I enjoy them everytime i take a walk in the woods.

Leanthree
04-27-2011, 08:43
You all are very negative.

In 20 years, there will be fewer hikers as the baby boomers hit an age they can't hike as many miles or days. Those same hiking baby boomers will have donated much land and money to organizations like the ATC who buy additional land around the AT to provide an additional buffer to the ever expanding suburbs. But the population growth in many of the states the AT runs through is slower or negative versus the rest of the country by then so even that shouldn't be much of an issue.

As far as hikers go, even lighter, even more prepared. I doubt the Post office still has 6 day delivery by then so plan your mail drops accordingly.

88BlueGT
04-27-2011, 08:47
^^ Post office probably won't exist. So plan on finding friends in small places

Harrison Bergeron
04-27-2011, 08:52
In strict observance of LNT, the ATC will maintain the entire trail through a weekly meeting in Harper's Ferry, where good intentions will be observed. The service will conclude with a prayer to Gaia, a round of Kumbaya, and the ritual sacrifice of a some used coffee grounds (i.e. distribution to the faithful for disposal elsewhere).

Hunting having been banned for many years in all of America, bear colonies will inhabit the remains of all the AT shelters, and the North American White Tailed Deer will be extinct. But this will be no inconvenience, since in the interest of LNT, camping on the AT will have long since been banned, anyway.

With the U.S.A spending 350% of its total revenue on Social Security, there will be no money available for a "Forestry Service". Without the Forestry Service to "protect" it, the forest will have reclaimed most of the Eastern Seaboard, bringing the outdoor experience to your doorstep.

But there will be no need to physically hike the AT, anyway, since memories of the experience will be available for purchase from Amazon. It will be a rather expensive indulgence, however. Although the memory itself will just be a $9.95 brain-Kindle download, a $10,000 virtual national park entrance fee will be added to the charge automatically.

Doc Mike
04-27-2011, 09:01
JonGalt you absolutely crack me up.

Tilly
04-27-2011, 09:13
Wow, you all are very negative today.

88BlueGT
04-27-2011, 09:15
But there will be no need to physically hike the AT, anyway, since memories of the experience will be available for purchase from Amazon. It will be a rather expensive indulgence, however. Although the memory itself will just be a $9.95 brain-Kindle download, a $10,000 virtual national park entrance fee will be added to the charge automatically.

Now THAT sounds unfortunately realistic! Kind of cool too

TallShark
04-27-2011, 17:23
This is sad but has some truth to it. Unfortunately the new happenings to our beloved trail wont happen overnight, but slowly to where we barely even recognize it. Before we know it the new rules and regulations along with fees and so on will be common place. There will be much more oversight and the yuppies will embrace it with open arms. The very definition of hiking and backpacking will be changed in America.

hikerboy57
04-27-2011, 17:54
starbucks at every shelter
its called via, and its pretty good.I brought a coffee press with me 2yrs ago in the whites, but it was way too hard to keep clean. Its not as good as the press, but vias pretty good alternative, and no mess.

hikerboy57
04-27-2011, 17:55
trail angels will both feed and carry you from springer to katahdin

Dogwood
04-27-2011, 18:17
As a living dynamic evolving entity interconnected to so many other systems, even global systems, the AT WILL CHANGE, and not everyone will like those changes!

Negative! Humm! With climate change, and all that might entail(better think long and hard about the complexities that issue can involve!, there are those who currently are and their solutions/agendas may not always be in line with your best interests!), burgeoning human population growth, and all that might entail(better think long and hard about the complexities that issue can involve, there are those who currently are and their solutions/agendas may not always be in line with your best interests!), and larger more complicated ever more money demanding govt., and all that might entail(better think long and hard about the complexities that issue can involve, there are those who currently are and their solutions/agendas, no matter what they might say, may not always be in line with your best interests!), the AT will change!

See, like most, you were too quick to not think long and a hard about those issues, singularly or, very likely, cumulatively, which may be why you view addressing these issues and potential consequences as being negative!

Oh, I'm being too serious! pessimistic! Lets just go hike while we can!

Jim Adams
04-27-2011, 19:21
I think Fiddlehead is correct...not much will change except less hikers.

OTOH there will still be a ton of whiners on WB trying to answer what the trail will be like in 20 more years.

geek

max patch
04-27-2011, 20:46
Won't have to carry any food or water; they'll be a hiker feed every mile or so.

weary
04-27-2011, 22:51
Let's say it was a very wealthy individual instead, who wanted it named after him. Would you say the same thing? If not, why not?
In general I don't like naming things after folks who give money. Trails are most in need of volunteers. Though money always helps. It's so difficllt to draw a line. I think it better to name trails and trail facilities for places, and things, not people.

Scaper
04-28-2011, 01:58
30 years ago much of the trail in the linden va. area was on roads and thru private property. When I started hiking in the Linden area in the Mid 70's the trail was very crowed on the weekends. houses have sprung up close to the trail but most out of sight. I dont think much will change in 20 years on the trail.

fredmugs
04-28-2011, 08:47
For you guys older than me who don't think things will change you need to get some younger friends.

Del Q
04-28-2011, 20:05
I think that BADDOG has it right, hikers will brag about negative weight, maybe helium filled everything, and it will be needed, the AT will circle the Earth, heading from Iceland, Ireland South is just a starting point. Solids will be texted / e mailed so resupply will be a point and a click away.

Nice, huh...............pizza through your cell phone or whatever contraption there will be in 2031