mileage figures for the AT

[maintenance man]

I just returned from spending ten days helping a friend to a successful start on his thru-hike. My responsibilities would not allow the whole trip but AT fever is definately running through my veins.

My question is to the mileage data in Wingfoots and the Thru-hiker Companion. It sure seemed on the trail that we hike a whole lot more than the books indicated was ie. 1 1/2 miles between locations. Does the data in these resources take into account the distance up and down mountain sides or is it a flat surveyors type measurement. If one flatens a 3D map it drastically changes the actual foot mileage between two points verses the climbs and decents actually traveled.

Thanks for your wisdom.

[The Solemates]

I just returned from spending ten days helping a friend to a successful start on his thru-hike. My responsibilities would not allow the whole trip but AT fever is definately running through my veins.

My question is to the mileage data in Wingfoots and the Thru-hiker Companion. It sure seemed on the trail that we hike a whole lot more than the books indicated was ie. 1 1/2 miles between locations. Does the data in these resources take into account the distance up and down mountain sides or is it a flat surveyors type measurement. If one flatens a 3D map it drastically changes the actual foot mileage between two points verses the climbs and decents actually traveled.

Thanks for your wisdom.

From what I understand, yes, it is the actual trail mileage, so it does take into account the elevation loss/gain.

[The Old Fhart]

Myron Avery was the first person to use a measuring wheel to measure the actual walking distance from Georgia to Maine and a classic photo is Avery with the wheel recording data in his notebook. If you notice, the trail length as well as the half-way marker position change each year as relocations change the length. Although the distance is given to tenths of a mile, a lot has to do with how the measurer goes over or around rocks, etc.

A couple of years ago I met a thru-hiker who actually counted the number of white blazes from GA to ME. When I saw him in Crawford Notch where I was doing trail magic, I think he said he was over 64,000 blazes. For what it's worth, I've actually noticed that the apparent length seems to get longer each year as I grow older. ;)

[Jack Tarlin]

Wingfoot's mileage information is taken from the A.T. Data Book; their mileage in turn is carefully measured by volunteers who actually walk the Trail. They also consult with the various Trail groups and maintainers so as to take into account trail additions, closures, re-locations, temporary replacement trails, etc. (The actual mileage of the Trail varies from year to year). This annual Data Book mileage, and subsequently Wingfoot's, is re-checked every year, so it is, in fact, the most accurate data of its sort.