Sounds like an ego issue. If its a concern just go ahead and do the approch trail. Kinda almost as silly as should I do alittle blue blazing. Why not. Personally I hike for fun, but part of that does become ego in certain areas just to make it to that next campsite. The beginning is no different than the middle. Up to you, to me side trips have more to do with the weather than anything else. If the views are blocked or unless its a water issue. Why bother?
The only way starting at Springer is cheating, is cheating yourself of 8 miles of hiking.
Re/Flagg Mt. "In the minds of some dreamers, this dramatic view should be a first sight for hikers to behold as they set off for Maine on the Appalachian Trail. At 1,152 feet, Flagg Mountain is, according to at least one common definition, the southernmost Appalachian mountain.
And that makes it, in the minds of Alabama civic boosters and state officials, a logical place to start the Appalachian Trail, which currently starts at Springer Mountain in North Georgia and extends 2,175 miles to Maine. In fact, there is already a marked trail -- the Pinhoti Trail -- that leaves from Flagg Mountain and travels a little more than 330 miles to connect to the start of the Appalachian Trail."
Up here in New England we have peakbaggers and 48ers. If a mountain isn't 4000+ feet, it doesn't exist. Peakbaggers don't camp or carry big packs. Most peak-bagging is done as day hikes. Who are we to say, "how silly."
Or go through the arch and turn right (not left), like I did by mistake. This is also a blue blaze trail to the top of the falls following the older trail. I had no idea where exactly the falls were so I kept hiking until I found my self at the top of the falls and said "oops"!. Funny that met about 4 others who had done the same thing that day! Anyway, the falls is just a small part of the hike. You still have a lot of hiking between there and the top of Springer. The approach trail is a good wake-up. If you make it there, you fit enough to continue.
You'll figure out what's best for you.
You'll have to make a lot of those sorts of decisions if you want to make it to Maine.
Awwww. Fat Mike, too?
Do what's best for the person hauling you up there.
The End.
Paul "Mags" Magnanti
http://pmags.com
Twitter: @pmagsco
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The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau
Would you ever tell a marathon runner that they cheated because they didn't jog to the starting line?
Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
L Dog
AT 2000 Miler
The Laughing Dog Blog
https://lighterpack.com/r/38fgjt
"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." - John Muir
What's all this talk about drivers?? That's cheating! If you are hardcore you hike from home to the base of Springer. We don't need no stinkin' drivers! Now where's my medal?
Not hiking the Approach Trail would be like getting a helicopter lift off Mount Katahdin
There is one hiker on the Trail now that rode his bike from mid-Florida to Amicalola to start....that should qualify for an extra badge right there.
So if I'm understanding some of y'all... A blue blazed trail at the start of the trail counts but to blue blaze the trail, lets say in Virginia, doesn't count?
igne et ferrum est potentas
"In the beginning, all America was Virginia." -William Byrd
I've done a couple hundred miles by bike in the course of some section hikes. Bike N, hike S, or vice versa. Can I haz a badge?
Dalton -> North Adams MA
North Adams MA -> Bennington VT
Lyme -> Glencliff NH (miles of logging roads, no map)
Gorham -> South Arm Rd., Andover, ME
Caratunk -> Stratton ME
Rte 4 VT -> Brandon Gap, VT (Long Trail)
The rides were almost as memorable as the hikes.