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  1. #81
    ...Or is it Hiker Trash? Almost There's Avatar
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    If you're hiking for a certificate then you're missing the entire point of having a wilderness experience. Just my two cents. Hiking almost 2200 miles...do the approach or don't at the end of the day ten miles more or less will have no bearing on how you feel about the the trail at the end, and if it does...then you're NUTS!
    Walking Dead Bear
    Formerly the Hiker Known as Almost There

  2. #82

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    Just like NOBOs have to hike down Katahdin, which doesn't count

  3. #83

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    Given that I had to climb up Katahdin (note not hike up) before I could even start the AT SOBO (no road to the top), why should you NOBOs get an easy pass. At least you HAVE a trail you can hike up on. The center part of the climb on Katahdin where you gain most of your elevation can't be called a trail by any stretch of the imagination. "I'm going to hike 2180 miles, but hiking 8 miles to start sounds hard so I don't want to do it." I hate to break it to you, but a lot of the AT is hard and gets much harder then the approach trail. The ATC may recognize your achievement, but I never will. And clearly what I think, as an anonymous poster on the internet, should bother you much more then the opinion of the official governing agency of the trail.

    And I'm in no way jealous of your stupid road to the top of Springer! Not in any way! I enjoyed falling off a rock 4ft onto my back during my climb of Katahdin and having to go back to Millinocket so I could ice my knee so I could continue my hike. I'm not, in any way, bitter about the whole lack of road.

  4. #84
    ...Or is it Hiker Trash? Almost There's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Miner View Post
    Given that I had to climb up Katahdin (note not hike up) before I could even start the AT SOBO (no road to the top), why should you NOBOs get an easy pass. At least you HAVE a trail you can hike up on. The center part of the climb on Katahdin where you gain most of your elevation can't be called a trail by any stretch of the imagination. "I'm going to hike 2180 miles, but hiking 8 miles to start sounds hard so I don't want to do it." I hate to break it to you, but a lot of the AT is hard and gets much harder then the approach trail. The ATC may recognize your achievement, but I never will. And clearly what I think, as an anonymous poster on the internet, should bother you much more then the opinion of the official governing agency of the trail.

    And I'm in no way jealous of your stupid road to the top of Springer! Not in any way! I enjoyed falling off a rock 4ft onto my back during my climb of Katahdin and having to go back to Millinocket so I could ice my knee so I could continue my hike. I'm not, in any way, bitter about the whole lack of road.
    Ha, Ha! I got to come down Katahdin in a thunderstorm with hail! It was sunny when we summitted! If most had to hike SOBO numbers would be cut by at least 60% on the first day of hiking
    Walking Dead Bear
    Formerly the Hiker Known as Almost There

  5. #85
    Registered User 1234's Avatar
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    The approach trail is a blue blaze trail, perhaps many feel so guilty they want to make sure everyone starts out a blue blazer! The AT starts on top of Springer mtn, enough said.

  6. #86
    Flip flop, flip flopping' LASHin' 2000 miler
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    I don't blue blaze to avoid summits. I blue blaze to bag summits!
    L Dog
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    "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." - John Muir

  7. #87
    Registered User scope's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Miner View Post
    Given that I had to climb up Katahdin (note not hike up) before I could even start the AT SOBO (no road to the top), why should you NOBOs get an easy pass...
    A good perspective, but I'd remind that there's plenty of ways to make the trail hard for yourself if you're worried about others - or you even - thinking of yourself as a wuss. You can always go from Springer to Gooch shelter instead of stopping at Hawk Mt shelter. Or even better, camp somewhere in between the two like a real hiker!
    "I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
    - Kate Chopin

  8. #88
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    The definitive and most solid rule I've ever come across to dictate the rules of the AT: Whatever floats your boat.
    2010 AT NoBo Thru "attempt" (guess 1,700 miles didn't quite get me all the way through ;) )
    Various adventures in Siberia 2016
    Adventures past and present!
    (and maybe 2018 PCT NoBo)

  9. #89
    Registered User Zman's Avatar
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    I hope to start my through hike next spring in 2017. I love all the comments. However, I will start at the very beginning, enjoy the falls, and if anybody asks I can tell them wholeheartedly I hiked the entire trail

  10. #90
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    and folks that start the trail at FS 42 can say they hiked the entire trail too

  11. #91
    Wanna-be hiker trash
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lone Wolf View Post
    and folks that start the trail at FS 42 can say they hiked the entire trail too
    Depends how far they get.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  12. #92
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    Quote Originally Posted by Miner View Post
    Given that I had to climb up Katahdin (note not hike up) before I could even start the AT SOBO (no road to the top), why should you NOBOs get an easy pass. At least you HAVE a trail you can hike up on. The center part of the climb on Katahdin where you gain most of your elevation can't be called a trail by any stretch of the imagination. "I'm going to hike 2180 miles, but hiking 8 miles to start sounds hard so I don't want to do it." I hate to break it to you, but a lot of the AT is hard and gets much harder then the approach trail. The ATC may recognize your achievement, but I never will. And clearly what I think, as an anonymous poster on the internet, should bother you much more then the opinion of the official governing agency of the trail.

    And I'm in no way jealous of your stupid road to the top of Springer! Not in any way! I enjoyed falling off a rock 4ft onto my back during my climb of Katahdin and having to go back to Millinocket so I could ice my knee so I could continue my hike. I'm not, in any way, bitter about the whole lack of road.
    What can I say when you chose to hike it the wrong direction

  13. #93
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    When I push off from GA, I want the whole experience. While I'm not inclined to lecture others on how to hike their hike , for me, thumbing my way to the Hike Inn to spend the night, and starting the approach trail after stuffing myself with their breakfast is all part of the much dreamt of itinerary. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fletchlives1234 View Post
    Just spoken to a guy called Survivor Dave and he informed me that the offical start to the trail is at Springer and Amicalola falls is just the approach.




  14. #94

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    Trail starts on Springer. Do as please.

    But....

    If you are so focused on hiking only the AT that you are willing to skip the best thing in GA thats closeby....well , not sure what to say.

    All you save is a couple hrs, out of 5 months. Try to see the falls after a few days of heavy rain.
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 06-10-2016 at 17:20.

  15. #95
    lemon b's Avatar
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    Quite frankly, I do not understand the question. Back in 78 it was difficult just to find the white blazes. I doubt if anyone passed them all and I would dare to say some were in the wrong places. The whites in the 80's were a total mess as far as following the actual AT. Pre GPS, lousy markings, all kinds of puzzle trails, get real.

  16. #96
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lemon b View Post
    Quite frankly, I do not understand the question. Back in 78 it was difficult just to find the white blazes. I doubt if anyone passed them all and I would dare to say some were in the wrong places. The whites in the 80's were a total mess as far as following the actual AT. Pre GPS, lousy markings, all kinds of puzzle trails, get real.
    Get a map, follow the trails that pre-existed the AT by about 50 years that the AT uses. Its not rocket science.

  17. #97
    Flip flop, flip flopping' LASHin' 2000 miler
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    Quote Originally Posted by Starchild View Post
    What can I say when you chose to hike it the wrong direction
    All the literature says “Maine to Georgia.” If you hiked it nobo, you were doing it wrong!




    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    L Dog
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    "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." - John Muir

  18. #98

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    True, the official start is at the summit of Springer. Past the plaque, and down and around the big rock. I did the approach and amicalola, it sucked, and so did catching my breath in a parking lot with smiley old people wizzing by... but it’s worth it. Do it.

  19. #99

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    Hike it the want you want to. Approach is not part of the trail, I started at the fire road, hiked to Springer then back north.

  20. #100
    Registered User jjozgrunt's Avatar
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    I'm coming over to finish next year as I only got 317 miles in before an injury. I didn't do the approach, but if time permits next year I'm going to flip back down to Erwin and head south so I can say I did the whole trail in one season. If that's the case I'll walk down the approach trail.

    I didn't do it because it wasn't part of the trail and was easier for me to head straight to Springer and save a day, as time was tight.

    Do it or not for whatever reason.
    "He was a wise man who invented beer." Plato

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