Any hostels or property for sale near Flagg Mountain?

[BaxterBear]

Hello. I am looking to open 2-3 hostels along the Pinhoti trail in Alabama, and am wondering if anyone knows of current hostels and property that are available along the trail. I am looking to place one near Flagg Mountain and the southern terminus, and two more around 60 miles apart after Flagg.

I am also looking for any hikers in Alabama that would be interested in seasonal employment at a hostel. Thank you for the time.

[Mountain Dog]

go to trulia.com, zillow.com, or realtor.com These sites list available property around the country. You can search by locations and find anything available and a lot of info about the property. Good hunting

[golfjhm]

Not to dash your dreams but I'm not sure how much demand there would be for hostels on the AL Pinhoti. Hostels tend to cater to thruhikers of which I would say the AL Pinhoti probably only has low to mid single digits annually. It is a great trail but is nothing like AT in terms of traffic - part of what makes it great. Also, Flagg mountain area of the trail is road walk that 99.9 pct of people skip though there is some headway being made regarding getting it in the woods. There aren't currently any hostels that I'm aware of but a few friendly folks that run shuttles and/or might let you camp in the yard. If it is more hobby than profit center there are likely a few farmhouses you could pick up for cheap but I wouldn't count on it being a thriving business

[BaxterBear]

I am... anticipating a dramatic uptick in the number of hikers on the currently called Pinhoti Trail in the next 5-7 years. I am an investor and am willing to take the risk because the potential rewards would be far worth it.

[kolokolo]

I am... anticipating a dramatic uptick in the number of hikers on the currently called Pinhoti Trail in the next 5-7 years. I am an investor and am willing to take the risk because the potential rewards would be far worth it.

I see. So in another post you are advocating extending the AT to include the Pinhoti Trail, and in this post you are looking to position yourself to make money off of that extension.

[Havana]

Capitalism is on fine display here.

[golfjhm]

I am... anticipating a dramatic uptick in the number of hikers on the currently called Pinhoti Trail in the next 5-7 years. I am an investor and am willing to take the risk because the potential rewards would be far worth it.

The chances of ATC adding several hundred miles to the AT are slim/none. It would create chaos - would a thru hike be valid if you started at springer like thousands before you, adding a week or two to an already long journey, etc. Also, there is currently so much road walk on the GA Pinhoti that it would take decades to get it all in the woods. ATC isn't interested in adding a road walk nor dealing with hundreds of land owners just to extend the trail. Technically it is connected to springer though not via name so if people wanted more they would already be starting in AL which is only the case for a few people.

Ive seen the unsustainable thread but adding the Pinhoti isn't going to be the answer there.

[Jeff]

Unless you are serving another clientele in addition to hikers, hostel operators are making little or no profit.

[BaxterBear]

My job is investing, these future hostels/shuttle service would not be a source of income. I am close to retirement from my active work years and have always intended to open hostels when I retired. I have been blessed by god to have had a very lucrative career and in retirement will be living off my investments that bring in seven figures yearly. At best, I am OK if they just break even. These will be like hobby farms for people who are into farming. They do not do it to make profit, but for the love of it.

When the AT is eventually rerouted to near Flagg Mountain, which I am betting will happen sooner due to the issues the AT is experiencing and the ATC and Baxter State Park are expressing, I would like to have a series of hostels open along the Pinhoti trail in both Alabama and Georgia for future hikers to use. I have been pushing for years behind the scenes to extend the trail to Alabama and the true beginning of the Appalachian Mountain chain. Now that I am coming close to retirement, I plan to take a full time active role in getting work done. The fact these issues are coming up with Baxter State Park and the ATC addressing the issues in Georgia, and talk of massive change coming to the trail is icing on the cake for me. These are exciting times, and I am far more like Myron Avery was than Benton MacKaye. I am a do-er not a dreamer.

For years I have been fascinated by the original map Benton Mackaye developed - I have it hanging up in my study:

pg3-origins-img1-trail_full.jpg

[ALLEGHENY]

Buy the land needed to do the reroute and help out the ATC.

[Bronk]

Seems to me that the availability of hiker services is what has encouraged many of the problem children we are speaking about to hike the trail. Not sure that setting up franchises on the Pinhoti will solve that...just move it to a different location.

[blisterbob]

This is the most likely place I know of that could fit what you are interested in.
It even had a campground at one time.
The last time I was by there the house was empty.
The whole place could use some serious cleaning up.
The Pinhoti crosses RR tracks and the Talladega Creek here at mile 55.7.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/60.../76055061_zpid

[BaxterBear]

The hostels will be basic, but run clean with a strict no drinking/drugs policy. Basic shuttle services will be provided.

I have had locations scouted out for a couple of years - property, buildings, etc. I have one full time helper working on local laws and regulations regarding hostels and shuttles. Everything will be up to code and by the book.

When I retire next year things will start moving quickly.

What I am trying to get from this thread is intimate local knowledge from local people who hike the Pinhoti, things that real estate sites do not tell because they do not know. I want the area to benefit because I will need to hire staff to run the hostels, so it helps the local economy as well.

As for other things suggested in this thread by ALLEGHENY, who says things have not been taking place? I like to present such things when the plan is complete. But look for big things to happen in the future.

I thought I would get insults for wanting to open hobby hostels, so thank you all for not being hostile to the idea.

[BaxterBear]

Blisterbob, thank you! That is exactly the kind of local information I desire. I remember how helpful you were to the kids who called themselves "ATConquered" ( Mark and Madalyn ) who did the Pinhoti and the AT this year.
I trust you and thank you again for this information. Please remember me if you hear of any other locations you feel would make a good hostel. Local knowledge is invaluable.

[ednotmilkman]

we look forward to hearing about your project, BaxterBear. It would be helpful to have a hostel, with shuttle service, parking and maybe bicycle rentals and pickup, near where the 1st GA roadwalk starts; from Jackson Chapel, and Esom Hill Rds, up GA100 and across Cave Spring and the Coosa River. Since most thru-hikes of the AL Pinhoti need help there either with shuttle or to avoid a road walk on into GA.

I seem to remember reading that the trail has been put in the forest along Hematite Branch all the way to GA100 within the last year or so?? If someone can confirm this?

[marti038]

in retirement will be living off my investments that bring in seven figures yearly.

The Pinhoti would probably benefit more from a generous donation to buy land than hostels, especially in Georgia, but it is your money/retirement.

the issues the AT is experiencing and the ATC and Baxter State Park are expressing,

What are these issues you speak of and how on earth would they impact the Pinhoti?

Good luck with your plans. I'd suggest hiking the Pinhoti before getting too far along.

[The Solemates]

My job is investing, these future hostels/shuttle service would not be a source of income. I am close to retirement from my active work years and have always intended to open hostels when I retired. I have been blessed by god to have had a very lucrative career and in retirement will be living off my investments that bring in seven figures yearly. At best, I am OK if they just break even. These will be like hobby farms for people who are into farming. They do not do it to make profit, but for the love of it.

When the AT is eventually rerouted to near Flagg Mountain, which I am betting will happen sooner due to the issues the AT is experiencing and the ATC and Baxter State Park are expressing, I would like to have a series of hostels open along the Pinhoti trail in both Alabama and Georgia for future hikers to use. I have been pushing for years behind the scenes to extend the trail to Alabama and the true beginning of the Appalachian Mountain chain. Now that I am coming close to retirement, I plan to take a full time active role in getting work done. The fact these issues are coming up with Baxter State Park and the ATC addressing the issues in Georgia, and talk of massive change coming to the trail is icing on the cake for me. These are exciting times, and I am far more like Myron Avery was than Benton MacKaye. I am a do-er not a dreamer.

For years I have been fascinated by the original map Benton Mackaye developed - I have it hanging up in my study:

pg3-origins-img1-trail_full.jpg

well good luck to ya! i feel you are a touch delusional, but if you aint worried about ROI, your plan seems fun!

[Coffee]

I also have a background in business and investing and I don't see how the economics of most hostels would work unless in a high volume environment (lots of thru hikers, long season) or in a location that also attracts many other types of people (motorcyclists, cyclists, skiers, etc) or if there are ancillary sources of revenue (shuttling, resupplies, etc). If you do the math on a typical 8-12 bed hostel operating in a seasonal business it is pretty clear that it is a very tough business. At the same time, I'm grateful for the fact that hostels exist and I have so far enjoyed staying at every hostel I have visited (some more than others, but all are memorable).

[Matt65]

This is the most likely place I know of that could fit what you are interested in.
It even had a campground at one time.
The last time I was by there the house was empty.
The whole place could use some serious cleaning up.
The Pinhoti crosses RR tracks and the Talladega Creek here at mile 55.7.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/60.../76055061_zpid

Here's a little more information. There are not many places that come to mind.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...-selling-again!

[Matt65]

This is interesting and I will watch to see where this goes. I certainly do wish you luck on this.

For me, I would probably never use a hostel. Of course I almost never stay anywhere near a shelter either. I don't know that the traffic volume on the trail is great enough to support it (right now). I have section hiked almost all of the AL Pinhoti. Some sections and side trails many times. More often than not I NEVER see another hiker that isn't with me -To be honest, I like this. Is this a build it and they will come sutuation? For AL section- I'm not so sure. GA- deffinatrly not until the roadwalks are eliminated. Without that, it's too segmented from the AT for most.

Keep us posted!