WhiteBlaze Pages 2024
A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
AVAILABLE NOW. $4 for interactive PDF(smartphone version)
Read more here WhiteBlaze Pages Store

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 53
  1. #1
    Administrator attroll's Avatar
    Join Date
    09-03-2002
    Location
    Denmark, Maine, United States
    Age
    64
    Posts
    5,558
    Journal Entries
    201
    Images
    710

    Default Parts of the Appalachian Trail that you do not like?

    This is directed at thru hikers but section hikers are more than welcome to chime in. I would like to hear thoughts from other thru hikers on this.
    When you thru hiked the Appalachian Trail, what parts of the trail did you not like?
    I am referring to climbs, decants, crossing of just crappy parts of the trail that you did not like.
    Please explain the location and why you did not like that section.
    AT Troll (2010)
    Time does not wait for you, it keeps on rolling.

    Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.

  2. #2

    Default

    Not all of PA is bad, but overall it's my least favorite state. Why? All the rock obstacle courses. "Just painting blazes on trees doesn't make a trail" was something one of the guys I was hiking with was fond of saying about PA.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  3. #3
    Registered User swjohnsey's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-13-2010
    Location
    Kingsville, Texas
    Age
    77
    Posts
    2,331

    Default

    Rollercoaster south of Harpers Ferry is just wore out, poorly maintained trail. Hundred mile wilderness is about the same.

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    06-10-2005
    Location
    Bedford, MA
    Posts
    12,678

    Default

    Didn't care for the road noise in certain stretches -- like the stretch just north of RPH shelter in NY or that race track in CT.

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    06-18-2010
    Location
    NJ
    Age
    47
    Posts
    3,133
    Images
    1

    Default

    most of MA, from jug end until you reach the summit of greylock, is just dreadful. nothing much in the way of views, swamps, bugs, lots of ordinary trail through not especially interesting (to me) forest. upper goose pond is nice, but what else is there? when a bridge over a highway is the most interesting thing thats a bad sign.

    i'm sure some stretch of PA is a tie or a close second but i cant think of an exact one and i generally hiked the worst part as a series of short day hikes so my perspective on it is different.

  6. #6

    Default

    Loved it all.
    .
    If I didn't like it, I would go somewhere else.
    Don't let your fears stand in the way of your dreams

  7. #7

    Default

    I have only done 930 miles or so, have only redone about 150 miles of sections.
    I am trying to find a section to complain about but when I think of climbs, overgrown trail, flooded trail, I just kept saying "Well it wasn't that bad".
    I am looking forward to Penmar, PA - Salisbury, CT.

    If I had an overall peeve about the trail it would be when the trail is so overgrown the bushes are falling over from each side of the trail and your having to push through them to move on down the way. (The Captains Place North to Sinking Creek)

    BUT, when I'm pushing thru all that crap I smile and say "Well you aint out here cutting this crap out of the way so quit complaining about it".
    Trail Miles: 4,927.6
    AT Map 1: Complete 2013-2021
    Sheltowee Trace: Complete 2020-2023
    Pinhoti Trail: Complete 2023-2024
    Foothills Trail: 0.0
    AT Map 2: 279.4
    BMT: 52.7
    CDT: 85.4

  8. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-01-2004
    Location
    Tampa, FL
    Age
    74
    Posts
    587
    Images
    12

    Default

    The NB MA section approaching Rt 7 which is S of Great Barrington. I've never seen so many mosquitoes in all my life. I donated a lot of blood in that section.

  9. #9

    Default

    I only did GA to Bland, VA. I hated the road stretch along the Fontana Dam, and the entrance to the Smokies. The road stretch from rt 52 to rt 612 in Bastion/Bland, VA. Noisy, hot smelly walks along pavement just kick me out of my wilderness groove. At least they weren't horribly long.

    All the climbs/descents/rocks/overgrown/flooded trails... those were just part of the fun. I did get annoyed on a few stretches where lazy hikers expanded/widened/flat out made new downslope creating a slippery slope along cliff edges, all because they were too lazy to use the rock stairs that volunteers spent hundreds of hours installing for the purpose of creating a safe and erosion proof trail.

  10. #10
    Registered User LittleRock's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-10-2014
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Age
    38
    Posts
    803
    Images
    24

    Default

    I've only done Springer to Daleville, VA, but I really didn't care for the climb over Pond Mtn in TN. 2000 ft climb, no views at the top, then 2000 ft descent. Heard shotgun blasts from the shooting range at the bottom of the mountain the entire way. Not what you'd expect on a national scenic trail.
    It's all good in the woods.

  11. #11
    GoldenBear's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-31-2007
    Location
    Upper Darby, PA
    Posts
    890
    Journal Entries
    63
    Images
    353

    Unhappy My choice

    I hope I don't have to go into too much detail on why I did not enjoy Agony Grind
    http://www.harrimanhiker.com/2014/08/agony-grind.html
    beyond noting that I went down that part of The Trail in the rain.
    Last edited by GoldenBear; 07-14-2016 at 11:54.

  12. #12
    Registered User
    Join Date
    04-15-2014
    Location
    Wilbur By The Sea FL
    Posts
    216

    Default

    My least favorite parts of the AT were:
    Shenendoahs (boring)
    Last 40 miles of PA (ankle biting rocks)
    that part of MA that jbwood mentioned- and for the very same reason.
    Whites (crowded and lots of rules) But the views were spectacular. I loved that campy snack bar on the top of Mt. Washington. So bizarre!
    Loved the entire state of Maine from start to finish. New Jersey was a nice surprise.

  13. #13
    Peakbagger Extraordinaire The Solemates's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-30-2003
    Location
    Appalachian Ohio
    Posts
    4,406

    Default

    ditto. never seen anything like it, and I've spent plenty of time in the bayou
    The only thing better than mountains, is mountains where you haven't been.

    amongnature.blogspot.com

  14. #14
    Peakbagger Extraordinaire The Solemates's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-30-2003
    Location
    Appalachian Ohio
    Posts
    4,406

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by The Solemates View Post
    ditto. never seen anything like it, and I've spent plenty of time in the bayou
    sorry was referring to the MA section others have mentioned.
    The only thing better than mountains, is mountains where you haven't been.

    amongnature.blogspot.com

  15. #15
    CDT - 2013, PCT - 2009, AT - 1300 miles done burger's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-03-2005
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    1,437

    Default

    The parts with no views.

    The parts with unnecessarily steep trail.

    The parts with high humidity.

    The parts with lots of bugs.

    The parts with pointless ups and downs that go nowhere.

    The parts with horrendous tread.

    The parts that were so steep that hikers have widened the trail and trampled the vegetation to find somewhere with traction.

    The parts with too many hikers.

    The parts with the ticks.

    I could go on, but that's enough.

    Anyway, I'd say that 95+% of the AT is type-II fun at best. Maybe 5% of what I've done was thoroughly enjoyable. The percentage of type-I fun is many times higher on the CDT and PCT.

  16. #16
    Garlic
    Join Date
    10-15-2008
    Location
    Golden CO
    Age
    66
    Posts
    5,615
    Images
    2

    Default

    The only part of a day I didn't enjoy on the AT was in my head. In the Green Mts in VT, when I should have been rejoicing about being there, I found myself looking forward to just getting a certain climb done, grinding up a hill to get it over with. Then I stopped and thought, this isn't an impediment, it's a beautiful mountain and another great day of hiking. Everything got fine again. That day I realized that hiking the AT had changed my view of hills. All hills are fun now, hiking and biking.

    I didn't even mind hiking across a mosquito-infested swamp in NJ with muddy wet feet that were getting macerated. I learned how to deal with that problem and the day came out on the plus side.
    "Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning

  17. #17
    Virginia Tortoise
    Join Date
    05-12-2005
    Location
    Manassas, VA
    Age
    70
    Posts
    477

    Default

    I've section hiked from Springer to Franconia Notch as well as a few sections in the whites. I did not like the Whites. Scenic but, IMO, very difficult to hike. The PA rocks between Port Clinton and DWG were rough as well.

  18. #18
    Registered User
    Join Date
    11-20-2002
    Location
    Damascus, Virginia
    Age
    65
    Posts
    31,349

    Default

    most of mass.
    the end of SNP to harpers ferry
    inn at the long trail to glenclif, n.h.

  19. #19

    Default

    The AT has to many mountain, and not enough opportunity to yellow blaze.

  20. #20
    Registered User
    Join Date
    11-20-2002
    Location
    Damascus, Virginia
    Age
    65
    Posts
    31,349

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Lone Wolf View Post
    most of mass.
    the end of SNP to harpers ferry
    inn at the long trail to glenclif, n.h.
    and any part of trail with manmade steps. i walk to the side of those

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
++ New Posts ++

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •