What crossing needs to be improved

[Starchild]

Talk recently about the Kennebec River and the Palisades Parkway 'at grade' crossing has me thinking, where does the trail need major infrastructure improvement as it's next major project?

[tdoczi]

the only time i ever felt any real peril was doing the roadwalk into duncannon at night where the road the trail is following goes under a small overpass and there is barely a shoulder.

the crossing of the PIP is isnt that bad, mostly because it can be done in 2 parts

[Sarcasm the elf]

Palisades, hands down. First time I crossed it was at 4:45 on a Friday. The cars are always going over 65mph and the crosswalk isn't even painted so most drivers are not expecting to watch out for pedestrians.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

Talk recently about the Kennebec River and the Palisades Parkway 'at grade' crossing has me thinking, where does the trail need major infrastructure improvement as it's next major project?

Neither of those two places merit any changes. Focus on all the trashed out trails, stinky shelters, and overflowing privies.

[The Kisco Kid]

How about the potential of the Mountain Valley Pipeline crossing the trail in Virginia? The best way to improve that situation is to kill the project

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home...alley-pipeline

[Starchild]

Neither of those two places merit any changes. Focus on all the trashed out trails, stinky shelters, and overflowing privies.

Perhaps you are right in the respect that the place of the Norovirus 'crossing' might merit the changes you propose.

[Another Kevin]

Palisades, hands down. First time I crossed it was at 4:45 on a Friday. The cars are always going over 65mph and the crosswalk isn't even painted so most drivers are not expecting to watch out for pedestrians.

It's signed. But these are NYC commuters. They know to watch out. They just don't care.

[somers515]

It's signed. But these are NYC commuters. They know to watch out. They just don't care.

Ha! When I hiked it was fine but it wasn't rush hour. Still Sarcasm has a good point - shouldn't they paint a crosswalk there at least? That wouldn't be too expensive.

[Starchild]

Ha! When I hiked it was fine but it wasn't rush hour. Still Sarcasm has a good point - shouldn't they paint a crosswalk there at least? That wouldn't be too expensive.

Crosswalk would not matter as this is a high speed, limited access (and historically protected*) road. By the time they see the crosswalk they already have run over the hiker.


* Historically protected: (I forget the real term but...) It is hard to even get driver safety improvements or signage on those roads so they comfort to their original purpose, to be part of the peaceful visit to the park but allow high speed travel.

[Last Call]

That shelter on Blood Mountain could certainly use air conditioning, last time I was there it had a "musty" smell to it.....and it's close enough to easily run electricity to it.

[FrogLevel]

Neither of those two places merit any changes. Focus on all the trashed out trails, stinky shelters, and overflowing privies.

Its the throngs of thru-hikers that are the issue not the infrastructure. I just spent 3 days on the trail and saw 1 other person the whole time. The shelters were clean and the trails were completely devoid of trash, cutarounds, and traffic. Its the masses of people in the spring that overload the trail and abuse it.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

Its the throngs of thru-hikers that are the issue not the infrastructure. I just spent 3 days on the trail and saw 1 other person the whole time. The shelters were clean and the trails were completely devoid of trash, cutarounds, and traffic. Its the masses of people in the spring that overload the trail and abuse it.

OK, so what's your solution to that then?

[LittleRock]

How about putting in some switchbacks in NH and ME?

[Deacon]

How about putting in some switchbacks in NH and ME?

I think they are beginning to learn. There are new rebuilt sections of the Abol trail on Katahdin where they used switchbacks nicely.

[FrogLevel]

OK, so what's your solution to that then?

Mandatory education for all thru-hikers starting at both ends and Harper's Ferry. Ridge runners and rangers with the ability to ticket, fine, and educate violators on the spot.

Living near the Tennessee section I think having privies at our shelters would cut down on the toilet paper all over the place during thru hiker season.

[map man]

Bridge the major stream crossings in Maine. The Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota faces the same bridge issues the AT in Maine does -- they have to be built to withstand the spring ice flows coming down the rivers. But the Superior Hiking Trail Association has made putting bridges over streams and rivers a priority and they are all bridged (though the bridges over the Split Rock River and Encampment River are currently out -- they are working on them) -- and there are many high volume rivers that have to be crossed (more than Maine has) in the 300 miles of trail. SHTA has a much smaller budget than MATC or ATC and yet they manage to do it. Time for the ATC and MATC to do it before future drownings make them do it.

[D2maine]

Bridge the major stream crossings in Maine. The Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota faces the same bridge issues the AT in Maine does -- they have to be built to withstand the spring ice flows coming down the rivers. But the Superior Hiking Trail Association has made putting bridges over streams and rivers a priority and they are all bridged (though the bridges over the Split Rock River and Encampment River are currently out -- they are working on them) -- and there are many high volume rivers that have to be crossed (more than Maine has) in the 300 miles of trail. SHTA has a much smaller budget than MATC or ATC and yet they manage to do it. Time for the ATC and MATC to do it before future drownings make them do it.

Maine is just fine, the more you "improve" the trail the move wildness you remove from it. don't like stream crossings then hike elsewhere nobody is forcing you to hike here.

lol at the "future drownings" none of the crossings are that difficult, most are not even waist deep and often much lower during hiking season. the only crossing with risk has been eliminated by canoe.

[rocketsocks]

Take a cab if it's that bad, "turn around don't drown" freakin' purists!

[Jeff]

lol at the "future drownings" none of the crossings are that difficult, most are not even waist deep and often much lower during hiking season. the only crossing with risk has been eliminated by canoe.

In the month of June SOBO's cross some pretty high water streams...especially if you are short !!!

[D2maine]

then don't hike in june...nobody is making you choose one of the worst months of the year to be in the Maine woods. Safety is your responsibility first and foremost.