Me too hahaOriginally Posted by jefals
Trail Miles: 4,980.5
AT Map 1: Complete 2013-2021
Sheltowee Trace: Complete 2020-2023
Pinhoti Trail: Complete 2023-2024
Foothills Trail: 47.9
AT Map 2: 279.4
BMT: 52.7
CDT: 85.4
In what mountain chain are the mountains in eastern Kentucky located?
You may want to contact these and other sites to let them know they've been "drinking media Kool Aid" in re Kentucky vis-a-vis the Appalachian Mountains.
US Geological Survey:
https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/birth/
Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Mountains
Britannica Encyclopedia:
https://www.britannica.com/place/Appalachian-Mountains
Appalachian Regional Commission
https://www.arc.gov/appalachian_regi...hianRegion.asp
New World Encyclopedia:
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/...hian_Mountains
Everything has to be AT for publicity.So it all gets used as much as possible . . . and maybe maintained a little better.
So, if you have a trail that connects and you want it to get lots of use, make sure to make it part of the AT.
But if you love a trail that connects and you want it to stay beautiful and not worn out from traffic, make sure you DON'T make it part of the AT.
I'm not lost. I'm exploring.
With the ATC's push to have everyone start, or at least check in, at Amicalola VC, it really does much sense to "annex" the approach trail and have a starting trail head that can support the masses. There is absolutely nothing about Springer that you don't experience a hundred times on the AT.
As for the northern terminus, I think Baxter Peak is an epic finish. I was way past wanting to finish the hike and get home when I camped at the Birches. The next day was one of the 3 most memorable days of my life. Finishing at some ATC sign on a forgettable 3000 ft. mountain in Maine would be a travesty versus Katahdin.
The rangers I dealt with at Baxter State Park were fantastic. BSP has a designated camping area and shelter for long distance hikers and every ranger I spoke with went out of their way to congratulate me on what I was about to accomplish and gave me great advice on having the best experience in BSP and on the mountain as was possible. I walked away from Baxter a huge fan of the staff and the mountain. Don't change the northern terminus. Work with BSP to always have the AT finish on that mountain.
Considering extension of the trail's length is tantamount to asking if you might like to spend more money.
I would love to see a designated scenic trail, incorporating the AT, all the way from the Gulf Coast to the Canadian Border. Kinda like the PCT and the CDT, border to border.
I'm not lost. I'm exploring.
It wasn't. The original southern terminus was Mt. Oglethorpe. (at least until 1956).
https://thetrek.co/springer-mountain/
Time is but the stream I go afishin' in.
Thoreau
Got it very wrong John B. TU very much for the correction. Please, very pretty please, with a cherry on top, correct me if you see that kind of obvious incorrect non factual opinion. I don't know what I was thinking...or if I was thinking.
Hi Dogwood,
The Sheltowee Trace is not part of the Great Eastern Trail (GET). The GET component in Kentucky is the Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail (www.pinemountaintrail.com).
The ST isn't part of the GET? I'm getting schooled today. It's been a humbling day. TU, seriously.
http://www.gethiking.net/p/the-great-eastern-trail.html
And organize for required greater maintenance...when so many trails already are in such need and exist that aren't being used anywhere to the extent of the AT.Aren't there already enough significant threats to the AT corridor and AT Experience?
Why, why oh why, don't folks get away from an AT centric world? Preserve what's already existing to some extent as much as possible. Arent there enough trails and miles to hike that aren't the AT?
Why not just finish up, link up, and promote the IAT?
In theory if you wrapped up the southern leg and literally connected it you would extend the AT south in all but name only.
I too like the idea of extending the trail north just enough to get into the national park and out of baxter... you still have a long walk after you 'finish'... might as well head down the mountain in a more productive direction in terms of improving strained relations. If nothing else... you theoretically have double the actual number of people there as the folks that plan to summit tomorrow and those summiting today all return to the same place at the end of the day.
At least if it was an up and over... instead of an up and down it would reduce the perception some.
Your visiting friends and family may be more inclined to book sites in the neighboring park and walk up the far side to meet you up top- further reducing traffic.
Or as Map Man said- kill it at the bridge. You want to walk to Katahdin... make your own arrangements within the parks rules like any other visitor.
If Alabamians want their own long distance trail.. let them build a separate trail that connects to the Southern terminus. I do agree.. the trail should be extended 8 miles south to Amicolala visitor center in amicolala state park. There are services there. Plus it would all us to dispense with the least prepared hikers before they even get to the summit of springer!!
We already have one, the connection drops if you want to call it that in GA where it hits the BMT. The road walks are actually a nice change of pace, I can say that because I walked the 20 mile road walk in GA a couple of weeks ago. I will do the ~12 miles in AL as I have time when I knock out the first third of the trail. The last third in GA has another 20+ mile road walk that from the pictures I saw from my hiking partner, didn't look to bad either.
AT: 695.7 mi
Benton MacKaye Trail '20
Pinhoti Trail '18-19'
@leonidasonthetrail https://www.youtube.com/c/LeonidasontheTrail
The IAT has already moved the southern terminus north so that it no longer starts at the Baxter State Park boundary/end of the Katahdin Lake Trail. Also, Baxter State Park has closed/quit maintaining the portion of the Katahdin Lake Trail which connected to the (old) southern terminus of the IAT at the park boundary. They have separated a one time connection. There won't be an "official" IAT route in Baxter any time soon.
No apology necessary, Dogwood! The ST runs through Kentucky's Cumberland Falls Resort State Park (which is not the same as Lake Cumberland State Resort Park). The GET in Kentucky doglegs from the Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail through Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, connecting to Tennessee's Cumberland Trail (a.k.a. Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park, whose headquarters is in Cumberland Mountain State Park). Confusing, oh yes. Even I had to look it up all over again, and I've hiked the GET through there twice.
Who needs an official trail? Just get some maps, connect the trails as appropriate (road walk? existing single track? bike paths?), and say you went for a walk in the Appalachians.
Paul "Mags" Magnanti
http://pmags.com
Twitter: @pmagsco
Facebook: pmagsblog
The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau
app valley.jpg
Here's a very informative website: http://www.thomaslegion.net/greatapp...oryandmap.html
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