Service Rd or stick to the whiteblazes?

[saimyoji]

In between Lehigh Gap and Little Gap, as you approach Little Gap (Blue Mntn. Dr) there is a service Rd that has been built for construction access. There is also a whiteblazed trail that zigzagz through the woods. There are signs that indicate where the AT goes, it actually crosses this service rd.

Do people follow the AT, or just keep pluggin on down the road? Do people even notice there is a different trail that is whiteblazed?

I assume there are other places along the trail like this....what do most of you do? As a non-thru hiker, yet, I have done both, but mostly just hike the service rd. for ease of hiking and it gets me to the views quicker (I usually hike this segment SOBO, for the views).

BTW, though there is a box by the sign at the trailhead, I've never seen a register in there....?

[Almost There]

Depends...Are you purist or hiker trash. A purist hikes by every blaze...whereas hiker trash....does whatever is the better hike...or whatever feels best at the time.

[neo]

i stick to the white blazes neo

[Trail Dog]

Depends...Are you purist or hiker trash. .

Purists don't hike their own hike, they hike the hike the ATC gives them.

'Hiker Trash' is a nasty word and is usually only used by purists and people in towns near the trail who don't like hikers. The wife and I skipped about 50 miles of AT in Virginia for about 80 miles of waterfalls and views. It was well worth it.

[neo]

Purists don't hike their own hike, they hike the hike the ATC gives them.

'Hiker Trash' is a nasty word and is usually only used by purists and people in towns near the trail who don't like hikers. The wife and I skipped about 50 miles of AT in Virginia for about 80 miles of waterfalls and views. It was well worth it.

i just go with my gut feeling lol neo

[Lone Wolf]

"Hiker Trash" is a term of endearment. It's a lifestyle. I'm proud to be hiker trash.

[Almost There]

Wolf, of course, we see eye to eye on this...and Trail Dog...coming from my point of view it is a term of endearment. Sort of a thumbing my nose at the Man type of thing. Many are adamant about how this has to be done or that has to be done. Hiker Trash does it how they want to do it...and doesn't worry about the establishment(purists)

Of course I understand what you're saying but some of us have taken the term and made it our own, and others such as LW have been doing it far longer than I.

[the goat]

that service road is one of my favorite blue blazes....it's a great reprieve from all that rock!

[The Solemates]

the service road into manchester center, vt is the same way. we took that on accident and walked right into town instead of just outside of town and hitching in. didnt realize the trail turned.

[Trail Dog]

Of course I understand what you're saying but some of us have taken the term and made it our own, and others such as LW have been doing it far longer than I.

I suppose its just like how some of the minority population have taken once racial slurs and freely refer to each other by it. I guess its ok for a hiker to call another hiker 'hiker trash' cause you sort of know its not meant to be harsh

[max patch]

Well, if you've taken 6 months of your life to hike the Appalachian Trail then the answer to your question is obvious.

If you're talking about a day hike then the answer is "depends."

I enjoy being out hiking and stumbling across the old black blazed trail in places. I almost always take those.