Anyone on the AT Summer of 1977?

[BradMT]

I've popped in here a bit since White Blaze hit the net but didn't register til today... heck, really not sure where to put this post!

A close high school friend and I flew to Atlanta and hitch-hiked to Springer Mountain to hike the Southern Section of the AT in June 1977... I turned 16 at the shelter on the GA/NC border (June 21, 1977). We hiked up into Virginia, got sick of the heat (record temps and drought) and finished with a couple weeks in late August up in the Adirondaks cooling off! Did over 650 miles. I did just over 1,000 miles of the AT by the time I graduated HS in 1979 but moved West and have never been back.

Anyone around back then? There really weren't many of us!

Thought's?

I imagine the AT has changed!

[Ender]

Welcome aboard! Would love to see any photos you have from back then.

[TJ aka Teej]

Welcome, Brad! In '77 I went from Gorham to Caratunk starting the first weekend after school got out, and then hitched to Katahdin. The ATs changed? Man.. everything's changed!!

[mweinstone]

and most years back then. i allways tagged along with thrubees if i could. i remember hawk. know him? bet not.

[fiddlehead]

Yeah, i hiked from Springer to DWG in '77 with my then girlfriend, now X-wife (we got along a lot better on the trail than in the working world)
The trail hasn't changed as much as the town stops and options. Back then, most towns had a free place for hikers to stay: Hot Springs had the church hostel, Waynesboro VA and PA had firehouses that let the hikers sleep on their grounds, etc. Bad- hikers have since ruined that and now it's all about making money and rules.
The trail has changed the way i see it in that there are now many more switchbacks. ( i remember the climb up to the "Jump-off" near Stecoah as being the hardest in the 1100 miles we did that year.)
I remember many hikers wearing jeans until they learned a bit. We were one of the lightest packers at the time because we had an instant tube tent and shared a stove (which blew up and we built fires the rest of the way), and cookpot. I think my pack weighed about 40 lbs. And that was LIGHT!
We got wet as raingear was not waterproof at all and learned to hike with only bare minimum of clothes when it rained, it was the only way to keep your clothes dry.
Anyway, it was an awesome trip as was my last one in 01. (my first southbound) Perhaps we met, i didn't have a trail name back then although i remember many did. We just went by our names: Glenn and Louann but it looks like we were in front of you. (we started April 15) Happy Trails!

[hiker33]

I did pieces of the AT thru the Whites in '77 as part of longer loop trips on other trails. Mt. Garfield to Crawford Notch was the total for the year. I think I covered Garfield to Zealand on one hike and got the Zealand to Crawford section a month later.

I can't believe it was almost 30 years ago. I'll dig out my old slides when I have some time and see if I can scan them for posting.

[SGT Rock]

I was probably down at Standing Indian throwing rocks at the river in the summer of '77, but then I was only 10.

[Lone Wolf]

I was in boot camp summer of 77.

[Kerosene]

1977 was the only year between '73 and '79 that I didn't backpack at least some portion of the AT, all north of Harpers Ferry. That summer I was commuting 90 minutes from central Jersey into New York City by bus, followed by a 30 minute walk cross-town to work at Pfizer doing COBOL programming for an hourly wage. Very, very long hours that summer; but I needed the money for college.

April 1973: DWG to Unionville, NY
April 1974: Duncannon, PA to Lehigh Gap
March 1975: Lee, MA to Webatuck, NY
July 1976: Lee, MA to Manchester Center, VT
August 1978: NY/NJ border
June 1979: Duncannon, PA to Harpers Ferry
August 1979: Long Trail SOBO

Here are pictures I've scanned and posted from some of those early hikes (except the two Audie Murphy Monument pics at the beginning).

[HIKER7s]

missed ya by 1 year GA-Me 1978

[HIKER7s]

I was in boot camp summer of 77.

Then after I was done (in 78) "I" went right to boot camp

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I hiked a lot in the Smokies that year - including the AT from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap. Can't remember the exact dates I hiked that, but it was likely in the summer months.

[berninbush]

I was conceived in 1977.

[SGT Rock]

You can't blame that on me.

[Smile]

LOL!
:-)

I always get a kick out of your comments SGT!

At Harpers Ferry there are all sorts of photo albums that go back pretty far. I got a real hoot looking at some of the hiking outfits from the early 80's.....some striped socks, guys with huge 'wings' (hair) and some very short shorts on guys and gals with that white piping that was so popular.

Was looking up a friend who hiked in 80 or 81 that I have yet to locate. Don't know a trail name either, but didn't find his photo in the books. You could always stop in there if you were ever in that part of the country - worth a visit!

[RockyTrail]

My hiking buddy and I did the north end of the Smokies, June 1977...was just dabbling in a bit here and there. Cotton canvas pack must have weighed 50+ lbs, everything was cotton...jeans, t-shirts, socks, yes we were ridiculous but determined! Don't remember any thrus...at time I would have said "What's a Thru?"

[BradMT]

missed ya by 1 year GA-Me 1978

Great! You were YOUNG!

Ah, the Waynsboro VA Firehouse... stayed there. I'd forgotten all about it!

We'd heard about this "incredible movie" all summer and finally hitched to the nearest theater (60 miles) to see Star Wars... that was surreal.

There was a Hostel in VA or NC (can't remember) run by the Catholic Church... the Priest was a Pedophile and tried to attack my hiking Partner and I... I threatened him with bodily violence whereupon he kicked us out... how's that for Southern Hospitality!

My pack (Jansport D2) was as light as 25 lbs or as heavy as 65 lbs depending on the water situation and food. We tarped it. Svea 123 and one Sigg pot. Total bare-bones kit.

This was my first forray south of the Mason Dixon Line having been raised in New England... I'd done around 350 miles of the AT in New England (especially The Whites) by 77'. Hitching north from Atlanta the local rednecks threw beer bottles at us "long hairs." On the other hand, a kind Christian Postal Driver picked us up, took us to his home, fed us and drove us (family and all!) about 120 miles north to Springer Mountain... I was touched! That sort of hospitality was the norm in the South.

Also spent a night in a haunted shelter just south of Fontana Dam. Creepy!

Attacked by a Wild Boar in the Smokies.

Given a paper bag full of pot my an elderly, toothless hill-person in NC (grown for his personal use!).

Quite a summer fro a 16 yo kid...

[Programbo]

I've popped in here a bit since White Blaze hit the net but didn't register til today... heck, really not sure where to put this post!.....A close high school friend and I flew to Atlanta and hitch-hiked to Springer Mountain to hike the Southern Section of the AT in June 1977.. I did just over 1,000 miles of the AT by the time I graduated HS in 1979 but moved West and have never been back......Anyone around back then? There really weren't many of us!.....Thought's?...I imagine the AT has changed!

Hello Brad..I think I`m right up your alley..I hiked Springer-Whatever that town is on the river in central PA (Duncannon???) in 1977 but started earlier so may have been done by the time you started..I did go out for some other trips later in 77-78..Like you I basically stopped hiking in 1978 when I went in the service.....Yes the Trail was a lot less populated back then..I recall that during the week more often than not you had the shelter to yourself or at most there was 2 other people...The Trail itself hasn`t changed much physically just the gear and motivation of those who hike it...Browse back thru my posts and I`m sure they`ll be a lot of stuff that may ring true for you

[BradMT]

Hi, thank's for the tip... I'll go back and dig up your posts!

I never quit backpacking, just quit backpacking the AT after I moved West my second year in College (1980)... once a BP'r, always a BP'r, just not an "AT'r!"

[Crash]

My first trip on the AT was that summer.
My 2 best friends and I did DWG north to Sunfish Pond up to whats now Mohican Outdoor Center.
We had 50+ lb packs on.
Great times like that stay with you forever.