So, how has the trail changed since the 1970's?

[Nearly Normal]

Much of the new construction is financed through government grants. If grant money is used to construct a privy, it must be wheelchair accessible. Stupid? yes. Waste of the money? yes. Our gov't at work? no doubt about it.

That should double the cost.
Is someone checking to see the ramp gets built?
or is a finished product picture submited. (Photoshop)
You could probably build two privys.

[dessertrat]

Less plaid flannel.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

::: Dino seen delighted at prospect of grab bars in the privy :::

[Lilred]

::: Dino seen delighted at prospect of grab bars in the privy :::

Sorry Dino, no grab bars in the privy, only ramps. Once the wheelchair bound person gets up the mountain gets up the ramp to the privy it's up to them to figure out how to get the wheelchair into the privy, get off the wheelchair and onto the seat.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

::: Dino seen with head and tail hanging down :::

Seriously, if I managed to get my wheelchair to the location, I think I could manage to get my fat a$$ on the stool.....

[Lilred]

::: Dino seen with head and tail hanging down :::

Seriously, if I managed to get my wheelchair to the location, I think I could manage to get my fat a$$ on the stool.....

LOLOLOLOL

[Tin Man]

::: Dino seen with head and tail hanging down :::

Seriously, if I managed to get my wheelchair to the location, I think I could manage to get my fat a$$ on the stool.....

Maybe this would this help?

[rickb]

you either carry-use them or you don't.

Exactly!

Its not that cameras are heavier now, its that many hikers did without them. How many would consider that today? Same with phones, ipods, water purifications systems, etc. A stiripen is light, but heavier than nothing at all.

Only point is that weight has always been a huge consideration, and smart backpacker have always found ways to save weight. When I hiked 25 years ago, I did without a sleeping pad for a thousand miles, and then only added a light weight closed cell foam for for insulation. I had a fancy down bag I left home for most of the trip, in favor of a very cheap K-mart bag to save ounces. Plenty of trick like that.

But I also was willing to carry 10 and more days worth of food, so my pack was heavy.

[quasarr]

I tend to be a bit suspicious of reminiscing. It's hard to be objective, people like to remember that they were happy.

Like the 1950s, weren't those the good ole days! There was no sex on TV, but black people had to use separate bathrooms

[buff_jeff]

I tend to be a bit suspicious of reminiscing. It's hard to be objective, people like to remember that they were happy.

Like the 1950s, weren't those the good ole days! There was no sex on TV, but black people had to use separate bathrooms

Exactly! Everything is so great in retrospect.

[Brushy Sage]

Had any bear cables been installed in the 1970s?

[Summit]

Had any bear cables been installed in the 1970s?

I don't recall any in GA-NC. Good point - there are a few now!

[emerald]

I expect it's true the probability of encountering a bear is now greater than in the 1970s.

[Peaks]

Read some of the old AT books, like Ed Garvey's

[Peaks]

I expect it's true the probability of encountering a bear is now greater than in the 1970s.

And moose!

[Jason of the Woods]

I hope so!

I expect it's true the probability of encountering a bear is now greater than in the 1970s.

[emerald]

Read some of the old AT books, like Ed Garvey's.

The National Geographic AT books issued in the mid-1970s and late-1980s would also serve to point out some ways in which the AT has changed.

The amount of private property the AT traverses in now considerably less, there are more shelters and smaller gaps between them and greater flexibility concerning where hikers can camp in some locations. In 1980, I hiked mostly from one designated camping area to the next.

Hikers relied to a greater extent upon locals for information about services than today. When I 1st encountered today's hike-by-the-numbers menu approach to AT services, it struck me as a significant change.

[BradMT]

Nice to read most of these comments.

Nostalgia? Of course... it's entirely human and a genuine underrated pleasure if not over-indulged in!

A little background: I started backpacking in the Whites in 1975. My first trip was 12 days / 120 miles and most trips I did then were a minimum of three days to as long as two weeks with the average probably being seven days.

My longest trip was 2.5 mo's which was on summer break between my sophomore and junior year in HS in June 1977 as I mentioned. A friend and I flew down to Atlanta and hitchhiked to Springer. I was fifteen years old! We were pretty scruffy looking long-hairs and the local rednecks on the hitchhike north took special delight in hurling empty beer bottles at us. Eventually a kind postal worker picked us up after 2.5 hrs on the interstate with no ride. He took us to his house, fed us, loaded up the entire family in the station wagon and drove us the entire way to Springer... talk about kindness!

I turned sixteen on the walk over the GA/NC border on June 21st. It rained every day for the first two weeks of the trip. Got charged by a mean boar in SMNP, had one bear encounter, nearly stepped on a brood of Copperheads, several rattler encounters and nearly hit by lightening. Spent the fourth with a group of mountain people who kindly supplied us with moonshine and treated us yankees with genuine goodness despite their drunkenss and the single action 45's tucked in their swim suits. Was given quite a bit of home-grown by one 70 year old local who grew the weed for himself.

Really, there just weren't that many hikers... just a few of us late-starters who were mostly high school students, all headed north for as long as the summer lasted. I remember well one group of three guys from Minnesota that we hiked with on and off.

Our food mailings were generally about twelve days apart. Our gear was pretty good and we went bare-bones. Jansport D3, EMS Polarguard bag rated at 30*, a tarp, poncho, Ensolite pad, ground sheet, Svea 123, Fuel bottle, small Sigg pot, Spoon and 35mm Yashika rangefinder, Dr. Bronners, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, small firstaid kit, bit of nylon rope, flashlight, light clothes, running shoes for camp... that's about it. Probably all the basics came in at around 20-25 lbs. There was a drought and heat-wave that summer and we suffered pretty well... packs would sometimes hit 65 lbs after a resupply and extra water for sparse sections. Lot of weight for a 130 lb kid. I was young and tough and really never minded. It's GOOD to hear there's more switchbacks on the trail today.

As to gear, I used a hammock in the 70's! I generally carried one starting in 1976 and often slept comfortably in it. I remember one really bad hurricane that hit the Whites in 1976. I believe it was mid/late August. We headed for a shelter (can't recall which) that was just below timberline. The winds were in excess of 100 mph at times and we had to wait it out for three days. I strung my hammock in the shelter and comfortably read a book while everyone below hammock level were stacked on top of each other.

I also used "trekking poles"... Scott Ski poles . I also ran a bit of flexible tubing from my water bottle to my shoulder strap with a stop valve... my version then of what practically everyone uses now.

Honestly, I really don't think most gear is all that much better today. Boots are far better today. Tents and sleeping bags really aren't that much better. I started using Goretex in 1978 and it remains a mixed bag IMO to this day. I also started using internal frame packs in 1978. My early Synergy Works was a really no better than an external. I wouldn't trade my Osprey Crescent 60 or 90 for anything we carried then however!

BTW, my Svea 123 I purchased it from REI in 1975 for $11.00 is still going strong as are my Sigg pots... I burned quite a lot of Regular Gas in the Svea during our hike direct from the gas station with no ill effects. So yeah, we had "multi fuel" stoves back then

[Lilred]

Brad, great stuff there. It sounds like you were way ahead of your time.

[fiddlehead]

I blew up my Svea 123 on my hike in '77 because i sometimes used Coleman fuel and sometimes got the unleaded from gas stations. Clogged it up and it blew one night. Used fires from then on. It was a lot heavier than the stoves being used today.

I will agree that sleeping bags were good back then. I had a good down bag rated at 20 deg. and i have one now that is perhaps a little lighter and fits me better. (but costs twice as much)
Tents are a lot lighter now. My Sil-Shelter weighs 12 oz and i've never gotten wet in it. (sil nylon is great stuff) n instant tube tent that probably weighed a lb and got wet in it many nights.)

Do you remember in SNP how you were not allowed to sleep near the shelters. You had to stealth camp. Park rules. Crazy!

I saw just as much wildlife (bears anyway) back then than i do now. I do remember some of the hikers wearing jeans. You almost never see that now.