Help with Appalachian Trail

[krob2089]

So I've Never actually hiked the Appalachian Trail before but I'm going on a two week hike through Tennessee and Virginia later this year for one of my college classes. However, I'm currently try to write a research paper for my wilderness as a sacred place class and I'm looking for any help... If any one has any comments on whether the human interference/maintinence on the trail effected their experiences on the trail... either good or bad.. thanks

[Manwich]

trillions of people will argue the shelters on the trail are a bastardization of it, others say dogs, leki poles, cell phones and other intrusive technologies, etc etc. the same thing that affect one person (say shelters) may not affect another.

[Camping Dave]

If any one has any comments on whether the human interference/maintinence on the trail effected their experiences on the trail... either good or bad.. thanks

I am thankful humans built a trail for me to experience.

[Pedaling Fool]

Nothing sacred about the woods, just a bunch of trees.

[emerald]

Many who frequent this forum are in need of an A.T. history lesson.

[winger]

The Trail is a spiritual corridor, everything else is debatable and controversial, but shelters are counter to the wilderness experience, and should be dismantled. See, theres an opinion!

[krob2089]

just to clear things up.. my entire class is on whether wilderness can be a place for sacred experiences or spiritual events. Can the sacred appear in the wilderness. My question is whether the human interference due to maintenance (of the shelters, campsites, the trail itself) or the contact hikers have with others on the trail takes away from their personal experience while hiking. do you still have personally spiritual experiences on the trail despite all that.

if any would like to share their experiences that would be a great help to..

[4eyedbuzzard]

Of course it can, for those whose belief system and worldview incorporates the wilderness as an element of spirituality. I'd add that human influence is a part of nature, not separate from it. The trail itself, and every human concoction on it from boots, packs, shelters, blazes, etc. only exists because of "human interference".

I think you need to be much more specific though as to what you and your class consider "sacred" and/or "spiritual" in order to solicit an answer or opinion, as the answer will depend greatly upon the belief system and worldview of the person being asked.

[Lone Wolf]

some get all spiritual by thinking they see the virgin mary in a piece of toast. the AT is just walkin' to me

[Turtlehiker]

I prayed alot on top of Rainbow Ledges on night after dark hiking in a nasty thunder storm, actually saw lightning hit a tree too close. I've never run across a ridge in the dark and pouring down rain so fast before. I'm still here, does that count as spiritual?

[Blissful]

My question is whether the human interference due to maintenance (of the shelters, campsites, the trail itself) or the contact hikers have with others on the trail takes away from their personal experience while hiking. do you still have personally spiritual experiences on the trail despite all that.

You're kidding right? Kinda wonder what kind of a college class this is... But anyway, the dedicated trail workers, trail angels and other hiker beings out there make the experience happen and you thank God for people who love their neighbor and care for each other out there. Without the trail maintainers there would be no trail. And without trail angels and friends I would have been stuck at the side of the trail with a sprained ankle or looking for a ride to town, or without ice for a bruised hand, or wondering where my son was (and he got a ride after being off trail for 5 miles), or lacking encouragement, or advice on how to get through the Whites safely, the list goes on and on and on.

[Cookerhiker]

A paper on whether the AT experience harbors spirituality and sacredness for people who venture on it is IMO an interesting and rewarding project. But regardless of the existence of shelters, the AT's popularity and its route renders a truly "wilderness" experience nigh impossible. There may be times and places - especially certain places at certain times - where some sense of wilderness is perceived but on the whole, a typical day on the AT finds one crossing roads and meeting people.

I think if you want to asess "whether wilderness can be a place for sacred experiences or spiritual events," you need to venture into a real wilderness area, i.e. not the AT. Some would argue that there's no wilderness left in the USA or at least in the East but you can lose yourself in some National Forests and encounter a fraction of those you meet on the AT.

[krob2089]

[quote=You're kidding right? Kinda wonder what kind of a college class this is...

this class is on in our religious studies department and it's called wilderness as a sacred place. i go to a liberal arts university and classes like this are typical..

and it regards to making the topic more specific to a certain belief system I can't. That's the point of my topic in some sense.. that no matter what religion you practice or belief system you follow, the wilderness can be a place for spiritual experiences.

[Brushy Sage]

I went on a vision quest when I was isolated for days in the woods without food. After about three days I began to have very unusual experiences, visions, auditory phenomena, etc., and they seemed very real.
I have never experienced anything quite like that on the AT or other trails, partly because the objectives for the journey have been quite different, and also because of the presence of other people.
Does that help?

[shwn354]

best research you can do is go there yourself, this ain't sparknotes

[MoBill122]

I think if you want to asess "whether wilderness can be a place for sacred experiences or spiritual events," you need to venture into a real wilderness area, i.e. not the AT. Some would argue that there's no wilderness left in the USA or at least in the East but you can lose yourself in some National Forests and encounter a fraction of those you meet on the AT.

A nice solo hike on the BMT or some other less traveled trail for a few weeks will certainly give you the time to indulge in your spiritual side. The AT is just to busy or crowded to give you the peace of mind to ponder such questions of life.

[krob2089]

just a notice to anyone willing to help me with this. In my paper I'm not planning to use the term "wilderness" in it's popular definition. I realize that the AT isn't exactly what most people would call the wilderness because of it's popularity. However, I'm planning on using wilerness more openly and describe it as a place that is just unknown and everchanging to individuals.

Or do most hikers believe that the AT is too far detached from 'wilderness'. Any opinions or insights are openly welcomed. The paper is just in it's beginnning stages so anything helps.

[Mace]

some get all spiritual by thinking they see the virgin mary in a piece of toast. the AT is just walkin' to me

dude i saw her in my corn flakes... dont joke about that ****.

[emerald]

If you can, obtain a copy and browse through it. Many people here refuse to accept use of the word wilderness in the popular sense or even the sense USFS uses it to describe certain places on the Appalachian Trail.

With sensitive enough instruments, there probably isn't a place on Earth where one can't detect the "hand of man." Places such as the wilderness of which some here post would be invaluable as controls for scientific experiments, but there likely are no such places and scientists wouldn't want anyone to go there if there were.

[emerald]

I recommend 2 links for the thread starter and contributors to this thread who are open to learning something new and would benefit from a history lesson. Please remain in your seats while I obtain the links. I'll be right back.