Possible AT extension into Alabama

[Peg-leg]

Saw this on our local news site, thought some people might find it interesting.

http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-s...ansion_ge.html

[WalkingStick75]

Extending the trail requires an act of congress.... good luck with that.

[MtnRider1981]

So they have been trying to do this for 25 years? Notice they referred to the AT as the 'Appalachian Mountain Trail.' Maybe it doesn't make much difference but Alabama can't fix their own pot holes. Alabama should focus on their obesity epidemic and failing public schools.

Leave the AT alone.

[fiddlehead]

So they have been trying to do this for 25 years? Notice they referred to the AT as the 'Appalachian Mountain Trail.' Maybe it doesn't make much difference but Alabama can't fix their own pot holes. Alabama should focus on their obesity epidemic and failing public schools.

Leave the AT alone.

That's funny right there now.
And somewhat sad.

[Brother Baldy]

Alabama has a lot to offer and why shouldn't the trail be extended? Expansion is what has caused the trail to become what it is today. Change is hard, but inevitable.

[sixhusbands]

Well as long as they are thinking about extending the trail, lets take it all the way to New Orleans. Then Mardis Gras could be the offical starting time for NOBO's and New Years could be the official end for the SOBO's.

[Two Speed]

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=58767

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[Cabin Fever]

Ain't gonna happen. Quit dreaming. I welcome the Pinhoti into the network of long distance trails in the east, but it will never become an official part of the Appalachian Trail. Why does it need to? If you are really obsessed with hiking from Alabama, just start on the Pinhoti and then hit the AT.

[SGT Rock]

Alabama has a lot to offer and why shouldn't the trail be extended? Expansion is what has caused the trail to become what it is today. Change is hard, but inevitable.

Well probably because the Pinhoti currently has about 45 miles of road walks in GA and if you read the article, it is multi use trail in GA. As I understand it now, that means most of the 150 miles in GA are mountain bike shared trails.

I VERY much doubt the ATC will go for mountain bike trails. And I VERY much doubt the GA Pinhoti people will give up this source of trail maintenance. Like it or not, mountain bikers often show up in much larger numbers when trails need work than hikers do. Seems this is a sticky subject between the GA and AL Pinhoti people.

[SGT Rock]

Ain't gonna happen. Quit dreaming. I welcome the Pinhoti into the network of long distance trails in the east, but it will never become an official part of the Appalachian Trail. Why does it need to? If you are really obsessed with hiking from Alabama, just start on the Pinhoti and then hit the AT.

Exactly. When Benton MacKaye dreamed up the AT, it included feeder trails that were not the AT. This is one of those feeder trails. So it fits into his vision, and it doesn't have to be the AT.

Nothing stops anyone from hiking from Flagg Mountain to Katahdin now. It just isn't called the AT. Someone does have a name for it though - Nimblewill Nomad and the ECT www.nimblewillnomad.com

[full conditions]

Exactly. When Benton MacKaye dreamed up the AT, it included feeder trails that were not the AT. This is one of those feeder trails. So it fits into his vision, and it doesn't have to be the AT.

Nothing stops anyone from hiking from Flagg Mountain to Katahdin now. It just isn't called the AT. Someone does have a name for it though - Nimblewill Nomad and the ECT www.nimblewillnomad.com

Quite true sarge - but, we also know that MacKaye's original vision called for the southern terminous to be Mt. Mitchell so we're obviously deviating from that script. The southern terminous has changed a bunch over the years - both conceptually and in reality. If there are enough folks that want to extend the AT down the skyline to Alabama and thereby extend to the Pinhoti the status and protection of the AT then I'm cool with that.

[Two Speed]

Do you really want the Pinhoti to look like the AT? FWIW I don't.

[SGT Rock]

How about if there are enough people that don't want it. The problem is they would have to route the AT through the BMT to do it, and the BMTA has specifically made the BMT to be UNLIKE the AT. It was, and has been the BMTA's position that the BMT is to be a more wild, remote trail to give hikers and option to the AT. This would destroy the character of about 65 miles of BMT.

Add to that, apparently the GA Pinhoti people also think the Pinhoti is good as shared use trail and like it that way.

And from what I get from the Alabama Pinhoti people, many of them don't want the AT taking over their trail either.

[full conditions]

I suspect that there were some serious objections raised at the notion of extending the trail down to Mt Oglethorpe - it worked out ok IMHO. And, to anwer your first question - if enough people don't want the AT extended then it wont happen. And, I'm cool that too.

[Dances with Mice]

This question seems to pop up about twice a year, doesn't it? Same answer: If someone wants to extend the AT to Alabama or into Canada, go for it.

The ATC is a volunteer organization and if nobody volunteers to make something happen then it just ain't gonna happen. Write that down, it's a fact of life.

Don't tell volunteer organizations what they should do if you ain't willing to do it. Nothing will get done by saying someone else should do something.

So start by joining the ATC. Then organize all the people interested in extending the AT either direction together, determine the obstacles to your goals and start tackling the problems. It really is as easy and as very, very difficult as that.

And remember that part of original vision had a forked AT, with two southern, uh, terminusesess, with one ending atop Stone Mountain in GA. Making that happen would confusicate all the purists, wouldn't it? Hey, it might be worth making it happen just for that alone.

[SGT Rock]

I have voted for years for a corridor approach to the AT and other trails - something more like the PCT and CDT do. That way people can link their walk from south to north however they like and still not feel like they are missing out on the 2000 miler thing.

[Tennessee Viking]

The Pinhoti will never be part of the AT, and never will leave Springer. It is currently under plans to be part of the Great Eastern Trail though.

Also, you can take the Pinhoti to the BMT, then the BMT to Springer. But thats it.

[SGT Rock]

The Pinhoti will never be part of the AT, and never will leave Springer. It is currently under plans to be part of the Great Eastern Trail though.

Also, you can take the Pinhoti to the BMT, then the BMT to Springer. But thats it.

Which is cool with me. Nothing stops anyone from hiking from Flagg Mountain to Katahdin except for those that are stuck on a name.

[Spokes]

Doesn't this topic always rear it's ugly head about this time every year?

My (conspiracy) theory is it's just a PR ploy to keep the mystic alive.

[SGT Rock]

Yep. I think the Pinhoti people do it just to get the name out there.

I told them they need to do three things really:

1. Get some better maps. The current ones suck. I know someone that is working that.

2. Get a guidebook for the trail out. I have volunteer to help. A Pinhoti member has contacted me about getting that started.

3. Get out and talk to hikers about the Pinhoti. That includes maybe getting a forum here in other trails and get some that knows the Pinhoti to come on and generate interest.