What are the rules for painting white blazes?

[moldy]

"Distance between blazes varies. In some areas, blazes are almost always within sight; in areas managed as wilderness you may encounter only four or five per mile. " This is a direct quote from th ATC web page. I guess the trail clubs in the State of Virginia treat entire state as a wilderness area because they have greatly reduced most of the blazing in the entire state. I hiked the entire state this year and noticed a big difference in Virginia from the states south of here The clubs south of Virginia paint the white blazes correctly. My question is why do the clubs in Virginia not follow the rules established by the ATC? What gives them the right to drasticly reduce the amount of white blazing? Do they want thru-hikers to get lost?

[Lone Wolf]

it's pretty hard to get lost on the AT in Virginia. there are plenty of blazes especially at trail junctions. thru-hikers aren't the only ones walkin' the trail

[Kerosene]

It's interesting to see how blazing differs between various portions of the AT, even on different sides of the same mountain, and many times whether you're walking north or south. In most situations it is fairly obvious where the trail goes, which is the rationale used by some maintainers to limit blazing. However, I've found that what is obvious in the midst of summer can be much less so towards the middle/end of winter. In many sections of the Smokies, northbound, I was only encountering 3-4 blazes a mile this past October. You get used to it after awhile, but then the next section maintainer starts up with more frequent blazing for no apparent reason and you quickly become accustomed to the feedback.
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I've studied the way blazes are painted (posted in the Trail Humor Forum).

[max patch]

I don't know if the amount of blazing is prescribed at the club level or at the whim of the individual holding the paint brush. I suspect that the individuals attempt to comply with the quidelines, but being human, some overpaint and others underpaint.

I did a dayhike at Picketts Mill State Park, a Civil War site, a year or so ago. I suspect the blazing was a scout project. It is not a exaggeration to say that almost every tree -- seriously -- was blazed. It was very intrusive.

[Spokes]

What are the rules for painting white blazes?

A blood alcohol level of at least .10 ?

[Rain Man]

My question is why do the clubs in Virginia not follow the rules established by the ATC? What gives them the right to drasticly reduce the amount of white blazing?

Moldy, before you publicly complain and rant too much about how volunteers do their jobs, you might contact them privately and ask ... politely. I had a question about too many blazes on a certain area of the trail in Virginia this past year and did just that. I literally could stand in one spot and count SEVEN blazes in sight ahead of me (and that doesn't count the ones on the back sides of the trees). The club was very happy to hear about any perceived problems and replied very positively.

Publicly scolding volunteers usually engenders few warm and fuzzy feelings.

P.S. The "Bible" for such "rules" is (to my knowledge) "Appalachian Trail Design, Construction, and Maintenance" published by the ATC. I highly recommend it to any and all AT hikers.

RainMan

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[Cookerhiker]

"Distance between blazes varies. In some areas, blazes are almost always within sight; in areas managed as wilderness you may encounter only four or five per mile. " This is a direct quote from th ATC web page. I guess the trail clubs in the State of Virginia treat entire state as a wilderness area because they have greatly reduced most of the blazing in the entire state. I hiked the entire state this year and noticed a big difference in Virginia from the states south of here The clubs south of Virginia paint the white blazes correctly. My question is why do the clubs in Virginia not follow the rules established by the ATC? What gives them the right to drasticly reduce the amount of white blazing? Do they want thru-hikers to get lost?

I refuse to believe that the PATC, which maintains the northernmost 150 miles in VA, has "drastically reduced the amount of white blazing." I don't get up there as much as I'd like but I did hike 3 days in Shenandoah NP last summer and didn't see any deficiency of blazing.

[Pedaling Fool]

My question is why do the clubs in Virginia not follow the rules established by the ATC? What gives them the right to drasticly reduce the amount of white blazing?

Because it's their trail and they can blaze it any way they'd like. If the ATC doesn't like it, what can they do? Send them to AT jail. Or, I guess they can come down to Virginia and blaze it themselves.

Do they want thru-hikers to get lost?

You gotta admit, it is kind of funny

[Sarcasm the elf]

It's probably as arbitrary as the rules for posting signs in Connecticut. Besides, who needs white blazes when you've got a few of these puppies?

[Wise Old Owl]

good thing they are not printed in brail

[topshelf]

I've never had a problem with the blazes in VA. I've done almost all of my hiking in VA. I've never gotten lost or wondered where to go. You also don't want it to be over painted either. That would be obnoxious.

[Sarcasm the elf]

On a related note, last weekend I stayed at Belters Campsite in CT, someone had attached tiny postage stamp size pieces of scotchlite tape to the a few of the white blazes immediately north and south of the intersection with the trail to the campsite and then on the first few blue blazes into the site. I'm not sure if this is officially condoned, but it was very helpful.

[weary]

"Distance between blazes varies. In some areas, blazes are almost always within sight; in areas managed as wilderness you may encounter only four or five per mile. " This is a direct quote from th ATC web page. I guess the trail clubs in the State of Virginia treat entire state as a wilderness area because they have greatly reduced most of the blazing in the entire state. I hiked the entire state this year and noticed a big difference in Virginia from the states south of here The clubs south of Virginia paint the white blazes correctly. My question is why do the clubs in Virginia not follow the rules established by the ATC? What gives them the right to drasticly reduce the amount of white blazing? Do they want thru-hikers to get lost?

The Appalachian Trail Field Guide for volunteers says blazes should be placed at "regular intervals." and adds that frequency "should be determined by the character of the Trail section and hiker safety. "Where the trail is conspicuous, place a blaze at five minute intervals, about 800 to 1,000 feet apart. In obscure areas place blazes no more than 100 yards apart, BUT BE SURE THAT EXCEPT AT JUNCTIONS OR OPEN AREAS YOU CAN NEVER SEE MORE THAN ONE BLAZE AT A TIME.

Most trail maintainers over blaze. Virginia should be applauded for trying to follow the ATC guidelines.

[XCskiNYC]

A hiker wanting enough blazes to find the trail. Thru-hiker entitlement strikes again. I blame the proliferation of feeds

[Doc Mike]

I did Front Royal to Harpes Ferry over Labor Day and if anything there were to many blazes. From what I have seen in Virginia the large path below your feet is obvious enough that blazes are rarely needed.

[Cookerhiker]

The only time I felt VA lacked sufficient blazing was on a winter hike west of Atkins. The depth of the freshly-fallen snow combined with the lack of understory in winter completely masked the trail corridor; I got lost 2-3 times.

[Majortrauma]

I just finished a short hike from Laurel Creek shelter to Bailey's Gap shelter and noticed a definite shortage of white blazes along that portion of the trail. That was the worst portion of the trail we've hiked so far and I'm wholly convinced that the mileage on the trail in that area is totally wacked!

[Cookerhiker]

I just finished a short hike from Laurel Creek shelter to Bailey's Gap shelter and noticed a definite shortage of white blazes along that portion of the trail. That was the worst portion of the trail we've hiked so far and I'm wholly convinced that the mileage on the trail in that area is totally wacked!

As I recall, the last 2-3 miles southbound to Bailey Gap is a horrendous rockfield that makes the fabled PA rocks seem tame. I noted so in my '05 section hike there. The slope is pretty gradual i.e. the up/down won't kill you but for footing, it's arguably the most difficult 2-3 miles in all of Virginia.

So I think the mileage is accurate - the rockfield just slows you down so much, it seems like you're hiking more miles than you are.

[Pedaling Fool]

As I recall, the last 2-3 miles southbound to Bailey Gap is a horrendous rockfield that makes the fabled PA rocks seem tame. I noted so in my '05 section hike there. The slope is pretty gradual i.e. the up/down won't kill you but for footing, it's arguably the most difficult 2-3 miles in all of Virginia.

So I think the mileage is accurate - the rockfield just slows you down so much, it seems like you're hiking more miles than you are.

Yeap, I remember tons of rocks in SW Virginia. And everyday I would hear the words play back in my head time after time --- "Once you get to Virginia, it's all flat and easy hiking until NH..." It'd really pissed me off everytime those words entered my head

[Kerosene]

As I recall, the last 2-3 miles southbound to Bailey Gap is a horrendous rockfield that makes the fabled PA rocks seem tame. I noted so in my '05 section hike there. The slope is pretty gradual i.e. the up/down won't kill you but for footing, it's arguably the most difficult 2-3 miles in all of Virginia.

I remember that stretch. I was strolling along at a good clip (>3.0 mph) heading south from a campsite on the other side of Wind Rock when I hit the rocks. It was a pretty, flat section but the rocks went on for a surprisingly long time. An uneven, slippery trail surface slows me down a lot more than elevation change. Even so, I still managed a 2.8 mph pace for the morning and 20 miles for the day.