Before Special Ops, my Dad started his career as a Drill Instructor for the Rangers in Dahlonega, GA in the late 1950's. He led his men out for excursions near the trail for weeks at a time. The AT was really not that well known at that time - even with Earl Shaffer's 1948 trek. Likewise, hiking as a national pastime had really not caught on yet. But the moonshiners were all up in the mountains near the trail. My Dad used to tell me that there were moonshine stills everywhere around the AT trail in Dahlonega.