why in blazes isn't there a direction pointer on those blazes???

[jefals]

Hi folks; I'm in the planning stages, doing my research and just wondering if the "blaze" shows which direction is N or S, and, if not, then "why in blazes" not? Wouldn't that be a good idea? Because my reading suggests that folks don't actually get lost too often; however, (again, according to what I've read) they DO sometimes, after taking a break, come back to the trail, and then wander off in the wrong direction -- sometimes for miles... What do y'all think? ( I know, that's what compasses are for -- still, it might be nice if you didn't need a compass -- one more thing you can do without, right?)
Thanks!,
Jeff

[hikerboy57]

i would estimate somewhere close to a million blazes from springer to k, not including the cairns in the whites above treeline, which would be difficult to mark anyway.
map&com[pass, can help, but sometimes switchbacks will take you in the opposite direction than that which you're traveling. best advice,just pay attention. its one of the easiest trails to follow anywhere.

[FarmerChef]

I'm no expert but that just isn't standard practice. Complete guess here but I would think that the expectation has always been that hikers have an orienteering device (such as a compass and map) to know which way they were headed. That said, I have seen some places where the blazes at intersections are marked North/South so you won't come off at the intersection and head the wrong way. Other places have signs next to roads or at cross trail intersections. Just not every blaze. That would be a bit tedious since you'd have to first mark the blaze then wait for it to dry before painting on an "N" or "S." Stenciling that could work but as the bark expands it could make it unreadable, just like some of the blazes themselves...

My two cents. Any other speculators out there?

[Pedaling Fool]

Actually compasses won't necessarily work, because say you're doing a NOBO, while you may be traveling northbound as your aggragate direction, there's a good chance you can be going any direction at any one time, including south.

[The Snowman]

north south whatever all the matters is you are on the trail

[gizzy bear]

north south whatever all the matters is you are on the trail

hahaha!! well it does kinda matter....if say, someone has a destination :P

[Tennessee Viking]

Thats funny...I almost thought this was the Humor Forum for a second.


If a hiker really needs a N or S with the blazes. They shouldn't be hiking. By the way, there are always maps and compasses to find one's way. There are a number of trailheads and turns that are marked N/S or the next set of points of interests.

By the way, each blaze takes a few minutes to create by ATC standards. You have to locate a suitable area and tree for blazing, de-bark a small area on the tree, then depending on the painting technique its painted on. Times that by a several thousand.

Yes people can get turned around every so often. But with how much the trail is hiked, those instances are rare. And yes there are some points on the trail where you are hiking compass south but you heading trial north.

[theoilman]

It is assumed that hikers have at least a little common sense.
But then, common sense is not very common with too many people.
Assuming anything is also a reach for too many.

[Jeff]

i would estimate somewhere close to a million blazes from springer to k, not including the cairns in the whites above treeline, which would be difficult to mark anyway.

Some years ago a northbound thruhiker counted every blaze and claimed there was a bit more than 80,000 northbound blazes. I guess you could double that number to include the southbound blazes.

Here is his journal: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=22746

[Alligator]

Com'n folks just tell him the truth. The convention is, they flip the blazes over and put them in the other direction to indicate southbound.

[rocketsocks]

In the old days of travel and trail drives, it was a common practice for the Cook to place the tongue (hitch) of the chuck wagon facing North, so next morning there would be a direction to follow should it be cloudy, snowy.

[atmilkman]

Some years ago a northbound thruhiker counted every blaze and claimed there was a bit more than 80,000 northbound blazes. I guess you could double that number to include the southbound blazes.

Here is his journal: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=22746

That's about a 1 in every ¼ mile average give or take. I think that's the ratio the ATC is looking to maintain.

[Hill Ape]

but but but, the trail doesn't actually run along magnetic north/south. it runs more north/northeast. there are places, switchbacks, where you may be traveling trail north, but walking southeast, or northwest.

there are places that are blazed with an arrow.

its just one trail, it goes this way, or that way. stay alert.

[Hill Ape]

or south/southwest, depending on which way you're walking

[Rolls Kanardly]

i would estimate somewhere close to a million blazes from springer to k, not including the cairns in the whites above treeline, which would be difficult to mark anyway.
map&com[pass, can help, but sometimes switchbacks will take you in the opposite direction than that which you're traveling. best advice,just pay attention. its one of the easiest trails to follow anywhere.

5,280 feet in a miles, 2,180 miles, total = 11,510,400 feet. That would put a white blaze every 11.51 feet. Do not think the blazes are that close, Rolls Kanardly

[ki0eh]

Some years ago a northbound thruhiker counted every blaze and claimed there was a bit more than 80,000 northbound blazes. I guess you could double that number to include the southbound blazes.

Maybe not, since there seems to be someone usually claiming there are fewer southbound blazes.

[hikerboy57]

okay half a million, counting the southbound blazes.or 80000. whichever.

[Rasty]

okay half a million, counting the southbound blazes.or 80000. whichever.

Nice estimate there Hikerboy75

[Rasty]

How about just remembering left or right before getting off trail?

[hikerboy57]

How about just remembering left or right before getting off trail?

well because coming back you'll go in the wrong direction.if we're facing each other, my left is your right.if you're not paying attention, this can be easily confussed.
pay attention!!