Appalachian Trail Hikers - Class of 1975

 

Benefits of Trails

 From the American Hiking Society.....

• Trails increase the value of nearby properties. 
• Trails boost spending at local businesses. Communities along trails, often called trail towns, benefit from the influx of visitors going to restaurants, snack shops and other retail establishments. On longer trails, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and outdoor outfitters benefit. Without trails and the protection of them, there may be less travel to communities that rely heavily on tourism, resulting in jobs lost and a decrease in tax revenue for the local government. 
• Trails make communities more attractive places to live. When considering where to move, homebuyers rank walking and biking paths as one of the most important features of a new community.
• Trails influence business location and relocation decisions. Companies often choose to locate in communities that offer a high level of amenities to employees as a means of attracting and retaining top-level workers. Trails can make communities attractive to businesses looking to expand or relocate both because of the amenities they offer to employees and the opportunities they offer to cater to trail visitors.
• Trails reduce medical costs by encouraging exercise and other healthy outdoor activities.
• Trails revitalize depressed areas, creating a demand for space in what were once vacant buildings.
• Trails provide transportation options and cut fuel expenses, offering reliable means of transportation for short distance trips. Nearly half of all car trips are less than 3 miles and more than a quarter are one mile or less.
• Trails provide low or no-cost recreation to families.
• Trails increase tax revenues in the communities in which they are located.

Baker Peak, VT, (Long Trail and Appalachian Trail)

See also this previous post.

Recollecting memories on the AT

 Here is a quandary.

How to identify the location of a photograph that is nearly 50 years old?  My photo.

The slide is simply labeled "StretchoutTN."

So according to my journal entry (side notes) I report "1 pic of group resting on road."  That was 5 July 1974, when we hiked from Van Deventer LT to Rich Knob LT.  Given those anchors it must have been Rt 91 where the 1974 trail crossing looks like this. (USGS Doe 24000)

The trail guide and map we used shows the trial as above, that is hitting the road and then descend to RT 91.  This is also described in the guide number 24, ATC, 1963.  Interestingly though the fifth edition (1976) map show the trail heading north to RT91 through the letter "T" in (m)ountain just west of the word "camp" that is further west of the gap.

Using Streetview, I can get this picture.

This newer pic shows an old wood road on the right (trail south) and I am suspecting this is where our party of me, Ralph, Don and Pete, dried off.

In the Appalachian Trailway News (May 1973) it states " Relocations at the south end of Sec 2. and the north end of Sec 3 have been reported previously."  Section 3 is trail south (right) in the photo,

So it appears I may have the correct location.

I am presently using GoogleStreetview to see the road crossings we encountered in 1974 or 75.

Round Bald and AT

 On the First of July in 1974, we hit Roan Mountain and several other Balds in the Southern Appalachians.   Spectacular views and tons of Rhododendrons.

Heading toward Carvers Gap, we crossed highway 261.

And the map of the period is shown next.

Plus a air photo from 1993.

And a streetview image from 2009.

Zeros and town Stays while on AT

 Seems the current AT hiker stays off the trail more often than I did.

During my Georgia to Maryland trip I had town and PO stops at

Wesser, NC, Motel

Hot Springs, NC, Henderson Court Motel (I think this is now Alpine Court Motel, streetview 2008)

Elk Park, NC, Trivett House (1974)

Damascus, VA, Sportsman Motel, 2 nights (no longer there?)

Pearisburg, VA. Father Charles' Church, 3 nights due to stomach flu

Cloverdale, VA, Howard Johnson

Waynesboro, VA, Howard Johnson

For about 900 miles.

I'll talk about the north later.

still looking for postcard pics of the HoJo.

Clingmans Dome Observation Tower

 Clingmans Dome Observation Tower

Many NOBO (northbound AT hikers) have crossed this summit or will do so shortly.

But did you know that it is a now part of the NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES?

I found a NPS site with the details but can't find that one now, so I share one from North Carolina.

And for the record, here is a photo from 1974.

Could see maybe 30 feet that day.

Easter 1975

 Easter 1975 was held on Sunday March 30th. On that date I was hiking south on the AT and did 18 miles arriving at Outerbridge LT at 430 PM.  I don't have a picture of this LT, but you can see one here.  And another here.

I wrote in my journal... "Great spring here a (sic) shelter last time I saw anything like this was in N.H. or Maine.   Snowed a little at nite."

"Left Leroy Smith LT at 8:30 am." I think this shelter has been replaced since 1975.

Crossed Lehigh Gap that day shown on this topo from the period/

and an airphoto from 1976.

Stecoah Gap and the AT

 After a night in Wesser, NC, we climbed UP the mountains.  

Looking back to Wesser, we got this view.

A drop in elevation got us to Stecoah Gap as seen in the topo from 1941.

Today, using Google Street View, we get these shots of the trail crossing.  But from my memory, I think they were paving and grading the road through the Gap in 1974.  Both pics are from June 2016.

The air photo from 1976 seems to confirm the construction we saw.

Standing Indian, NC and AT

 You get some nice views from Standing Indian Mtn, in North Carolina.  View East.

And even a shot of framed backpacks from the 70s.

And a view from Google Earth.

Annual April Fools

 well, there will be no National Park at Mira-a-lago.  But it will likely be flooded.

too bad!

Mar-a-Lago to become National Park

 Mar-a-Lago is currently a National Historic Landmark. But there is a proposal to make it National Park, to showcase not just the historic role in American History, but its scenic beauty and a more recent history of celebrities.  Despite some bad news, there appears to be little opposition in Florida to support the replacement of Disney as the State's contribution to family fun.

"It is clear the ex-president's summer home should become a national treasure" a spokesperson reports from Florida.  Even Gov. DeSantis appears to want to replace Disney.

But get on the Tennis Courts soon, the University of Florida predicts they will be under water in 80 years.