Government Documents on the AT

 If you are interested in more info about the AT, try to find these FREE documents on the web.  Your local librarian can help.

As before in random order.

and some that are related to the AT and cover resources, and trail stuff:

Want to find more?  Try searching on google scholar with title, or last name and appalachian trail.

Roller Coaster vs Route 601 and 5-6 August 1974

 Leaving Shenandoah National Park in early August 1974, I entered one of the most troubled sections of the AT.  But then again, most of the 500 miles of Trail in Virginia had since been RELOed several times.  See Mt Rogers, Tinker Mtn, and others.  For the PATC, see the newsletter.  Many RELO hikes are found in the 2017 edition of the newsletter.

From my Journal.

5 August Monday

18 Miles today

Good day, Hike with Scouts from Arlington, Va.  In morning left the National Park.  Hike from Chester Gap to Mosby LT kind of lousy.  Had late lunch @ shelter then trucked into Linden to pick up mail & buy food.  Phoned home pick up date Thursday the 8th at 11 am.  Can't wait. Am alone tonight first time ever on this trip. So far not bad.  You need to show dogs you're not afraid.  Will use dog repellent & stick on road walks.  But fortunately just cursing at them will work. "ok, you muffa-fucker you get any closer and I'll bust this stick over your head."  I took one photo of me at camp.

###

I hit the town of Linden, and stopped at what I think is this place to pick up some food.  Google Streeview shots are great, but only go back 10 or so years.  Not the 50 years I need to show here.  (You need to remember, photos were scarce since we all used Kodak film rolls of 24 or 36.)

then this

Crossing the gap, I walked on roads until the trail branched into the woods east, and I think it was this spot.

Up the trail a bit, I found a level spot to camp and shoot that "selfie" above.

The USGS map shows the area in 1966.

Next day from my journal.

6 August Tuesday

17.5 m.

Walked miles on roads. Made out ok though.  Blazing poor, signs poor.  Made it to LT at 330.  Passed the Mt Weather which is a military complex top-secret area.  Wonder what it is? I plan to get a recorder the music kind when I get home.  Ed and Scouts arrived at 7:00.  Made sassafras tea in PM.  Too dark to write.

###

Today, it looks like this

Read about The Crisis on 601 on the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club website here.  Or other PATC links here.

and then camped at Three Springs LT with some Boy Scouts.  Read the Trail Register at the AT Museum site. 

Good night and sleep tight!

Father Charles in Pearisburg, 14-17 July 1974 AT

 What a great resource for AT hikers.

and some more from Ralph.

From my AT Book (help support the AT Museum):

Pearisburg was reached on the 14th of July, when I could report that one quarter of the trail was complete!  Father Charles Beausoleil had opened a hostel for AT hikers in the parish hall and despite that he was away, we were still welcome.  At the hostel a group of hikers were collecting donations to buy a bicycle to aid in the commute between the church and the grocery store, about a mile away.  All the people I met were very friendly.  Mom noted that this was “my great adventure” and that reflected my attitude and getting into the groove of long-distance backpacking.  Quite a few other hikers in the Seventies also noted the hospitality of Father Charles.  

and a close up of the middle of the shot to show church (sorry but original scan is only 453 dpi).

Pearisburg, VA from Angel's Rest (USGS map from 1966).

See more topo maps here.

Anyway, according to my FarOut App, the Holy Family Hostel is not open this season.

Oh, why several days of Zero?  Well I had a case of diarrhea.  Enuff said. 

Happy 4th! Vandeventer LT, then and now on the AT

 Happy Fourth!

The day before left the Trivett House in Elk Park, NC, on July third and hitched back to the Trail and hiked an easy 10 miles to our camp.  Lots of road walking along the way, in a stretch that had since been relocated several times to secure a permanent and SAFE trail corridor.

It was the fourth of July in 1974 when we left Moreland Gap LT (built 1960) with Ralph, Don and Pete.  Pete is shown warming his hands over the fire at the camp.  Don, on the left is collecting firewood.  Ralph's walking stick is between them.  You can click on any pic for a larger image.

We then arrived at this Appalachian Trail Leanto.  Ralph shot this pic that night.

Vandeventer LT was built in 1961 and still stands. Some additional facts: 5 ft high roof in sleeping area 15' x 7' sleeping area: plywood, 2 ft off of ground. Shelter is 10' x 16'.

You will notice in the back, there is an opening in the trees to look southeast.  Lots of great views along the Iron Mountains.

Today, the NPS photo shows this.

Looks like a new roof?

From the AT Map.  Check this site out for lots a great pics of LTs on the AT.

And the same area from the USGS Watauga Dam Quad

Details of this day from my AT log:

4 July Thursday

20.1 miles fucking hard ass miles

Arrived at Leanto (which we got) at 730 pm after a hard day.  1 or 2 pics from fire tower on White Mt. 3 pics at waterfall 2 (I guess) or Wautuga (?) lake from leanto of views. Scratched my arms and legs on pricker bushes.  Had banana cream pudding which was good. Expected to have a good fireworks display from LT in the valley but no go.  Bought beer and peanuts at a joint along trail.  Tasted like shit.  Hotter than hell today. Sweated balls off. 45 miles from Damascus.

Glad today is over.

###

More pics, first White Rock Tower, and the USGS map from Moreland Gap to the Tower.

Next Laural Fork Falls and the USGS map of the time.

And then Wilbur Lake from the top of a tuff climb.  The lake was built sometime between 1938 and 1960. So, the first AT hikers would not have had this view.

and one from a power line.

Finally, a page from the AT guidebook for the section viewed above and my comments.

The guidebook map shows this.

You will notice I had highlighted LTs with a red marker and put a blue X with camps that we used.  The scale is in the upper right and according to the guide and trail mileage sheet it was a bit over 20 miles and ALL uphill.

So, fifty years ago, hikers had the ATC Trail Guide and Maps, plus the Mileage Fact Sheet. No GPS.

Check marks are my nightly camps and if underlined, we stayed inside the Leanto,

Guides were published (about) every 5 years since the 1960s. This copy was a blended copy reporting only northbound travel from Springer Mt, Georgia to Damascus Virginia. Back in the day when you could remove pages.  So it essentially covered three different books and about 400 miles of Trail.

RELOS were published in the Appalachian Trailway News and look like this entry from the May 1972 edition.

Don, Ralph and I finished the AT in 1975.  We were one of the 92 hikers to complete the AT that year. I am not sure about Pete.  It was a great experience.

For more on the history of the Appalachian Trail, see the Special Collections at George Mason University Library.

You can also visit the AT Museum, where my book is for sale.  All proceeds go to the museum.

I am working on a new edition with color photography, so stay tuned.