I was so disappointed with the crowds on this summit of Mt Washington in late summer, that I didn't take any photos. But a bit north, at the head of the Great Gulf Wilderness, I did.
I later returned to climb it when the crowds were less.
I have read that a bulge of 40 NOBO are approaching the Whites, so on top of normal August crowds, a slew of 2,000 milers will add to the congestion.
Is the Walker Mtn Fire Tower still there?
Instead of staying at the LT, we slept in the tower, my first and last time on 11 July 1974. Earlier that day, on Rt 11 I got some ice cream at a Exxon Gas Station.
Still is a Exxon Station too.
This was my go-to book on camping gear. Sure, I had been Boy Scout since 1967, so camping was in my blood. But that was initially the car camping style where we would drive to a camp, haul tents and gear from the trunk and set up camp nearby.
Later I began to backpack, so we needed to carry everything on the back of our back. So the camp might have looked like this:
See the Vis-clamps on the tarp in the picture above?
How important is the AT hike to be a wilderness experience?
The herd of hikers striking out from Springer this spring will mean anything but a wilderness experience.
Recall the Trail was meant to be a wilderness opportunity to escape the eastern cities.
”Remote for detachment, narrow for chosen company, winding for leisure, lonely for contemplation, it beckons not merely north and south, but upward to the body, mind and soul of man.”
Well, if you got Bill Bryson's book for Christmas , you might one of the 1,000 plus hikers who will strike out from Springer Mt this spring.
Blood Mt. Georgia
Before you head to Dick's* to buy the $1,000 worth of equipment you will need, you might get real and visit this ATC page first.
And then get in shape, prepare your diet, save about $5,000 in 2023 dollars. practice backpacking in 100 degree weather, freezing snow and ice, a week of raining eating the same kind of food and so on. Oh yeah carry enough water in case of draught (2 pounds a quart/liter).
*or better yet, REI, EMS or the local outdoor store in your community like Shawnee Trails Wilderness Outfitters.
For that matter hike the River to River Trail or some local long distance trail (100 miles or so) to test your mental and physical ability.
Thoreau Spring, found on Mt Katahdin, is a significant spot on the 2,000 mile AT.
Here is a decayed image from 1974 with Katahdin the the back about a mile away.
and one after using GIMP
Gotta' work on the sky next. But that might take a while since I need to learn the software.
Now for the topo history of the Spring (and yes, Mt. Katahdin) see the USGS. The first is 1927:
Next we see 1930 printed in 1939:
And then 1949 printed in 1967:
And the same year print in Color:
And the most recent topo from 2021 (and no Abol Trail?):
So the spring changed names in the1930s
For a history see this paper.
Whitcomb, Howard R. (2015) "What Happened to the Thoreau Spring Plaque? The Story of a Maine Landmark's Two Names," Appalachia: Vol. 66 : No. 2 , Article 6. Available at: https://digitalcommons.dartmouth.edu/appalachia/vol66/iss2/6
From another source we see the history:
"Thoreau Spring Plaque
In 1846, Henry David Thoreau ascended from a nearby campsite on the West Branch of the Penobscot toward what is now known as Baxter Peak. Thoreau’s subsequent writings about his experience on Katahdin and in the Maine Woods had a great and lasting effect on people’s view of the region."
" The site of the spring at the junction of the Abol and Hunt Trails was christened “Governor’s Spring” in 1925 and demarcated by an engraving on a rock near the spring. "
"In 1933, Baxter completed the purchase of the first parcel of what would eventually become Baxter State Park. Baxter directed that “Governor’s Spring” be renamed “Thoreau Spring” and that a plaque be installed in a location near the spring. "
another great source is here.
I left Williams College on the 14th of October, climbed over Mt. Greylock, the tallest peak in Massachusetts. I camped at Kitchen Brook LT, that I believe has been torn down and replaced with Mark Noepel Shelter. The LT was about four miles south of the summit so should be on this map somewhere.
The trail has since been relocated to the east as shown in the newer USGS map and the State Park map here.
On this date in 1974, I crossed over the state line between Vermont and Massachusetts on the AT. Left Seth Warner LT*
And reached Route 2 in Mass to head west into Williamstown, where I found a dorm to crash at Williams College. This is a bridge just north of the highway where Mt. Greylock is in the distance.
The topo map here.
Present day trail has been relocated to the east.
Anyway, I stayed two days at Williams College, not sure why unless it had to do with PO hours on Saturday. Maybe is was just nice to sleep inside the dorm and get a shower?
* Seth Warner has been closed and apparently a new shelter will open 2 miles north.
On my flip flop hike during 1974-75, on this fall date I hiked from Pico Camp S, south of Junction Point
to Clarendon S some 13 miles south.
At the shelter I met Jim, a Ga to Me hiker who started a few days behind me in Georgia. I hiked in shorts today so it was a nice sunny hike. It might have been Jim Stoltz.
The next day, I would hike the trail as shown on this map:
Raining of course, but made it to Macedonia Camp Ground, (the LT was no longer there) and camped with some Boy Scouts. I crossed into Connecticut this day of 7 June 1975.
"Only 4 more nites, yea!!"
Trail north of Kent, Connecticut.
Lowest as in elevation. A 21 mile day, I crossed the Hudson River and paid 10 cents I seem to recall.
I phoned home to tell my parents on my plans to continue on the Massachusetts; I figured it would another eight days. Camped at Indian Lake LT.
Saw NYC from Bear Mountain on this 4th of June 1975.
Here is a Bear Mountain Park map from NY-NJ Trail Conference.
A big shout out to the many trail volunteers!
and remember today is National Trails Day.
Yes, my historic longest hike day that took me 12.25 hours. "The bugs are eating me alive." This was 3rd of June 1975.
Here is a link to a Backpacker article about hiking to Fingerboard to see a pic (I have one somewhere, but I guess I have yet to digitize it). The floor was rock.
I climbed through Lemon Squeezer earlier that day.
Now, I hadn't planned to finish my AT on this trip since I hadn't planned on hiking so far each day. But at this Lean-to, I played with the idea.
Back and forth I crossed the state line several times between NJ and NY as I hiked east toward the Hudson River. Stopped at Unionville NY to pick up some food and mail my dad a fathers day card. Lots of road walking as you can see from the morning shot toward High Point.
Water was scarce so I had to carry extra water 4 miles to where I camped some place east of Warwick Turnpike.
"Lost the trail twice. Both times when leaving a road to go on a trail." See road walking trail as shown on this USGS map.
Probably the most frequent section of the AT I hiked was in Southern Pennsylvania between Caledonia State Park and Pine Grove Furnace State Park.
I liked the area since you could loop on the variety of trails and gravel roads. CSP, PGFSP or Michaux State Forest.
Look at all the possible routes!
This last picture is me and Brindle, a great dog.
This webpage from the ATC shows the number of registered hikers heading north from Georgia. Each day there could be around 50 hikers reaching the same campsite, pooping at the same spots and drinking from the same springs.
Entered the Commonwealth on the 12th of October 1974. Crashed at a dorm in Williams College and stayed at Perring House.. And did a zero on the 13th, a Sunday.
Town days meant a chance to buy food, do laundry, write post cards and hit the PO. You had to visit the Post Office before noon on Saturday or wait until Monday to pick up your General Delivery mail.
I wrote in my diary that I had "40 bucks in case & one ten buck travelers check....Also I have food for almost 15 days or so."
Here is a shot of Greylock from a bridge as I get to the road to hitch.
Finished reading this EXCELLENT book by Ben Montgomery. Highly recommended.
A Must read for someone anticipating a long walk, and those thru hikers today.
Emma is no longer with us, but her memory continues in the the AT history.
While I never met this woman, I did meet this librarian from WV on the trail.
He was originally from Austria and a very nice person.
Have you heard about Nettles (not John Nettles of Midsomer Murders fame), but the plants found in the woods sometimes called "Screaming Nettles."
Can you imagine walking through this wearing shorts? Well, we did and it was not pleasant. (1974 photo is by Ralph Ferrusi). See the trail blaze in the background?
This problem of vegetation is unique in the southern AT, since plants do not grow as quickly in the north. This creates an entirely new approach to trail maintenance. Read about this and other great information in Thomas R. Johnson's (2021) book called "From Dream to Realty: History of the Appalachian Trail." This book is a 10/10!! See page 107 for the plant growth issue.
This is a must read for anyone interested in our loved AT.
Posts
All Comments
