"Walk In the Woods"

[adh24]

I was talking with my buddy about the book "A Walk In the Woods" by Bill Bryson. In it he describes a section of the trail, I think Georgia or Tennessee not really sure I know it was in the beginning of the book. Anyway the way he describes this particular part of the trail as a two feet wide path, with a vertical cliff going up on one side and a drop off on the other. At least that's the picture in my mind. Made it sounds like it seemed really easy to fall over the side. Was wondering if this is an exaggeration or not. Any pics would be cool to.

For anyone that read the book this happens right about the time they ran into the snow storm.

[MOWGLI]

I was talking with my buddy about the book "A Walk In the Woods" by Bill Bryson. In it he describes a section of the trail, I think Georgia or Tennessee not really sure I know it was in the beginning of the book. Anyway the way he describes this particular part of the trail as a two feet wide path, with a vertical cliff going up on one side and a drop off on the other. At least that's the picture in my mind. Made it sounds like it seemed really easy to fall over the side. Was wondering if this is an exaggeration or not. Any pics would be cool to.

For anyone that read the book this happens right about the time they ran into the snow storm.

That would be Charlie's Bunion in Great Smoky Mountains NP.

[orangebug]

There is a section south of Mt. Albert that fits the description. Bryson uses some literary license, but he gets the sense of "***!" that we often enjoy.

[Lion King]

There is a section south of Mt. Albert that fits the description. Bryson uses some literary license, but he gets the sense of "***!" that we often enjoy.

Thats probably where he is refering to as right after, he complains about Rainbow Springs, which is now closed.

[Jaybird]

I was talking with my buddy about the book "A Walk In the Woods" by Bill Bryson. In it he describes a section of the trail, I think Georgia or Tennessee not really sure I know it was in the beginning of the book. Anyway the way he describes this particular part of the trail as a two feet wide path, with a vertical cliff going up on one side and a drop off on the other. At least that's the picture in my mind. Made it sounds like it seemed really easy to fall over the side. Was wondering if this is an exaggeration or not. Any pics would be cool to.For anyone that read the book this happens right about the time they ran into the snow storm.

Yo adh24:

If BILL BRYSON walked ANY of the A.T. he probably walked from the road crossings in a few miles...talked to "Thru-hikers", jotted down important notes, then wrote a nice book about "hiking the Appalachian Trail"....what a sweeeeeet gig!

Most hikers that have been around for a while...dont like to talk much about Mr. Bryson & his so-called walk in the woods...mostly fabricated...but, funny none-the-less.


section-hikin' w/ "Jigsaw" Pearisburg to Glasgow, VA
Apr 22-May 3

[adh24]

Most hikers that have been around for a while...dont like to talk much about Mr. Bryson & his so-called walk in the woods...mostly fabricated...but, funny none-the-less.


section-hikin' w/ "Jigsaw" Pearisburg to Glasgow, VA
Apr 22-May 3

LOL!!! Yeah that's the impression I get. I saw on one site a list of books about the AT and one of the reviews totally bashed Bryson. Still thought the book was funny made me go and read "Neither Here Nor There". I figured some of the book is embellished

[chomp]

I think that section is right before Albert Mtn as well. It made an impression in my head. Years later, when I finally read the book, that was the first place that I thought of.

[Trail Dog]

i seem to recall a certian someone wearing a certian shirt that claimed another certian someone was a "Candy Ass"

does this sound familiar to anyone?

[lobster]

Bryson's book is a great read! Folks don't need to take everything so literally. There is a slice of truth to most everything he wrote.

[Pacific Tortuga]

Bryson's book is a great read! Folks don't need to take everything so literally. There is a slice of truth to most everything he wrote.

And lobster is back,the book was a gift after surgery and yes I enjoyed it, until I awoke from my coma.

[SGT Rock]

If I remember, the path around Big Butt in that area is about like he described. And as for Albert mountain, as I remember the book, he took the bypass because of snow.

[icemanat95]

There are quite a few places on the Southern AT where the AT slabs arounda steep hillside or spur. The trail bed is built up our cut out of the steep hillside and there is very steep ground to either side. I remember being impressed by how steep the terrain down there actually was, and how important those big switchbacks were. The first cliffs I really remember were Charlies Bunion and some of the stuff immediately north of Newfound Gap in the Smokies. Some of those ridgelines are sharp.

[brpgsm]

That would be Charlie's Bunion in Great Smoky Mountains NP.

If you believe the time-line given in the book, Bryson wimped out at Newfound Gap and took a taxi north to Virginia, thus while hiking NOBO he never saw the Bunion.

[Krewzer]

I think it's the section from Mooney Gap to the foot of Mt Albert. A short but fantastic stretch of trail, lots of view, lots of drama as you hang on the edge.

Being a humorist of sorts, I was surprised he didn't notice Pickens Nose just across the divide there.

......but then again, he missed a lot.

[eArThworm]

...the way he describes this particular part of the trail as a two feet wide path, with a vertical cliff going up on one side and a drop off on the other...Made it sounds like it seemed really easy to fall over the side. Was wondering if this is an exaggeration or not. Any pics would be cool to.

Pages 72-73 in my copy, "By midday we found ourselves plodding into a stinging, cold, hard-blowing storm. Soon after, we came to a narrow ledge of path along a wall of rock called Big Butt Mountain...It was like a window ledge on a skyscraper, no more than fourteen or sixteen inches wide, and crumbling in places, with a sharp drop on one side of perhaps eighty feet, and long, looming stretches of vertical granite on the other...And all the time as we crept along on this absurdly narrow, dangerous perch, we were half-blinded by flying snow and jostled by gusts of wind, which roared through the dancing trees and shook us by our packs...It was deeply unnerving. It took us over two hours to cover six-tenths of a miles of trail. By the time we reached solid ground at a place called Bearpen Gap, the snow was four or five inches deep..."

Everyone who guessed Big Butt gets a gold star. :-)

[Frosty]

Pages 72-73 in my copy, "By midday we found ourselves plodding into a stinging, cold, hard-blowing storm. Soon after, we came to a narrow ledge of path along a wall of rock called Big Butt Mountain...It was like a window ledge on a skyscraper, no more than fourteen or sixteen inches wide, and crumbling in places, with a sharp drop on one side of perhaps eighty feet, and long, looming stretches of vertical granite on the other...And all the time as we crept along on this absurdly narrow, dangerous perch, we were half-blinded by flying snow and jostled by gusts of wind, which roared through the dancing trees and shook us by our packs...It was deeply unnerving. It took us over two hours to cover six-tenths of a miles of trail. By the time we reached solid ground at a place called Bearpen Gap, the snow was four or five inches deep..."

Everyone who guessed Big Butt gets a gold star. :-)

Yes, I remember this spot. Didn't know it was called Bit Butt Mtn, though. It's jsut before Albert, as others have said. Too bad Bryson wasn't oukt this year. He could have had pancakes and coffee at Bearpen Gap, at Fishin' Fred's Trail Magic Extravaganza.

[Ridge]

......... he probably walked from the road crossings in a few miles...talked to "Thru-hikers", jotted down important notes...........

I wouldn't give him that much credit!!

[Lone Wolf]

I've been on the AT 20 years. It's a good book. 1 of a million perspectives. At least it's better than most of the "journal" books out there. 99% boring.

[Tin Man]

I've been on the AT 20 years. It's a good book. 1 of a million perspectives. At least it's better than most of the "journal" books out there. 99% boring.

Great perspective. It is entertaining and has some historic elements. The thing that bothers most is his claim to have hiked the AT. I believe he did hike the AT, probably less than he claims and more than many give him credit for. So what. He hiked, he wrote, he entertained. End of story.

[Lone Wolf]

He never said he hiked the whole AT.