Ghosts and Legends of the AT

[fudgefoot]

My hiking buddy had a strange experience while negotiating the rocks on the south face of Kinsman Mt. in NH. I was never sure what to make of it. Here's my journal entry:



Finishing lunch, we filtered water from Eliza Brook and began a very difficult climb up Kinsman Mt. The first part of the climb paralleled gushing Eliza Brook.Morning mist had given way to afternoon sunshine and the cool breeze coming off the brook felt refreshing. We reached Harrington Pond where the already steep ascent became a 1000 foot hand-over-hand climb up a near-vertical jumble of rocks and cliffs.Several days after completing the hike, Carlos reported to me that he had a “religious experience” on a particularly difficult section of the Kinsman climb.At a point where I had hiked slightly ahead, Carlos found himself facing a seemingly unclimbable series of cliffs.He began to wonder how he would get up the mountain and the possible consequences if he were to fall backward.He hoisted himself up and, glancing to his side, saw the figure of a woman in white robes reclining on a rock next to the trail.After successfully negotiating the climb, he looked back to the rock but the woman was gone.

[rocketsocks]

Plenty a spooky people on the trail, harmless, but spooky just the same.

I learned about this story in 05 just before i started my 06 thru-hike, it's called "lost among the leaves" supposably took place in 04.

it's about a hiker leaving pictures of hikers staying in shelters, at night a hiker would stay at a shelter and wake up with pictures of his/her empty sleeping bag next to them and when someone would stop for water, when they got back to their pack they would find pics of them left in the leaves.

it really messed my mind up right before i started my hike and in 06 their was some folks finding pictures of their empty sleeping bag laying beside them when they woke up. i never found any but i did see a few that people showed me.

you can find the entire story at "Urban Legend of photos of Hikers on the Appalacian Trail:: Urban Legends"

That's pretty ****ed up. Like I said...spooky people, doin' weird stuff.

[Rolex]

JayLeigh,

You will want to check out 'The Bennington Triangle' in Vermont. See here....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennington_Triangle

Scott

(I cut some of Scott's original quote out.)

Guys, I am going to be back in the area for the summer it appears and plan on making this my project. If anyone has any info, links, books, contacts, or research that you can share, please PM or email me. I have read a lot of the research and books but in order to not miss anything please send me what you have.

In return, I'll try to write up my findings in a somewhat coherent story for everyone this winter when it turns cold again.
I plan on trying to narrow down and follow the last steps taken by Paula, and Middie in person the best I can. I finally have been able to arrange my work to allow me some time in the area during decent weather in order to put "boots on the ground".

This and the Gerry Largay "Inchworm" missing person case, has had me fascinated for a while.
Thank you,
Rolex

[yerbyray]

Well there is the legend of Grey Poupon and his many woes of the AT
Talk has it that Geoffrey Meansworth, III of Clement Connecticut read “Into the Wild” in the fall of 1996 and was inspired to drop out of his Ivey league college his senior year and complete a AT thru hike with a friends he would meet along the way.
With limited experience but a fondness to do trendy things; Geoffrey who gained the trail name of “Grey Poupon” by friends and admirers, bought his gear from the latest LL Bean catalog and set off for Georgia in March.
Legend has that “Grey Poupon” was haunted by the lack of his favorite rolling paper, Gurkha’s His Majesty’s Reserve, along the entirety of the AT.Poor “Grey Poupon” had to suffer with using ordinary rolling paper.
The spring of 1997 was a wet one and no one respected that more than the band of AT hikers who started that March. Days of rain, fog and battleship grey skies dampened more than the clothes of this group…it wet their spirits. “Grey Poupon” was hit hardest of them all. He did not find the multitudes of college lasses willing to bed him on a whim, he was also plagued by not growing a full beard in three days and looking ubber cool, and he lost his favorite Hacky Sak somewhere on Blood Mountain.
With low spirits and a high sperm count, “Grey Poupon” continued slogging it northwards in search of finding solace amongst the horde of college kids all trying to be individuals together. “Grey Poupon” wandered off trail one night at a packed shelter with his Martin Backpacker guitar in tow…his rendition of a Nirvana song had not been well received.
Geoffrey was last seen in 2008 working as a mortgage risk analyst at Bear Stearns in New York where he never wore North Face clothing again.

[Bronk]

Well there is the legend of Grey Poupon and his many woes of the AT
Talk has it that Geoffrey Meansworth, III of Clement Connecticut read “Into the Wild” in the fall of 1996 and was inspired to drop out of his Ivey league college his senior year and complete a AT thru hike with a friends he would meet along the way.
With limited experience but a fondness to do trendy things; Geoffrey who gained the trail name of “Grey Poupon” by friends and admirers, bought his gear from the latest LL Bean catalog and set off for Georgia in March.
Legend has that “Grey Poupon” was haunted by the lack of his favorite rolling paper, Gurkha’s His Majesty’s Reserve, along the entirety of the AT.Poor “Grey Poupon” had to suffer with using ordinary rolling paper.
The spring of 1997 was a wet one and no one respected that more than the band of AT hikers who started that March. Days of rain, fog and battleship grey skies dampened more than the clothes of this group…it wet their spirits. “Grey Poupon” was hit hardest of them all. He did not find the multitudes of college lasses willing to bed him on a whim, he was also plagued by not growing a full beard in three days and looking ubber cool, and he lost his favorite Hacky Sak somewhere on Blood Mountain.
With low spirits and a high sperm count, “Grey Poupon” continued slogging it northwards in search of finding solace amongst the horde of college kids all trying to be individuals together. “Grey Poupon” wandered off trail one night at a packed shelter with his Martin Backpacker guitar in tow…his rendition of a Nirvana song had not been well received.
Geoffrey was last seen in 2008 working as a mortgage risk analyst at Bear Stearns in New York where he never wore North Face clothing again.

Now that's some funny stuff right there.

[T-Rx]

Well there is the legend of Grey Poupon and his many woes of the AT
Talk has it that Geoffrey Meansworth, III of Clement Connecticut read “Into the Wild” in the fall of 1996 and was inspired to drop out of his Ivey league college his senior year and complete a AT thru hike with a friends he would meet along the way.
With limited experience but a fondness to do trendy things; Geoffrey who gained the trail name of “Grey Poupon” by friends and admirers, bought his gear from the latest LL Bean catalog and set off for Georgia in March.
Legend has that “Grey Poupon” was haunted by the lack of his favorite rolling paper, Gurkha’s His Majesty’s Reserve, along the entirety of the AT.Poor “Grey Poupon” had to suffer with using ordinary rolling paper.
The spring of 1997 was a wet one and no one respected that more than the band of AT hikers who started that March. Days of rain, fog and battleship grey skies dampened more than the clothes of this group…it wet their spirits. “Grey Poupon” was hit hardest of them all. He did not find the multitudes of college lasses willing to bed him on a whim, he was also plagued by not growing a full beard in three days and looking ubber cool, and he lost his favorite Hacky Sak somewhere on Blood Mountain.
With low spirits and a high sperm count, “Grey Poupon” continued slogging it northwards in search of finding solace amongst the horde of college kids all trying to be individuals together. “Grey Poupon” wandered off trail one night at a packed shelter with his Martin Backpacker guitar in tow…his rendition of a Nirvana song had not been well received.
Geoffrey was last seen in 2008 working as a mortgage risk analyst at Bear Stearns in New York where he never wore North Face clothing again.

This is how a legend is born! Awesome story!

[yerbyray]

The AT legend of Casey Ledbetter
Casey attempted a thru hike in 2006 after learning about the Appalachian Trail after a July 4^th lake party in Alabama where other attendees told about a relative who was on the trail and having a grand time.
Casey, an avid outdoorsman and fan of any challenge, thought that since his job at the factory he had worked at was moved overseas and he had taken a good severance package; now was the time to hit the AT.
Casey was bright and energetic but was easily influenced by friends and what he could find on the internet. He had scoured the internet for weeks to find out all that he needed to know to successfully hike the 2,000 mile plus trail. He bought, re-bought and tweaked his gear as he read website after website on what was best.
The internet led Casey to prepare for the many toils and pitfalls that he would face.He bought two water filters, snake bite kit, machete, crampons, wire splints, a neck brace, flares, a GPS unit, three knives, and 17 different ways to start a fire. His wallet shrank as his pack expanded. Casey, being of the southern variety of US citizen, wanted to exercise his Second Amendment right to protect himself and others along the AT from the multitude of bears, rattlesnakes, mice and bad men. He bought a Ruger Super Redhawk .44 magnum revolver on the advice of friends. This monster of a weapon would drop any bear or terrorist that he might encounter along the east coast.
Casey summited Springer on a clear April morning. He and his pack, which weighed just north of 40 pounds, bounded down the trail in pursuit of fame and glory. Four back aches later he stepped across the threshold of Mountain Crossings at Neels Gap where his life took a turn for the better. Casey learned from the staff that he was carrying too much gear and that he would feel better if he ditched all of the emergency gear and focused on what was needed.
Casey took off once again but his nights were filled with the thoughts of bears, mice, and other sure-to-experience dangers. Casey still toted the large Ruger…after all this is ‘merica and he could damn well do as he pleased…the Constitution says so.
A few weeks later poor Casey was thrown into the jail in Graham county after park rangers found him drunk and disruptive while displaying his fearful revolver.
“Jesus loves you” is a comforting phrase just about everywhere except when you are in lock up with six fellows whose national origin is in question. Casey never hiked again.

[NY HIKER 50]

I posted this previously and it seemed no one answered. This one's for you:

• Ok, here goes and I don’t think anyone can match these. As for safety I would not worry. I don’t go looking for these they just happen.
  
  One night I was set up and it seemed kind of ready to storm. It seemed very humid and oppressive. I either fell asleep or was dreaming or was I awake? I know there was a small cemetery below and who knows, maybe she was not from there. I suddenly heard a woman’s voice say “you know it’s raining heavy down in _____. Be careful! I woke up and nothing was happening for about a half hour. Then a heavy thunderstorm rolled in. I was stealth camping and no one else was around.Was I being warned?
  
  Another time in New Jersey I saw what looked like a black and white picture of another backpacker coming at me. I just stood aside and he passed me by and disappeared. Nothing was said. Ghost? Imagination?
  
  I also have camped twice in a place that’s considered the most haunted place in America but nothing happened. I also camped at a shelter but Little Ottie never showed himself so I guess I’m safe there.
  
  I’ve had a lot more encounters over the years and I think these two are more than enough to reveal. I never freaked like most people, I just kept my composure.
  
  I also thought I heard what sounded like a crazy radio in Harriman State Park that somehow always seemed out of reach.
  
  Now it's up the the ghost hunters to tell me if these experiences were real or my imagination.
  
  
  
  
  
• I also passed a cemetary in New Jersey where I would stop and get some water at a spigot near the road. As I was going to it I heard a voice say very low "the water's off" and it surly was. Oh well let's see some of your beat that. These things reallly happened.
  
  
  
  

These were along the Appalachian Trail. To this day I'm still not sure. The ghost hunter will probably tell me.

[woodguy]

Good luck on the ghost hunting..

[jayleigh75]

I posted this previously and it seemed no one answered. This one's for you:

• Ok, here goes and I don’t think anyone can match these. As for safety I would not worry. I don’t go looking for these they just happen.
  
  One night I was set up and it seemed kind of ready to storm. It seemed very humid and oppressive. I either fell asleep or was dreaming or was I awake? I know there was a small cemetery below and who knows, maybe she was not from there. I suddenly heard a woman’s voice say “you know it’s raining heavy down in _____. Be careful! I woke up and nothing was happening for about a half hour. Then a heavy thunderstorm rolled in. I was stealth camping and no one else was around.Was I being warned?
  
  Another time in New Jersey I saw what looked like a black and white picture of another backpacker coming at me. I just stood aside and he passed me by and disappeared. Nothing was said. Ghost? Imagination?
  
  I also have camped twice in a place that’s considered the most haunted place in America but nothing happened. I also camped at a shelter but Little Ottie never showed himself so I guess I’m safe there.
  
  I’ve had a lot more encounters over the years and I think these two are more than enough to reveal. I never freaked like most people, I just kept my composure.
  
  I also thought I heard what sounded like a crazy radio in Harriman State Park that somehow always seemed out of reach.
  
  Now it's up the the ghost hunters to tell me if these experiences were real or my imagination.
• I also passed a cemetary in New Jersey where I would stop and get some water at a spigot near the road. As I was going to it I heard a voice say very low "the water's off" and it surly was. Oh well let's see some of your beat that. These things reallly happened.

These were along the Appalachian Trail. To this day I'm still not sure. The ghost hunter will probably tell me.

Thank you for sharing your encounters. If you ever want to share some of your other stories, feel free to email me at [email protected]

[jayleigh75]

Thank you to everyone who has shared a story or suggested an area to look into. There are certainly some spooky/creepy stories out there on the trail, and whether you believe in them or not, they make for some fun campfire talks. Keep them coming!

[blue indian]

The locals say that Wayah Bald is haunted. I also remember reading here on Whiteblaze about some sort of tragic event that occurred at Burningtown Gap north of Wayah Bald) that lead to some sort of paranormal activities there.

When I hiked thru Burningtown Gap I totally felt an uncomfortable heaviness and stillness in the area. The kind that makes you want to leave but youre not sure why. This was before I had read and heard of similar experiences in the gap, so I had no outside influences to predispose me to feel that way. I would be interested to hear if others have had similar experiences. And what the history of the area might be...

[NY HIKER 50]

When I hiked thru Burningtown Gap I totally felt an uncomfortable heaviness and stillness in the area. The kind that makes you want to leave but youre not sure why. This was before I had read and heard of similar experiences in the gap, so I had no outside influences to predispose me to feel that way. I would be interested to hear if others have had similar experiences. And what the history of the area might be...

Maybe you took it the wrong way. Maybe the area or ghost had a story to tell. And I'm not lying about that. To give a hint: I'd been told you don't see them, you sense them. As for the ghost hunters erp, you might just be picking it up from your own body or someone nearby. Since this is white blase and not ghost blaze I'm not saying anything more on this thread..

[gypsy97]

I had a weird experience at Punchbowl shelter way back in the mid-1990's on a late fall hike with another female. In the middle of the night I woke up to heavy footsteps through the leaves, and they were the footsteps of a person, not a deer or another animal. The steps would stop when I sat up, and resume as soon as I lay back down. This continued off and on for about an hour. The footsteps never sounded like they were going or coming, just walking in place. That was my very first night on the AT!

I had another incident at Linville Gorge, but that isn't on the AT. If you are interested please P.M. me and I will pass the story along.

[NY HIKER 50]

I had a weird experience at Punchbowl shelter way back in the mid-1990's on a late fall hike with another female. In the middle of the night I woke up to heavy footsteps through the leaves, and they were the footsteps of a person, not a deer or another animal. The steps would stop when I sat up, and resume as soon as I lay back down. This continued off and on for about an hour. The footsteps never sounded like they were going or coming, just walking in place. That was my very first night on the AT!

I had another incident at Linville Gorge, but that isn't on the AT. If you are interested please P.M. me and I will pass the story along.

At the shelter it may have been Little Ottie. Look it up on the net. The legend says that he visits once in a while. To sum it up for you, he was looking for wood, got lost, and was found dead. I had no problem when I stayed there. As for the Linville Gorge, I've never been there.

[mikec]

http://www.amazon.com/Smoky-Mountain.../dp/1880308185

My picture is in this book.

[jayleigh75]

When I hiked thru Burningtown Gap I totally felt an uncomfortable heaviness and stillness in the area. The kind that makes you want to leave but youre not sure why. This was before I had read and heard of similar experiences in the gap, so I had no outside influences to predispose me to feel that way. I would be interested to hear if others have had similar experiences. And what the history of the area might be...

I have been told about similar occurrences in Burningtown Gap area by other hikers. One tidbit of information I came across in research was that the area of Burningtown was home to freed slaves. There were allegedly some robberies in a nearby village and the villagers blamed the freed slaves. People from the village went up the mountain and set the whole freed slave camp on fire- which is supposedly the way Burningtown Gap got its name.

[Pedaling Fool]

(I cut some of Scott's original quote out.)

Guys, I am going to be back in the area for the summer it appears and plan on making this my project. If anyone has any info, links, books, contacts, or research that you can share, please PM or email me. I have read a lot of the research and books but in order to not miss anything please send me what you have.

In return, I'll try to write up my findings in a somewhat coherent story for everyone this winter when it turns cold again.
I plan on trying to narrow down and follow the last steps taken by Paula, and Middie in person the best I can. I finally have been able to arrange my work to allow me some time in the area during decent weather in order to put "boots on the ground".

This and the Gerry Largay "Inchworm" missing person case, has had me fascinated for a while.
Thank you,
Rolex

It is interesting. Also what's interesting is that so many people go missing every year, never to be seen again and some of those disappearances are very strange. Here's just one example, which is even more strange than Inchworm's disappearance and it happened at Spence Field shelter in GSMNP, back in '69 http://www.wbir.com/story/news/local...years/9405607/

It resulted in the largest search in the history of GSMNP.

[wilsonnickp]

One time I was out here in Georgia and hadn't seen anyone all day. It was almost dark and I was filtering water before camp. I think I was on Blue Mountain. I heard a woman scream right above me. I looked up... Turns out it wasn't a woman, but an owl I'd pissed off.

I also camped at Hawk Mountain just north of Springer and heard a baby crying in the middle of the night. Then crazy gunfire. Turned out to be a feral cat and the Army Rangers. The next morning we were told a story by a Ridge Runner. A woman slept under her tarp and woke up with a knife stuck in the ground right next to her head with a note reading "We could've killed you. XOXO The Rangers"

She never even heard them. Living Ghosts

[Mother Natures Son]

You forgot about probably the most chilling ghost story, at least for the mid-Atlantic. It is the ghost of Pine Grove Furnace Hostel. As you may know, the hostel was a major stopping ground on the Underground Railroad helping escaped slaves find freedom in the North. There was a charismatic slave by the name of William White. He inspired many of his fellow slaves in the South to escape. Soon a bounty was placed on his head and he vowed that he would not be caught, no matter what. To make a long story short, bounty hunters caught up to him and a gang of freedom-loving slaves at the hostel. They tortured him and then killed him slowly. If you stay late at night (as I have) you can often hear the screams and moans in the courtyard. Some have said that his dismembered body still roams the grounds, but I believe otherwise. If anyone wants a quick history on the Underground Railroad, go to the hostel and ask to see the hidden trap door where many escaping slaves waited in secret for freedom. It will bring a chill to your body.