AT Nobo, is not a Wilderness experience

[wornoutboots]

Part of relaxing my mind at bed time, I read trail journals & since soboing the PCT in 2016, I find my self not enjoying the AT nobo journals when looking to read a journal about a wilderness experience. It seams that all you hear are people being met nearly every day at roads getting so called "trail magic" & you hear nothing about the forests, streams & mountains. I have section hiked the AT from Springer to DWG & have enjoyed the wilderness of it since I mainly go sobo & pick months where there aren't many hikers. I guess I was just spoiled on the PCT especially in the final 1 1/2-2 months from KM south to the border where I rarely saw any other hiker & didn't camp with anyone at all except the last night where I met a dude, "walking mantis" who I hadn't seen since Oregon. Just an observation

[MuddyWaters]

Nope, it's not.

Never has been.

There was once some illusion of that
Numbers of people kill that illusion

So does services

The more people that hike the , AT , the less of an experience it is. It's already past the point of no return.

Other trail organizations, and the Park Service, understand that permits and limiting access are necessary to preserve user experience, which is the whole reason why people want to hike. Keeping things difficult is also part of keeping numbers of users down.

The the approach to the AT is to make the trail as easy and as accessible to as many people as possible. And the park service is involved in this too. In direct contrast to their approach to many places.

Footbridges over every trickle, switchbacks on every steep climb, maximize number of people on the trail, shelters privies, etc. The entire management plan of it has nothing to do with Wilderness style experience. And that's a shame.

[capehiker]

Nope, it's not.

The the approach to the AT is to make the trail as easy and as accessible to as many people as possible. And the park service is involved in this too. In direct contrast to their approach to many places.

Footbridges over every trickle, switchbacks on every steep climb, maximize number of people on the trail, shelters privies, etc. The entire management plan of it has nothing to do with Wilderness style experience. And that's a shame.

Have you hiked the Appalachian Trail? Lol. Switchbacks on every climb? The approach trail easy? You realize parking 1 mike south of Springer Mountain is far easier, right? (*edit- after re-reading the post, I misunderstood about “the approach” as pointed out in a below post).

I’m not arguing the lack of wilderness experience but perhaps you chose the wrong examples of why it’s easy? The number one reason it’s flooded? It’s proximity to millions of people. I would also point out that for many thru hikers, town culture and the people met along the way are huge parts of the experience, and not just walking in the woods.

All one has to do is not stay in or near the shelters and their wilderness experience increases by tenfold.

[johnnyjohnson2043]

Have you hiked the Appalachian Trail? Lol. Switchbacks on every climb? The approach trail easy? You realize parking 1 mike south of Springer Mountain is far easier, right?

I’m not arguing the lack of wilderness experience but perhaps you chose the wrong examples of why it’s easy? The number one reason it’s flooded? It’s proximity to millions of people. I would also point out that for many thru hikers, town culture and the people met along the way are huge parts of the experience, and not just walking in the woods.

All one has to do is not stay in or near the shelters and their wilderness experience increases by tenfold.

I’ll throw in this thought. You know who also needs regulated? Day hikers. Go to any major beauty spot with parking and you’ll see a major increase in litter and crime.

By saying "the approach of the trail" I believe he meant the "point" of the trail. He wasn't talking about the approach trail itself...but I agree that it isn't a true wilderness experience anymore. I did find myself alone for hours on end when I hiked Springer to NOC a few years ago but I never camped alone (in fact every shelter was packed) and I saw trail magic at nearly every major road crossing. I still enjoy myself every time I get out there but it isn't wilderness. It's more of a community of hikers.

[capehiker]

By saying "the approach of the trail" I believe he meant the "point" of the trail. He wasn't talking about the approach trail itself...

Ah yes. After re-reading his post I agree with you.

[rickb]

Nope, it's not.
Never has been.
There was once some illusion of that

Perhaps that is true, but fortunately the moose do not know that.

Nor the bear, rattlesnakes, porcupine, beaver, barred owls, raven, box turtles, raven, spruce grouse, pine Martin, bobcat, fox and salamanders.

So not an altogether unsatisfactory illusion even now.

[soilman]

The the approach to the AT is to make the trail as easy and as accessible to as many people as possible...
Footbridges over every trickle, switchbacks on every steep climb, maximize number of people on the trail, shelters privies, etc. The entire management plan of it has nothing to do with Wilderness style experience. And that's a shame.

I disagree. I think the ATC is trying to make a trail that is sustainable. Trails that go straight up a mountain will not last. I remember going up Bald Pate mountain on a trail without switchbacks that was 10-20 wide and about 5 feet deep and it really was ugly. If you look closely in the GSMNP you can see remnants of the old AT that went straight up the mountain and ended up being a 3 feet gully.

It seems to me that many people do not want a wilderness experience or even an adventure when they hike the AT. Some folks want to know where every campsite and water source is along the trail. With all the electronic gadgets, shuttles, hostels, etc. you can hike the trail and hardly spend any time sleeping in the woods.

[jdenkevitz]

Footbridges over every trickle, switchbacks on every steep climb, maximize number of people on the trail, shelters privies, etc. The entire management plan of it has nothing to do with Wilderness style experience. And that's a shame.

And yet that was the intention behind the AT, at least by MacKaye. Originally thought up as a (more populated) string of communities, farms, shelters, and work study programs. Not as a barren wilderness experience.

[MuddyWaters]

And yet that was the intention behind the AT, at least by MacKaye. Originally thought up as a (more populated) string of communities, farms, shelters, and work study programs. Not as a barren wilderness experience.

Yes.
But he got it completely wrong. No one wanted his version of a trail. They wanted a more remote solitary Trail. And so that's what was built.

All he got right was that a trail would be a good idea.
And even that he was copying from The Long Trail , as he was sitting on it at the time. All he did was extended the LT on both ends.....as far as reasonable.

He really gets too much credit for the AT we have.

[Puddlefish]

I enjoyed my 600 miles NOBO. I was looking for the wilderness experience... and I kind of found it. You have to make a bit of an effort however, and I had a bit of a learning experience in doing so.

Starting before the leaves came in, in the spring, there were great views. I wish I'd bought a phone with a decent camera earlier in my hike. I made a point of avoiding hiker feeds, and all the crowds. I made a few mistakes early in my hike, and had some sleepless nights in crowded tenting areas. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the spring come in, and with all the altitude changes, every walk downhill eventually was like walking into spring and summer. I sat for an hour on the side of a trail and watched a group of hawks hunting.

I learned to legally stealth camp and avoid crowded shelter/tent areas. To use a golf term, I layed up short of popular areas like Preacher's Rock, Max Patch and Beauty Spot and ended up picking up the pace as I hiked through these spots because they felt more like frat parties than part of the trail. I was stunned by views, found a magical field of wildflowers heading up Clingman's Dome, found the Firescald ridge to be something out of a LoTR movie.

Some of my worst nights of the hike were spent in towns. I should have hiked straight past Franklin, and straight through Hot Springs, but I caved into pressure from a guy I was hiking with at the time. Entirely my own fault.

Anyway, there's a lot of wilderness mixed in there. It's just a matter of stopping to enjoy it, and putting up with dodging a lot of crowds and scurrying past crowded nosy road crossings. The noisy people enjoy the trail their way, but it didn't prevent me from enjoying the trail my way.

[cneill13]

I completely agree that Trail Magic is out of control. I have never thru-hiked the AT so I am really just back seating driving here, but I hiked up to the top of Tray Mountain in Georgia two weeks ago.

There was a TM table at Unicoi Gap, and another layout at the bottom of Tray Mountain at Indian Grave Gap. Then there was another Trail Magic set up half way up the mountain at Tray Gap.

Three Trail Magic set ups in 8 miles. Is that really what Trail Magic is supposed to be about? I thought is was a spontaneous gesture of kindness to thru-hikers.

Anyway, enough of my rant. If people want to do Trail Magic, than I think they should do it. But it is becoming way too prevalent and I agree that it detracts from the wilderness experience.

[Uriah]

An AT NOBO trek is much closer to being a wilderness experience than is sitting here on our computers under artificial lighting. Probably more entertaining, too.

[johnnyjohnson2043]

An AT NOBO trek is much closer to being a wilderness experience than is sitting here on our computers under artificial lighting. Probably more entertaining, too.

Haha. Good point. The closest thing to wilderness I have here is a potted plant.

[Berserker]

An AT NOBO trek is much closer to being a wilderness experience than is sitting here on our computers under artificial lighting. Probably more entertaining, too.

Yes, this is similar to what I was thinking.

The vast majority of people will never hike, much less actually go out and stay out overnight at a primitive spot requiring carrying all their stuff. So it's semantics, but in my opinion the AT is a wilderness experience.

[Deadeye]

An AT NOBO trek is much closer to being a wilderness experience than is sitting here on our computers under artificial lighting. Probably more entertaining, too.

You betcha! And if somebody wants to feed me when I cross the road, I'll be more than happy to oblige them. I've never found trail magic - spontaneous or otherwise - to not be a pleasant experience. The parties I avoid like the plague, but since I'm crossing the street, I might as well eat what's on the other side.

[Captain Blue]

Most trail journal entries fall into the category of "People, Towns & Food." They are boring to read. But that's what is on the mind of a northbound thru-hiker.

[ldsailor]

Most trail journal entries fall into the category of "People, Towns & Food." They are boring to read. But that's what is on the mind of a northbound thru-hiker.

I tend to agree with you. I usually can't get past one or two journals entries of any one hiker. I don't even like mine and only keep my blog/journal as a diary; otherwise it's probably boring to 90% of the people reading.

However... I got hooked on one video log that is mostly about the trail and how it affects the hiker. You might want to check it out. The hiker has many followers.

Pee Wee's Vlog

[Martzy13]

You shouldn't base your opinions of the whole Trail on your findings in Georgia. Of course there are going to be ridiculous numbers of Trail Magic at the beginning of the Trail, that's where the masses are. If Trail Magic-givers are making any sort of trip to the AT, they are going to want to help the most people possible.
If you are not finding what you want in your online literature, look elsewhere.

[Runner2017]

If you like solitude and wildness, hike the BMT instead.

[soumodeler]

If you like solitude and wildness, hike the BMT instead.

Shhhhh!! Don't tell everyone the secret!

I much prefer the AT to remain the busy/social trail so that the BMT and others remain less used.