How's the blazing? Signs? Ever lost?

[rafe]

Elsewhere, threads discuss the need for maps.

I'm curious here what folks think of the blazing on the trail. OK as it is? Over-blazed? Under-blazed? How's the consistency of the blazing? How are the signs? Have you ever lost the trail due to poor blazing or signs?

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My own answer: blazing is mostly OK, occasionally either over- or under-blazed. Not very consistent. I've lost the trail numerous times, mostly at places where the trail crosses roads, parks, clearings, etc. Road walks make me nervous -- I'm afraid that I'll miss the turnoff where the trail ducks back into the woods. It's happened more than once.

[Sly]

Over-blazed.

[Peaks]

In general, over blazed, except where it is underblazed.

[woodsy]

Definitely under blazed in areas of these parts right now, or is it blazes
under?
Dead reckoning style navigation ability is a plus,
By the seat of your pants otherwise
Speaking only of winter conditions during months of heavy snow of course when only people like me are out there.

[rafe]

In general, over blazed, except where it is underblazed.

I hear ya.

[Almost There]

I've lost blazes a couple times, usually in bad weather where there are no trees and exposed rock.

[warraghiyagey]

Blaze consistency varies by section. I've never found the trail to be over or under blazed. I've also never found the need for maps. Never taken them, won't this year either.

[Papa Bear]

Some specific places where blazing was difficult to follow:

> In the rocky area of Penna where there is really no discernable treadway. If you lose a blaze there you can really have a hard time. You don't realize how important the treadway is to keeping on the path.

> same thing towards the north end of the 100MW where you travel through miles of swampy bogs. No treadway, just roots everywhere.

> place in MD on the ridge where a boundary line crossed the trails and the white blotches of the line got me confused with the AT blazes. A few hundred yards of increasingly unlikely trail till I realized what had happened and turned around.

> Some roadwalks where the blazes on the telephone poles are very infrequent. The one in Vermont around Thundering Falls where the AT crosses the Ottaquichee comes to mind, but a relo last year has eliminated that.

In all cases, taking some care and never going too far past the last blaze will keep you on track. Also it's a good practice if you can't see a blaze, to turn around and see if you can spot one facing the opposite direction of travel.

[Rain Man]

Blazing is erratic and inconsistent. Some stretches there are multiple blazes within yards of each other. Other stretches, there are no blazes for what seems like a mile.

Plus, some places there are double blazes even though the turn is plain as day (and there may be no fork anyway), while at other places there might be no blaze or only a single blaze where the turn is NOT plain at all (and/or there are multiple trails splitting up).

I remember counting the trails coming together one place (might have been Glassmine Gap, NC). There were five paths, without a single blaze telling me which to take.

Another time, at the end of the bridge in Hot Springs, NC, there was a single blaze on a telephone pole, apparently saying "this is the way, keep going straight." However, the trail did NOT continue along the sidewalk/road, but in fact jumped a guard rail and went down a bank under the bridge. I think that blazing has since been fixed.

One more problem with blazing is that what might be visible on a sunny dry afternoon might not be so visible at dusk or in the rain and fog or when snow covers things or presses down limbs and leaves. And of course deep leaves in the fall or over-grown grass and weeds in the summer easily can camouflage the trail itself, making blazes important where they are not needed other times of the year.

And I agree, road crossings, parking lots, parks, clearings, and the like are sometimes the worst places to find where the trail went. Still, I got back alive! LOL

Anyway, having said all that, the trail is usually obvious enough to follow or to know when you've gotten off of it and need to double-back. Volunteers put a lot of work into blazing, and I thank them for it.

RainMan

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[Appalachian Tater]

Generally well-blazed, but when it is over- or under-blazed, it really goes all-out!

[wilconow]

Overall, I think the blazing is very good

> place in MD on the ridge where a boundary line crossed the trails and the white blotches of the line got me confused with the AT blazes. A few hundred yards of increasingly unlikely trail till I realized what had happened and turned around.

Just north of the MD/PA line, I remember a road crossing on PA-16 (for Marylander's -- this is what 140/Reisterstown Rd turns into) where the blotches were very easy to confuse with the white blazes. I think the blotches were easier to spot from the road than the AT blazes. This is a few years ago, hopefully they cleared that up a bit

> Some roadwalks where the blazes on the telephone poles are very infrequent. The one in Vermont around Thundering Falls where the AT crosses the Ottaquichee comes to mind, but a relo last year has eliminated that.

I did this in July last year and the relo was not in effect yet. I do remember that the blazes were very infrequent and I was afraid I was walking this curvy road for no reason. However I did have the NH/VT atc guidebook pages to confirm.

Along those lines, in West Hartford VT there were a couple of turns that I don't how I would've known what to do if I didn't have the guide to refer to. I can understand how residents may not want blazes and/or signs all over the place. Though that may cut down on people walking around and trying to figure out where they are.

[Jack Tarlin]

Generally, it's OK, tho over the years, I have found Vermont to be underblazed, especially at many road crossings where one arrives at the road and has no idea whatsoever where the Trail continues on the other side. Some double-blazes on trees and guardrails would be a big help here.

[Blissful]

Generally well-blazed, but when it is over- or under-blazed, it really goes all-out!

Agreed.

[hobojoe]

The trail is fine, it is the hikers who are over-blazed.

[maxNcathy]

Beware of Cowrock Mountain..trail looks to go right..but it goes left over flat rock about 100 feet..no white blaze on rock heading left ..I went right and down the mountain to a dead end.

I scratched some arrows in the rock with my poles to help others as I was pissed with poor signage.

[maxNcathy]

Every tenth blaze should have an N or a S with it to help those who are prone to heading the WRONG WAY.

[max patch]

Every tenth blaze should have an N or a S with it to help those who are prone to heading the WRONG WAY.

You're joking, right?

[jesse]

[quote=maxNcathy;558329]Beware of Cowrock Mountain..trail looks to go right..but it goes left over flar rock about 100 feet..no white blaze on rock heading left ..


I lost the trail there also. Fortunately, I went left searching, and finely found a white blaze.

[Tennessee Viking]

Then general blazing strategy is to blaze sparingly but adequately. Usually to place one at turns, just over a rise, or just out of sight of the last blaze in the opposite direction.

[Tennessee Viking]

I have seen forest trails blazed every 5 feet. One such example is Rattlesnake Ridge Trail on Unaka.