Extreme hiker puts Mountains-to-Sea Trail behind him - News & Observer
Last edited by ed bell; 10-18-2008 at 00:39.
he averaged less than 8 miles per day. that's extreme? an extreme amount of days off probably.
"Extreme" might refer to hiking one of the "other" long trails. Few, apparently, dare... to be alone or possibly to navigate.
Taba the "Extreme Hiker"
Hi Lone Wolf,
It's Taba! I am the one who hiked the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. So I guess that makes me the Extreme Hiker. It may not have been extreme to hike on the road in 120 degree heat index with notes from an 8 year old guidebook. Running out of water because the store that is listed has an auction sign in front. Not too mention the kidney stone that I had to pass because of dehydration that took me off the trail for 5 weeks. In the mountains I averaged 10 miles a day and the road walks I averaged 18. I did have to stop a lot to write all the information I got from the trail to write the guidebook. But I had a great time not being extreme.
Scot "Taba" Ward
There And Back Again
Appalachian Trail 2003
Long Trail 2004
Colorado Trail 2007
Mountains to Sea Trail 2008
mountains to sea trail
I'm sorry I missed ya. I live very close to the eastern terminus of this trail. Not having any prior knowledge of your undertaking I applaud this effort. The eastern part of the trail, as you well found out, is road walks and not very well mapped. Camping on the beach may need to adopt a GSMNP type of permits. I can not think of a beach on the Mountains to Sea Trail that allows camping. I sure would like to hear of an update of this.
"you ain't settin your sights to high son, but if you want to follow in my tracks I'll help ya up the trail some."
Rooster Cogburn.
Taba, Welcome to Whiteblaze. Great to see that you found our new Mountains to the Sea Forum here. We have included several other long trails in this area of Whiteblaze. Nice to have the first Mountains to the Sea thru-hiker post here. Congratulations on your hike!
That's my dog, Echo. He's a fine young dog.
Hey, there!
If you're in a hurry, why are you walking?
And Virginia is flat!
I hope everyone knows that I was in a joking mood when I replied that Virginia was flat.As a thru-hiker on the AT that is all you hear until you get there. Then everyone is looking for the flat parts. I haven't been much of a computer person but I am figuring it out along the way.
Squirrel Bait: Yes, it is illegal to camp on the beach. I was fortunate to find people who would bring me into their homes to avoid upcoming storms. I camped only twice. The first spot was near Frisco and the other was close to the Bodie Lighthouse.
Fancy Feet, Ed Bell: Thank you for the recognition of my hike this year and for welcoming me into this forum. It was a different kind of challenge than the AT. Since the completion of the MST I have been dilligently working on a thru-hikers manual for the trail and I will have it done by February.
I will be out there thru-hiking the MST again in 2009 to make sure all the information is correct in the book. I plan to update it every year.
Scot "Taba" Ward
There And Back Again
www.Thru-hiker.us
http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=7502
Just a question: What's the point of building a long distance trail with great portions of it off-limits to overnight camping?? I never could understand the motivation by trail workers to maintain and designate the MST and then have to make parts of it illegal to camp. I've done sections around Greensboro and I love what the guidebooks says: CAMPING: Hitch to interstate, find the nearest motel. Can anyone say stealth camping?Originally Posted by Taba
Walter, when building a trail across a state like NC, you will inevitably cross some urban areas where finding camping will be difficult or impossible. The AT has it's Cumberland Valley in PA. Roughly 14 miles where there is no camping. But they had the power of the federal purse, and a vision that dated back to the early 1920s. The MST doesn't have either.
The MST is a great trail. And when it is done, in my opinion it will be one of the most significant long distance trails in the US. No need to denigrate it or compare it to other trails. It is unique. And in that uniqueness, lies its beauty.
PS: The Cumberland Valley was one of the most memorable parts of the AT for this hiker.
'All my lies are always wishes" ~Jeff Tweedy~
Here in CT, we have hundreds of miles of blue-blazed trails, but camping isn't permitted, well, pretty much anywhere. If a trail you're on happens to pass through a state park where camping is allowed already, then of course you can do it, but otherwise, except in very limited circumstances, it's stealth camping or not at all.
The thing is, it would seem to me that the highest percentage of users on almost any given trail aren't out overnight anyway. Day hikers are all over CT's blue-blazed system, and that's the way it should be! From time to time, I've thought, shucks, it sure would be fun to backpack on this or that trail, but given the exigencies of how they were set up and the kind of property they pass through, I guess I'm glad they have them at all. What is does mean, though, is that really only folks who live in the state, or very close by, will be doing much hiking on the system - nobody is going to drive 4 hours for a day hike. Maybe if we get our national designation for the "3M" trails, that might change, though!
Jane in CT
One of the reasons for the guidebook telling you to, hitch-hike, I believe is that the organization didn't want to cause any disstress with land owners because the trail was not gaining popularity when that version was written. They were still trying to acquire the land for the trail to be routed through. There will be a thru-hikers manual out in February that will give you more possibilities for camping. The churches that are listed in the Thru-hikers manual are good places to start for camping in long road stretches.
Once again the MST is still new and will be just as popular as the AT. How many times are you going to hike the same trail. I personally challenge any thru-hiker to take 3 months and attempt the elements this trail takes you through. The experience will be completely different than your hike on the AT. I promise you that, it will be just as or more rewarding then the summit of Katahdin. One of the biggest differences is that on the MST you will have only 4 shelters built for hikers along the entire 931 mile trail. The hike this year was challenging for camping locations but 2009 will have more up to date information and will be easier to navigate.
So to the people who are saying bad things about the MST. Please ease up and be patient. I understand your concerns and the problems will be fixed soon.
Scot "Taba" Ward
There And Back Again
www.Thru-hiker.us
http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=7502
We have an anti-shelter group on this list that will think that's a good thing.One of the biggest differences is that on the MST you will have only 4 shelters built for hikers along the entire 931 mile trail.
Panzer
Mountains to Sea
Congratulations on your hike !
Very few people have thru hiked this trail. Allan de Hart and Alan Householder hiked it back in 1997 and like you they were gathering material for a book.
~ I look forward to your book and if my job will grant me a LOA I'd love to hike it.
An updated guide would be excellent and hopefully will attract more people and attention to this trail.
Allan de Hart turned 82 in September. He founded Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail and has authored many hiking books including "Hiking North Carolina's Mountains to Sea Trail"
He might be a really good person for you to contact about your book, if you haven't already.
"Going to the woods is going home" - John Muir
"Only by going alone in silence, without baggage, can one truely get into the heart of the wilderness" - John Muir
Congrats on competing your hike Taba. I'm sure the MST Trail will be better with your input. As I understand your post, U camped only twice on the beach? Is that correct?
Taba congratulations on your hike, I for one am jealous!
WalkingStick"75"
LW in the spirit of Christmas give credit where credit is due, he hiked the hike. Have you? I'm sure he did not name himself "extreme" that was some journalist even though I would still place him in the "extreme" category myself.
WalkingStick"75"
One of the great things about hiking is... you don't need anyone's approval regarding your hike. I follow the motto - "to thine own self be true." That means, I hike where I wanna hike - when I wanna hike. As long as my wife is on board - that is.She's a keeper, so I do what I have to do to "keeper" happy.
'All my lies are always wishes" ~Jeff Tweedy~
in the spirit of x-mas i posted that 3 months ago. and still feel the same. yes i've walked many a walks
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