Slow down with the paint, please

[leaftye]

Oops, I meant to add that I still think those original orange blazes were too much, or maybe just too sloppy.

[Mags]

Agreed. I'd rather have a trail that is ridiculously easy to follow so I can think less about navigation and enjoy aspects of the scenery that are not reflected by the topo maps.

Luckily it is a big tent when it comes to trails. Want a well blazed and easy-to-follow trail? Do the AT, PCT, LT and others.

Want a bit of an adventure? Than do other trails (CDT, Cohos, BMT, others).

Not every trail has to be the AT.

For those who like something that is NOT the AT, I am glad there are other options. Lets keep it that way.

[weary]

Over blazing is the result of maintainer error, and poor supervision, not Appalachian Trail policy. The ATC field book for maintainers specifies that blazes should be "2-by-6 inch white rectangles with sharp corners and clean edges."

They are to be placed "at eye height, generally on the right side of the trail." And "placed at regular intervals determined by the character of the trail section and hiker safety."

"Where the trail is conspicuous, place a blaze at five minute intervals about 800 to 1,000 feet apart. in obscure places, place blazes no more than 100 yards apart, but be sure that, accept for junctions, along highways, or in open areas, you can never see more than one blaze at a time."

Note, it says "hiker safety," not hiker convenience. The trail manual specifically warns against too frequent blazes, "such that hikers find quantity unsightly, defacing the natural setting."

Weary

[Mags]

Just as an aside, this is the BMT sub-forum so different standards may apply
to this trail vs the AT.

[weary]

Just as an aside, this is the BMT sub-forum so different standards may apply
to this trail vs the AT.

I mostly work on my town's land trust trails these days. But I use the basic AT guidelines -- mostly because they are simple, sensible, uncomplicated, and preserve a sense of wildness, while preventing people from getting seriously lost. It's hard to control other volunteers, so occasionally I get complaints about too much blazing. So far no one has said there is too little.

[SGT Rock]

No complaints is a good thing.

The BMT goes through some wilderness areas where we have to follow the wilderness area usage rules. That means no blazing. Signs are allowed at intersections of trails.

Also means no power tools like chainsaws and brush cutters. We use two man cross cut saws, swing blades, etc. Not for wimps I can tell you. HOI and I spent 8 hours one day on a single blow down.

[warraghiyagey]

. . . HOI and I spent 8 hours one day on a single blow down.

I didn't know they had redwoods in tennessee. . . .

[Appalachian Tater]

Nothing is as bad as all that blue paint on the side trail to White House Landing.