Earl Shaffer's missing sections in 1948

[rickb]

I just clicked on the blue link to James's W McNeely's 164 page report on the actual route of Earl Shaffer's reported thru hike and was taken aback by the amount of research that went into the project, and the level of detail he provides. Are there any on-line discussion here on WB or elsewhere regarding this project? Given the many, many miles of Trail that Earl Shaffer seems to have missed, and the rides he is said to have accepted to move further down the AT, I would imagine this research has garnered a great deal of attention.

[CrumbSnatcher]

Earls the man! put that in your report

[Cookerhiker]

I recently re-read Walking with Spring and there's no doubt that Earl missed some sections in places where the Trail was completely obliterated. This raises the question - how can you have "missed" the section if the section in effect doesn't exist because of non-blazes, total overgrowth, logging, development?

I don't recall Earl accepting many rides per the book, especially northbound rides that were tantamount to skipping the "trail" such that it was.

[Grampie]

Let's not start digging up dirt on Earl's trip. He was a quality guy that never touted the fact that he was a thru-hiker. He just did the deed first. Something we all should respect.

[vamelungeon]

It is an interesting report and is the result of some exhaustive research. I personally don't fear truth and don't see research as "digging up dirt" but simply digging up facts. Facts aren't dirt.

[Cookerhiker]

It is an interesting report and is the result of some exhaustive research. I personally don't fear truth and don't see research as "digging up dirt" but simply digging up facts. Facts aren't dirt.

I agree totally with you - if only "facts" were so cut-and-dry. If the map at the time shows the "trail" going from Point A to Point B and Earl missed it because there really was no trail, then what's the "fact" - the by-the book line on a map or reality on the ground?

[Grampie]

It is an interesting report and is the result of some exhaustive research. I personally don't fear truth and don't see research as "digging up dirt" but simply digging up facts. Facts aren't dirt.

"leave a sleeping dog lie."

[Beachcomber]

If the map at the time shows the "trail" going from Point A to Point B and Earl missed it because there really was no trail, then what's the "fact" - the by-the book line on a map or reality on the ground?

Well, seems to me both are "facts," and like so much in real life and history, incompatible facts can be reconciled, or we can accept ambiguity. The witness says the mapped trail didn't exist in walkable condition and he found a way around it, so we have a better understanding of that factual conflict was resolved.

[max patch]

How long did Earl's speed hike record last?

[hikerboy57]

as I recall from the book, he never took rides that put him further along the trail, so i still consider him the first true thru, even if he may have to have detoured in a few places.The trails been rerouted a number of times since then, so whats the "true" route?I think its a moot point. He also accepted trail magic, so i guess crucifixion is in order.

[Majortrauma]

Facts aren't dirt.

Well said.

[Rain Man]

I just clicked on the blue link ...

The "blue link"??? You already lost me.

Rain Man

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[Sly]

This raises the question - how can you have "missed" the section if the section in effect doesn't exist because of non-blazes, total overgrowth, logging, development?

Sounds like many a day on the CDT, in which case the route you walk is the trail.

[Mags]

Sounds like many a day on the CDT, in which case the route you walk is the trail.

Indeed. And if he did 'skip' sections, it is like the PCT and CDT in recent years. Sections of the trail are closed due to fires and a hiker has to hitch around them.

[moytoy]

The "blue link"??? You already lost me.

Rain Man

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under articles>reports

[emerald]

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/articles...port--509.html

The document doesn't wrap right for me when viewed within WhiteBlaze. If anyone else has the same issue, I recommend downloading it to a local drive. I was able to view it as expected when I opened the *.pdf with Acrobat.

[Dogwood]

Sounds like many a day on the CDT, in which case the route you walk is the trail.

Indeed. And if he did 'skip' sections, it is like the PCT and CDT in recent years. Sections of the trail are closed due to fires and a hiker has to hitch around them.

Yeah these things do happen on the CDT BUT there are also those who will SKIP/AVOID hiking available open blazed mapped CDT tread just too shorten their trail mileage too in the quest of "Gettin er dun."

[rickb]

Indeed. And if he did 'skip' sections, it is like the PCT and CDT in recent years. Sections of the trail are closed due to fires and a hiker has to hitch around them.

Of those who have posted in this thread, I am thinking only me and perhaps one other have bothered to look at that 164 page report.

And I am sure we only skimmed the surface.

It is a remarkable piece of research.

[hikerboy57]

It IS a remarkable piece of research(I havent read all of it yet, still sifting through), but it diminishes what he was able to accomplish. Anyone whos read WWS can clearly see that he "blue-blazed" quite a bit, and its obviuos he did not walk every mile oif the AT. The lack of maps and guides, using road maps as his only guide, it makes the journey even more remarkable.Keep in mind, when he set out, a thru hike was considered to be absolutely "impossible". Earl showed us it aint.

[emerald]

I expect to spend more time studying McNeely's report because I am interested in how the A.T. has changed over time and what it will offer to future hikers.

His effort doesn't serve to diminish Shaffer's accomplishment at all. Some may be surprised to learn Shaffer himself didn't think of his 3rd long hike as a through hike in the strictest sense.

It may be somewhat off-topic, but I am concerned about the excessive emphasis on through hiking I see today. McNeely's report is more interesting to me as an attempt at reconstructing the 1948 route.

People seem quick to forget the fact that Myron Avery was the 1st 2000 miler and without his contributions there wouldn't have been a through hike in 1948. Avery's accomplishments were no less impressive and should be remembered along with Shaffer's by today's hikers.