WHEN and WHERE you first stepped on the AT?

[darkage]

I was about 13-14, bake oven knob parking lot PA .... thought at the time it was just a lookout, didn't know untill i started backpacking that it was alot more than just a parking lot with a trail to a view.

[Trigger Happy Jack]

My first trip to the AT was just a couple of years ago. My Dad took me to GSMNP and showed me around the trail. We only did three miles, but from then on, I was hooked. I've been "sampling" areas of the AT to tide me over until I start my first section hike from Springer Mountain next year.

[Trailweaver]

I was a frequent hiker to Clingman's Dome in the 60's on family vacations. Of course, I'd never heard of the AT at the time, and never made the connection till I actually started hiking the trail later.

My first "intentional" hike of the AT was about seven years ago - Dick's Creek to Unicoi. Fell in love after spending the night listening to an owl making calls during the night.

[GrubbyJohn]

sept 08 pearisburg to dragons tooth. had so much fun i'm leaving sat. for another 10 days.dragons tooth and beyond.

[swamp dawg]

I first set foot on the trail summer of 1964 and the rest is history. I did not get real serious about distance hiking until 1997 and finished all sections with Stinger in Aug 2006. Life is good on the trail....SWAMP DAWG

[MikenSalem]

1972 - My scoutmaster had this plan we would start at Fontana Dam and head south until we had earned the 50 mile badge. He pulled a groin muscle about 10 miles in. We did a forced march, he didn't think he'd be able to move the next morning if we camped.

[l0ngterm]

For me, I'm going to guess sometime 1975-1977 (10-12 yrs old) with my boy scout troop. Troop #127 from RedOak, GA. After that it was at least a once a year trip until the last 5 years when the obsession has grown tremendously with middle age. Now, I'm doing 3 planned trips of 4-10 days and sneaking away for as many weekends as possible.

l0ngterm

[lucky luke]

hi,

december 24, 1984 harriman state park, ny. some ranger sent me the wrong way (north) which i found out some 15 miles later when i go tinvited for a x-mas treat. next morning the guy drove me back to the bridge and i started going south as originaly planned. thats what you get when you have no map, no guide book or anything. my faith into the qualification of uniformed people has severely suffered on that one day. made it all the way to harpers ferry until february. then i was broke and had to get off the trail. came back in 1998 and 1999 to finish the northern and southern section.

happy trails
lucky luke

[Lemni Skate]

Hmmmm, lost in the haze of history for me. I'm sure I was on it when I was as young as 5. It was about 22 years ago when a circuit hike I did near the Priest in Virginia that I really became obsessed with the trail as a thing that went from Maine to Georgia that I was going to need to complete some day.

[emeggke]

Just 10 days ago at Newfound Gap and Clingmans Dome. Walked just a litte bit, but could feel it calling me home. Can't wait to get back to it adn take a long walk.

[XCskiNYC]

Was either on or near it while in summer camp on a hike up toward the top of Mt. Lafayette. We stopped at a hut and from there to the top the trail was mostly above treeline. Threatening weather kept us from continuing.

If that hut is on the AT then that would be my first time.

Otherwise, 01 August 1900 2009, walked in a little way west from NY 403. Considered hiking to Hemlock Springs camping area but because of late hour opted to head back east and stay at Graymoor.

[Tuckahoe]

My first time on the AT was the summer of 1984, in the Smokies near the Pigeon River, with kids from several local church youth groups -- I was 13 about to turn 14.

[Old Grouse]

I remember being on the AT at Connecticut's Macedonia Brook State Park when in the Boy Scouts around 1960. The Trail was later relocated and now passes over the brook farther downstream, closer to Kent. I might have been on some part(s) earlier as a small child in the White Mtns, but have no way to be sure.

[Different Socks]

Wow! Let me think about that one...............hmmmmmmmmm.

If you don't include summiting the Big K, I took my first steps on the AT about 3 years before I did my thru-hike. I was living in Rutland, VT and did a short day hike north of Clarendon Gorge. The white blazes on the trees mystified me.

[MkBibble]

September 12, 2009

[chefjason]

Summer of '86. Scout troop did a one nighter from Woody Gap up and over Blood Mtn down to Neels Gap. The most vivid memory of it for me is having to make a stretcher for a kid who was playing on top of the boulders at the Blood Mtn shelter. He fell off and hurt his hip. We made a stretcher out of trees and binding straps and the scout leaders had to carry him all the way down Blood Mtn NOBO. For those who have hiked that you know how hard that was for them. I never forgot how awesome the view was from the top of Blood Mtn and as soon as I was old enough to start hiking on my own, went right back up that sucker. Them boulders are still there and I would imagine still cracking bones of stupid kids who jump across them.

[unclemjm]

First time on the trail for me would have been 1970 or 71 as a boy scout. I am not sure if the C&O Canal Hike was first or the blue ridge backpacking trip but that was when the bug first bit.

[jmhouse]

I most likely first encountered the AT in Harpers Ferry about 8 years ago, but didn't really know at the time. But that's about when my hiking obsession started to take root.

[hikersc]

My first steps were in the summer of 1973 at the age of 17. We were a scout troop 17. We started in Wesser,NC & went to Dicks Creek Gap,Ga. We went back the next year from Dick's to Amacalola State park. Those were my longest sections hikes. The fire has been in me my whole life to thru hike but will have to wait 9 or 10 mores years til I retire. I did recently make my longest solo PenMar-Harpers Ferry. Now the fire is really there.

[mrhughes1982]

My first time was in 2004. I'd planned on thru-hiking it that year but it fell through. Spent all kinds of money on maps guides and gear but it wasn't the time. Me and friend of mine went to go backpack for a weekend in the Smokies and we stayed in Gatlingburg the night before. We got drunk and he called a girl he liked and made a date so he ended up dropping me off by myself. I came up on the AT from somewheres to a shelter and met some SOBO thru-hikers there. Jack Straw, Comfortably Numb and his son Rabbit. I was amazed by them and really jealous it wasn't me.

Anyhow I was running late on my plan and I asked them for some advice and someone who was from NC told me to take Gunters Fork and I could get down to get be picked up on time. As I went down the trail there was a sign that said impassible during high water. I camped that night and the next day I came to a river without a crossing and it was cold out. The only way across I could see was a downed tree. It was really stupid but I crossed it on my knees leaning over onto my trekking poles. If I had fell in I'd probably have gotten hypothermia. One of the most exciting moments of my life. Made it out and had to sit on the side of I-40 for two and half hours for a ride. Other than that it was a awesome experience.