A question about Trail magic. I'd like to give back before ever getting-REBOOT IN SF

[Coffee Rules!]

I have a question regarding where would be a good place to set up to do some Trail magic, and maybe about the logistics involved. This forum seemed like the best for it, but if there's a better one, please let me know and I'll post there.
Some of you may have seen my post on here, and that I'm really looking hard at doing a thru hike in 2014. I currently work overseas and I'm home sporadically on vacation. I don't have dates yet, but I'm looking at being home again in late September.
I was wondering if some of you could suggest places that might be likely around then to find a fair number of hikers. I would think by then that the middle of the Trail would be pretty quiet, so near either end would be best. At least that's my best guess. For me, from where I live, near the southern end would be easier, but from what I gather there are fewer SOBO's than NOBO's most of the time.
Along with that, what kind of logistical nightmare am I looking at? I'd love to do some cooking and provide a good meal. I won't say money is no object, but I can spend a nickel or two. However, I don't want to spend a truckload of cash on stuff I have no place to store. I wouldn't mind leaving it behind with someone who's a regular Trail angel, but if there are other possibilities, I'm all ears. Maybe getting together with a regular angel and piggybacking with me providing the food and such.
Also, along with the food, what would be something nice I could have for people to take with them? Something small and light obviously, as I don't want to load folks down. Anything that people often run out of and think, "****, I wish I had more of that?"
There's no guarantee this will happen. It's just in the early thinking stages. I don't mind giving up a few days of my vacation for this, but at the same time I have things I want to do and will have to deconflict scheduling.
TL;DR - I need some suggestions for a Trail magic location in late September.

[Alligator]

Thread rebooted in Straight Forward. Those of you unfamiliar with SF rules, see the SF sticky.

[rocketsocks]

I have a question regarding where would be a good place to set up to do some Trail magic, and maybe about the logistics involved. This forum seemed like the best for it, but if there's a better one, please let me know and I'll post there.
Some of you may have seen my post on here, and that I'm really looking hard at doing a thru hike in 2014. I currently work overseas and I'm home sporadically on vacation. I don't have dates yet, but I'm looking at being home again in late September.
I was wondering if some of you could suggest places that might be likely around then to find a fair number of hikers. I would think by then that the middle of the Trail would be pretty quiet, so near either end would be best. At least that's my best guess. For me, from where I live, near the southern end would be easier, but from what I gather there are fewer SOBO's than NOBO's most of the time.
Along with that, what kind of logistical nightmare am I looking at? I'd love to do some cooking and provide a good meal. I won't say money is no object, but I can spend a nickel or two. However, I don't want to spend a truckload of cash on stuff I have no place to store. I wouldn't mind leaving it behind with someone who's a regular Trail angel, but if there are other possibilities, I'm all ears. Maybe getting together with a regular angel and piggybacking with me providing the food and such.
Also, along with the food, what would be something nice I could have for people to take with them? Something small and light obviously, as I don't want to load folks down. Anything that people often run out of and think, "****, I wish I had more of that?"
There's no guarantee this will happen. It's just in the early thinking stages. I don't mind giving up a few days of my vacation for this, but at the same time I have things I want to do and will have to deconflict scheduling.
TL;DR - I need some suggestions for a Trail magic location in late September.

Water is scarce in the summer at times,can't go wrong with drinks to White Blaze.You could throw in some bread too,bagels or something.As far as where,NJ is dry in the summer,PA in the north also is dry.....

[WIAPilot]

Bagels with cold cream cheese and Diet Dr. Pepper sounds so good! LOL But I don't think you can top freshly grilled hamburgers! And dessert! Yum!! I personally think you should plan on doing this next year!

Another suggestion is to get to know the regulars on WB who live really close to the trail. When the time comes, perhaps they would be happy to help you with the logistics of everything?

[Coffee Rules!]

Hmmm...Alligator does your comment regarding the sticky about SF mean if I make even a slightly off topic comment in MY OWN THREAD that it'll be deleted? If so I may not stick around here after all. It's bad enough I woke up to fascism this morning with a PM from an admin ordering me to select a new username, because the current one must have offended the delicate sensibilities of someone. Or maybe someone who doesn't like me just pretended to be offended. Hmmm...

WIA, I think I love you.

Everyone who offered constructive comments since I went to bed last night: THANK YOU. Everyone who just felt the need to strut their ruffled feathers over the fact that the Trail is changing and your stuffed shirt doesn't like it: Mehh.

While I do appreciate the constructive comments, I do resent the implication in some of them that I would do any of the ridiculous things mentioned, or the assumption I would without your guidance. Folks, I'm doing a LOT of research, to include looking into policies/rules/opinions. I may be new to hiking and the AT community, but I'm not a fu**tard. Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence until guilt is proven? Oh, wait...I forget what I woke up to this morning.

[crispy2104]

Bagels with cold cream cheese and Diet Dr. Pepper sounds so good! LOL But I don't think you can top freshly grilled hamburgers! And dessert! Yum!! I personally think you should plan on doing this next year!

Another suggestion is to get to know the regulars on WB who live really close to the trail. When the time comes, perhaps they would be happy to help you with the logistics of everything?

I'm new to the site as well, and have been looking into section hiking the AT(possible thru-hike when kidos are older). I have been Geocaching for a few years now. I notice on a few forum and movie/short films, people leaving food or drinks as trail magic. With Geocaching they don't recommend hiding food, animals most likely will find them first. What do thru hikers do different to avoid animals from finding the trail magic? I want to leave some trail magic, while I section hiking for the thru hikers.

Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk 2

[Coffee Rules!]

Crispy, I've wondered how they do that also. In videos I've seen it's mostly been drinks left in coolers, but there was at least one with food. I don't know if maybe the folks leaving those coolers are leaving them on sections they know will be heavily traveled and are counting on hiker volume keeping animals away or something. Seems a little bit risky I'd think.

Whatever I decide to do, if it involves food, I won't be just dropping it off and leaving. I'll find a place that meets as much of the variously suggested criteria as is sensibly possible, and do my thing, then take everything away with me.

[Don H]

Quite Paul does trail magic for the NOBOs in Sam's Gap, TN every year. He sets up at the road crossing with a grill and cooks breakfast for everyone as they come through. He has a small sign he sets up at the shelter just before the gap so everyone knows if the sign is there he will be cooking breakfast the next morning. He cooks a huge breakfast! I went through there last year around the first of April. Funny thing was two months latter I'm in PA near Rausch Gap early one morning and I pass a guy going south who looks familar. We stop to talk and I realize it's Quite Paul out for a section hike. I thanked him again and he seemed very pleased that someone recognized him. He said most hikers don't.

So you could do something like Paul does, or you could leave a cooler with sodas in it along the trail. I did that in NH. If you leave anything on the trail go back at the end of the day and pick up the trash and take everything out, don't leave anything behind. On a hot day there's nothing better than a cold soda.

[Coffee Rules!]

Thanks, Don.

[Meg Wilson Author]

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B006RG48CC is your link to TRAIL MAGIC if you want it. Just LIKE my page and then look for me around Monson this weekend for shuttles to Shaws and Lakeshore. When you're ready, we'll move on to Greenville for supplies. NOBOs will find me in wilderness, SOBOs will find me at trailhead. But please, don't forget to LIKE me so I can thank you on the trail! http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B006RG48CC

[jakedatc]

DO NOT Leave coolers. what the hell about leave no trace do you not get? that is the ONE thing in the ATC guidelines that they are most adamant about. you hang bear bags, use bear boxes, hang your pack in shelters for a reason.

"Spontaneous acts of generosity and hospitality provided by “Trail Angels” are one
of the A.T.’s hallmarks. "Trail magic" can be a wonderful thing when done in ways that is not
harmful to trail resources, wildlife, or the experience of hikers. However, there is a growing
concern in the A.T. community that Trail Magic is evolving in ways that are inconsistent with
the intended “Trail Experience” defined by the ATC’s Board of Managers: "

Potential Problems
a) Alteration of the intended “Trail Experience” that emphasizes primitive values, unspoiled
nature, solitude, and self-reliance. The expanding size and number of organized feeds (over
40 last year) also conflicts with guidance in the A.T. Comprehensive Plan, which states that
hikers should traverse the Trail “by their own unaided efforts.” Continued proliferation of
these large scale events could also lead to the expectation among thru-hikers that “organized
Trail Magic” is an entitlement.
b) Threats to wildlife from ingesting food wrappers or associating food with human scents, trails,
and shelters. Wildlife will eventually find unattended food and eat both food and wrappers,
and strew trash along the trail. Food-attracted bears threaten visitor safety and must be killed.
c) Threats to hiker safety from eating unrefrigerated foods left along the trail or at multi-day
feeds. Leaving re-used jugs of water for hikers in long dry stretches allows the possibility for

unintended or intended contamination. Hikers who depend on such services are in jeopardy
when they are not provided.
d) Excessive crowding and trampling-related impacts to vegetation and soil at and in areas near
event locations when hikers bunch up to attend large events. This affects all hikers and
creates problems at work-for-stay sites and in areas that receive high visitation but have fixed
numbers of overnight sites. Resource impacts occur quickly but recovery requires more than
a year.
e) Damage to volunteer morale. Trail maintainers who are already overworked may additionally
have to clean up trash left on their sections or work to rehabilitate impacted event sites. These
volunteers may receive less awareness, appreciation, or recognition from hikers, the media
and the public due to an increased focus on Trail Angels.
f) Siphons prospective trail volunteers away from more essential trail maintenance activities.
g) Violations of regulations or policies addressing length-of-stay, signage (advertising), group
uses, and health agency food preparation/storage practices. Charging money or asking for
donations is also problematic.



It's amazing how a few can ruin things for many.

[Jeff]

Quite Paul does trail magic for the NOBOs in Sam's Gap, TN every year. He sets up at the road crossing with a grill and cooks breakfast for everyone as they come through. He has a small sign he sets up at the shelter just before the gap so everyone knows if the sign is there he will be cooking breakfast the next morning. He cooks a huge breakfast! I went through there last year around the first of April. Funny thing was two months latter I'm in PA near Rausch Gap early one morning and I pass a guy going south who looks familar. We stop to talk and I realize it's Quite Paul out for a section hike. I thanked him again and he seemed very pleased that someone recognized him. He said most hikers don't.

So you could do something like Paul does, or you could leave a cooler with sodas in it along the trail. I did that in NH. If you leave anything on the trail go back at the end of the day and pick up the trash and take everything out, don't leave anything behind. On a hot day there's nothing better than a cold soda.

We had a Quiet Paul stay with us in 2009. Must be the same guy...not a real common trailname:

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=482032

[Cookerhiker]

Much more to Trail Magic than hiker feeds & coolers. Again, I wish the ATC had used better terminology.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?83909-Best-Trail-Magic

[max patch]

I need some suggestions for a Trail magic location in late September.[/B]

First, lets get our definitions correct; "trail magic" is not a "trail feed" which is what you are describing.

The ATC says that "trail feeds" should not be done for many reasons, but goes on to state that if you insist on doing one that it be done OFF THE TRAIL and SHOULD NOT BE ADVERTISED.

With that in mind, I'd suggest setting up in downtown Stratton, ME.

[moldy]

However, there is a growing
concern in the A.T. community that Trail Magic is evolving in ways that are inconsistent with
the intended “Trail Experience” defined by the ATC’s Board of Managers: "
It's too bad ATC's Board of Managers don't include thru-hikers as members of the "A.T. Community." My question is; how did the ATC and the trail clubs get so far out of touch with the hikers? I think it may be time for "Hiker Spring", we need to take back the meaning of, "Trail Experience". When it comes to trail magic we just need to do the right thing. We might want to bring some white paint and fix that blazing shortage while we are at it.

[Coffee Rules!]

Much more to Trail Magic than hiker feeds & coolers.

As stated multiple times now, I KNOW THAT. It's what I'm able to work into my vacation and want to do. I did also say that I liked the suggestion about shuttling hikers here and there.

Bottom line here is, as I have said, I'm not spending my damn vacation doing trail maintenance. It's a vacation from a *****ty, fairly austere environment. I'm not going to go do hard labor. At some point in the future, it sounds like a great idea. Not this time.

[Coffee Rules!]

First, lets get our definitions correct; "trail magic" is not a "trail feed" which is what you are describing.
.

Again, YOUR definition. I've seen and read enough to know that MANY hikers appreciate it. As others have said multiple times, perhaps the ATC should actually consult some thru hikers. I know, it's a crazy logical thought.

On another note, is there a way to ignore people on this forum like there are some others? I've about had my fill of Jakey Boy.

[Coffee Rules!]

**That is, appreciate it AND consider it trail magic.

Note to self: Friggin' proofread!

[jakedatc]

Maybe Thru hikers could sack the hell up and carry their own food like it used to be ? Trail feeds are turning it into supported hiking

Thru hikers use an area for 1 day. the maintainers and locals use those sections year round. who should have the most input?


By the way, only 72 people made it to Springer SOBO last year.. not exactly a large contingent to try to track down.

[max patch]

[B][COLOR=#000000]It's too bad ATC's Board of Managers don't include thru-hikers as members of the "A.T. Community."

They are and they do.

At least 2 members of the Board have completed thru hikes and a 3rd is a 2,000 miler by sectioning.

Almost 100% of the Board members are avid hikers so theres your "community".

They don't make up policies in a vacuumn.