Increase in Winter NOBOs

[MuddyWaters]

It was MacKaye. He envisioned a trail, with communes, and farms, as a lifestyle cure for the ills of early 20th century industrialization. The idea languished under MacKaye's initial chair of the newly formed ATC, started rolling a bit more under Major Welch's chair, and then when Judge Perkins replaced him as chairman (1928), Perkins brought in Myron Avery, who was as strong a practical builder as MacKaye was a visionary. Avery bulled ahead actually physically building the parts of the AT that weren't linked/done (including ALL of ME), and then Perkins became ill and died (1930-1932) and Avery took over ATC - for the next 22 years. Avery and MacKaye were as compatible as oil and water. MacKaye wanted a completely wilderness trail or nothing. Avery wanted to build the trail. Period. MacKaye, disillusioned, left the ATC in 1937 and co-founded The Wilderness Society. The trail got built - the rest of MacKaye's vision never happened.

The only thing MacKaye got right , was that a trail would be a good idea. To that end, he was also only extending the idea of the Long Trail, he was copying it. He was looking at the long trail when it it occurred to him.

After that, he was completely off base and receives too much credit for the AT . He wasnt exactly a visionary that shaped anything. His vision was unneeded, and unwanted.