Top 5 Things That Changed While You Weren't Looking
1-Towns ain’t what they used to be. Up to this point it’s
been an all or nothing proposition. Either it’s a town or it’s
not. And if it’s a town, it’s had all or most of what you
needed. For the next 500 miles or so that is going to
change dramatically. One town will have good groceries or
a Post Office close to the trail or a good place to eat but not
all three and maybe only one. This means you have to do a
little more homework planning your resupply stops.
2-Lower mountains higher prices. This is most keenly
felt in lodging prices where running a hostel goes from being
a labor of love to financial suicide and the hotel and motel
prices are sharply higher than they have been so far. More
of your town days may need to start and/or end on the trail.
3-You. Particularly when it comes to mileage. You’re
probably in as good a shape as you’ve ever been. Your pack
weight is down to a science and you know how to rack up
some big days. All of which is fine. Still wouldn’t hurt to
look up once in a while.
4-Look out, States! After a seemingly interminable trip
through Virginia, it’s only natural to want to buzz through
the smaller states. You’ve only done four of the fourteen
states on the trail and the next seven or eight look like easy
pickings. Don’t look down on states with fewer AT miles.
Take each one for what it is.
5-Changes in the land. Not only has the height of the
mountains been coming down steadily, so has the width.
Instead of looking across at multiple ridges, you’re maybe
looking at one ridge much further away and soon you’ll be
looking down on flat countryside. The focus and the
priorities will shift as well.
Top 5 Annoying Things About Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry is a Milestone
not a trail town. Here's why;
1-No Groceries. Saw that long write-up and assumed they
had everything, didn’t you!
2-High Room Rates. When there’s a race at Martinsburg
LOOK OUT!!
3-No Laundromat. Great way to meet the folks...oh yeah.
4-Historic Park. It’s such a small space already. There just
isn’t room for much else
5-No gathering spot. Because of the high room rates and
the other limitations mentioned above, there just isn’t one
spot where you’re likely to see your fellow hikers.
Top 5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Rush Through Maryland
1-It’s pretty. Whichever end you started from and
whenever you started, you’re likely to be arriving at a nice
time of year. And places like Gathland State Park and
the Dahlgren Chapel are worth seeing at a leisurely pace.
2-Do the Math. Let’s say you decide to do all 40 miles of
Maryland in one day. How many miles do you think you’re
going to be doing the next day? And if you took an extra
day to rest up for it in Harper’s Ferry you’re accomplishing
in three days what you would have otherwise done in,
hmm...three days.
3-Weverton Cliffs. Better in daylight.
4-Washington Monument. Not that you won’t see or
enjoy it the other way. Just put some thought into what
it might be like to take it, or any other point of interest
in for a sunrise or sunset.
5-Rough Ending. Devils Racecourse won’t challenge
Mahoosuc Notch any time soon as the roughest part of
the trail. But in my case it was enough to end my quest
for the Maryland Challenge.
Top 5 Things About The Rocks
What Hikers Really Mean When
They Talk About 'The Rocks'
They Talk About 'The Rocks'
1-There’s Not Much Else to Look at. If there were big dramatic sweeping views, hellacious climbs or insane river crossings, you’d be talking about those. Since there are few or none of the above people talk about rocks.
2-There’s Not Much Else to Think About. Mileage is probably going well, whatever issues you were having with other hikers has been resolved one way or another and serious mountains are still a long way off.
3-That’s What There is to Complain About. It’s not extremely hot or cold when most thru-hikers go through PA and the people in their no-frills northern way are quite helpful.
4-I’m Hiking Like Crazy With No Plan. When the trail towns don’t mesh naturally with the rest and resupply rhythm you had going up through Virginia, planning tends to suffer. And that goes for planning what things to enjoy as well as where to get a burger or groceries.
5-There Actually Are Some Rocks. Overstatement doesn’t mean it’s a complete lie. There are rocks and stretches that go on for quite a while of eneven footing that can make long days that much longer
Top 5 Places You Didn't Expect to Enjoy
1-St Anthony’s Wilderness. I read the description and
said ‘these people must be desperate’. Give it time. Once
you climb out of the industrial hell that is the Susquehanna
River, St Anthony’s will work its woodland magic on you.
2-Delaware Water Gap. Anticipation is building at this
point to get to the last town in PA so it’s not like there isn’t
any excitement already. The last stretch north of Wolf Rocks
has intermittent views as you get closer and closer to the
Delaware River and dramatic Mt Tammany.
3-Michaux State Forest. Not as remote as St Anthony’s
and tends to be broken up more by the need to get
groceries than by the section itself. Mostly, this is a nice
introduction to the Pennsylvania woods.
4-The Knife Edge (Bake Oven Knob). No, it won’t
challenge Katahdin’s Knife Edge any time soon and I was
blessed with the additional challenge of doing it in the
rain. And maybe that’s why I liked it. When you have
to work harder for something, you appreciate it more.
5-The People. I admit it. I’m biased. I’m not from PA
but one of my best friends was so Pennsylvanians have
always had a special place in my heart. Still, the many
acts of kindness from complete strangers who had no
connection to the trail whatsoever was above and beyond
that of any other state on my thru-hike.
said ‘these people must be desperate’. Give it time. Once
you climb out of the industrial hell that is the Susquehanna
River, St Anthony’s will work its woodland magic on you.
2-Delaware Water Gap. Anticipation is building at this
point to get to the last town in PA so it’s not like there isn’t
any excitement already. The last stretch north of Wolf Rocks
has intermittent views as you get closer and closer to the
Delaware River and dramatic Mt Tammany.
3-Michaux State Forest. Not as remote as St Anthony’s
and tends to be broken up more by the need to get
groceries than by the section itself. Mostly, this is a nice
introduction to the Pennsylvania woods.
4-The Knife Edge (Bake Oven Knob). No, it won’t
challenge Katahdin’s Knife Edge any time soon and I was
blessed with the additional challenge of doing it in the
rain. And maybe that’s why I liked it. When you have
to work harder for something, you appreciate it more.
5-The People. I admit it. I’m biased. I’m not from PA
but one of my best friends was so Pennsylvanians have
always had a special place in my heart. Still, the many
acts of kindness from complete strangers who had no
connection to the trail whatsoever was above and beyond
that of any other state on my thru-hike.
Top 5 Things That Mess Up Town Planning
1-Spacing. What do you do when you have two great
towns eight miles apart and the next one nineteen miles
away? And it all comes after 100 miles of no long term
resupply within a mile of the trail. It’s feast or famine
and it presents some interesting choices.
2-Towns without services. Not every town will have
every thing. Some services will be close to the trail, others
won’t be. Great trail town will have some unusual gaps in
what they can offer you. Read the companion carefully.
3-Services without towns. Some things you need will be
close to the trail and not ‘in town’ at all. Don’t be afraid to
take advantage of these. The one thing to be careful of is
the tendency to overeat at nearby restaraunts making that
mile or so back to the trail slow and occasionally involving
a dash into the woods.
4-Milestones. It’s only natural to say that you’re at the
beginning or end or some fraction of the way through a
state and want to stay there. Pennsylvania doesn’t work
that way. You’ll have trouble finding groceries in Delaware
Water Gap and trouble finding a town at Pen-Mar.
5-Compound Effect. When you go without being able to
stop and plan things out things can get out of whack. It’s
not so much that you stick religiously to a plan just that
you have one to work from.
towns eight miles apart and the next one nineteen miles
away? And it all comes after 100 miles of no long term
resupply within a mile of the trail. It’s feast or famine
and it presents some interesting choices.
2-Towns without services. Not every town will have
every thing. Some services will be close to the trail, others
won’t be. Great trail town will have some unusual gaps in
what they can offer you. Read the companion carefully.
3-Services without towns. Some things you need will be
close to the trail and not ‘in town’ at all. Don’t be afraid to
take advantage of these. The one thing to be careful of is
the tendency to overeat at nearby restaraunts making that
mile or so back to the trail slow and occasionally involving
a dash into the woods.
4-Milestones. It’s only natural to say that you’re at the
beginning or end or some fraction of the way through a
state and want to stay there. Pennsylvania doesn’t work
that way. You’ll have trouble finding groceries in Delaware
Water Gap and trouble finding a town at Pen-Mar.
5-Compound Effect. When you go without being able to
stop and plan things out things can get out of whack. It’s
not so much that you stick religiously to a plan just that
you have one to work from.
Top 5 Viewpoints (Such as they are)
1-Mt Minsi. Mt Tammany with its angled crust is the main
feature here. I can’t think of any other mountain like it on
the AT.
2-Blue Mt (above Lehigh Gap). Admit it. If it wasn’t for
all the pollution burning everything right off this mountain
you wouldn’t have a cool view. It’s OK. The rocky ascent is
sufficient pennance.
3-The Pinnacle. Dramatic stone ledge looking out onto...
well... it’s looking out on an area that’s as flat as a pancake,
OK. It’s a nice farmy non-urban flat as a pancake.
4-501. As in Route 501. All that slugging along up the ridge
just get up to parking level. For once the bird watchers have
it right over the hikers. It’s still a nice view. Console yourself
with a pizza delivered to the shelter across the road.
5-Hawk Rock. Nice mountain. Nice rock. I’ll even say it’s a
nice river from that distance. Duncannon makes up in soul
what it lacks in beauty unfortunately that doesn’t help here.
This is a good viewpoint to a fairly unattractive industrial town.
feature here. I can’t think of any other mountain like it on
the AT.
2-Blue Mt (above Lehigh Gap). Admit it. If it wasn’t for
all the pollution burning everything right off this mountain
you wouldn’t have a cool view. It’s OK. The rocky ascent is
sufficient pennance.
3-The Pinnacle. Dramatic stone ledge looking out onto...
well... it’s looking out on an area that’s as flat as a pancake,
OK. It’s a nice farmy non-urban flat as a pancake.
4-501. As in Route 501. All that slugging along up the ridge
just get up to parking level. For once the bird watchers have
it right over the hikers. It’s still a nice view. Console yourself
with a pizza delivered to the shelter across the road.
5-Hawk Rock. Nice mountain. Nice rock. I’ll even say it’s a
nice river from that distance. Duncannon makes up in soul
what it lacks in beauty unfortunately that doesn’t help here.
This is a good viewpoint to a fairly unattractive industrial town.
Top 5 Things About Mt Kittatinny
1-Long Views. The region around the mountain is
pleasant enough. What really made it interesting were
the views along the ridge back into Pennsylvania broken
only by the Delaware River.
2-High Point. You need good visibility to get the full
impact but it's a real treat if you do. Alleghenies to the west,
Catskills to the north and the NY AT to the east.
3-Long Time Gone. You thought it was going to be one
long truck stop or some kind of black hole until you got
back into the mountains. Didn't you. Well, you're on this
mountain for a while, as in 50 miles. It may be New Jersey,
but it's also still the AT.
4-Bears. Can you say 'loss of habitat'. In this case, the
lowland's loss is our wilderness gain. Use the bear boxes
and if you happen to meet one, stay calm and let them
mosey along.
5-Culver's Gap. Specifically the bakery in Culver's Gap
is the right thing at the right time. If you spend the night
at Brink Road shelter, you'll hit it in time for some yummy
morning treats.
Honorable Mention-Gren Andersen Privy.
We're all friends aren't we?
pleasant enough. What really made it interesting were
the views along the ridge back into Pennsylvania broken
only by the Delaware River.
2-High Point. You need good visibility to get the full
impact but it's a real treat if you do. Alleghenies to the west,
Catskills to the north and the NY AT to the east.
3-Long Time Gone. You thought it was going to be one
long truck stop or some kind of black hole until you got
back into the mountains. Didn't you. Well, you're on this
mountain for a while, as in 50 miles. It may be New Jersey,
but it's also still the AT.
4-Bears. Can you say 'loss of habitat'. In this case, the
lowland's loss is our wilderness gain. Use the bear boxes
and if you happen to meet one, stay calm and let them
mosey along.
5-Culver's Gap. Specifically the bakery in Culver's Gap
is the right thing at the right time. If you spend the night
at Brink Road shelter, you'll hit it in time for some yummy
morning treats.
Honorable Mention-Gren Andersen Privy.
We're all friends aren't we?
Top 5 Reasons New York is Harder Than You Think
1-New York Rollercoaster. At least you'll have some
views to show for it. Don't let those altitudes fool you,
these are steep and sudden. Making good mileage has
more to do with being in good shape than it does with
ease of travel.
2-Water. Trail Angels will do what they can. There's
still some pretty significant gaps where water is not
easy to come by.
3-Shelter Spacing. The longest distance between
shelters on the entire AT is in NY. South of Bear Mt the
spacing is such that you have to choose between a really
short day or a really long one. If I had it to do over, I'd
camp out more.
4-Grocery Distance. You're not just on the edge of
town, you're as far from the center of town as you can get.
By AT standards, these towns are huge and would take
forever to get in and out of. More often than not when
the guide book says groceries, it means convenience stores.
5-Lodging Prices. World capital of everything. Supply
and demand. Do the math.
views to show for it. Don't let those altitudes fool you,
these are steep and sudden. Making good mileage has
more to do with being in good shape than it does with
ease of travel.
2-Water. Trail Angels will do what they can. There's
still some pretty significant gaps where water is not
easy to come by.
3-Shelter Spacing. The longest distance between
shelters on the entire AT is in NY. South of Bear Mt the
spacing is such that you have to choose between a really
short day or a really long one. If I had it to do over, I'd
camp out more.
4-Grocery Distance. You're not just on the edge of
town, you're as far from the center of town as you can get.
By AT standards, these towns are huge and would take
forever to get in and out of. More often than not when
the guide book says groceries, it means convenience stores.
5-Lodging Prices. World capital of everything. Supply
and demand. Do the math.
Top 5 Viewpoints
1-Anthony's Nose. One of the few sections of the AT to
be closed during wartime due to its excellent vantage point
over Hudson River. Great view across to Bear Mountain
and Hessian Lake. All it needs is a better name.
2-Shenandoah Mt. One of several rocky open summits,
this one features a lovely view down on Canopus Lake.
3-West Mt. At this point the landscape is returning to the
long ridges typical of the trail further south and West Mt
is the best place to see it. The valley is surprisingly green
for having a commuter rail line.
4-Prospect Rock. Welcome to the NY rollercoaster.
It's still a great viewpoint to the mountains around and
Greenwood Lake below.
5-Bear Mt. A bit too much love (as in too many people)
on this one dodging in and out of the road on the way up.
Still, it's a fun mountain and the park as a whole is a gem.
be closed during wartime due to its excellent vantage point
over Hudson River. Great view across to Bear Mountain
and Hessian Lake. All it needs is a better name.
2-Shenandoah Mt. One of several rocky open summits,
this one features a lovely view down on Canopus Lake.
3-West Mt. At this point the landscape is returning to the
long ridges typical of the trail further south and West Mt
is the best place to see it. The valley is surprisingly green
for having a commuter rail line.
4-Prospect Rock. Welcome to the NY rollercoaster.
It's still a great viewpoint to the mountains around and
Greenwood Lake below.
5-Bear Mt. A bit too much love (as in too many people)
on this one dodging in and out of the road on the way up.
Still, it's a fun mountain and the park as a whole is a gem.
Top 5 Things To Enjoy
1-Bear Mt. No, not the one in NY although that one's
pretty cool too. This Bear Mt is part of a plateau that
sprawls into three states and includes several interesting
mountains that the trail will follow into Massachusetts.
2-Ten Mile River. For a river I had never heard of despite
growing up in New England the Ten Mile was quite a
discovery. Wide and wild, it was running strong and told
me to expect the unexpected.
3-Trail Towns. Despite being too expensive to stay in,
I LOVED Kent and Salisbury. Nearby shelters made it
easy to make it in for breakfast. Funky grocery stores,
good ice-cream and the right amount of attention.
4-Unique Shelters. Connecticut is the most strict of all
the AT states when it comes to camping (designated sites
only). To soften the blow, Riga Shelter has a lovely view to
the east and Stewart Hollow Brook sits across from active
railroad tracks.
5-Rand's View. This one kind of comes out of nowhere.
All of a sudden, you have the full Bear Mt/ South Taconic
range right in front of you. What a treat.
pretty cool too. This Bear Mt is part of a plateau that
sprawls into three states and includes several interesting
mountains that the trail will follow into Massachusetts.
2-Ten Mile River. For a river I had never heard of despite
growing up in New England the Ten Mile was quite a
discovery. Wide and wild, it was running strong and told
me to expect the unexpected.
3-Trail Towns. Despite being too expensive to stay in,
I LOVED Kent and Salisbury. Nearby shelters made it
easy to make it in for breakfast. Funky grocery stores,
good ice-cream and the right amount of attention.
4-Unique Shelters. Connecticut is the most strict of all
the AT states when it comes to camping (designated sites
only). To soften the blow, Riga Shelter has a lovely view to
the east and Stewart Hollow Brook sits across from active
railroad tracks.
5-Rand's View. This one kind of comes out of nowhere.
All of a sudden, you have the full Bear Mt/ South Taconic
range right in front of you. What a treat.
Top 5 From the Top & Bottom
Massachusetts best features happen at the
northern and southern ends of the state
(with a rather dull stretch in between)
northern and southern ends of the state
(with a rather dull stretch in between)
1-Race Mt. It’s one of the few times walking on the edge of
a cliff doesn’t feel like walking on the edge of a cliff. It’s a
dramatic drop to the east to a flat with some smaller
mountains opposite. The ledge goes on for a while making
this a view you can enjoy for a while.
2-Mt Greylock. Massachusetts’ highest mountain and
the first over 3000’ since Shenandoah. The best view is
from the tower which is not always open. Still it’s a good
view from the summit with a nice little pond on the way up.
3-Mt Everett. You have to stand on your tiptoes to get a
look around. Mt Race gives you the best look FROM range.
Mt Everett gives you the best view OF the range.
4-Prospect Mt. This is kind of a throw-in between
Williamstown and Mt Greylock. The AT doesn’t even go to
the top. What it does is capture an open ledge with a view
across to the Taconics. I was lucky enough to catch it at
sunset on the way into town.
5-Sages Ravine. Some woods are just cooler than others.
And not because it’s where the AT enters my home state
from the south. Sages is one of those magical wooded
spots winding along next to a stream that you envisioned
when you started.
Top 5 Things in the Middle
From the end of the Bear-Race-Everett group to
the Mt Greylock group, scenery can be a little slim.
This too shall pass.
1-The Cobbles. I’ve read the definition of a cobble a hundred times and I still don’t get it. However, ledge over Cheshire listed as “The Cobbles” is pretty cool. Nice view into the valley from a narrow rocky stretch of trail.
2-Warner Hill. Weather permitting a view to Mt Greylock 20 or so trail miles away over flat forest.
East Mt. If you can’t be on a mountain with a nice view, console youself by looking at mountains in the distance that do. There’s a view back to the Race-Everett group that shows off its length.
4-Benedict Pond. All right. Now we’re reaching a bit. It’s a nice pond. It’s a break from the woods. Beats being in jail.
5-Ice Gulch. I nteresting formation in the woods near the North Wilcox Shelter. It’s a bit like walking in the center of a huge ice tray with blocks missing, blocks of ground. That’s overselling it a bit but it’s still interesting.
Honorable Mention-Goose Pond.
1-The Cobbles. I’ve read the definition of a cobble a hundred times and I still don’t get it. However, ledge over Cheshire listed as “The Cobbles” is pretty cool. Nice view into the valley from a narrow rocky stretch of trail.
2-Warner Hill. Weather permitting a view to Mt Greylock 20 or so trail miles away over flat forest.
East Mt. If you can’t be on a mountain with a nice view, console youself by looking at mountains in the distance that do. There’s a view back to the Race-Everett group that shows off its length.
4-Benedict Pond. All right. Now we’re reaching a bit. It’s a nice pond. It’s a break from the woods. Beats being in jail.
5-Ice Gulch. I nteresting formation in the woods near the North Wilcox Shelter. It’s a bit like walking in the center of a huge ice tray with blocks missing, blocks of ground. That’s overselling it a bit but it’s still interesting.
Honorable Mention-Goose Pond.
Top 5 Things to Look Forward To Heading North
1-Dalton. Finally a trail town. The first since Duncannon
that’s actually on the trail. The trail has a kind of symmetry
both with the well-defined on-the-trail trail towns and the
more dramatic mountains being at the far ends of the AT.
Ever so slowly, you are leaving the boredom of the mid-
Atlantic states and getting to the good stuff.
2-Williamstown/North Adams. Two very different
towns that merge into each other along Route 2. The cool
part is there’s a bus that runs frequently that will stop
almost anywhere along its route making it easy to enjoy
either upscale collegiate Williamstown or grittier North
Adams.
3-Cheshire. Any town where you can walk to a pizza
place from the trail is OK with me.
4-MA Pike island. I made up the name but not the place.
Workable camping spot once you tune out the road noise.
It’s just north of the footbridge that crosses over Interstate 90.
5-Changes in the land. Although the ridges are not as
obvious as Pennsylvania or Virginia you can see the same
process at work. The Appalachians are getting wider and
there are more mountains of equal height to look at
especially from Mt Greylock.
that’s actually on the trail. The trail has a kind of symmetry
both with the well-defined on-the-trail trail towns and the
more dramatic mountains being at the far ends of the AT.
Ever so slowly, you are leaving the boredom of the mid-
Atlantic states and getting to the good stuff.
2-Williamstown/North Adams. Two very different
towns that merge into each other along Route 2. The cool
part is there’s a bus that runs frequently that will stop
almost anywhere along its route making it easy to enjoy
either upscale collegiate Williamstown or grittier North
Adams.
3-Cheshire. Any town where you can walk to a pizza
place from the trail is OK with me.
4-MA Pike island. I made up the name but not the place.
Workable camping spot once you tune out the road noise.
It’s just north of the footbridge that crosses over Interstate 90.
5-Changes in the land. Although the ridges are not as
obvious as Pennsylvania or Virginia you can see the same
process at work. The Appalachians are getting wider and
there are more mountains of equal height to look at
especially from Mt Greylock.
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