Recipients Announced for 2012 North Carolina Appalachian Trail License Plate Grants

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) announced yesterday the recipients of this year�s North Carolina Appalachian Trail (A.T.) License Plate grants for projects which enhance the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in North Carolina. $35,000 was granted this spring to twelve individuals and partner organizations including Trail clubs, schools, botanists and ecologists, environmental & conservation groups, and civic organizations. Overall, A.T. specialty license plate sales in North Carolina bring the ATC about $120,000 each year.

This year�s recipients are the Baatany Goat Project, East Tennessee State University (in regards to two botanical research projects), Friends of the Smokies, Hot Springs Tourism, Nantahala Hiking Club, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Southern Appalachian Raptor Research, SouthEast Ecological Design, Summit Charter School, Tennessee Eastman Hiking & Canoeing Club, and The Wilderness Society�s Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards.

This grant program is funded by drivers who purchase and renew their North Carolina A.T. specialty license plates. Twenty dollars from each license plate is returned to the ATC to support its work in the state. This money is used to fund the grant program, for A.T. greenway acquisition, and to help support the work of the Southern Regional Office of the ATC in Asheville, North Carolina.

Specialty license plates for the A.T. are a way to support the ATC in its work to sustain the Trail into the future. A.T. specialty license plates are currently offered in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia.

For more information about the ATC license tag program visit www.appalachiantrail.org/plates.


Jeff
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Bear-resistant Storage Containers Now Required on Section of Appalachian Trail

Beginning on March 1st, anyone camping overnight along the five miles of Appalachian Trail from Jarrard Gap to Neels Gap in the Chattahoochee National Forest must bring a solid, non-pliable bear-resistant canister to contain personal garbage, toiletries and foods. The new regulation was issued by the USDA Forest Service in response to public safety concerns and repeated bear-human conflicts in the region.

Bear-resistant canisters trap odors inside, eliminating the lure of food, and they are designed to be tamper-resistant against extreme force. These canisters can be purchased at most retail stores and online sellers that stock camping gear.

�We�re taking this measure to protect campers and make our campsites less alluring to the bears that live here,� Blue Ridge District Ranger Andy Baker said.

The storage regulation is mandatory for all dispersed camping in Blood Mountain Wilderness Area within a quarter mile of the trail, as well as camping at Blood Mountain Shelter and Woods Hole Shelter. It is a seasonal requirement�only from March 1st through June 1st.

Forest officials said black bear encounters have increased significantly in recent years in the Blood Mountain Wilderness Area. Bears become more active as the seasons and weather change. They are particularly attracted to human food brought into wilderness in the early spring when natural food sources are not yet plentiful. This is also the peak season for northbound Appalachian Trail hikers to begin their journeys. Conflicts between people and bears in this area have resulted in temporary camping closures in the past.

�Any bear that associates people with food is a dangerous bear because it�s going to be aggressive,� Baker said. �By removing the lure of foods and other odors, we stop giving bears a reason to approach a campsite.�

Traditional food storage methods in the wilderness, such as �bear-bagging,� or hanging food bags between trees, will not be allowed. These methods are not always effective at preventing bears from retrieving food.

This seasonal camping restriction was developed in consultation with the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division.

For more tips on how to protect yourself and also protect black bears when visiting the national forest, visit the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests website at www.fs.usda.gov/conf or contact the Blue Ridge Ranger District Office at (706) 745-6928.






Jeff
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U.S. Postal Service Delays Closure of Post Offices

Last July the U.S. Postal Service announced that they would be conducting a study to determine the need for some 3700 retail post offices. Potentially, the USPS was prepared to eliminate more than 10% of all their post offices around the country. Most of these closings were likely to occur in rural areas, such as those found along the Appalachian Trail.

This decision would have a significant impact on long-distance hikers. Appalachian Trail thru-hikers, and section hikers, use the services of post offices to forward, or pre-deliver, food, gear and other supplies as they proceed along the trail.

As for now, however, rural post offices have received a stay of execution. The USPS recently made this announcement on their website:

The U.S. Postal Service, in response to a request made by multiple U.S. Senators, has agreed to delay the closing or consolidation of any Post Office or mail processing facility until May 15, 2012. The Postal Service will continue all necessary steps required for the review of these facilities during the interim period, including public input meetings.

The Postal Service hopes this period will help facilitate the enactment of comprehensive postal legislation. Given the Postal Service�s financial situation and the loss of mail volume, the Postal Service must continue to take all steps necessary to reduce costs and increase revenue.

This is partial good news for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. Most northbound hikers will have already made it through the Smokies by the time that deadline rolls around. At least up until that point they'll be able use the postal service for their supply drops.

As I mentioned in a posting back in July, I believe the private sector will step-in and continue to offer re-supply services to hikers in the event of any closures. However, things might be a bit confusing for hikers already on the trail this year.


Jeff
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46 Days

46 Days: Keeping Up With Jennifer Pharr Davis on the Appalachian Trail, is the brand new book that chronicles the trials, successes, joys, and frustrations of Jennifer Pharr Davis's record-breaking Appalachian Trail thru-hike this past summer.

46 Days is told through the eyes of Jennifer's husband, Brew Davis. Brew lead her "pit crew," a group of generous, loving hikers who supported Jen along the way, providing company along the epic trail, and as much food as Jen could stomach. Experience the trek with Jen and Brew as they battle shin splints and a stomach scare that threatens to end the attempt early, encounter wildlife at every turn, and meet the colorful cast of characters that help Jen complete her journey. 46 Days also includes an introduction and afterword by Jennifer with first-hand reflections on her life-changing voyage.

Brew is a teacher and lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with his wife.

For more information on the new book, please click here.



Jeff
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The Grandma Gatewood Project

In 1955, after raising 11 children, Emma "Grandma" Gatewood became the first woman to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail - at the tender age of 67!

Then, in 1960, she hiked it again. And, just to prove those first two weren't a fluke, she hiked it again in 1963 - at the age of 75! After that third adventure Emma became the first person to hike the trail three times.

Some claim Gatewood was a pioneer of ultralight backpacking. She never carried more than 20 pounds of gear or food. She wore Keds sneakers, and carried an army blanket, a raincoat, and a plastic shower curtain in a homemade bag slung over one shoulder. According to Appalachianhistory.net, she simply didn't believe in expensive state of the art paraphernalia. �Most people today are pantywaist,� she once stated. Wow, what would she think of today's generation?!?!

To celebrate this hiking pioneer, Eden Valley Enterprises is working on a project to produce a documentary about her life. The documentary will be produced by Peter Huston of FilmAffects. WGTE (PBS Toledo, Ohio) has agreed to be their broadcast sponsor and production partner for the film. However, the project will cost money to get off the ground. Eden Valley Enterprises is spearheading a Kickstarter campaign to raise $3,500 in seed money before approaching larger corporations and foundations for help with the lion's share of the production costs.

For more information on the project, and to donate, you can visit the Kickstarter campaign website. You can also find additional information on the Eden Valley Enterprises website as well.


Jeff
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ATC�s Rocky Top Trail Crew is Heading Into the Smokies Park With Open Positions

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy�s (ATC) Rocky Top Trail Crew is searching for horse packers and crew volunteers this Fall to help maintain the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The ATC will provide food, tools, equipment and professional Trail Crew leaders to aide volunteers.

The Rocky Top Crew, celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, works exclusively on the 35 miles of the A.T. through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that is open to horse use.

Beginning on September 5, 2011, volunteers can participate in one of the six packing days or one of five week long sessions. Crew members arrive on the afternoon before their work session for dinner and orientation. Crew members working more than one session may stay at the base camp during their days off.

Here's the Fall 2011 Schedule:

Week 1: 9/5-9/12
Week 2: 9/16-9/23
Week 3: 9/27-10/4
Week 4: 10/12-10/19
Week 5: 10/23-10/30

Horses take supplies to volunteers on six separate packing days. Any equestrians who hike the Trail are welcomed to bring their horses along and help the Crew maintain the A.T. in the Park.

The experiences of working together, learning new skills, and backcountry living makes for an unbeatable combination of fun. No experience is necessary, but you must be 18 years or older to participate.

This unique partnership between hikers and trail riders keeps this section of Trail open and in good shape. Join our partnership today and protect the A.T.

For more information or to register, visit www.appalachiantrail.org/crews or contact Andrew Downs at (828) 254-3708.


Jeff
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The Times They Are a-Changin' for Backpackers

Earlier in the week the U.S. Postal Service announced that they will be conducting a study over the next several months to determine the need for some 3700 retail post offices. Potentially, the USPS could eliminate more than 10% of all their post offices around the country. Most of these closings will likely occur in rural areas, such as those along the Appalachian Trail.

A.T. thru-hikers, and section hikers, use the services of post offices to forward, or pre-deliver, food, gear and other supplies as they proceed along the trail.

There has been much made in the press this week as to the consequences that will be felt by backpackers as a result of these potential closings. Many backpackers fear that it will become much more difficult to thru-hike trails like the A.T., or the Pacific Crest Trail, due to possibility of having to carry significantly more weight in their packs. But I would argue that this fear may be somewhat unfounded. I believe the private sector will likely step-in to fill the void left by many post office closures. It's not too hard to envision places like the Hike Inn at Fontana Dam, as an example, to take up the business of handling drop boxes for hikers. If there's a demand for a product or service, some hungry entrepreneur will jump at the opportunity to fill the need. The downside, of course, is that hikers may have to pay a little more since the federal government will no longer be subsidizing parts of the cost.

Speaking of higher costs for backpackers; does anyone have any thoughts, comments or concerns regarding Friday's announcement that the Great Smoky Mountains is considering a move to make all backcountry camping permits (for all sites) go through an online/call-in reservation service?

Do you have any problems paying the $2.25 to $10.00 fees that are being proposed to make a reservation for a backcountry campsite? In comparison, most other parks with similar backcountry operations charge between $10 and $30 per reservation, and many have additional per person or per night fees.

Given the avalanche of debt we currently find ourselves in, I have to believe that this is only the tip of the iceberg. Down the road, we're very likely to see parks find new and different ways of charging fees for services that have been free in the past.


Jeff
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Across the Smokies: The New Endurance Record

Back in May I received an email from David Worth, announcing that he had just broke the record for the fastest trek across the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains. David ran/walked/trekked 72 miles - from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap - in 14 hours and 50 minutes, besting the previous record set by Will Harlan of 15 hours and 57 minutes.

I didn't realize it at the time, because I don't know him, but David is a park ranger for the Smokies, and works as an interpretive ranger atop Mt. LeConte.

Earlier in the week the Great Smoky Mountains Association published a video about his recent feat. The narrator makes the points that David gained a total of 18,660 feet as he crossed the crest of the Smokies. This compares to "only" 13,000 feet of elevation that climber gain from base camp to the summit of Denali in Alaska.

David is also quoted as stating that he may be interested in tackling the speed record for the entire Appalachian Trail someday. He might want to note that his goal is about to get a little tougher. Jennifer Pharr Davis is just days away from shaving roughly a half-day off the existing record of 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes.

Anyway, here's the video:


� GSMA 2011. All rights reserved.



Jeff
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Much Pharr-ther down the road

Since the last time we checked-in on her, Jennifer Pharr Davis has made some serious progress in her quest to break the overall record for the fastest hike of the Appalachian Trail.

By my calculations she's hiked 1656 miles through 36 days, and has averaged 46 miles per day! During one 5-day stretch Jennifer put in a whopping 261 miles!

Although the terrain in Maine is quite tough, I was a little concerned that her daily mileage was a little low after averaging "just" 40 miles per day over the course of the first 10 days. But once she got into New York her daily mileage really picked up.

On the latest blog posting, which is likely through July 20th, her crew estimates that she will be finishing up at Springer Mountain in Georgia either on Sunday night, July 31st, or Monday morning, August 1st.

As of that last posting she was in southwest Virginia, and has 524 miles to go, meaning, she expects to average roughly 47.6 miles per day over the final 11 days of her quest. This also means she will have surpassed the current record of 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes, by roughly a half day!


Jeff
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Keeping Up With The Pharr Davis's

Last time we checked-in with Jennifer Pharr Davis she had already completed 242 miles of the Appalachian Trail, and was on her way to tackling the Presidential Range in New Hampshire.

Two weeks later, Jennifer is now in New York with another 460 miles under belt (through 18 days reported on her blog).

Davis is attempting to break the overall Appalachian Trail speed record of 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes. Jennifer will need to average roughly 46.5 miles per day. So far she's averaging a little more than 42 miles per day, but this includes some very tough terrain in Maine and New Hampshire.

Around day 5 of her A.T. odyssey she started feeling severe pain from shin splints. Using a regimen of tape, ice, ibuprofen and compression socks, she's been able to manage the pain, and seems to be on the road to recovery.

While in the White Mountains she also had some stomach problems, and saw a lot of nasty weather - rain, wind and sleet. But in the last few days her quest seems to be hitting stride.

You can keep up with her adventure by visiting her blog.


Jeff
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Was Earl Shaffer the first person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail?

According to a new report published by Jim McNeely, one could say, technically, that Earl Shaffer did not complete the first thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

According to McNeely's research, Shaffer bypassed at least 170 miles of the trail during his historic 1948 hike. Most of those miles were the result of taking shortcuts on country roads, mainly due to not being able to find poorly marked sections of the trail at that time.

On two occasions Shaffer accepted short rides in cars - of 5.5 miles and 4.8 miles.

Jim McNeely, a lawyer and avid hiker, focussed his research on the section of Appalachian Trail between Mount Oglethorpe in Georgia (which was the southern terminus of the trail in 1948) and Rockfish Gap in Virginia. His report is based on Shaffer's daily journal, his report to the ATC in 1948 that led to his recognition as the first thru-hiker, and his 1983 book, "Walking With Spring."

In his conclusions, McNeely makes his final arguments:

Since Shaffer voluntarily skipped such a substantial portion of the AT in the South, and particularly in Virginia, in 1948, his hike can be accepted as a thru-hike only by acceptance of his attitude that he hiked an �equivalent� hike to one actually following the AT. What constitutes such an �equivalent� hike is a matter of community standards and ATC policy, and is therefore beyond the scope of this Report.

He also points out that:

Given the new information now available about the true nature of Shaffer�s 1948 hike, should the question of certification of that hike as the first thru-hike be revisited? From Shaffer�s own point of view, revisiting the question of a previously listed �high-profile� thru-hike would seem entirely appropriate. In fact, Shaffer personally requested that the ATC remove the name of a previously listed thru-hiker whose hike is of considerable public interest. According to December 2000 ATC correspondence found in the NMAH Shaffer collection, Shaffer sought removal of the name of Max Gordon from the ATC �2,000-miler registry� once and, when the ATC Board of Managers refused to do so, renewed his request a second time. The Board refused that second request as well. By that precedent, Shaffer�s 1948 hike could appropriately be subject to the same reexamination that he requested of the 1936 Gordon hike.

This brings up another interesting piece of Appalachian Trail history that I had never heard of. Six Boy Scouts from the New York City area, including Max Gordon, purportedly hiked the A.T. in 1936, a year before the Appalachian Trail was completed as one continuos, unbroken footpath. However, this story was recalled late in life, and is obviously disputed, but is no less an interesting tale.

My take is that, although Myron Avery and the ATC knew that Shaffer had by-passed several miles of the trail, they decided to recognize his thru-hike as the first in order to garner publicity and support for the trail. I have nothing to really back that up, but rather offer it up as a possibility for their decision.


Jeff
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How Pharr will she go?

Jennifer Pharr Davis is now one week into her attempt to break the overall Appalachian Trail speed record. In order to break the current record of 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes, she will have to average roughly 46.5 miles per day. So far she's averaging just above 34.5 miles per day. However, she's traversing through some very tough terrain, including the Mahoosuc Range, which is considered to be the toughest mountains on the trail.

In just seven days, and 242 miles, Davis has already completed the Maine portion of the AT, and appears to be on pace for her record breaking attempt up to this point. Today she'll enter the Presidential Range in New Hampshire.

Jennifer has already paid a steep price for pushing through all that tough terrain at the pace she's on. Sometime during day 5 she started experiencing shin splints on her left leg. She described it on her blog as the most painful injury she's ever had. This will be something that will be hard to shake off as she proceeds down the trail.

Here's Jennifer crossing the Kennebec River:

Ms. Davis has already seen a bear and several moose along the way. You can read more details about her adventures and follow her progress on her blog.


Jeff
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Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame inducts its first class

The Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame inducted its first class of honorees last Friday night, with trail founder Benton MacKaye and trail builder Myron H. Avery leading the inaugural group of six inductees.

Rounding out the list are Earl Shaffer, the first person to report an end-to-end thru-hike of the trail; Gene Espy, the second person to thru-hike the trail; Arthur Perkins, the first person to begin making MacKaye's dream a reality; and Ed Garvey, a trail maintainer and hiker whose seminal book on his 1970 northbound hike helped popularize thru-hiking in the 1970s.

Of the six, only Espy is still alive and in Boiling Springs, PA to receive the award in person, traveling up from his native Georgia to not only attend the ceremony but also to make his first visit to the Appalachian Trail Museum.

"The hike (in 1951) meant a lot to me but my appreciation goes to all the maintainers over these years and the people of the A.T. museum who made this award possible," a brief and humble Espy said as he received his award.

The induction banquet took place at Allenberry Resort, a few miles from the A.T. Museum in Pine Grove Furnace State Park, where the Hall of Fame will be housed.

Each inductee was presented with a beautifully handcarved walking stick made by John Bodet, aka "Bodacious," that will serve as the Hall of Fame's rendition of an Oscar statuette. Each honoree or his representative received a stick engraved with the person's name. And one additional walking stick was created with all of their names engraved -- that stick will be housed in the Museum.

To read more about the ceremony, as well as short biographies on each of the inductees, please click here.


Jeff
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Jennifer Pharr Davis set to begin A.T. odyssey this week

If all goes as planned, sometime this week Jennifer Pharr Davis will begin her much anticipated attempt at breaking the overall Appalachian Trail speed record. Jennifer already owns the Women�s Speed Record for the fastest thru-hike of the A.T., setting the record in 2008 after completing the trail in just over 57 days.

To break the overall record she'll have to hike the entire 2,180-mile trail in less than 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes. That's an average of 47 miles a day!

She plans on making a southbound hike on this occasion. Her start date will depend on trail and weather conditions in northern Maine, and she'll only depart from Mount Katahdin if there's a clear forecast.

As part of her strategy, when possible, she plans hiking up mountains and running down them. To get through her 16-hour days she'll consume at least 6,000 calories per day. This is 3 to 4 times what the average person typically consumes in a day!

As you might expect, Davis has generated quite a bit of publicity after making her formal announcement of the attempt back in April. Women's Adventure Magazine published a nice feature article on her in late May, and earlier in the week, National Geographic Adventure published an excellent Q&A with her.

Also, take a look at author Johnny Molloy's interesting piece in Blue Ridge Outdoors about the recent phenomenon of "speed hiking".

I'm not sure how often her team will be providing updates, but she told me in an email that people will be able to keep up with her progress on her blog.


Jeff
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Guided Backpacking Trips in the Great Smoky Mountains

Did you know that REI offers guided backpacking trips in the Great Smoky Mountains? If you�re new to the park, or new to backpacking, this is a great way to explore the Smokies with experienced and professional guides.

REIs challenging Appalachian Trail tour follows the crest of the western Smoky Mountains. Along the way participants visit Clingmans Dome, Derrick Knob, Thunderhead Mountain, Rocky Top and Spence Field. Along the way hikers stay in backcountry shelters, and REI provides breakfast and dinners. The trip is considered challenging for experienced backpackers or very fit beginners. REI runs this guided trip about a dozen times this year, but half are already sold out.

For a backpacking excursion that�s a little less challenging, and a little more family friendly, REI introduced a new three day backpacking loop hike this year, designed for families with children ages 9 and up. The trip starts and ends in the Big Creek area, and includes a visit to the Mt. Sterling fire tower. Along the way hikers pass by old growth Hemlock and Spruce trees, streams, pools and cascading waterfalls. There are still two dates available for this year; however, you do have the option of organizing a privately guided trip.

For those seeking the ultimate in adventure, REI offers an introductory course in rock climbing in North Carolina's Pisgah National Forest. During this two-day course participants spend time at Looking Glass and Cedar Rock, two areas ideal for beginner climbers. The course is run by professional instructors that are certified by the American Mountain Guides Association, and have many years experience in teaching �Rock Climbing 101�. All meals, camping accommodations and required technical equipment are provided. Several dates are still available.

For more information on these guided trips, as well as a variety of other adventures in national parks and outdoor areas across the country - and around the world - please click here.


Jeff
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