Search For Missing Maine Hiker Now Focuses On Trail Near Stratton, ME

July 31, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The Associated Press reports that the search for a missing Maine hiker now focuses on a short section of trail near Stratton, ME: "The Maine Warden Service is narrowing the search area as it tries to determine what happened to 66-year-old Geraldine Largay of Brentwood, Tenn. She contacted her husband on July 21 from the top of Saddleback Mountain but failed to meet up with him as planned the following day.  Authorities are focusing on a 14-mile section of the trail in Carrabassett Valley, … [Read more...]

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ANNUAL PACIFIC CREST TRAIL KICK-OFF EVENT: APRIL 26 – 28

April 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

    pcttrailsidereader:     It is ADZPCTKO time again.  April 26 - 28, hundreds of PCT hikers, trail angels, and friends of the trail will gather at Lake Morena.  Here are a photo from the 2012 Kick-Off. On both Friday and Saturday evenings this year, stories from The Pacific Crest Trailside Readers will be read (Liz Bergeron will read Walkin’ Jim Stoltz’s “Out on the Crest Trail” and Russ Mease will read “Facing My Fears on Three-Fingered Jack” on … [Read more...]

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There Is Magic On The Appalachian Trail

March 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Spring is a special time on the Appalachian Trail. Every year, 2000+ people show up at Springer Mountain (the official start of the A.T. in Georgia) to head north. In 1994, I was one of those people - and ever since I pause for a moment to think about the next group to head North. This year, I had a friend making the annual pilgrimage and drove across town to meet Scott "Zip" Willits on 3/16/12. We met up at his sister's house in metro-Atlanta, and it was a beautiful spring day - the kind … [Read more...]

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Did Earl Shaffer Take A Shortcut On The First Documented Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike?

August 1, 2011 By 1 Comment

It is customary in the world of Appalachian Trail thru-hiking to pick a trail name, and in 1994 after reading Wingfoot's Thru-Hiker's Handbook - I came to realize that it was better to choose a trail name rather than have someone pick one for me. So after completing Earl Shaffer's Walking With Spring, I decided to take the trail name "BirdShooter" which was the brand name of the hiking boots that carried Earl Shaffer 2000+ miles up the East Coast and in to history as the first hiker … [Read more...]

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Bears On The Appalachain Trail (At Blood Mountain)

April 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Along The Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail made the news across the media channels in Atlanta last week when the U.S. Forest Service closed a section of the trail from Jarrard Gap to Neels Gap near Dahlonega, GA.  Persistent bear activity caused the trail closure in a section of trail that is heavily used by both day hikers and overnight backpackers around Blood Mountain.  My first thought was of the 2011 thru-hikers that had just started out and who were now making their way from Georgia … [Read more...]

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