Heidi Mueller was a lifelong hiker and a lover of the Appalachian Trail. She thought she knew its dangers. But she was wrong. She knew about scorpions, rattlesnakes, and bears. She learned the hard way about kidnapping, murder, and rape. Captured by Bible-beating hillbillies with a bush ax and a herd of wild hogs, Heidi finds herself tied to a chair for weeks, suffering fear and abuse till the wilderness itself offers her a savior. Heidi will never forget the horror and the terror, the sound of hacked flesh and cracked skulls--and neither will you. Fear may keep you from ever hiking again. Click "buy now" to find out why.
Thru-hiker of 1980 weaves history, maintainers' perspectives, accounts of several dozen thru-hikers (well-known and obscure), and the how's of walking the A.T. into a thorough but entertaining history of an increasingly popular sport.
The most famous long-distance hiking trail in North America, the 2,181-mile Appalachian Trail—the longest hiking-only footpath in the world—runs along the Appalachian mountain range from Georgia to Maine. Every year about 2,000 individuals attempt to “thru-hike” the entire trail, a feat equivalent to hiking Mount Everest sixteen times. In Walking on the Wild Side, sociologist Kristi M. Fondren traces the stories of forty-six men and women who, for their own personal reasons, set out to conquer America’s most well known, and arguably most social, long-distance hiking trail. In this fascinating in-depth study, Fondren shows how, once out on the trail, this unique subculture of hikers lives mostly in isolation, with their own way of acting, talking, and thinking; their own vocabulary; their own activities and interests; and their own conception of what is significant in life. They tend to be self-disciplined, have an unwavering trust in complete strangers, embrace a life of poverty, and reject modern-day institutions. The volume illuminates the intense social intimacy and bonding that forms among long-distance hikers as they collectively construct a long-distance hiker identity. Fondren describes how long-distance hikers develop a trail persona, underscoring how important a sense of place can be to our identity, and to our sense of who we are. Indeed, the author adds a new dimension to our understanding of the nature of identity in general. Anyone who has hiked—or has ever dreamed of hiking—the Appalachian Trail will find this volume fascinating. Walking on the Wild Side captures a community for whom the trail is a sacred place, a place to which they have become attached, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
So, you want to hike the entire 2200 miles of the Appalachian Trail, which stretches across 14 states from Georgia to Maine? Bestselling authors Greg Seymour and Jen Beck Seymour, who completed the trail on their first attempt, share their insights and personal stories in this easy-to-use guide. Their 100 tips, tricks, traps, and facts tell you everything you need to know to plan a successful thru-hike. You will find the answers to questions such as: Why do most people quit and how can I avoid their mistakes? How do I do the doo in the middle of the woods? What animals should I worry about? What do zero, slack-packing and pink blazing mean? How do I plan and budget for a 5-7 month hiking trip? What permits will I need? How do I hike 2200 miles without destroying my feet? What gear do I need? Where should I NOT have sex when thru-hiking? This book also includes a full list of thru-hiker slang words, as well as four different hikers' gear lists for you to peruse. THRU-HIKING THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL is the perfect primer for anyone who wants to take this epic journey... and succeed.
In 1968, management of the Appalachian Trail shifted from control by an informal alliance of private-citizen volunteers to a designated responsibilty of the National Park Service. To protect it from adverse development, Congress had made the trail part of the national park system and endorsed an unique private/public cooperative management system involving scores of private organizations and public jurisdictions. The volunteers still have the lead role in defining the work, but public agencies have the accountability. This June 1987 history is the inside story of how the pieces of that puzzle were put together, by the chairman of a group of volunteers and state-appointed officials that crafted this model of private/public stewardship of public recreational lands.
"[T]he definitive guide to the most famous footpath in the nation. Featuring the latest details on the Trail route and current conditions, this revised and updated edition tells you what terrain you can expect to find, where to go to avoid the crowds, and what to look for along the way."--Cover.
Stories of the original trailblazers and the first thruhikers. Reprinted from the out-of-print Rodale 2-volume Hiking the Appalachian Trail (1975). New foreword by Dave Startzell, executive director of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
The Appalachian Trail, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world spanning 2,200 miles. Rich Malagrifa chronicled his journey through this legendary trail, interspersing it with stories of his flying adventures. In 2014, Malagrifa trekked the Appalachian Trail, an excursion that taught him many invaluable lessons on discipline and determination. He describes this real-life adventure in "From 35,000 Feet to the Appalachian Trail." The book includes snapshots of his career as a general aviation pilot, fighter pilot in the Air Force and commercial airline pilot. It is an interesting memoir filled with fascinating cross-sections of the author's life as a hiker and pilot and the interesting people that he met along the way. "From 35,000 Feet to the Appalachian Trail" is not just a personal narrative of a life well-lived, it is a universal tale of resilience, and the joy of a shared experience. This book will be of interest to people who enjoy nature hikes, high-flying adventures and inspiring true stories of dreams coming true.
Since 2010, The A.T. Guide, a.k.a. "The Awol Guide," has been the guidebook of choice for hikes of any length on the Appalachian Trail. The book contains thousands of landmarks such as campsites, water sources, summits and gaps. The trail's elevation profile is included and every landmark is aligned to the profile. Hikers using this guide know where they are on the trail, what views, streams and campsites are ahead, and whether they'll be hiking uphill or downhill to get there. The A.T. Guide answers all of your questions about how to get rides, where to stay, and where to get supplies. There are 94 maps of towns on or near the trail showing where to find these services and detailed listings for businesses.The A.T. Guide is the most innovative trail guidebook ever developed.
