#appalachiantrail — Public Fediverse posts

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August 24, 1983, 43 years ago today: A 12:45 start today. I had four major mountains to climb. I would need to average almost two-and-a-half miles per hour, rest stops included, in order to complete this section by dark.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Vermont #mountains #nature #forest #AppalachianTrail

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August 23, 1983, 43 years ago today: I followed this road for a mile to an outcrop called Prospect Rock, located at the salient formed by a precipitous set of southward-facing cliffs meeting a vertical westward-facing cliff.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Vermont #nature #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail

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August 23, 1983, 43 years ago today: The initial four miles were a piece of cake. The Appalachian Trail traversed flat terrain through dense forests. I breezed quickly over that stretch to make some time for later.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Vermont #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 22, 1983, 43 years ago today: About halfway through the hike, high up on the slope of Glastenbury Mountain, I arrived at Glastenbury Mountain Shelter. A heavy downpour had just concluded, and the sky was brightening considerably as the rain tapered off into a fine mist. The shelter was packed with hikers, including Crazy Charlie and several other thru-hikers.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #nature #forest #mountains #Vermont #AppalachianTrail

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August 22, 1983, 43 years ago today: August 22, 1983, 43 years ago today: I passed below a power line about two miles into the hike. That is where the first raindrops of the day began to spatter against my face. Soon, I was wearing my rain gear and the rain was coming down steadily. It never completely stopped during the remainder of the hike.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #nature #forest #mountains #Vermont #AppalachianTrail

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August 21, 1983, 43 years ago today: There were a few nice views a mile-and-a-half later from the high point of a nameless ridge.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #nature #forest #mountains #Vermont #AppalachianTrail

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August 21, 1983, 43 years ago today: After a steep scramble up a rockslide, the trail broke out of the forest onto open rocks and ledges along the ridge crest with great views southward across the valley. The neighboring large towns of North Adams and Williamstown spread out below, covering a broad, relatively flat section of that river valley.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 20, 1983, 43 years ago today: I carried my backpack today, but it weighed in at a mere ten pounds. I had my chamois shirt, a canteen containing about a cup of water, my camera, guidebook and trail map. That light weight was a big plus. The trail down the north side of Greylock was much more rugged than yesterday’s ascent, with many steep and eroded sections.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 20, 1983, 43 years ago today: I hung around until 3:40 this afternoon before hitting the trail. Needing to cover little more than six miles, I was hoping that the thick haze of the past couple of days would clear enough for me to truly enjoy the views from atop Greylock. As luck would have it, the haze slowly dissipated throughout the morning and the early afternoon.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 19, 1983, 43 years ago today: As I approached Greylock’s summit, I passed through an alpine forest — stunted, twisted shrubs of dwarf fir and spruce. I had been making such good time I was able to dawdle along and enjoy the New England experience as well as the extensive views at the end.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 19, 1983, 43 years ago today: The terrain between Dalton and Cheshire was typical of the Berkshires: long, relatively flat ridge crests covered with boggy areas. Vast expanses of luxuriant fern growth in great variety carpeted the forest floor. The ridges were densely wooded, frequently featuring cool, dark coniferous forests.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 18, 1983, 43 years ago today: The highlight of my day occurred when I brilliantly attempted to cross a bog bridge at full speed in the rain. Bog bridges are wooden walkways built across muddy areas to prevent heavy hiker traffic from tearing up fragile wetlands. This one was constructed of split tree trunks with the flat side up.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 18, 1983, 43 years ago today: I set out at 8:40 — yet another early-bird start on the trail. I atoned for this somewhat by hiking the four-and-a-half miles to October Mountain Shelter by 10:15. The water supply was reported to be unfit to drink, and the shelter itself was quite run-down.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 17, 1983, 43 years ago today: Three miles later, I was at Finerty Pond. The next good water on the trail was more than eight miles ahead, so I settled for bad water and pitched my tent for the night. I was not about to drink pond water without boiling it for several minutes. I was forced to drink hot chocolate with my meal. Mmmm, mmmm.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 17, 1983, 43 years ago today: The AT finally turned off the roads and passed through forests of pine, hemlock, and hardwoods on its way to Upper Goose Pond. Once again, the forest floor was a mass of brilliant green ferns. That is becoming one of my favorite features of the Berkshires.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 16, 1983, 43 years ago today: The Appalachian Trail followed dirt roads for most of the ensuing 5 miles to US 7; the final mile or so was on a paved road. I passed through an attractive mixture of farms and woods: green and gold fields of ripening corn, cool, dark forest groves, green pastures dappled with yellow dandelions, some amazing views back towards the Taconics.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 16, 1983, 43 years ago today: Today began with the final three-and-a-half miles of the Taconic Range: Mount Bushnell with its excellent views, Jug End with more extensive views, and a series of nice lookouts in between. Jug End in particular was outstanding.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 15, 1983, 43 years ago today: As I entered Sages Ravine, I crossed the Massachusetts border. Ten states down and four to go.

#backpacking #landscapephotography #hiking #hikingadventures #Massachusetts #forest #mountains #nature #AppalachianTrail

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August 15, 1983, 43 years ago today: The southern portion of the Taconic Mountain Range is basically two parallel chains separated by a high central valley. The Appalachian Trail follows the eastern fork.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Connecticut #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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I will be hiking that scenic section of the #AppalachianTrail tomorrow.

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August 14, 1983, 43 years ago today: I dropped my backpack and carried my camera five hundred feet down a side trail to Rands View, a spot at the top of a high, sloping pasture where a remarkable view northward revealed the Taconic Range from Lions Head in Connecticut to Mount Everett in Massachusetts.

#backpacking #landscapephotography #hiking #connecticut #forest #mountains #nature #AppalachianTrail

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August 14, 1983, 43 years ago today: The trail turned into a virtual rock climb straight up the face of a cliff to the top of Barrack Mountain. It was a rather sadistic climb for a backpacking trail, but some open ledges near the summit offered great views to the north and to the south — some of the nicest since Shenandoah National Park.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Connecticut #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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August 13, 1983, 43 years ago today: The Appalachian Trail went into Dark Entry Ravine, ascending through the perpetual twilight silence of an old hemlock forest. Long years of decomposing fallen needles had buried the boulder-strewn ground and transformed it into a soft, lumpy carpet. It was lovely, even though the stream was barely running.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #nature #Connecticut #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail

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August 13, 1983, 43 years ago today: It was still cloudy this morning when I woke up, and the air had turned even chillier. I had not seen a morning that cold since Tennessee. After the persistent heat wave that dogged me through six states from Virginia through New York, shivering was a pleasure. Still, in order to warm up, I really had to start moving quickly when I hit the trail.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #nature #Connecticut #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail

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August 12, 1983, 43 years ago today: Macedonia Brook abounded in tough climbs. The rocky trail off Cobble Mountain descended very steeply over boulders sheathed with slick, dripping moss. There were more nice views a mile later from the top of Pine Hill. The entire state park was beautiful, one of the nicest stretches on the Appalachian Trail since Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #nature #Connecticut #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail

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August 12, 1983, 43 years ago today: The open, grassy crest of Cobble Mountain looked just as lovely today as the image which had lingered in my memory. Encircling the summit was a sprawling rock outcrop with extensive views to the north and west. The mountain overlooked a lush, green valley filled with forests and pastures in the foothills of eastern New York State.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #nature #Connecticut #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail

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August 11, 1983, 43 years ago today: The first few miles of Connecticut trail were on typically rough New England trail, but there were good views through the rain from some ledges called Indian Rocks and from the summit of Mount Algo.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Connecticut #nature #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail

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August 11, 1983, 43 years ago today: The first mile of the day’s hike was on a forest path. Swarms of biting deer flies harassed me relentlessly during that stretch. It was a relief to come out on the beginning of a three-mile roadwalk and leave the little bastards behind me, but the escape was only temporary.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #NewYork #nature #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail

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August 10, 1983, 43 years ago today: About two miles from the end of the long roadwalk, we stopped at a little town park in Pawling, New York, about an hour’s drive and two or three universes removed from New York City. Edward R. Murrow Memorial Park contained a small lake with a tiny beach, a snack bar, and a picnic area.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #NewYork #nature #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail

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August 10, 1983, 43 years ago today: I cannot say enough about Ralph’s Peak Hikers’ Cabin, where we slept last night. The southbounders at Graymoor Monastery told us about this place, and I am very happy that they did. The club that maintains this section of the Appalachian Trail (Ralph’s Peak Hikers) has restored an old farmhouse and furnished it with beds, a kitchen table and

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #NewYork #nature #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail