#AppalachianTrail

3/3
Apart from Blackrock, so many of the Appalachian Trail’s best views during my first two days in Shenandoah National Park have been at the crossings of overlooks on Skyline Drive.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

1 hour ago

🧵 1/3
July 4, 1983: Scattered traces of the old Shenandoah formed interesting diversions in a long, pleasant woodland stroll. After Blackrock, the Appalachian Trail descended to cross Skyline Drive in a scrubby area (one of those old orchards), skirted a small picnic and camping area along the crest, and descended again to Browns Gap.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #virginia #mountains #nature #nationalparks #adventure #trails #AppalachianTrail

The sky is clear but hazy and gray. Objects grow increasingly bluish and indistinct with distance. We are at a lookout on the crest of the Blue Ridge, looking out over an overgrown field and down a wooded mountainside into the foothills and the valleys they enclose. The nearest valley is a swath of green fields and small farms surrounded by forest. It is very indistinct in the thick humidity. The valleys and hills beyond are ghost in the haze.

George Steffanos

1 day ago

2/2
It was damp and chilly even down at my lower elevation, but all I had to deal with in the way of inclement weather were a few momentary sprinkles this morning.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

1 day ago

🧵 1/2
June 4, 1983: Standing at the top of that large, steeply-rolling meadow, a rural two-lane curved through the green valley below and up over the next ridge. Beyond, there again were Roan and Hump Mountains and the intervening sweep of balds. The summits were shrouded in thick, dark clouds. Undoubtedly, a cold rain was falling on some poor sucker up there today.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #nature #Tennessee #mountains #forest #adventure #trails #AppalachianTrail

Beneath an overcast sky, we are standing at the top of a meadow running down the mountainside towards a valley below. The sides of the meadow also slope upward to our left and right, rather steeply towards the top on our right. There is a patch of forest at the bottom of the meadow. A rural two-lane runs through the valley below, past a patchwork of farm fields and forest. Beyond the valley rise several green thickly-forested ridges.

George Steffanos

2 days ago

2/2
The Appalachian Trail journeyed through a landscape of twisted masses of rhododendron jungles breached by small, rocky streams bordered by profusions of growth, even wilder and more densely entangled. At times, the trail was a tunnel, completely encircled by rhododendron, their thickly interwoven branches forming walls and a roof.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

2 days ago

🧵 1/2
May 10, 1983: The next portion of the hike was every bit as scenic as the morning’s had been. It was mostly sidehill trail, well down from the ridge crest.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #NorthCarolina #nature #mountains #forest #adventure #trails #AppalachianTrail

The trail is following a wide path through a thicket of rhododendron trees on both sides. At the top their branches grow over the trail and intertwine, creating a rounded tunnel with 10 or 12 feet clearance.

George Steffanos

3 days ago

2/2
I had read that the U.S. Army Rangers use the Chattahoochee National Forest for combat training; last night they played G.I. Joe until dawn. I was amused by the ridiculousness of the situation more than annoyed by the loss of sleep. I had only been on the Appalachian Trail for one day, and already it was so much stranger than I had imagined.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

3 days ago

🧵 1/2
May 4, 1983: I went to bed right after dinner but was not destined to get much sleep. Somewhere around 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning, the stillness of the mountain night was broken by the long, eerie shrieks of mortars plummeting to earth and subsequent loud explosions.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Georgia #nature #forest #mountains #adventure #trails #AppalachianTrail

Beneath a hazy very soft blue sky we are looking out from high on a mountainside. The slim branches of a shrub beginning to grow out small leaves only slightly obstruct the view to our left. We are looking out across foothills covered with forests of trees growing out bright spring green leaves or covered with pinkish buds. The dusky teal of evergreens is scattered throughout. In the hazy distance beyond the foothills is a flatter lower-lying country fully cloaked in the greens of a more advanced spring season.

George Steffanos

4 days ago

6/6
Just for old time’s sake, I tried to find the saddest, skimpiest specimen on the ridge and imagine it decorated with my grandmother’s exquisite antique ornaments, but increasingly-expanding views soon distracted me from this stroll down memory lane.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

4 days ago

🧵 1/6
September 3, 1983: The Appalachian Trail briefly followed the U.S.F.S. fire road before turning onto a paved road for a while. Eventually, the trail turned off that road, passed through some fields, and reentered the woods. That was the point where the real climbing began.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #nature #NewHampshire #mountains #forest #adventure #trails #AppalachianTrail

Beneath a hazy, whitewashed sky we are climbing along an alpine ridge crest towards a summit peak. The slopes around us and the flanks of the peak are covered with a forest of stunted, weather-beaten spruce and fir. Ahead, as the crest ascends, the dwarf trees gradually give way to a golden brown ground cover plant that resembles grass.

George Steffanos

5 days ago

2/2
One final good look at the last 4000-footers on the AT until Vermont.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

5 days ago

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July 7, 1983: A ledge just above the AT along the ascent had a 180-degree view stretching from southwest to northwest. To the south, Skyline Drive snaked around Hogback's green summits and followed the Blue Ridge towards Stony Man, Hawksbill and beyond.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Virginia #mountains #nature #forest #nationalparks #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails

Standing atop a high rocky cliff, looking out between 2 shrubs at a scene of almost unbroken forest. There is a valley below us and a rounded ridge dominates the midground. On the side facing us, a small break in the trees allows a glimpse of Skyline Drive, the 2-lane park road. Beyond this ridge rises a loftier and more rugged section of the Blue Ridge in the distance. There are several glimpses of the drive winding around or over this crest. Lower ridges fade into the haze along the horizon.

George Steffanos

6 days ago

4/4
I dropped my backpack and climbed back up to the summit. The wind faded to a good, fresh breeze. Soon, I was basking in sunshine, watching little tatters of cloud drifting off into the sudden blue sky.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available on Amazon in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

6 days ago

🧵 1/4
June 1, 1983: Monday night on the bank of the Nolichucky River had been a time of gentle breezes and soft starlight, but clouds had begun rolling in yesterday morning. By the time I reached the shelter last night they were looking ominous. No rain fell overnight, but day broke gloomy and foreboding.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #nature #hikingadventures #NorthCarolina #Tennessee #mountains #adventure #trails #AppalachianTrail

The sun has broken out on a stormy day and the downward sloping meadow before us is bathed in sunshine. Shreds of dissolving clouds stream past us. In the distance, banks of still substantial clouds reflect the bright sunshine. The lush green grass of the meadow is sprinkled with hundreds of yellow daffodils. Farther down the mountainside, the meadow is broken up with pine trees and hardwoods sporting bright white or yellow blossoms.

George Steffanos

1 week ago

3/3
the next mile-and-a-half of the Appalachian Trail ascended Race Mountain, picking its way up a boulder-strewn slope softened by a carpet of fallen hemlock needles. The last half-mile of that climb threaded a narrow perch atop massive naked rock cliffs. The AT then crossed another rocky, scrubby summit area. Hawks drifted lazily on the smooth thermals of a mid-August afternoon, soaring high above the valley below.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

We are high up on the crest of a mountain. The ground is covered with tall golden grasses, ground-hugging leafy shrubs and plants, and a large outcrop of light gray rock. Ahead the forested slopes of a higher section of ridge crest slope gradually and then steeply down to a valley hundreds of feet below us to our right. That relatively flat valley stretches out to low, rolling hills and a few mountains along the horizon. Both hills and valleys are mostly wooded with some green fields and pastures, especially in the valley. A small lake is visible near our mountain's foothills. There are a few houses and farm buildings scattered around the valley.

George Steffanos

1 week ago

🧵 1/3
August 15, 1983: After Sages Ravine, the #AppalachianTrail climbed steeply to another wooded plateau. In the middle of a cool dark hemlock forest, it crossed Bear Rock Stream near the eastern rim of the plateau. I took a short side trip to one of my favorite places on earth, following the stream east off the trail for about fifty yards to a spot where the flat ground ends

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

We are standing on a rock outcrop at the top of a high cliff. Much of the cliff top around us is covered with greenish gold grassy plants and small green shrubs. On the right of our picture the ridge crest continues over a forested plateau with series of wooded prominences. We can just see the edge of this plateau and several ridges running down to the valley below. Most of our view is the relatively flat Housatonic Valley below us and stretching out to the low, rolling Litchfield Hills along the horizon. Both hills and valleys are mostly wooded with some green fields and pastures, especially in the valley.

George Steffanos

1 week ago

2/2
At Gooch Gap Shelter, where we are staying tonight, we met a twenty-year-old North Carolinian named Russ, who is also attempting to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. He is in much better shape than Dave and me — especially me. We are going to try to hike with him tomorrow. I don’t know.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

1 week ago

🧵 1/2
May 4, 1983: Dave and I only made nine miles today. We were tired and sore and got off to a late start this morning. The terrain was heavily wooded with no real views, although there were some steep climbs.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Georgia #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails

Beneath a hazy very soft blue sky we are looking out from high on a mountain. The still leafless branches of a tree frame the right and top left of the photo. There are small round swellings where they are just beginning to bud. A nearby long swayback ridge runs across the entire view. The ridge is covered with a forest of trees growing out bright spring green leaves or covered with pinkish buds. Beyond, a series of other hills and mountains cascade into the hazy distance.

George Steffanos

1 week ago

3/3
It was an intriguing walk upon a historic road dating back to 1768 and the forests were pleasant, but today’s trail was obviously merely a connecting link between the rocky, open ledges of Mount Cube and Smarts Mountain and the alpine crest of Mount Moosilauke. It made for a pleasant-enough rest day between two difficult and rewarding sections.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

1 week ago

🧵 1/3
September 2, 1983: The initial mile of trail was a meandering stroll through the forest on assorted trails and logging roads, after which the AT cut through a farm, crossing a pasture and going past some outbuildings before turning onto a dirt road. The next mile was all on dirt and gravel roads, at one point approaching Upper Baker Pond:

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #NewHampshire #nature #forest #mountains #pond #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails

Beneath a clear, soft blue sky we are standing beside a lake. Brilliant green water grasses and aquatic plants grow along and near the shore in front of us, and along the heavily wooded shoreline to our left. A pair of low wooded ridges running right and left of a gap rise from the far shore. That shore is also wooded, but the immediate shore has a handful of vacation cottages scattered around it.

George Steffanos

1 week ago

4/4
The Allegheny Mountains along the western rim of the valley were a line of very faint gray smoke on the horizon when viewed through miles of summer haze. Below me, Waynesboro was a larger clump of buildings and a few tall smokestacks along the curving gray line of the river.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

1 week ago

🧵 1/4
July 3, 1983: I descended steeply into McCormick Gap, crossed Skyline Drive, and began to climb the next mountain. Most of the trail route from the gap onward was devoid of trees. The AT followed the ridgeline of Bear Den Mountain to a flat, rocky meadow. The summit area was crowned with a cluster of equipment buildings and storage sheds and bristled with several police radio towers.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #virginia #mountains #nature #nationalparks #AppalachianTrail

Beneath a very pale blue and hazy white sky we are high up a mountainside looking out over an overgrown field of tall grass and leafy shrubs running down towards a deep gap below. Far to our right, past a grove of trees, the overgrown mountainside gives way to recently grazed or mown fields that continue downhill to the gap. A two-lane road runs through the gap with a small parking area where the trail crosses it. Beyond the gap the trail climbs another mountain, initially through a large meadow. Most of that mountain is wooded, although there are a few smaller fields along the crest.

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

🧵 June 3, 1983: The fourteen miles of trail between Little Rock Knob and Hump Mountain traversed one of the most superb stretches of scenery I have ever encountered. The climb up Hump was a bear, but views from every inch of the trail lightened the load.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #NorthCarolina #nature #mountains #Tennessee #forest #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails

Standing in a grassy meadow far up the mountainside of lofty Hump Mountain beneath a soft blue sky with hazy clouds. The lush green grass just ahead is interspersed with stalky plants. A handful of shrubs and rock outcrops also break up the green carpet. There are some dark gray rock outcrops to our right as the crest descends into a sag and then climbs over several summits. The crest remains grassy and open most of the way, but the flank of the mountains are wooded.

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

2/2
The freight trains turned out to be the wind — raging furiously across a valley, swirling around the mountain, rattling through the treetops, roaring across the next valley. I lay awake for hours, listening to that lonesome, mystical sound, alone on that isolated hilltop. The end of the world. The middle of nowhere.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

🧵 1/2
May 2, 1983: I woke up to the sound of freight trains. One after another, they came clattering up from the distant mountain range to the west, circled the woods around my tent, and churned off toward the eastern horizon. My tent was pitched in a small, grassy clearing on the summit of Frosty Mountain in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Georgia #nature #forest #mountains #adventure #trails #AppalachianTrail

We are standing near a tent pitched in a small grassy meadow. It is very early spring up here, the grass is just beginning to grow and the trees surrounding the meadow have naked branches. The sky is gray and a dense fog covers the entire scene. In the foreground a sign tells us that we are at the summit of "FROSTY MTN ELEV 3400" (Frosty Mountain, elevation 3400 feet).

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

3/3
Near its summit, the ridge crest abruptly ends, the ground plunging steeply towards the valley on both the north and east flanks, providing northward vistas unsurpassed on the range. I could see for miles up the Housatonic valley to the north, the line of the Berkshires to the northeast, and the western fork of the Taconics to the northwest.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

The sky is cloudless, but very pale blue - almost white - along the horizons, which is the only part of the sky visible in this photo. We are standing atop a rocky outcrop at the point where the eastern fork of the Taconic Range ends, looking northwest into a farming valley between us and the wooded western fork of that mountain range, which continues northward. The valley floor is relatively flat but has some low ridges and small hills. There are many green farm fields, some of which climb the very lowest slopes of the mountains beyond. Strips and slightly wider patches of forest form wind breaks between many of the fields. There are a scattering of houses and farm buildings visible.

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

🧵 1/3
August 16, 1983: 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 #adventure #trails

We are high up on the crest of a mountain, looking out over the treetops across a broad rural valley. The clear, bright sky looks a bit washed out as we are looking east towards the morning sun. A line of hills on the horizon are slightly ghosted by the still burning off morning mists. The valley hundreds of feet below is mostly wooded, but also has broad patchworks of farm fields, scattered houses and a couple of small ponds gleaming in the sunshine.

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

6/6
The connecting trail is all behind me, now. Tomorrow, I begin hiking the Whites. Beyond that range lies the promise and fulfillment of Maine. The unattainable dream. Somewhere beneath these shimmering stars tonight, Katahdin awaits a solitary pilgrim. 392.8 miles to go.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

🧵 1/6
September 1, 1983: The trail descended past a water source called Hairy Root Spring (I know — sounds yummy, doesn’t it?) to the shores of Wachipauka Pond, the mountain tarn I had just seen from above. The AT crossed a marshy area and climbed over a wooded hill before dropping down to state road 25, another small two-lane highway,

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #NewHampshire #nature #forest #mountains #adventure #trails #AppalachianTrail

Beneath a bright overcast sky, we are standing in a narrow dirt road alongside a forest on our left. The right side of the road has a grassy shoulder several feet wide. To its right is a rustic wooden post and wire fence with flowering shrubs and tall weeds growing along it in spots. To the right of the fence is the corner of a green field of grass several inches in height and white wildflowers. A single line of trees borders this field. The dirt road and fence continue past this wind break to a very large grassy field with a small tilled rectangular patch near the road. The forested slopes of mountain rising several hundred feet above us borders this field.

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

2/2
It was past 9:00 and almost dark when I groped my way through a great, gloomy evergreen swamp to the edge of the ridge crest and began my climb down off the mountain.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

🧵 1/2
June 19, 1983: A vast open field, Symms Gap Meadow, ran across the crest towards the middle of the ridge walk. Some decent views through the haze into West Virginia gave me the bit of a lift I needed. I made somewhat better time over the last half of the day, although I was still not impressive.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #virginia #mountains #WestVirginia #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails

It is a steamy summer day with a bright white sky. We are standing on a flat plateau in a slightly overgrown meadow of high grass and weeds. A small, spring-fed pond sits in a shallow depression in the heart of the meadow before us. There are many yellow dandelions and wildflowers scattered through the grass. There are a few trees lining the far edges of the field beyond the pond, most of them are covered with sprouting small green leaves and buds. Beyond the trees, another mountain chain, though not very far away, is barely visible through the thick haze.

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

3/3
these impressive heights were just a lesser spur ridge of the main state line ridge beyond. Behind me were the Yellow Creek Mountains and the Nantahala Range. Looking over the downstream side of the concrete dam, there was a dizzying drop of almost five hundred feet to a massive hydroelectric plant and the river below. From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

Looking down hundreds of feet along the outside of the concrete dam to the power plant and the spillway of the hydroelectric dam. There are tall concrete embankments on either side of the Little Tennessee River as it resumes its course after the spillway. An access road ends in a circle with several parking spaces at the plant.

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

🧵 1/3
May 17, 1983: I finally made my way back to the shelter — no rides, so it was another 3-mile walk in Fontana. You would not think this would bother me, with all the walking I am already doing on this trip, but my legs and the bloody stumps I use for feet have only so many miles in them on any given day, and I hoard these like a miser.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #NorthCarolina #nature #nationalparks #lakes #adventure #AppalachianTrail #trails

Beneath a deep light blue sky with banks of white clouds, we are standing on a long concrete dam beside a lake. Beyond the dam forested green ridges and then mountains rise in the background. A backpacker (my friend Dave) is walking across the dam towards us. A roadway separated by a double yellow line runs across the dam.

athryn

2 weeks ago

Not a lot of views on my last hike, but getting out, even when it's cold, is nice. And a spooky filled in mineshaft!

#hiking #ny #harrimanstatepark #LongPath #appalachiantrail

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

4/4
Still, I was mighty happy to have that climb behind me, and the view perked me up a bit. I was beginning to encounter the famous South Mountain mosquitoes, so I covered myself liberally with repellent.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

2 weeks ago

🧵 1/4
July 12, 1983: Not far past the shelter, the Appalachian Trail left the canal path, crossed the B&0 Railroad tracks, passed under US 340, and began the ascent of South Mountain. That is the long ridge I will be following throughout Maryland and into southern Pennsylvania. The climb was not all that bad.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #outdoors #nature #Maryland #mountains #forest #adventure #trails #AppalachianTrail

A day of stifling heat and humidity beneath a hazy gray sky. Still a fantastic view from a jagged rock outcrop hundreds of feet above the wide, shallow river below. There are a few tees on the left, but otherwise the view is unobstructed other than by haze. There is a luxuriant green forest along the near riverbank below. The river itself is filled with rocks and modest rapids. A cluster of small islets, each with a tree or two, sits to the right of the pic. The forested flanks of a lofty mountain rise from the far bank.

George Steffanos

3 weeks ago

3/3
The river below meandered gracefully through a landscape of quiet beauty. Forests and fields along the banks and wooded ridges flanking the valley appeared idyllic and almost surreal in the slanting, rose-tinted early morning sunlight.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

3 weeks ago

🧵 1/3
August 13, 1983: 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 #outdoors #landscapephotography #Connecticut #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail #adventure

We are standing several hundred feet up a mountain looking across a flattish, wooded valley with a few scattered houses and green fields. Green hills rise in the distance with a line of mountains beyond them. The early morning sky is light blue, with many clouds near the horizon and fewer above us where it is partly cloudy.

George Steffanos

3 weeks ago

3/3
The grades grew increasingly steep. Towards the top, along a particularly arduous slope, I encountered terrain very similar to the ridges of the James River Face Wilderness from yesterday’s hike. The soil gave way to a thin mixture of sand and pebbles. Scrub hardwoods, gnarled pitch pine, and scraggly clumps of grass clung to the mountain’s flank.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

1 month ago

🧵 1/3
July 25, 1983: The ensuing trail was one of the most intriguing portions of the entire Appalachian Trail. It climbed out of the gap over a huge rockslide. There were several tough scrambles that probably did not belong on a backpacking trail, but the area possessed a certain unique charm (if you can call it that).

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #outdoors #nature #pennsylvania #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails

We are standing hundreds of feet up a mountainside looking down at a river valley ravaged by industrial air, ground and water pollution. Beneath a whitewashed hazy sky the AT climbs through a surreal wasted landscape of naked rock — gigantic boulders covered with chunks of blasted rubble. Occasional black, broken skeletons of dead trees grope upward through the barren mass. There are continuous panoramic views into the smoky industrial valley below. Beyond the heavily localized devastation, the valley and the mountainside across the river from us is heavily wooded. Distant views are heavily obscured by the steamy, dirty air.

George Steffanos

1 month ago

2/2
The ridge crest and summits of Corbin Horse Stamp and Wolf Laurel Top were rather wooded, but the lack of foliage at the higher elevations and some nearby cliffs brought my camera out.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

1 month ago

🧵 1/2
May 6, 1983: My camera received heavy use this morning, as I traversed another group of scenic ridges with equally picturesque names. The six miles of trail between Neels Gap and Tesnatee Gap featured a long uphill climb similar to yesterday’s and some steep downhills, but most of the trail was nicely graded.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #Georgia #nature #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails

Beneath a hazy very soft blue sky we are looking out from high on a mountain. The leafless, budding branches of trees frame the top right and top left of the photo. We are looking out over treetops covered with the small, bright light green leaves of early spring. Beyond the lower slopes of our mountain we are looking across a mostly wooded lower country of smaller hills and long valleys with green fields and farm buildings. The trees and fields are cloaked in the deeper greens of a much more advanced spring season.

George Steffanos

1 month ago

🧵 1/3
July 4, 1983: The first half-mile from the hut this morning climbed along the crest of the ridge forming the western rim of the ravine. This led to an interesting summit called Blackrock. It rose above the wooded ridge crest, a huge, barren mound of gray boulders smeared liberally with streaks of green paint.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Virginia #mountains #nature #forest #nationalparks #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails

It is very early in the morning. The clear sky has little color yet and is almost white. There is a lot of mist in the valleys below and mist and haze in the air. We are looking out from atop a mountain over the treetops on the mountainside below us into a maze of deep green mountains and hills and hollows below. With increasing distance, they take on a bluish tint from the haze and mist. The more distant mountains we can see are light blue gray ghosts.

Norma Brandsberg

1 month ago

Autumn at Peaks of Otter off the Blue Ridge Parkway between Lynchburg and Roanoke Virginia here:

https://pixels.com/featured/autumn-at-peaks-of-otter-norma-brandsberg.html

#peaksofotter #blueridgeparkway #lynchburg #bedfordva #roanoke #appalachiantrail #jeffersonnationalforest #blueridgemountains #sharptopmountain #AYearForArt #BuyIntoArt #artforsale #Mastodonart #FediGiftShop #MastoArt #photography #travelphotography #landscapephotography
#travelphotography #nature #art4mom #elegantfinephotography #normabrandsberg

Autumn at Peaks of Otter off the Blue Ridge Parkway between Lynchburg and Roanoke Virginia here:

https://pixels.com/featured/autumn-at-peaks-of-otter-norma-brandsberg.html

Sam Whited

1 month ago

I just realized that October 6th was the 9 year anniversary of me summiting Katahdin on the #AppalachianTrail . I didn't even mark it this year, how sad. Here's a photo someone took at the top of me and my buddy Twinkletoes who hiked most of the way with me. He lived in Portland, ME at the time and drove over to Baxter to summit with me and then drove me back.

Two people on top of a mountain next to a sign that says "Katahdin". The one on the next is holding a bottle of something fizzy.

Shelia Hunt Fine Art

1 month ago

Wishing many of you the joys of hiking the Appalachian Trail in Autumn!

“𝐇𝐈𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐋” ❤️
Thank you to the buyer from Statesboro, GA who purchased a 55x37 Canvas this morning! Excited for the new addition to your walls!

𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟒𝟎% 𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐭 https://www.pictorem.com/695380/Hiking%20the%20Appalachian%20Trail.html?iframe=1

#AppalachianTrail #AppalachianMountains #BlueRidgeMountains #trail #hiking #NorthCarolina #BlueRidgeParkway #BuyIntoArt

“Hiking the Appalachian Trail” is an image of the trail in lush green trail in lush green foliage, with the winding path and rocks leading up the mountain in Summer. From the Fine Art Gallery of Shelia Hunt.

Deb Beausoleil 📷🌅📸 she/her

2 months ago

The Appalachian Trail is a continuous marked footpath over 2,000 miles in length from Mt Katahdin in Central Maine to Springer Mt in Northern Georgia. I've met many hikers on the trail when I've been up on the mountain with my camera. No matter the season or weather, the view is always spectacular!

Appalachian Trail Sign is available here - as prints and more -
https://beautifulsunphotography.com/featured/appalachian-trail-sign-deb-beausoleil.html

#BlueRidgeParkway #AppalachianTrail #BlueRidgeMountains #VirginiaTravel #AYearforArt #art #artforsale #artwork #fun #artcollector #abstract #colorful #smile #BuyIntoArt #HomeStaging #giftideas #FineArt #decor #wallart #PhotoOfTheDay #creativetoots

Sign on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia that reads: The Appalachian Trail is a continuous marked footpath over 2,000 miles in length from Mt Katahdin in Central Maine to Springer Mt in Northern Georgia." In the background are mountain peaks with low clouds and a moody party cloudy sky. Green leaves on the trees, and a small patch of yellow flowers at the base of the wooden sign.

Image at:
https://beautifulsunphotography.com/featured/appalachian-trail-sign-deb-beausoleil.html

See more art at: https://beautifulsunphotography.com/
https://debbeautifulsunphotography.com/

George Steffanos

2 months ago

4/4
and along Bald Mountain Stream for seven miles to Breakneck Ridge (a fitting name for a feature over which the AT in Maine passes). The scenery past the pond was pretty, but unspectacular — definitely connecting trail. I reached Breakneck Ridge Lean-to at 2:45 and spent fifteen minutes reading the register and making my own entry. Then it was time for a non-stop nine-mile push to Monson.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

2 months ago

🧵 1/4
40 years ago today: I became briefly lost while returning down the side trail from Moxie Bald to the AT. I spent more than a half-hour crashing stubbornly around through the dense shrub growth before having the sense to return to the fire tower, which was visible from any point along the crest, and try again.

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#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Maine #nature #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails #hikingtrails

We are atop a mountain, looking out over a series of striated gray granite outcrops along the crest, partially covered by a forest of stunted dwarf spruce and fir sprinkled with a few hardwoods covered with bright golden autumn leaves. We are looking down at a huge valley dominated by a very large lake reflecting the very hazy very pale blue sky. In the misty distance beyond the lake a series of forested low mountain ranges cascade to the horizon.

George Steffanos

2 months ago

5/5
I also saw the two major ranges remaining between myself and Katahdin: Barren-Chairback and Whitecap. Almost invisible in the misty distance, I glimpsed a lone mountain which may or may not have been Katahdin. I wished I could have been sure. Maybe next mountaintop.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

A pale blue morning sky with a scattering of small white clouds. Standing in a fire tower atop a mountain, looking down across a boggy crest blanketed with moss, leafy ground cover and stunted spruce and fir. There are also extensive outcrops of naked gray rock. A long, narrow deep blue lake runs through a vast wooded valley hundreds of feet below. Across the valley a series of mountain ranges cascade to the horizon.

George Steffanos

2 months ago

5/5
Fortunately, the water never rose above mid-thigh (whew!). The riverbed sloped sharply upward for the last five yards. I had conquered the Kennebec.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

2 months ago

🧵 1/5
40 years ago today: From the bank, it all looked so peaceful. Golden sun-drops swirled innocently over foam-flecked blue and soft breezes stirred the pines. The initial fifteen or twenty yards to the gravel bar was almost anticlimactic. The current was strong, but the water was barely ankle-deep.

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#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Maine #nature #lakes #forest #rivers #adventure #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails #hikingtrails

Beneath a hazy blue sky with a few streaky clouds we are standing at on a shaded rocky bank of a wide but shallow river. The opposite shore is also a jumble of rocks and small boulders, a long, narrow bar of ricks and gravel lies not far from that riverbank. A low wooded ridge rises above the far bank.

George Steffanos

2 months ago

4/4
A mile-and a-half past East Carry Pond, I crossed a narrow strip of gravel, typical of recent AT road crossings in that the nearest town was eighteen miles away along a very sparsely-traveled way. The motto of the Appalachian Trail in Maine seems to be “you’re on your own.” It gives backpacking through this state a special flavor. I like it.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

2 months ago

🧵 1/4
40 years ago today: The AT followed the Arnold Trail for almost two miles. It crossed a flat, very boggy area surrounding the inlet stream for Middle Carry Pond but stayed well to the north and out of sight of the pond itself.

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#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Maine #nature #lakes #forest #AppalachianTrail #mountains #adventure #trails #hikingtrails

We are standing on the shore of a very large lake. The sky is a soft deep blue with fluffy clouds. The lake is an even deeper blue, a fresh breeze is chopping its surface, small waves are breaking along the shore. Dry weather has left much lakebed exposed, creating a shoreline of light gray gravel, rocks and boulders. There is a great deal of bleached white driftwood piled up at the normal waterline up against the edge of a lush forest. The trees are mostly dusky green conifers, with a scattering of hardwoods turning gold with autumn. The very distant far shore is also wooded, with small mountains rising in the background.

Shelia Hunt Fine Art

2 months ago

I never tire of hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains... ❤️

“𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐋 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒”
Prints available at https://shelia-hunt.pixels.com/featured/sweet-trail-in-the-appalachians-shelia-hunt.html

#AppalachianTrail #BlueRidgeMountains #AppalachianMountains #MastoArt #BuyIntoArt #FediArt

Appalachian Trail in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in Springtime. Trail has beautiful lush green grasses on either side of the winding path. Lush green trees dot the background. This artwork with a textured overlay is from the Fine Art Gallery of Shelia Hunt.

George Steffanos

2 months ago

2/2
There were none of those long climbs or descents in this section — the first portion of the Appalachian Trail in Maine that could reasonably be called connector trail. There were no outstanding peaks or dazzling scenic highlights to draw my attention away from the miles I wanted to hike. It was simply a pleasant stroll through the woods.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

2 months ago

🧵 1/2
40 years ago today: The thirteen miles of Appalachian Trail between Routes 17 and 4 wound through a landscape of bogs, lakes and low ridges. It was the easiest terrain the trail had traversed since Vermont, despite a few short climbs as steep and treacherous as any of the longer climbs in Maine.

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#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Maine #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail #adventure #hikingtrails #trails

Beneath a hazy white sky we are crossing a wide stream on a shallow, rocky ford amid a forest of mostly immature hardwoods in a marshy area, with one tall white birch on the bank to our right and a tall maple with dazzling red orange leaves to our left. The other hardwoods have yet to turn. An older forest of mostly evergreens is just upstream of us.

George Steffanos

3 months ago

3/4
One brief burst of clearing that never came close to being repeated all day gave me a majestic birds-eye view of Mount Washington and its massive shoulder known as Chandler Ridge, along with the top two thirds of the auto road, which follows that rocky spine up from the notch. Beside them was the yawning massiveness of the Great Gulf.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

3 months ago

🧵 1/4
40 years ago Sunday: The AT joined the Lost Pond Trail for the first mile today, following the course of the Ellis River through Pinkham Notch and brushing the shore of a pretty lake.

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#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #NewHampshire #nature #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails #hikingtrails

Beneath a hazy whitewashed sky, we are standing atop some rocky cliffs hundreds of feet above a deep notch looking across that notch at a lofty mountain range towering thousands of feet above us. Two massive ridges slanting down towards us from that range frame our view on the left and right. The ridge to our left bears the white scars of an auto road and several trails. Its crest is rocky. The righthand ridge is more wooded. The two ridges embrace a massive inverted U-shaped valley running down the mountainside from a steep headwall where it meets the ridge crest. The valley is also densely wooded.

George Steffanos

3 months ago

4/4
From the summit, the stone foundation of the old hotel could still be seen a short distance down Moosilauke's north slope. The valleys and mountains beyond were a teal gray in the lingering summer haze.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

Beneath a hazy, whitewashed sky we are standing atop a rocky mountaintop looking down an alpine slope. A stone foundation, the only remains of a small, rustic summit hotel, is visible not far down the slope. That slope is strewn with gray boulders and covered with a golden-brown plant resembling grass and a miniature forest of stunted spruce and fir shrubs. As the slope descends they slowly increase in size until they are forests of full-sized trees covering the mountainsides and most of the valley below. The valley also had a few large green fields. Across the valley, parallel mountain ranges cascade towards the horizon, gradually fading into the haze.

George Steffanos

3 months ago

🧵 1/4
40 years ago today: The spruce gradually diminished in height as I ascended the narrow ridge crest. Soon, they were little more than stunted dwarfs, and I was surrounded by panoramic views.

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#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #NewHampshire #nature #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails #hikingtrails

Beneath a hazy, whitewashed sky we are standing atop a rocky mountaintop looking down an alpine slope. That slope is strewn with gray boulders and covered with a golden-brown plant resembling grass and a miniature forest of stunted spruce and fir shrubs. As the slope descends they slowly increase in size until they are forests of full-sized trees covering the mountainsides and most of the valley below. The valley also had a few large green fields. Across the valley, parallel mountain ranges cascade towards the horizon, gradually fading into the haze.

hambitious

3 months ago

10 years ago today I crossed the halfway point of the #AppalachianTrail
So enjoy this video, possibly the best hiking video ever made: https://youtu.be/OnFMQ2NAgyk?si=kEHdc7G-hO4uZ9aP

#hiking #halfway

(No, not me in the video. I wish I was clever enough to have thought of this)

George Steffanos

3 months ago

3/3
I had a 180-degree view of miles of lowland lake country to the south and mountains to the east and north. From this relatively low altitude, the masses of Smarts Mountain and Mount Cube shut out my view of the loftier peaks of the White Mountains to the northeast, but they were impressive features in themselves. I will be climbing them tomorrow.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

3 months ago

🧵 1/3
40 years ago today: The #AppalachianTrail followed some dirt roads through a pleasant farm valley encircled by mountains and reentered the forest to begin a rather taxing climb up to Holts Ledge, the first real mountain it had thus far traversed in New Hampshire. It kept turning onto one woods road after another, and each was a bit steeper than the preceding one.

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#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #NewHampshire #nature #forest #mountains #adventure

We are on a steep grassy stretch of a mountainside covered with grass, yellow and white wildflowers, and a few large gray rock outcrops. Above the green wooded shoulder of a mountain, we see several lofty mountains cascading into the distance. The sky is clear and bright, but whitewashed and hazy.

Shelia Hunt Fine Art

3 months ago

Sharing a photo of our beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains... Have a great Thursday! "𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐇𝐎𝐃𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐒” at Craggy Gardens ❤️

𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐭 https://shelia-hunt.pixels.com/featured/tunnel-of-rhododendrons-shelia-hunt.html

#BlueRidgeMountains #CraggyGardens #Rhododendrons #AppalachianTrail #Appalachians #AppalachianMountains #BuyIntoArt #travel #fineart #Mastoart #art #fediart #nature #FediGiftShop #ArtforInteriorDesign #HospitalityInteriors #InteriorDesign #wallart #instahome #interiordecorating #interiordecor

Image of a lush green forest, with pink rhododendrons creating a tunnel over the path leading through the forest in the Appalachian Mountains. This artwork is from the Fine Art Gallery of Shelia Hunt.

George Steffanos

3 months ago

2/2
One of the features of autumn in Maine which I most eagerly anticipate is experiencing the full glory of the birch and the sugar maples. There were more nice views from open fields along the eastern slope of that hill.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

3 months ago

3/3
I finally came to a stream just as the path began descending rather steeply through forest and a few small fields.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available on Amazon in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

3 months ago

🧵 1/3
40 years ago today: Took a day off the trail. From 6/3/83: The new trail route, for most of the distance to Don Nelan Shelter, either passed through private lands or followed rural lanes. From the highway, it climbed steeply through high pastures baking under a relentless sun.

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#backpacking #hiking #hikingadventures #landscapephotography #tennessee #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails #hikingtrails

Beneath a clear but hazy white sky, we are standing at the top of a U-shaped meadow running down the mountainside towards a valley below. The sides of the meadow also slope upward to our left and right, rather steeply towards the top on our right. The meadow ends and woods take over at the tops of the inclines to our right and left. A tall hardwood tree stands alone not far below us in the middle of the meadow. About halfway down the mountainside a line of trees begin and divides the meadow in half the rest of the way down. There are a few big light gray boulders and leafy shrubs, but the rest of the meadow is grassy. Across the narrow valley from the base of the meadow rise several green thickly-forested ridges.

George Steffanos

3 months ago

2/2
It was a lovely spot, particularly on a crystal-clear day like today, with the blue water glittering in the sunlight. The hollow was a shallow depression in a wide plateau which nestled against the western slope of 3900-foot Stratton Mountain. The western shore of the lake gave a picturesque view of that famous mountain, which would be covered with skiers in a few short months.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

Beneath a deep blue sky with a few clouds we are standing on the shore of a large lake. The unsubmerged portion of tree trunks and branches that fell into the lake is a few feet ahead. A peninsula to our left and the far shore of the lake are heavily wooded, except for a single visible cottage far to our right. A tall green mountain rises above the trees on that shore.

George Steffanos

3 months ago

🧵 1/2
40 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. I came out of the woods at Stratton Pond, a large mountain lake in an extensive hollow encircled by low ridges.

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#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Vermont #nature #forest #mountains #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails #hikingtrails

Beneath a deep blue sky with a few clouds we are standing on the shore of a large lake looking out over some tall water grasses. There is a white rock and a small tree to our left. The unsubmerged portion of a tree trunk that fell into the lake is a few feet ahead. The protruding tip of a single branch of another submerged dead tree is a short distance past that. The far shore of the lake is heavily wooded, except for a single visible cottage. A tall green mountain rises above the trees on that shore.

George Steffanos

3 months ago

🧵 1/3
40 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.

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#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Massachusetts #nature #forests #mountains #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails #hikingtrails

It is raining. We are crossing a swampy area with water grasses, moss and shrubs growing from ground covered with several inches of standing water on low wooden bog bridges. The swamp is surrounded by the tree trunks of a dry land forest.

George Steffanos

4 months ago

5/5
To the south, one’s gaze extends across the plateau to Lions Head and the mountains and valleys beyond. To the west, across a high, wooded valley are the peaks of the western fork of the Taconics.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

4 months ago

🧵 1/5
40 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. In Connecticut, this consists of a high, wooded plateau called Mount Riga, with the rocky crag of Lions Head rising from its southernmost tip.

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#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Connecticut #nature #forests #mountains #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails

We are standing atop cliffs of reddish gray rock looking down into a sun-drenched valley hundreds of feet below. The valley floor is relatively flat, although wooded hills bisect it to our right and others rise in the distance along the entire horizon. Most of the valley floor is wooded, too, but there are several green fields, some houses and a small pond visible. The sky is bright and clear, but rather whitewashed along the horizon, which is the only portion of the sky visible in the photo.

George Steffanos

4 months ago

2/2
On a clear day, one looks out over a broad panorama extending from the Catskills in the west to the Taconic Mountains and the Berkshires in the north. Those distant reaches were concealed by veils of fog and mist today, but nebulous glimpses of the vast rural valley below through the shifting veils still made the climb worthwhile.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

4 months ago

🧵 1/2
40 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, rocky meadow 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.

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

On a rainy, overcast day with low clouds and wisps of valley fog we are standing atop a mountain looking down across wooded foothills to an agricultural valley with large green fields and pastures, swathes of forest and small clusters of buildings. A long, flattish mountain chain rises from the far side of the valley and other mountains dissolve into the mists beyond it.

George Steffanos

4 months ago

🧵 1/2
40 years ago today: There were some great viewpoints along the trail, but at the cost of some memorably nasty rocks. The descent from Bake Oven Knob into the adjacent gap, where Bake Oven Knob Shelter was located, crossed an old slide covered with loose stones whose sliding days were obviously not yet over.

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#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #Pennsylvania #nature #forests #mountain #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails

We are standing at an outlook along the long flat crest of a mountain looking towards a similar wooded mountain a few miles away. The wooded slopes of our mountain run down towards a valley between the two mountains. The flattish valley floor is mostly green and golden brown farm fields, with a few narrow strips of forest as wind breaks and a handful of visible farm buildings. Through a gap in the other mountain on the left of our picture, we can just make out a similar farming valley in the hazy distance with another line of mountains beyond. The sky is bright and sunny, but very hazy and whitewashed.

George Steffanos

4 months ago

2/2
I ate a nourishing second breakfast: sixteen-ounce coke, some cookies and a pint of ice cream. The rest of the roadwalk sailed by; I was humming along on an intense sugar and caffeine rush. Near its end, I came through Swatara Gap, crossing a creek on an interesting old iron bridge from the late 1800s, then an old barge canal.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

4 months ago

🧵 1/2
40 years ago today: The descent from Second Mountain was on wide woods roads, which I really appreciated after that overgrown trail. This was followed by a four-mile walk on paved roads. About a mile into the roadwalk, I came to a small store named Ron’s Grocery.

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#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #outdoors #nature #Pennsylvania #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails

An old, narrow paved road through a forest. An extremely hazy whitewashed summer sky. The sun is out but there are signs of a recent rain. Just ahead a cast iron truss bridge from the late 1800s crosses a wide stream and the road then ends at a crossroad on which a rather large house with an extensive backyard is visible.

George Steffanos

5 months ago

4/4
As usual, the winding two-lane road followed the crest of the Blue Ridge, making a considerable climb out of Ashby Gap at the beginning, but soon reaching gentler, rolling terrain.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

5 months ago

🧵 1/4
40 years ago today: One nice feature of hiking the Appalachian Trail is that you get to see the world — Damascus (Virginia), Glasgow (Virginia), Duncannon (Pennsylvania), Manchester (Vermont), Berlin (New Hampshire)… Today, in Ashby Gap, I finally got to see Paris. It was not quite as I had expected, and I could not seem to locate the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre.

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#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #nature #Virginia #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail #trails

An intensely green forest of tall trees surround a small clearing lushly carpeted with ferns. The late afternoon sun is low above the far horizon, shining through the leafy branches of the trees and casting long shadows across the ferns. Through the canopy there are glimpses of a soft blue sky.

George Steffanos

5 months ago

3/3
Near the base of Little Stony Man’s massive cliffs, the trail came to a rounded ledge of naked rock with some wonderful views: Skyline Drive to the north skirting a low knob and The Pinnacle; a good look at Stony Man’s profile to the south; a wide portion of the Shenandoah Valley with three secluded foothill valleys in the foreground.

More of My 1983 #AppalachianTrail Hike in Photos at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/places-i-ve-been

George Steffanos

5 months ago

1/3
40 years ago today: The Appalachian Trail passed a massive rock cliff with jagged projections overhanging the trail. Tiny springs were trickling down the face, staining the rock black where it was not covered with vivid green moss. A three-inch-long centipede was crawling along the ledge.

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#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #nature #Virginia #nationalparks #mountains #forest #AppalachianTrail #adventure #trails #outdoors #outdoor

A hazy soft blue summer sky. Standing atop a high rocky cliff, looking down over the treetops to the foothills and valleys hundreds of feet below. The foothills are mostly wooded, but they enclose several small farming valleys with green fields and a few buildings. Beyond the foothills is a much longer and wider farming valley bordered on its far side by a long, forest-covered ridge. Beyond that ridge is the even larger main fork of the Shenandoah Valley with another mix of farms and forests, towns and villages. They gradually disappear into the haze with distance. We can barely make out a line of mountains on the far side of the valley.

Jeremy B. Merrill

5 months ago

I need to learn to put hashtags on things:

> Hiked 26 miles of the Appalachian Trail with my dad over the past three days, from Hogpen Gap to Cooper Gap.
>
> Saw a deer, some turkeys and a diamondback rattlesnake.
>
> Didn't see any bears.

#AppalachianTrail #hiking #hike #georgia #atlanta #atl

Jerry Ellsworth

6 months ago

From Pickens Nose, a side hike off the AT near Standing Indian. Posted from Carter’s Gap Shelter. #hikenc #appalachiantrail #hiketheat #getoutside

Ranger Dan

6 months ago

It's a beautiful day for the #AppalachianTrail @appfiresides #hiking #Nature #NationalParks #Virginia

George Steffanos

7 months ago

4/4
Ron tells us that she was just a little ticked off when his immediate response to the news was to ask her husband, “Does this mean you’re not going with me?” From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback & eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6

George Steffanos

8 months ago

1/5
From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available in paperback & eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6 High atop a shoulder of a Virginia Blue Ridge mountain called The Priest, not far from the 4063-foot summit, a spur ridge makes a perpendicular intersection with the main ridge crest. A large clearing surrounded by gnarled and rather sparse trees
#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #virginia #mountains #nature #forest

We a looking down from a mountainside to a large green valley hundreds of feet below. The air is hazy, the sky is completely overcast with low clouds and some fog below us. Our view is framed by forest on the bottom, left and right. The lower slopes visible below us are mostly forested. They valley is relatively flat. Most of it is green pastures and farm fields, with also large strips of forest.

Road Not Taken

9 months ago

Makes me think if she could do it, I could do it. Would need a lot of that outside support, though.

#AppalachianTrail #ATthruHiker #thruHiking #toughBroad #kudos #PamelaClark #BirthdayGirl

https://thetrek.co/appalachian-trail/pamela-clark-is-on-track-to-become-the-oldest-female-at-thru-hiker-ever/

Lisa Hamilton

9 months ago

@JenLucPiquant Funny calling this a rediscovery

Back in high school (in the age of Kelty external frame packs or nothing), we of course made pemmican before doing any long stretches of the #AppalachianTrail
If I recall correctly, my local Appalachian Mountain Club chapter taught how to make it

I did the northern third of the AT all alone over 2 months, with a 70lb pack of rice and pemmican to supplement my foraging and fishing
#GoodMemories
#Backpacking #Food
#OldIsNewAgain

Bob Jones

1 year ago

Here is my #introduction. I am recent member of the #twittermigration (formerly @bobjinpa there).
Some of my interests:
#maker #electronics #ardunio #ESP8266 / #EPS32 #3dprinting #freecad learner
#backpacker half way through a section hike of the #appalachiantrail
#cooking #baker #pizza maker with homemade #coboven
Have an #offgrid cabin running on #solarpower
Current interest in urban planning and eliminating car dependency (currently 100% car dependent, #fuckcars)