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June 29, 1983, 43 years ago today: After a seven-mile morning, I followed the half-mile side trail from the AT to Wiggins Spring Shelter. I had been told that the water from this spring was worth the trip in itself, and, anyway, a backpacker needs a place at which to lay back with his boots off at some point during the course of a twenty-two-mile day.

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

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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

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May 27, 1983: Less than two miles later, another side trail led to White Rock Cliffs, from which there were more great views.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #NorthCarolina #nature #mountains #Tennessee #AppalachianTrail

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June 1, 1983: A couple of days either way and I wouldn't have been there for that massive peak daffodil bloom. I've had my share of bad weather luck on this hike — everyone does — but this hour made up for a lot.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #NorthCarolina #mountains #nature #AppalachianTrail

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September 8, 1983: It was mostly cloudy in Crawford Notch at 12:30 when I set out on the #AppalachianTrail. A nice, stiff breeze was blowing, the air was fresh and dry, and the day was much cooler than the last few had been. As usual, that 12:30 start was considerably later than I wanted it to be.

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

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June 29, 1983: The remainder of the trail was densely wooded, generally lacking in viewpoints. That was of little consequence today. The cold rain intensified and lingered into the night. Rain makes for a much more introverted hiking experience than on a clear day. Far-off vistas disappear and distant colors are muted into shades of gray.

#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #virginia #nature #forest #AppalachianTrail

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May 18, 1983: Derrick Knob shelter was in an excellent spot, similar in appearance to Russell Field. About a dozen small deer were wandering around nibbling the grass and the lower leaves, and they let me approach surprisingly close. It is pretty amazing how brave the deer are in the national parks, where no hunting is allowed.

#backpacking #hiking #NorthCarolina #Tennessee #mountains #nature #AppalachianTrail

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September 9, 1983: Last night’s weather forecast called for increasing clouds today, with a chance of rain tonight. I drove to the Mount Washington Auto Road from Gorham, not expecting much. What we got was one of those perfect days which are so rare in the northern Presidentials.

#backpacking #hiking #NewHampshire #hikingadventures #landscapephotography #nature #outdoors #mountains #AppalachianTrail

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June 14, 1983: Another steamy day began with seven miles of trudging up and down short, steep climbs, occasionally crossing hollows with sluggish brown creeks. Then I had a long, steep climb up to and along Chestnut Ridge to Chestnut Knob. Both were attractive. An extensive swath of grassy, flowering meadow ran along the ridge crest up to and past the knob.

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

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June 10, 1983: I spent the day today wandering a high green country of forest and rocky pastures encompassing Mount Rogers and its surroundings.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #mountains #Virginia #nature #forest #outdoors #appalachiantrail

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September 1, 1983: I flipped through the register, finding comment after comment about the magnificent view from the fabled Smarts Mountain privy. I shrugged my shoulders and sauntered up to check out the outhouse.

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

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August 29, 1983: In some ways, the portion of the AT which I describe in this chapter can be thought of as a connecting trail between the grandeur of the Green Mountains and the magnificence of the Whites. That outlook would ignore the charms of this pleasant country of rolling ridges and neat little farms.

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

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June 12, 1983: Before 6:30, as the first faint blue twilight tinged the blackness, I was on my way. The woods were at their prettiest in those fleeting moments before sunrise; I promised myself that I would try to get early starts more often.

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

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September 15, 1983: When I finally attained that summit, I checked my watch and discovered that it was almost 9:00. I had consumed two hours in hiking two-and-a-half miles. At the rate I had been covering ground the past couple of days, Katahdin was beginning to once more achieve the status of fairy tale.

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

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August 22, 1983: 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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May 10, 1983: We had already covered almost ten miles when we stopped for lunch in a clearing at Beech Gap, three miles past the summit.

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 #AppalachianTrail

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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

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May 29, 1983: I began hiking exactly at 11:00 beneath a heavy overcast, but no rain. My first three miles were the climb up Big Bald.

#backpacking #hiking #landscapephotography #NorthCarolina #Tennessee #mountains #nationalparks #nature #AppalachianTrail

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September 22, 1983: The ascent of Little Bigelow was gradual and the new trail well laid-out. The AT reached the ridgeline of the mountain and traversed a series of rocky knobs, several of which had open ledges. The sun had finally broken through, and the day had turned clear and beautiful. The haze was gone from the air, replaced by a crisp hint of chill.

#backpacking #photography #hiking #landscapephotography #nature #outdoors #mountains #maine #AppalachianTrail

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August 18, 1983: 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 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

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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 #AppalachianTrail

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The longest mile on the #AppalachianTrail is the Mahoosuc Notch, a stretch of house sized boulders at the bottom of a ravine in Southern Maine. It takes between two and three hours to traverse. Even in July there was unmelted snow in the cracks between rocks as well as the skeleton of a moose.

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Southern Maine has some of the best hiking in the US. Bald Pate Mountain is fun on a dry day, but if it is raining, take the day off. This is the south side. The northern side is just a steep granite sliding board with the occasional bush to grab. The view from the top is magnificent. #hiking #AppalachianTrail - amerpie.lol/2025/05/19/bald-pa… - #Photography #the100pics Follow me on Pixelfed @amerpie@pxlmo.com