|
CONTENTS
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, MOUNT DESSERT ISLAND, MAINE
DOGTOWN,GLOUCESTER,MASSACHUSETTS (SERMONS IN STONE)
(A Challenging & Enriching Discipline)
|
Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that
going to the mountain is going home; that wildness is necessity; that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only
as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life. - John Muir
From " The Wild Parks and Forest Reservations of the West"
Atlantic Monthly, January 1898 |
"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
Robert Frost
The Appalachian Trail in New England
"Remote for detachment
Narrow for chosen company
Winding for leisure
Lonely for contemplation
the Trail leads not merely
north & south, but upward
to the Body, Mind & Soul
of man." (Harold Allen)
This web page is chronological from top to bottom , but varied in terms of the pictures taken.
Unfortunately, John didn't take any pictures of his earliest trips when he backpacked alone in Connecticut & Southern
Massachusetts in the late 1970s & early 1980s. This goal of backpacking the whole New England section of the Appalachian
Trail from South to North started as John's dream in 1978. It became both John & Kurt's, however, & they became especially
committed to it after the 11 year hiatus - no matter what obstacles invariably got in the way over the years. John
backpacked the Connecticut & Southern Massachusetts sections a 2nd time with Kurt from 2003 through 2006, so that they
could eventually get to Mount Katahdin having both shared this whole New England trail. Hence, these trips are pictured
after (instead of before) the northern Massachusetts, Vermont & New Hampshire (to Rt. 2 east of Gorham) section pictures.
People have forged all kinds of incredible records on the more than 2100 mile long Appalachian Trail.The youngest
person to complete it was 6 & oldest 86. It's been backpacked in just a few months, run in 7 weeks
(!) & Bill Irwin became the 1st blind man to hike the entire trail with his dog Orient.
John & Kurt may eventually become contenders for the opposite kind of record: It may end up taking us longer
to complete the Trail (or a major part thereof) than anyone else!
As any backpacker knows, the trail usually feels monotonous & often gruelling to tread. What follows are highlights of
such an experience.
ATC : Noteworthy 2,000-milers (!)
|
| JOHN HITCH HIKES FROM GLOUCESTER,MA TO WOODBURY, CT ON 8/15/1978 TO DO THE 1ST S-N N.E. AT SECTION |
Appalachian Trail in NJ,NY & CT (Thru Hikers Online Edition)
Appalachian Trail in CT, MA & VT (MAP)
Appalachian Trail in MA & VT (Thru Hikers Online Edition)
Pictures of the AT in VT & NH by Kenneth Pugh
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel;
But do
not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatch'd, unfledg'd comrade.
(From Polonius's famous speech in Shakespeare's Hamlet)
1985: SOUTHERN VERMONT
|
| KURT'S EXCITED ABOUT HIS & JOHN'S 1ST S-N VT AT TRIP ON 7/28/1985 |
|
| John cooks supper at the Glastonbury Mountain Shelter. |
|
| Kurt's ready to leave the shelter the next morning. |
|
| The Glastonbury Mountain Privy which has a grand view. |
|
| The Glastonbury Mountain Firetower which has an even grander view. |
|
| Our Stratton Pond Shelter |
1997: 2 TRIPS IN VERMONT
Appalachian Trail in NH & ME (MAP)
Appalachian Trail in NH & ME (Thru Hikers Online Edition)
THE EARLIER NEW HAMPSHIRE YEARS: 1998,1999,2000,2001 & 2002
The N.H.Years:
I) 9/11-16/1998 SECTION: THE HANOVER INN, HANOVER N. H. TO KINSMAN'S NOTCH (TOUGH SECTION)
9/11 (DAY 1) WE STARTED OUT LATE AT DUSK AFTER THE HANOVER CO-OP & HIKED IN TO THE VELVET
ROCKS CAMPGROUND
9/12 (DAY 2) BACKPACKED TO MOUSE MOUNTAIN SHELTER
9/13 (DAY 3) BACKPACKED TO SMART'S MOUNTAIN WHICH WAS EXHAUSTING BUT IT WAS A TREAT TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN
THE FIRETOWER.
9/14 (DAY 4) WE BACKPACKED OUT TO WENTWORTH TO SPEND A NIGHT AT A HILLTOP ACRES CABIN
9/15 (DAY 5) WE BACKPACKED TO JEFFER'S BROOK SHELTER SOUTH OF MT. MOOSILAUKE
9/16 (DAY 6) WE BACKPACKED OVER MOOSILAUKE & DOWN TO THE PARKING LOT
|
| KURT AND JOHN AT HANOVER TRIP START. IT'S 439 MILES NORTH TO KATAHDIN ON 9/12/98. |
|
| KURT POINTS N. TOWARD MT. MOOSILAUKE AFTER A NIGHT SPENT IN THE FIRETOWER MORNING OF 9/14/98. |
|
| JOHN'S SUBMERSED IN SOUTH JACOB'S BROOK 9/14/98. |
|
| MCGEE'S BRIDGE OVER SOUTH JACOB'S BROOK REQUIRED HAND CARRYING OUR BACKPACKS 9/14/98. |
|
| THE SHABBY & OVERPRICED HILLTOP ACRES WENTWORTH, NH CABIN WAS RESPITE NONETHELESS 9/15/98. |
|
| BACK ONTO THE TRAIL IN WENTWORTH THROUGH A RAINY DAY TO J.BROOK SHELTER 9/15/98. |
|
| JOHN IN THE JEFFER'S BROOK SHELTER WATER HOLE 9/16/98 |
|
| KURT AT SHELTER 9/16/98 MORNING AFTER INTENSE DOWNPOUR ON METAL ROOF. |
|
| KURT & JOHN ATOP WINDY 1ST ABOVE TREE LINE NORTHBOUND MT. MOOSILAUKE 9/16/98. |
9/6-8,1999 (Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch)TOUGH Section
6/27-30,2000 Franconia Notch (Liberty Spring Tentsite Trail) to Crawford Notch
7/9-12/2001 ( John, Kurt & Jane Backpack from Crawford Notch to Mt. Washington)
|
| KURT & JOHN IN THE AMC LAKE OF THE CLOUDS HUT BELOW MT. WASHINGTON ON 7/11/01 |
7/11-15(1:20AM)/2002 ( Mt. Washington Summit to Rt. 2 east of Gorham, N.H.) A.T. Northern Presidentials:
4 days & 35 miles; last day: 6 Mountains, 17 miles & 13&1/2 hours of backpacking & 18 hours awake
Appalachian Trail in Connecticut Map
THE CONNECTICUT YEARS WITH KURT: 2003, 2004 & 2005
9/23-25/2003
Hoyt Rd (NY/CT Line) -Rt.4 Cornwall Bridge,CT
Stops at the 10 Mile River Lean-To & MT. Algo Lean-To
(LOST 1st Roll of Film !)
CT (II) 6/14-15/2004 Rt.4 Cornwall Bridge - Falls Village Hydroelectric Plant
CT (III) 7/18-19/2005 FALLS VILLAGE POWER PLANT TO SALISBURY'S UNDERMOUNTAIN PARKING LOT
The Appalachian Trail in Massachusetts
2006: 2 TRIPS IN SOUTHERN MASSACHUSETTS WITH KURT
|
| MA (I) RICK & JOHN UNDERMOUNTAIN TRAIL PARKING LOT, SALISBURY, CT 7.30.06 |
|
| JOHN & KURT AT TRIP'S START BY THE PARKING LOT 7.30.06 |
|
| JOHN WITH GREAT BARRINGTON HOSPITAL ER ROOM OUTTAKE FORM 8.1.06 DAY AFTER TRIP'S END |
2006 MA TRIP (II) 9/20-22/06 SHEFFIELD TO LEE, MASSACHUSETTS
|
| A Switchback over Acres of Yellow Jack-in-the-Pulpit Flowers Tyringham, MA AT Trail |
JOHN & KURT SET OFF IN 2007 TO FINISH THE N.H. SECTION OF THE AT FROM ROUTE 2 EAST OF GORHAM, N.H. IT HAD BEEN 5
YEARS SINCE THEY'D REACHED THAT POINT & THEN GONE BACK TO DO THE CONNECTICUT SECTION OF THE AT OVER AGAIN FOR JOHN BUT
NOT FOR KURT.
|
| WE START OUR TRIP ON 6.26.07 AT THE RATTLE RIVER PARKING LOT |
|
| A FINAL GORHAM, NH HIKER'S PARADISE MOTEL VISIT WITH BRUNO ON 8.6.08 |
|
| J&K AT START NEAR CARLO COL TRAIL 8.6.08 |
|
| TOUGH SLIPPERY SLOPE TO CLIMB 8.6.08 |
|
| KURT IN MAHOOSIC NOTCH 8.7.08 |
|
| WATER STOP STREAM 8.7.08 |
|
| K EXHAUSTED IN GRAFTON NOTCH AT 9:45 PM ON 8.7.08 |
|
| J EXHAUSTED IN GRAFTON NOTCH AT 9:45 PM ON 8.7.08 |
Appalachian Trail in Maine (Map)
John & Kurt's Backpacking of the Appalachian Trail in New England (A Descriptive Chronology & Work In Progress)
8/15/1978 John hitch hikes from Gloucester, MA to Woodbury, Connecticut to begin his 1st CT AT Backpacking
Trip: (NY/CT Line to Cornwall Bridge?)
1980 -1983 John Backpacks the CT & MA sections from Cornwall bridge to Lee, MA
7/19-22/1984 Rt. 20 Lee,MA over Beckett Mt. - Rt. 2 N. Adams, MA
7/28 31?-8/1985 ? Rt. 2 N.Adams MA - Danby/Landgrove Rd. VT
THE 11 YEAR HIATUS:1986-1996
The 1997 VT Trips:(I) 7/6-10/1997 The Danby/Landgrove - 4.4 m. north of Woodstock,VT
trip
(Via Little Rock Pond,Clarendon Gorge & The Inn at Long Trail) Jumping off the "Little" Rock into the
pond was fun & the campsite near it pleasant. The Inn was a godsend after a greuling & miserable hike up &
over rocky, rooty & wet Killington Peak .
(II) 9/20-21/1997 4.4 m.north of Woodstock ,VT- Hanover Inn, Hanover,NH trip (The Tough 1 nighter 20 m.
trip)
The N.H.Years:
I) 9/11-16/1998 Hanover Inn, Hanover, N.H. to Kinsman's Notch (Tough Section) Late dusk start
from the Hanover Co-op in to the Velvet Rocks Campground, Day 2 to Smarts Mountain exhausting but night in the Firetower
was a treat.
9/6-8,1999 (Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch)TOUGH Section
6/27-30,2000 Franconia Notch (Liberty Spring Tentsite Trail) to Crawford Notch
7/9-12/2001 ( John, Kurt & Jane Backpack from Crawford Notch to Mt. Washington)
7/11-15(1:20AM)/2002 ( Mt. Washington Summit to Rt. 2 east of Gorham, N.H.) A.T. Northern Presidentials:
4 days & 35 miles; last day: 6 Mountains, 17 miles & 13&1/2 hours of backpacking & 18 hours awake
The CT Trips (With Kurt):9/23-25/2003
Hoyt Rd (NY/CT Line) -Rt.4 Cornwall Bridge,CT
Stops at the 10 Mile River Lean-To & MT. Algo Lean-To
(LOST 1st Roll of Film !)
6/14-15/2004 Rt.4 Cornwall Bridge - Falls Village Hydroelectric Plant (F.V.H.P.)
7/18-19/2005 (Day 1)c. 4 &3/4 M. [F.V.H.P. to Limestone Brk. L-T via Great Falls & Mt. Prospect
(c.2hrs.& 5-10mins.)
(Day 2) (7/19/2005)c.14.2M. Limestone Brook Lean-To Undermountain Pking Lot Via Bear Mtn., Paradise Ln &
Undermountain Trail
via. Rand's & Billy's Views, Cob. Rd.Cem.Spigot, Rt.41 Pking Lot Lunch,Lion's Head,Riga L-T
(&1 hr. (heavy rain for1/2 hr. break) & Bear Mtn.(c.10 & 1/2hrs.)c.1800
foot elevation gain & 19 miles total
THE 2006 TRIPS: (I)(7/30-31/2006) Salisbury,CT ( Rt.7 & Undermountain Trail) to the Housatonic River at Kellogg Rd.
(Very Hot Weather,Long 2nd Day & Scarce Water Stops contributed to John getting Heat Exhaustion & going to the
Great Barrington Hospital ER en route to Kurt's House)
(II): (9/19-21/2006) Sheffield, MA (Housatonic River & Kellogg Rd.) to Rt.20 Lee, MA Trailhead
2007 NH-ME Trip: 6/26-28/07 RT 2 East of Gorham, NH to the NH/ME State Line & Carlo Col Shelter
The Appalachian Trail In New England
The Appalachian Trail (Wikipedia)
|
