22   a .t.   j o u r n e ys  m ay–j u n e 2010 a .t.   j o u r n e ys  m ay–j u n e 2010   23

-mile

rsThe Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) now has more than 11,280 reports

of hikes of the entire A.T. posted to its register of 2,000-milers.

This includes 633 reports, which were received since last year’s listing.

Of those, 560 thru-hikers and section hikers completed the Trail in 2009.

h C o m p i l e d b y v o l u n t e e r G r e G S t o v e r h

  Graper, Kendra  Pudgie Pie  Graves, Liz Klehm  Hobbit  Green, David  Green Lite  Green, stephen  Mr. Green Tea

*  Green, suzanne  Grace  Griffith, alan  Thunderbird  Grimm, David  Chomp  Gruszewski, tyler  .2 (point-two)  Guild, David

*  Gunther, Fred  Hazard*  Haegele, elizabeth  Rocket  Hale, terry L.  Buffalo  Hall, arthur  Blazer  Hamilton, rebecca  Squeegie

*  Hamlet, anthony  Pyrofly*  Haney, Carol a.  Rockamimi  Hankes, Benjamin  Gastank  Hankes, nathan B.  B.B.

*  Hanlin, neal Walker  O.G. (Old Gear)*  Hardin, Kel  George & Gracie  Harlan, steven r.  Fleegle

*  Harner, Dede  Skittles*  Hassler, Brad  Hoosier  Hawthorne, shannon  Short Bus

*  Haxby, sara  Joker*  Headley, todd  Frankenfoot  Heavner, Patrick  Windbreake  Hemberg, matthew  MudD

*  Hennig, Chris  Feed Bag*  Henson, michael  Tabasco*  Herman, David  Turtle D

*  Herman, marrion  Turtle M*  Hess, jason C.  Two Lions*  Hewitt, David L.  Ironman*  Higgs, rocky  Skunk Ape  Hill, Greg  Bacon  Hill, jim  Wingo

*  Hitchcock, Charlotte r.  Eeyore  Holcomb, jean  Calamity Jean

*  Holladay, Cori alice  Grommet*  Holland, Carolyn  Soaring  Holloway, Daniel  Mr. Right  Horne, Benjamin  Sideshow  Houston, michael Wilson Coondog  Howe, Katie  Wing It  Hrycik, Ben  Camel  Hubbard, Keith a.  Huck Finn  Hunter, Chris  Hurley, ryan Keane  Hitch  Hutcheson, steve  Tully  Irwin, steven  Screamin Steven  jaanimagi, erik  Brown Cow

*  jackson, martha  Kiwi*  jackson, ray  Papa Kiwi  james, rebecca rentz  Cantelope

*  jardine, ray  Plain Ol’ Ray  jarsulic, james  Jim Dandy  jeck, jon  One Shoe

*  jeffcoat, eric  Tweak*  jobe, Kenneth L.  Slagline  johnson, Bryce  Tarzan

2010*  Brown, Bruce  Floater  santiago, joseph a.

2009  acimovic, Phil  Ninja  ackley, David  Stewball  akery, matthew jason  Speedstic

*  albritton, rachel  Katchup*  aldworth, Don  Cruiser*  allen, mark P.  Bison  alley, matt  Snarky Snarkerson  alloway, aaron Heath Angry Hippie

*  almendinger, ron  Loan Arranger  altice, Charles aaron  Dude on Couch  anderson, michael  Gezza  anderson, roxanne  Top Shelf  arabie, anthony j.  Union Break  arensberg, alex  Splinter  armstrong, james  James

*  arnold, jeffrey r.  Longhaul  arnold jr., jack  Wishbone  arteaga, marcelo  Don Coolio

*  arterburn, Brad  Ringmaster*  ashbacker, rick  Deer*  atwood, Wes  Cy*  aue, ashley  Holdout  aydelette, Karin  Tumbleweed

*  Babarskas, Craig  Otter  Baer, jonathan e.  Sneaks  Baker, Kathy  Honey Bee

*  Baker, richard  Daredevil Dick*  Baker, robert F.  Ball, David  Yukon Rasputon

*  Ball, jaron  Big Bear  Ballard, Kim  2 lbs.  Basinger, nicholas  Rojo  Baumgartner, Christine     Rock Lobster  Beares, erin  Das Boot

*  Bevan, randy  Handyman  Biviano, robert  Sunnuke

  Blackley, shay  Wander  Blackman, todd  Sparky  Bloink, joshua  Natty Bumpo

*  Bowen, stephanie  Tinkerbell*  Boxall, David  Dave from England  Brady, matthew   

  “Older” of the Brothers Rogue  Brake, jason  Limbo

*  Braunlich, Christian  Home Fry  Breit, joshua  Stink

*  Brekke, Bruce e.  Featherfoot  Brewer, jared  Hoover

*  Bridges, julia mayer     Okefenokee Pokey  Briggs, sally  T-Toe  Brokaw, jones m.  Bonesey

*  Brown, Glenn s.  Yak  Brown, jordan  Liquid

*  Brown, trevor  T-Bone  Brueck, john  Spiceman  Brundage, jonathan  Moontower

*  Bufano, Paul  Boof  Burge, Will  Billy Goat

*  Burger, ron  Gray Beard Beaver  Byrd, james W.  jaybird

*  Calder, mary a.  Gofar  Campbell, Caroline  Sancho Panza  Campbell, Christopher  Moses  Campbell, jacob  Pit Stop

*  Campbell, tom  Pac Man*  Carroll, edward  Walky Talky*  Chaffee, adam  Black Toe*  Chamberlain, David  Goose*  Charlton, jeremy  Car Hop*  Christmann, Heinz   

  Heinz the Walker  Church, Kyle  Strider  Clark, elizabeth  Chewy  Clark, nathan  Tekla

*  Clark, William  Roots  Clohan, Gary  Canada  Collins, joseph  Sunday

*  Conlin, john  Gator*  Connelly, Brian Harrison  General

*  Corey, Dorothy  Snowy  Costanzo, Kelly  Snuggles  Costner, stacey  Wishy-Washy  Cotter, Zachary Burson  Incognito

*  Cowdery, eileen  Jukebox  Crosby, Clay  Chief Walt

*  Cuddihy, ryan  Highlander*  Cutting, Linda L.  Nanigoat  Czaka, Zoltan-Laszko

*  Daileader, richard  Da’Leader of the Trail  Dani, Lino  Icarus  Dansky, Caleb  Hill Raiser

*  Darr, alex  Postman*  Darr, Gregory j.  Toubab  Dasek, nick  Daddy Longlegs  Davila, jorge  Bearbait

*  Davis, Brett a.  Poptart  Davis, Carson  Stuff Sack  Davis, nate  Drunken Sailor

*  Davis, terri  Munchi*  Dawes, Chris  Tea Bags  Day, eric  Brown Chicken  Dearborn, Peter joseph  Poo Bear

*  Delisle-mitchell, Donna  Nature*  DeLuca, marc  Spokes  Dennison, William H.  Firebug  dePolo, Chris  Chance

*  DePriest, sherri elaine     Dreamcatcher

*  Dever, Chris  Daddy Goose*  DeVoe, Chad  The Teacher  Diehl, Krisdin  Threshold  Dillman, ashley  Pickle

*  Dixon, Grey  Greybear  Doddo, Crystal Beth   

  Birch & Fancy Pants  Dolci, emily  Half Full

*  Doughty, ellie  Lady Samantha  Douillard, mike  Smiley  Dow, mike  TBD  Down, jacob  Don’t Panic  Doyle, jordan  Boofer

*  Drew, janna  Jabberwocky

  Driver, madison  Spoon*  Duckworth, Chris  Stuts*  Dunn, alexander  Ruin*  Dunn, Peter  Stonebrown  Dupont, john Paul  Duckman  eanes jr., Billy C.  Memo

*  edwards, tim  Will*  edwards, Vickie  Way*  eilers, sue  Getsupearly  ellison, marvin  Hoosier Ben  emmons, nathaniel  Gritty McDuff  engels, Wade  Bushwacked

*  erskine, amy  Wags  eun jung, yoon  MT Love

*  evans, richard  Pacer*  Faassen, Graham  Minne’Sota’ I.P.A.*  Facemire, jon  Pooh Bear*  Fair, stephen  Rugged Shark*  Fallis, Bruce m.  Juice*  Fallis, marcia  MommaLlama  Farrell, nick  UCOC

*  Fissel, rob  Foxtrot*  Flanagan, Douglas*  Flanagan, Peter*  Fleetwood, Cynthia  Ms. Muster  Fletcher, Kevin  Fletch

*  Floyd, john W.  SWC  Foley, Dave  Dah Wah He

*  Foster, judith  Novia*  Foxx, Dan  DUBS*  Fraher, Ian W.  WolfPack  Francour, Brittany  Dirty Mess  Francour, Kirstin t.  Too Klean

*  Freeman, allen  Monkeywrench*  Freifeld, margaret     Ultimate Flipflopper  French, Kimberly a.  Petunia  French, ronald C.  Treehugger  Fromm, mark  Country Runner

*  Frye, David trevor  Flying Scotsman  Gannon, Patrick  Kuru

*  Garren, Bill  Baltimore  Gay, Brandon  Goof

*  Gay, marit anderson  Moonwalker  Gemmer, andrew  Fidget  Gerome, nicky  Hotsauce

*  Gilchrist, andrea  Willow  Gilchrist, eryn  Lightning  Gips, rachel  Snorkel  Given, madelyn K.     Madelyn from Maine

*  Goad, arlie a.  Ace*  Goloub, janet  Gomlak, David  Topofgothics

*  Gordon, Chris  Flash Gordon  Gordon, Louis  Sweet Lou  Gornto, William  Wanderlust  Grabon, jeffrey  Unplugged

*  Graham, michael  Child of Fortune  Graper, Ian  Mudslide

  johnson, Chris  Mr. Buffalo Man*  johnson, Cody  Gordon Bombay  johnson, sherri  Bubba  johnson, tord m.   johnson III, David

*  johnston, Wendy  Shimmy  jones, roland  Grizzly Jones  joseph, jessica  Angry Beaver

*  Kapoor, maya  Jungli*  Keenan, tim  Naneek*  Kelley, ralph  Mountain Man  Kelogg, samuel  Spirit Fingers

*  Kelso, rich  Dioko*  Kiehn, tina  Chunky*  Killian, john K.  Spin Master  Killion, Graham  Kimmel, Douglas  The Phoenix

*  Kinder, russ  Trusty  King, edward r.  Shagbark  King, elijah  Apache  King, tyler  Patches

*  Kinsella, tom  Lakota*  Klehm, Carrie  Knickers*  Kloehn, joshua  Motor  Klotz, Dustin  Spicoli  Koski, jessica  Peanut  Kraft, matthew  Lunch Box

*  Kressler, Karelyn  Little Dipper*  Kuehn, tori  t Suds  Kuehne, jeffrey e.  Phoenix

* We would like to express our appreciation for these 2,000-milers who have chosen to support the Appalachian Trail as Appalachian Trail Conservancy members (current as of April 1).

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t r e vo r “ SnaG S” pel l i n en a n d a n n i e m aC W i l l ia m S by “ baCk ya r d b o o G i e”

24   a .t.   j o u r n e ys  m ay–j u n e 2010 a .t.   j o u r n e ys  m ay–j u n e 2010   25

406G eo rG ia to m aine

(G a-m e) t hru - hik er S 68m aine to G eo rG ia

(m e- G a ) t hru - hik er S 45fl ip - flo pper S 111SeC t i o n hik er S

  stephenson, Drew t.  Statesboro*  sterling, Patricia  Double Shot  stewart, mathew  Fin Lunch Lady  stiteler, Brendan  Don Quixote

*  storm, Leslie a.  More Sunshine  strelbicki, joshua W.  Prairie Dog

*  stroud, neal  Gnarwhal  stryffeler, Diana  Bird  suhar, john  sullivan, sean P.  Trampoline  sutton, jacob

*  suydam, Hank  Bunyan*  swaim, Zach  Rocket*  swart, john  Zan Dawg*  swartz, michael  New Knees  tarpley, Ben  Gentle Ben  taylor, adam H.  Magic  taylor III, robert n.  In Deep

*  telford, steven P.  Just Steve  terrano, robert  Boston

*  thomas, andy Andy from Baltimore  thomason, Levi  Bottom Bunk  thompson, Ben  Rusticus

*  thompson, Gary  Happy*  thompson, jeff  Penn - J  thundershield, trevor  Hatchet

*  toledo, Len  Amante  tomlin, Blake a.  Spider  tretter, megan  Ferdy  truitt, Brian  Professor  tsuboi, natuski  M I J

*  tulip, joanne m.  Tulip  tumidalsky, joseph r.  Blue  tunstall, Greg  Detour

*  turner, Gerald W.  Kanati*  tyson, Chris  Amero  underwood, emily s. Chocolate Chipmunk

*  Valvanis, Kristin  Sled Dog*  van Dijk, Daniel  Blu Ray*  Van Dyke, robert t.  Waterboy  Vandette jr., joseph m.  Hot Chocolate  Vickery, stephen a.  Veggie Steve  Villanueva, andrea  Mocking Bird  Villanueva, jessica  Humming Bird

*  Voris, jennifer  Billyhoot  Wachs, jason  Steam  Wade, Dan  WD-40

*  Waggott, richard  Sir Richard  Walker, Chris  Odin  Walker, Don  Allgood  Wallington-smith, George  Wally  Walls, jim  Vista Jim  Walsh, Chad  McBride

*  Ward, Connie L.  Tag-along*  Ward, Dane  Tagless*  Warren, Benjamin  Primitive*  Weick, Bethann  Beth*  Weick, maria  Maria

  Weisbrod, samuel  Buckeye  Weldon, Bryan  Brewer

*  Wells, jack  Two Weeks  West III, james L.  G Fog

*  Wetherbee, Pat  Saint*  Wetherbee, sarah j.  Wind Up  Wetherby, Benjamin  Hatchet

*  Wheeler, Karl  Desert Fox  Wiggins IV, john L.  Space CowboyWilke, arthur  Croc Star

*  Wilkins, melinda  Many Names*  Williams, Harvey  Jolly Rancher  Williams, Leigh anne  Denali  Williamson, aaron  The Kid  Williamson, john W.  No $  Willson, nathaniel  Chert  Willson, shawn  Grizzly Adams  Wilmot, michael  Nordic

*  Wise, amanda  Truckin’  Wolford, Brian  Col. Mustard  Wood, jonathan  Slick Wood

*  Wood, matthew t.  Wright, Brad  Pusher

*  yannuzzi, jason  Sailor J*  Zaccaro, justin  Tank  Zapp, jaroslav  Walkabout

*  Zhan, Lijun  Highway Man  Zirkle, jon  Birches

*  Zuk, mary  White Eagle  Zurbellen, Cody  C-Zur

*  Zuroff, C. Peter  Alf

2008*  Bartkus, arunas  Arius  Buckhanan, matt  Buck

*  Carbonell, rick j.  BearWalker  Carter, jason  New York Minute  Cheslak, samuel t.  Leftfield  Cummins, Lane  Diesel  Dusenbury, emma  NoAmp  ellis, David  Big Brown  Farahan, Daniel  Chewbaca  Foster, ryan L.  Indian Summer  Geymann, tyler  Mudbug

*  Hafner, David a.  Thorny*  Halliday, agatha  Moonshadow*  Harris, tyler  Skuter  Hart, Cary  Borders  Hodges, Kevin  Kbomb

*  johnston jr., Charles W.  Free Will*  Kenealy, Deborah  Spidey  Lampas, james  Six-Toe  Lampas, mary  Fjord  mcGee, jr., mark allen  Crush

*  mcnulty, james W.  Dozer  miller, Kirk  Kirk or AYCE

*  newsome, David  Java Man*  newsome, jane  Tea Sip  Perrett, Benjamin  Daisy

  rolax, Lance  4 X 4  ross, judith e.  Sweet Sixteen

*  ruddell, evan  Straight Jacket  ruggiero, Daniel  Hi-C  runnels, jessica  Yogi  russell, Christopher  Hard Core

*  ryan, Bradley sebastian     Hellbender

*  ryan, tom  Tumbleweed Bagins*  sands, Benjamin a.  Catfish  santa, stephen  Splice  sarfas, edward  Kea  schipp, scott  Scooner

*  schley, William e.  Tailwind*  schmidt, Charles  Sarge*  schmidt jr., Wesley  Bronco  schoell, David mark  Hawkeye

*  schoen, travis  Curse  scott, ryan  Beauregard Shagnasty  seese, scott  Left Toe

*  seibel, amanda  Egg*  seibel, Bob  Buffoon  self, Darren  Jukebox Hero  serre, Dorian  Frenchies Blah-Blah

*  shafer, Blake B.  Lil’ Wayne*  shafer, edwin “Win”  Birdman  shahidi, nima  Linus Cloudbuster  sharp, Dustin  Bullet  shaw, robert C.  Tumbleweed  sheaffer, Christopher  Mr. Freeze

*  shouse, Cathy  No Nails  simons, james m.  Otter

*  sims, james s.  Purist*  singh, Kabir David Harricharan     Hummus

*  skinner, Colin  PI  slade, jr., Bill  The Bills  slaughter, tracey  Pokey

*  smalley, jane  Big Sis  smalley, Lauren  Double Vision  smith, Dustin s.  Dusty Bottom  smith, edward     (one of) The Smith Brothers  smith, jacob  Toothpick  smith, michael s.     (one of) The Smith Brothers  smith, mike  Ironwood  smith, robert t.     (one of) The Smith Brothers  smith, sean stephen  Safari  smith, talitha  Crazy Lady  sneider, David  Oddjob  snowden, robert e.  Lost Rob  snyder, alex  Spice Rack

*  spanogle, steve  Spreadsheet  spencer, Gabrielle  Solar System

*  splittgerber, robert  Padre*  stacy, Clark  Bones  stanforth, Wes  Panama Red

*  stegman, ted  Carolina

  mangiardi, Ian  Dusty *  manning, Lee j.  One Step  maron, sam  Samwise  mars, David  Sky King  martel, jocelyn  Frenchie  martin, anne marie  Hardcore  martin, nevena  Gangsta  martin, robert  Big Tuna  martineau, stephanie  Lucky Star  mason, Kim  New Day  mast, Gerald  Freebird

*  mauer, jonathan  Blacklist  mazzone, Luke  mazzone, matthew e.  mcCann, Whitney  Stickcake  mcClish, Chuck  Bugman  mcCollum, mike  Steamboat

*  mcCombie, john  Wis-pee  mcDonald, rebekah  Bound

*  mcLemore, samuel a.  Poncho*  mcnair, stephen  Big Tuna*  mcPherson, Douglas  Ramble On

*  mcPherson, Dwight  Rookie*  mcQueen, Dan  Tidanium*  mcroberts, eric  Rolling Stone  meserve, jonathan  Tuts

*  meservey, ronald  R.B.*  metroka, Chris  Firebuilder*  miller, alex  Padre*  miller, Duane  Longgun 5  miller, Loretta  Lil’ Dipper  miller, mathew  Hermes

*  millis,Bill  Doc*  mitchell, amanda  Plunger*  mitchell, Preston Lee  Bojangles  moor, robert  Spaceman  moore, Karen  Loon  moran, Daniel  Stickcake

*  morley, Kimberly  Couscous*  moulton, Dennis m.  Y-Knot*  mounce, abe  12-Pack*  mudry, Linda  Katydid*  mullee, alec  Sunny  murphy, mary C.   

  Penny Whistle the Dueller

*  myers, james j.  Ranger  myers, mary  Grommet

*  myers, russell  Fisherman’s Friend  naone, Gwendolyn  Cyborg  nedde, Donna Tenacious Turtle (T.T.)

*  nickle, Gabriel  Skip  nora, Patrice  Storm  norton, Byron  TNT  nowakowski, malgosia  Lake 2 Lake  nowakowski, tomasz  Manynames

*  olson, Bob  Big Bob  o’shaughnessy, eric  First Date  osner, noah  Honey-Do  oster, Ian  Laid Back

*  Pacek, Wendy  Tiger Bomb*  Palmer, adam j.  Topo*  Palmer, robert  Methane*  Papp, michael  Rock*  Parkinson, Pam  Burly Girl*  Parkinson, thomas  Bugsy  Parrott, Philip m.  Grits  Pasini, joe  Patey, nicholas G.  Doc  Pattison, Greg  Early Bear  Paulding, alice  Snooze

*  Paulson, Katelyn  Lupine  Peacock, Corelia  Gaia

*  Pegram, tim W.  Footnote  Perdue, Greg  Poseidon  Pesek, Chesley  Dance Party  Peterson, Carl michael  Sawman  Pettingill, tim  Cargo Pockets  Pettit, nathaniel  Elroy

*  Phillips, john B.  Low Clearance*  Phillips, john m.  Wizard*  Phillips, trudy  Blueberry  Phoebus, Betsi  Firecracker

*  Piccone, stefan  Big Fish  Pickard, richard  Titeloops  Pinion, Dustin  Myco Polo  Poncet, Virginie Frenchies Blah-Blah

*  Pouss, matthew a.  Tiger  Price, michael  Lumpy

*  Pugh, michelle  Cricket  Putnam, William  Giddy-Up

*  rahaim, sarah Fender  O.Rose  rathbun, eric

*  redding, erin  Little Tree  reighart, stephanie  Evergreen

*  reinhart, martin  Wildcat  relyea, Peter  ACE  renne, rachel r.  Racheopod  reynolds, Chase  Feels Like Today  rice, adam  Blondie  richardson, Benjamin Barron   

  Mission  rightor, eric  Ahab

*  robertson, Danny  Stretch  robinson, Will  Choo Choo  rodriguez, Luis  Freeze

  Pipes, matt  Chip  Powers, Kris  Scout  Quimby, Bradley  Shitty Forecast

*  renninger, Warren  Lake  roberson, nikki  Flop  rollins, steve  Flip  rooks, Bethany  Naps

*  rowat, r. Winona     “nona” from nowhere  simons, Gregory  Greg  stewart, samuel  The Highlander

*  Walden, jeff  Mercury*  Walker, Christopher  Kit  Wimberley, michael Emergency Shit

2007  Barczynski, Hoshaiah  Brisk  Conroy, Patrick  Hold On

*  Forsman, roderick     Chronic Fatigue Syndrome  Getter, Bonnie  Diamond / Diamo

*  Grembi, jessica  Lady  Groman, andrew  Juice  mcDaris, michael  Movin on

*  nickerson, Blaine  Blue  Pigeon, Carie  Scuffles

*  rohr, adam  Larry  solinsky, Chris  Spartan  Williams, Brady  Tater

2006 *  Brothers, jim  Running Bear*  Kanoy, Gary  Bucky*  Latkovski, Christopher  E.T.

  o’Hara, michael t.  Bonesaw  Pardi, Frank  Rael  shy, eric C.  Treefingers

2005  Gregor, sean  Rest Stop  silver, john  History  tamplin, sadie  Goldfish

2004*  segel-moss, adam  Cliff Dancer

2003  Dabal, richard P.  Lost-n-Found

*  Gabrielsen, robert  Sir-Packs-A lot  shaklan, Paul  Junkie

1999  Pedersen, Larry  Pocono Professor

1995  Byrd, james W.  jaybird 

1993  Byrd, james W.  jaybird

1976  youndt, Dean

1974*  Whitehill, Lynn 

1972*  Porter, joe 

  Kurzban, Claire  Memere*  Kviatkofsky, nick  Tex Redwood*  Kviatkofsky, sara*  La Coss, ron  Bird  Lambiasi, anthony r.  Mason  Landgren, jeffrey  Karjon  Lane, Larry  Rockskar  Larsen, joshua  Porkchop  Laub, andrew  Camel  Lawrence, ryan thomas  Ox  Lawson, anita  Lightweight  Lawson, Ian  Mr. Ed

*  Leachman, Cortney  Berry*  Leachman, joel  Bark  Leatherman, marcia G.     Mossy Brown  LeDoux, Chris  Ducky  Lee, Harrison  Indy

*  Lee, jonathan m.  Leeman, samuel  Stud the Dud

*  Leichnetz, sarah  Tufted Titmouse*  Lemay, michael  Jeremiah Johnson

  Lemieux jr., Paul D.  Blessed*  Leon, robert  Maya Guez  Lesmerises, William  Crash  Lewis, andrew  Zombie

*  Liles, joe  Braid*  Lippe, robert  Chili  Littman, Dori  Outloud  Litwiller, megan  Nutmeg

*  Look, elizabeth a.  Lydon, joseph C.  Indiana Toad  Lynch IV, thomas a.K.  Leon  Lynsky, abina a.  K Bar  macDade, Lauren  Bob-bon  macDonald, Faren  Castle

*  mackey, stephen  Legs  macnab, robert  Chinese Tourist  maguire, Christopher  Maineac  maguire II, john Phillip  Corporate  maker IV, archie D.  Scarecrow

*  maliszeski, steve  Big boots*  malkemes, Ken  Never Got One*  maner, michael Lake  Sharp Tooth*  manger, David  Fat Kid

A fellow thru-hiker once wrote,

I’m never going to forget, or fail to appreciate things like ‘new sock day.’ I think that pretty much sums it up. k a r i n “ t um b l e W eed ” ay d el e t t e G a-m e 20 0 9

633 h ik er S— fo ur S t y le S o f t r ail Com ple t i o n:

m i Ch el e “Cr i Ck e t ” pu G h

a .t. j o u r n e ys m ay–j u n e 2010 47

A s I s e e I t

I first heard of the Appalachian Trail in my early teens. My younger cousin Ryan, talked about the Trail and his dreams of hiking it one day. I remember thinking, “sounds neat, maybe I’d like to do that too.” Time went on

and I had long forgotten about the A.T. until I was 15 years old and went on my first official back-packing trip in Joyce Kilmer Wilderness, North Carolina. I was in love, and the thought of one day thru-hiking the Trail resurfaced. The dream contin-ued to linger in the back of my mind as I made my way through the mandatory process of high school and col-lege. I would announce on oc-casion that I would one day like to hike the A.T., but had no idea when or how to tackle the plan-ning of undergoing such a huge expedition.

It wasn’t until the summer of 2006, that my dream of at-tempting a thru-hike began to manifest into a possible reality. I was in my first year of graduate school. I had been working since I was fifteen and had done little for myself over the years. I was fo-cused on work and school, barely keeping my head above water. Although I wanted a career, I also de-served to do something for myself before joining the work force. After some deep contemplation and conversations with friends I decided that after graduation, I would attempt to thru-hike the Ap-palachian Trail.

Why a thru-hike? Because I wanted to. There was something inside of me screaming to get out. The answer seemed simple and un-gratifying to most who asked me why. Others just thought I was crazy. A thru-hiker once stated that the desire to hike the A.T. is something that you can feel deep within yourself, but cannot find the words to express. I could not agree more.

From March to September, 2009, I lived out my dream. When I returned, the question on everyone’s mind was “how was your thru-hike?” How in the world do you sum up a 2,179 mile thru-hike from Georgia to Maine? Don’t get me wrong, I love that my friends, family, and even complete strangers, are

totally enamored by my experience and want to know more. But how do you even begin talking about the last 6 1/2 months of your life? I hiked. I hiked through sun, rain, snow and mud, with biting bugs, with pain, during the day, and at night. I just hiked. Yet I know that my thru-hike was much more than putting on my pack everyday and moving forward. I still have yet to comprehend what I really did.

So how do I answer this question? “Incredibly life-changing.” Before leaving on my hike I had a list of goals I wanted to achieve; getting fit, becoming

more spiritual, and becoming more confident. The list went on. I admit that I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Still, I knew I had the drive and

passion to stand on top of Katahdin in the end. Did I achieve what was on my list? In many ways, yes, but more importantly I believe that I gained what I needed from my hike. This experience provided me the opportunity to wake up to things in my life that I had either been asleep to or too emotionally weak to let go of. I will never look at the world the same, nor will I ever view myself the same.

I chose to get real with myself. It’s easy to be hon-est with others, but not as easy to be honest with yourself. I began to appreciate the truth and felt empowered to change. I have spent much of my life striving to meet the expectations and desires of oth-ers and have almost always put myself at the bottom of the list. I blame no one but myself. This has been a clear pattern throughout my life, and even through-out much of my hike. It took nearly 1,800 miles for me to wake up to the reality of my actions, but I woke up. I got real. I have no regrets. My hike was meant to be what it was meant to be for me. My hike was life-changing.

Rachel “Katchup” Albritton lives in Lenoir, North Carolina.

"A thru-hiker once stated that the desire to hike the A.T. is something that you can feel deep within yourself, but cannot find the words to express."

“As I See It” is a monthly column from guest contributors representing the full range of ATC partners, members and volunteers.

To submit a column for consideration, please email journeys@appalachiantrail.org or write to Editor/As I See It, Appalachian Trail

Conservancy, P.O. Box 807, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425.

a .t. j o u r n e ys m ay–j u n e 2010 1312 a .t. j o u r n e ys m ay–j u n e 2010

The American black bear,

ancient denizen of the

primeval Appalachian forest,

is reclusive and rarely seen.

However, wildlife manag-

ers report that both

its numbers and range

appear to be increas-

ing along the Appala-

chian Mountains.

Black BearNeighborhood

B y B o B P r o u d m a n

a n d S u S a n d a n i e l S

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ranging over almost 60 square miles of habitat. This underscores the need to secure wildlife corridors as part of broader environmental goals. In fact, the Appalachian Trail, augmented by the many state and federal forests, parks, and game reserves along its length, may be an important travel corridor for the American black bear and other wildlife. Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) director of conservation Laura Belleville has worked with Dr. Bill McShea of the Smithsonian Institute to survey wildlife along the A.T. in the mid-Atlantic area. This survey work has helped us to understand where wildlife species, including black bears, occur along the Trail in this region. Surveys such as this one, as well as studies to better understand landscape dynamics, will help A.T. managers enhance corridor protection for migrating fauna and f lora. Recently, A.T. MEGA-Transect scientists have been engaged in developing a decision support system for managing Trail lands.

Nancy Bell with the Conservation Fund (TCF) has worked with ATC and state officials in Vermont and New Hampshire to identify and conserve black-bear travel corridors through the Green Mountains from southern Vermont to Killington and eastward. And, more recently, TCF and others working on the Mahoosuc Initiative, have been instrumental in con-necting the Mahoosuc Range with the White Moun-tain National Forest boundary near the Rattle River, where black bears have been observed swimming across the Androscoggin River. At its best, the A.T. enables a symbiotic relationship — it protects and provides vital thoroughfares for the wildlife that make it their home, which in turn enriches the Trail experience for hikers.

But at its worst, human-bear problems may grow acute where both populations are on the increase, where people have moved into prime bear habitat at the “wildland interface,” or where bear habitat im-proves as former farms revert to forest, old orchards become overgrown but still produce fruit, or (more problematic) where exurban and suburban homes have unprotected outdoor trash cans, bird feeders, and pet food. One such area along the A.T. is New Jersey, one of our nation’s most densely populated states. There — in the northwestern corner, where it borders Pennsylvania and New York, and the A.T. follows both states’ borders — one finds rich natural black bear habitat augmented by suburban foraging opportunities. New Jersey wildlife managers report that bear populations are spreading, with bear sight-ings, road kills, and population growth now occur-ring further east and south in the Garden State.

In December, New Jersey will hold its first black-bear hunt in six years, a controversial decision despite nuisance bears invading residents’ garbage and bird feeders, or worse, attacking pets, killing livestock,

and causing significant property damage at private homes or farms. The New Jersey Fish and Game Council’s Draft Comprehensive Black Bear Manage-ment Policy, required as a result of a 2005 New Jersey Supreme Court decision, should help wildlife man-agers to proceed with an integrated management approach that includes hunting. Sadly, it appears too costly to rebuild the state’s solid waste infrastructure to require bear-proofing trash collection facilities.

Is the American black bear dangerous? Compared to its cousins, the grizzly, brown bear, or polar bear, attacks on humans are extremely rare. In the eastern U.S., the black bear is a benign animal for the most part. However, there have been three reported kill-ings by black bears in the eastern U.S. in the past 10 years — two in Tennessee (in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee National Forest) and one in New York. In those attacks,

any A.T. hikers still consider a black bear sighting relatively rare, and a special treat. One thru-hiker recollected his Vermont sighting as his deepest spiritual experience, writing of his long walk many years later in the Tidewater A.T. Club’s newsletter. Nonetheless, negative encounters along the Appala-chian Trail, particularly at shelters and campsites where hikers and others fail to follow good food-storage practices or leave garbage behind, may be on the increase.

Ed Reed, wildlife biologist for the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, says that black bears naturally fear people and generally avoid human contact, even in park settings where encounters are likely. However, bears can become habituated to people and may grow to tolerate or ignore them. If people fail to follow good food-storage practices, this habituation can lead to the serious problem known by wildlife managers as a

“food-conditioned bear”— one that associates hu-mans with acquiring food. The mother bear, or sow, teaches this behavior to its cubs and yearlings during their first year spent foraging together. Research in

the western U.S. has shown that a bear will become food conditioned if it is successful as few as two times in 50 attempts to obtain human food. A bear that successfully obtains food by aggressive behavior becomes more dangerous.

In the worst cases, a food-conditioned bear will begin daylight foraging for food at shelter and camp-ing areas. It may be hard to chase off. (Banging pots, yelling, and throwing rocks will generally discourage a bear from approaching.) It is difficult to change the behavior of a habituated bear, but land managers may use “aversive conditioning,” including firing on it with rubber slugs or bean bags. Bears may be captured, tagged, and tattooed for future tracking. If the problem bear’s behavior worsens, remediation requires moving the bear to another location or eu-thanizing it.

Although the natural diet of Ursus americanus is about 75 percent plant based — soft mast (berries, apples, and other fruits) or hard mast (nuts such as acorns, beech, or hickory nuts) — these highly adapt-able omnivores are biological “generalists” — they will claw through a tree for bee honey, rob squirrel, bird, and insect’s nests, prey on fawns, and eat car-rion. They are opportunistic feeders.

Black bears are strong, with sharp curved claws that make them excellent tree climbers. The males grow larger and wander farther than mature females,

american black bears have sharp, curved claws that make them excellent tree climbers. although their natural diet is about 75 percent plant based, black bears are highly adaptable omnivores and opportunistic feeders. Ph otos (Pr e v i o us Pag e a n d a b elow ) by va n h i l l .

new york biologists prepare to attach a GPS tracking collar to a black bear captured as part of a research study on bears and backcountry camping.co u r t e s y n e w yo r k s tat e d ePa r t m en t o f en v i r o n m en ta l co nser vat i o n

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dragged him in his sleeping bag before being chased off by other campers. That bear was later trapped and euthanized by state officials.

While there have been no serious injuries re-ported, there have been other incidents of concern on the Trail. In one, a day-hiker with a child in a carrier on her back was knocked down by a bear after the hiker’s dog confronted the bear. In another incident, a hiker sitting on his pack while eating a snack was knocked over by a bear, which then ran off with his gorp. Problems are most likely to occur where campers fail to follow Leave No Trace prac-tices, do not keep shelters, tents, and bedding free from food spills and smells, and do not store their food properly. Two A.T. shelters in Tennessee were closed for several weeks last summer due to bears attracted to trash and food left there. Persistent bears also were reported at shelters and overnight sites in North Carolina, Maryland, and Vermont. A.T. hik-ers have had packs dragged off by bears while they were taking down their tents or using a privy. In one instance, a hiker was awakened in his tent by a bear standing on him while it tried to reach the pack he had hung overhead. Bears that have learned to as-sociate packs and tents with food may go after such gear even if it does not contain food.

ATC’s Trail crews have not been immune. In the Smokies, the National Park Service provides an electrified bear fence around the Rocky Top crew’s food and cooking area, but on returning to the campsite after breakfast one day last year, they found a tent and some equipment destroyed. Also in 2009, four tents used by the SWEAT crew (which uses a bear in its logo) were destroyed by bears. In 2002, the mid-Atlantic crew van was damaged by a bear apparently trying to get at food that was stored inside.

A number of A.T. maintaining clubs have re-cently asked ATC for more comprehensive guidance to prevent or minimize negative bear encounters along the Trail, particularly at overnight sites. ATC and its state and federal wildlife management part-ners need to share findings and invest more effort to prevent future problems with black bear/hiker en-counters. Some clubs are installing food-storage systems, such as bear poles, food-storage cables, or

“bear boxes,” at their shelters to prevent bears from gaining access to hiker food. These are effective as long as they are used properly, but there have been some problems. Some cable systems at shelters have had problems with hanging cables becoming wrapped around the top cable or have been damaged by people, requiring club work trips to make repairs. Bear boxes have been used as trash receptacles. An enterprising raccoon that learned to climb the bear pole at one shelter had to be relocated.

How can hikers protect themselves, fellow hikers, and the bears whose home the Trail passes through?

n Pack food carefully to reduce spills and smells on your gear; launder tents and bags if necessary.

n Practice leave no Trace camping. Do not leave excess food behind. Pack out all trash. If you can, remove trash left behind by others.

n use food-storage devices properly. Do not place trash in privies or bear boxes.

n If there are no food-storage devices, hang food properly from a tree, at least 12 feet up and at least six feet from the tree trunk or substantial branches. Techniques for hanging packs and food bags can be researched on the Web.

n use bear bags or bear canisters. Ed Reed of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation reports that the required use of bear canisters for food storage in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks, an area that previously had many bear/hiker problems, has achieved a 95 percent compliance rate among hikers and reduced black bear food-conditioning to near zero. Bear-resistant products can be found on the Web.

n do not cook near your tent or keep food in it.

n never deliberately feed a bear. In some locations, it is illegal even to feed them inadvertently. Feeding bears and storing food improperly in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park can result in fines of up to $5,000 and jail sentences lasting up to six months.

n never run from a bear. In the very unlikely event of an actual attack, fight back.

As visitors to the bruin’s neighborhood, we owe the black bear, superbly adapted to sniff out foodstuffs, better behavior. Our simple failure to put away the Oreo cookies may ultimately result in the death of a bear, or worse. Let’s clean up our acts.

the bears were acting in a predatory manner, not just attempting to get food from someone.

Black bear expert Steven Herrero believes that the combination of habituation, food conditioning, and rewarding aggressive behavior increases the chances of a bear causing serious injury to a person. In con-trast, Herrero believes that bears involved in human fatalities are more likely to be found “in rural or remote areas — where they have had relatively little association with people,” which he states in the book Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance.

Almost every year, reports come in of bears steal-ing food, damaging tents or packs, or being highly persistent and difficult to chase off at various shelters and campsites along the Trail. There have been two serious reported incidents at overnight sites. The first occurred in Pennsylvania in 2004, when a woman sleeping in a bivy sack at a campsite on state game lands suffered bruises after being dragged about 35 feet by a bear. In 2005, at a shelter in New Jersey, a bear grabbed a sleeping camper by the leg and

above: a tranquilized, male black bear has been fitted with ear tags and a GPS tracking collar after being caught in a culvert trap. The combination of habituation, food conditioning, and rewarding aggressive behavior can increase the chances of a bear causing serious injury to a person. co u r t e s y n e w yo r k s tat e d ePa r t m en t o f en v i r o n m en ta l co nser vat i o n

For more information visit:

www.appalachiantrail.org

www.edc.uri.edu/aTmT-dSS/default.html

www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw according to leave no Trace standards, bear bags should be hung properly from a tree, at least 12 feet off the ground.Ph oto co u r t e s y l e av e n o t r ace cen t er fo r o u t d o o r e t h i c s

Problems are most likely to occur where campers fail to follow Leave No Trace practices, do not keep shelters, tents, and bedding free from food spills and smells, and do not store their food properly.

a .t. j o u r n e ys m ay–j u n e 2010 31

The h a lf way point of the Appalachian Trail is rough-ly 45 miles south of Duncannon, Pennsylvania, near Pine Grove Furnace State Park. It’s at the little general store in the park that northbound thru-hikers traditionally celebrate reaching the midpoint of their trek by consuming a half-gallon of ice cream.

If you sit on the porch of the store, though, and talk to those dairy gluttons, you’ll soon learn that as much as they enjoy gorging on that carton of Rocky Road or Neapolitan, the cel-ebration most of them are really looking forward to will come a few days later when they reach the legendary Doyle Hotel.

Originally built by Adolphus Busch, the co-founder of the Anheuser Busch Brewing Company, the Doyle maintains its sudsy tradition, serving a solid variety of brews, including that unofficial, official beer of the A.T., Yuengling Lager, the choice of most hikers as they toast having passed the midpoint of their journey.

Since Pat and Vickey Kelly took the place over in 2001, the Doyle has also been known for Pat’s fine cooking. Burgers as big as your head and plates of fresh cut fries piled nearly as high as nearby Cove Mountain are probably the most popular menu items with hikers, who make up more than 50 percent of the Doyle’s clientele; though beer and burgers are hardly all the place has to offer its walk-in crowds. The hotel offers a full menu of southern-influenced entrees, cheap rooms, hot showers, free internet service, and one of the best juke boxes you will find anywhere, filled with an eclectic mix of CDs handpicked by Pat

Haven at the Halfway Point

t e x t a n d P h o t o s

B y C h r i s a . C o u r o g e n

Left: An A.T. hiker is featured prominently on the Duncannon Community Mural, which was completed in 2004. More than 600 members of the community helped paint the mural, located on the side of a local house along the Trail.; Above: Doyle Hotel owners Pat and Vickey Kelly chat with thru-hiker Duane

“Long Gun” Miller, as he signs the Doyle’s Trail registry during a beer break from his hike.

Kelly himself. Since taking over the Doyle, the Kellys have worked hard, both at their hotel and with other businesses in town, to make sure hikers can find what they require when they hit Duncannon.“We’re like concierges,” says Vickey Kelly. “We try to find out what the hikers need.”

That philosophy resulted in an arrangement with a local doctor who works hikers into her busy schedule when they need medical care, and a shuttle to the local supermarket, which carries a lot of hiker-friendly items.“Pat will tell me what they are looking for and we try to get it in,” says Stan Mutzabaugh, of Mutzabaugh’s Market, who agreed to run a shuttle for hikers looking to resupply after Pat and Vicky explained how danger-ous the one-mile road walk was from the hotel to his store.

Most hikers who spend a night in one of the Doyle’s 17 rooms start their day across the street at Goodies, an unpretentious

D U N C A N N O N

P E N N S Y L VA N I A

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little eatery that gets so much hiker traffic from mid-May through early July — the peak of thru-hiker season in Duncan-non — they actually have to hire extra seasonal help. “We get pretty full with hikers. They go crazy over our pancakes,” says Katrina King, the owner’s daughter, who credits Vickey Kelly with helping fuel the restaurant’s popularity with hikers by sending them across the street for breakfast.

Duncannon has a real appreciation for the hikers who pass through, says Fred Lauster, the former president of the borough’s council who, in his role as chair of its parks and recreation committee, helps facilitate the annual Billville Hiker Feed and Feast, held each summer in the town’s community park.

Hikers camp for free on the park’s baseball field, and hang out under the park’s pavilion while stuffing themselves on a three-day feast served up under the watchful eye of Duncannon resident Mary Parry, better known to hikers as “Trailangel Mary.” “Duncannon is known as a hiker friendly town. We sort of cater to hikers,” says Lauster. “The town takes pride in having a mile of the Appalachian Trail run right through Duncannon.”

“It’s a quiet town,” says King, “it’s probably the biggest thing of the year when the hikers come through.”

The appreciation is a two-way street. “The people in Duncan-non really focus on the hikers,” says Larry Luxenberg, president of the Appalachian Trail Museum Society, who walked through the town on his way from Springer to Katahdin in 1980. “It is a great Trail town. The people are very welcoming.” Hikers will

tell you that attitude is what sets Duncannon apart from some other towns along the Trail.

“I love the town. It’s so neat to walk through. As I hiked out of town, I passed kids on their way to school. They all waved and said hello,” said Harold “Over the Edge” Fred, a section hiker from Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. “The whole town re-ally loves hikers.”

What’s not to love? “They are really friendly people,” says Mutzabaugh.“It brightens my day when I am able to greet hik-ers and they stop to talk to me,” says Duncannon resident Daphne Cotton. “It is an enjoyable experience to communicate with them.” Cotton says the hikers give her children a window on the world that is not commonly found in such a small, rural community. “The kids like to hear about where they come from, where they are going. In a town this size, it helps; you realize the rest of the world is alive and well.” The A.T. is “part of what this community is about,” said borough manager Tanuya Mat-ter. “It’s a part of the town.” “We are proud of the relationship we have, being where we are on the Trail,” added Cotton. “There is an attitude in town that we want to embrace them.”

Clockwise from right: The Trail, enters Duncannon from the south and runs right down Market Street; the Norfolk Southern Railroad’s main line runs along the Susquehanna River through Duncannon. From the river bank, northbound hikers can preview what is ahead; the public library, located in one of the town’s churches, welcomes hikers and offers free internet service, drinks, snacks, and supplies; “Trailangel Mary” Parry points to her 1984 Dodge Diplomat “Hikermobile.” Parry had hikers, who rode in her car, sign the unique Trail register on wheels. Though it was retired in March, the roof, trunk lid, and front hood will be part of the new A.T. Museum’s collection.