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Looks like hikers down in Georgia are being hammered with rain.

Quote from AnotherKevin: “Quote from Astro: “I grew up loving ZZ Top, but that is first time I ever saw them categorized as easy listening. ” You know you're old when you hear your favorite songs from high school...... played on violins in your dentist's office. ” Or when the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra plays their "Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration" every year at Tanglewood. Too lame even for me. My dentist plays 1960s originals... Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, etc.

Water was an issue for me on my 2nd last day in SNP, but that was at the southern end of the park. I was low on water the 2nd afternoon, got water from a spigot at the Panorama lodge before heading up to Mary's Rock. The waysides at SNP are wonderful that way, definitely check out the blackberry milkshakes!

Quote from TrafficJam: “Keep in mind that mid June could be hot and humid. People say SNP is easy but I had one of my shortest days there when it was very hot and humid. I also had an easy 16 mi day when it was overcast and drizzly. The nice thing about SNP is you can always bail if you run out of time. I suggest you make a sign prior to starting that says, "hiker to big meadows". I had trouble hitching in SNP and I don't look very threatening. ” Hitching is never easy when you're a mangy hiker …

OMO -- when you enter the park by car the friendly ranger will hand you a nice map of the park that clearly shows the many places where the AT crosses the parkway. So if you wanted to you could easily skip the climb from Front Royal (Rte. 522) up into the park. I'm looking at that map right now. If I read it right, the AT actually misses the northernmost 10 miles of the parkway within the park boundary. The AT meets the parkway at a point labeled "Compton Gap," a mile or so north of Jenkins Gap …

And most definitely take proper precautions with your food at camp, because this park has lots and lots of bears.

My take on SNP, from my hike in '07 and last week's drive through (and short day hike) is that there are camping opportunities almost everywhere. Sort of the opposite of the White Mtns. where camping ops are few and far between. SNP is mostly hardwood forest and not as dense or full of scrub as we get up in NH and ME. You'll need to carry water to your camp. I don't recall any perfect campsites near flowing streams.

Lou, your pix remind me of the ski patrol training I did when I was much younger. I actually went through it twice, 'cuz I left the patrol for a few years and let the certification lapse. Only diff is you're probably not doing chairlift-evacuation drills.

I was in pretty good hiking shape going through SNP and did some of my best mileage ever in that park. Started at Rte. 522, first night at Gravel Springs Hut. I could have gone a bit further but decided to stay. There was a loud snorer in the shelter and I ended up sleeping in front of the shelter. The next day I walked to Thornton Gap and a bit beyond, stayed at a "secret" spot up on Mary's Rock. Day three took me to Big Meadows. I soon realized that it's not really a campground for hikers, but…

Quote from Astro: “Quote from rafe: “Quote from Astro: “Quote from OzJacko: “I chided him at Trail Days in 2013 that his entire book is about the pain he felt. ” Perhaps that is why I could relate too it so well.Pain or not, he finished his thru, just as I will my section hike (hopefully in 2017). ” Must have missed something... who the heck are you guys talking about? ” AWOL (David Miller) ” Ah. Gotcha. Now I can relate. Of the many AT books I've read, his was certainly not my favorite. A bit t…

Quote from Astro: “Quote from OzJacko: “I chided him at Trail Days in 2013 that his entire book is about the pain he felt. ” Perhaps that is why I could relate too it so well. Pain or not, he finished his thru, just as I will my section hike (hopefully in 2017). ” Must have missed something... who the heck are you guys talking about?

Quote from TrafficJam: “Quote from OzJacko: “Quote from TrafficJam: “Lying in my bag on MP, gazing at the stars, and watching the sunset the next morning is one of the best camping experiences I've ever had. ” We just walked over Max Patch. Didn't fit our mileages to stay there. I think IM and I had a similar experience though when we tented between Hump and Little Hump Mountains. Few do that as it's close to Overmountain shelter, the big barn that we looked at but didn't stay in. ” I don't norm…

Quote from TrafficJam: “When I was a beginner, packing took several days and my gear was checked several times. Now I throw stuff in my pack and often forget important things, like matches or lighter when I hiked in the Smokies a few months ago. The only thing I forgot this week was toothpaste. ” I have a checklist. If it's more than a day hike (ie., camping involved) I always check my kit against the list. I print a fresh copy each time. I may not take everything on the list, but at least I've …

For winter day hikes I always set a turn-around time. The goal is to return to the starting trailhead before nightfall. If I haven't made it to my planned destination by the turn-around time, too bad. Does lots of experience make me less cautious? Not at all, rather the contrary. Or maybe it's the advancing years, and the decreased resistance to hypothermia or other more routine deprivations we suffer in the woods. Some of the stuff that we take in stride as youngsters can have more serious cons…

Quote from TrafficJam: “Quote from A.T.Lt: “I've posted this before, this past October I attempted to hike the Santanonnis in the Adirondacks. Plan was to hike in, set up camp and next morning summit the three peeks in question. While hiking in, the temps dropped to the teens, and then it snowed. The next morning, although prepared with all the proper gear and a map and compass I just didn't feel I was capable of going the distance. This mountain range the trails are unmarked herd paths and with…

Quote from A.T.Lt: “adirondackdailyenterprise.com/…al-mistake-.html?nav=5008 I was just recently having a conversation with a friend on some of the topics discussed in this article. Social media has opened hiking, and climbing to a broad audience that sees pictures Of hikes and trips in amazing locations and hikers completing these adventures. Inexperienced people see them and think it's easily capable of doing. And for the most part it is until it goes bad. Then they're not prepared. I've witne…

Quote from WanderingStovie: “Quote from rafe: “Quote from WanderingStovie: “You could aquablaze the Great Allegheny Passage. The C&O Canal Towpath would not work because what little I've seen of it is a series of stagnant pools. You would have to portage too often to be worth doing. ” GAP is on my list for this summer, maybe this spring. Who's with me? ” Hiking or biking? Parts of the GAP also allow horses. ” Biking. I figure I should be able to do 40 miles a day without too much trouble. The on…

Quote from WanderingStovie: “You could aquablaze the Great Allegheny Passage. The C&O Canal Towpath would not work because what little I've seen of it is a series of stagnant pools. You would have to portage too often to be worth doing. ” GAP is on my list for this summer, maybe this spring. Who's with me?

Internal frame packs take some getting used to. I didn't make the switch until 2007 or so. Yes, I miss the mesh against my back instead of the pack itself. But I don't miss the bulk or the shifting-around from the old external frame pack. The IF pack feels more a part of me and is far less restrictive, less apt to snag or throw off my balance.

My wife doesn't read this forum so I can say this. On my last hike with Julie (about a month ago now -- I posted photos here) there was a moment when I wanted to turn around. Just didn't feel safe, but Julie convinced me to keep at it. I was wearing microspikes, and being lazy about switching to crampons. The issue was ice. There's been precious little snow in the Whites this year, but plenty of ice. There were large expanses of rock covered in glare ice, and steep drop-offs at the edges. No pro…