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Final hike

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    • I love hiking and being outdoors. Several years ago, my best friend and I made a pact that our final hike would be to special place on the AT. He passed away last year and as agreed I scattered his ashes at our special hiking spot. Now his family members and friends want to visit the site to be close to him. So I give them a trail map marking the spot.Then it occurred to me that there has to be a more permanent way to record the location of a final hike. With a little research, I eventually found a website where for a nominal fee I can record the exact location of a friend’s final hike along with information about their life.


      My friend’s final resting place is marked on a google map complete with navigation to the site. Now for those wanting to visit their old friend, I just send them to the website. His family also finds comfort knowing where he is.


      For those of you that might have a similar circumstance here is a link to the website ancestordirectory.com/scattered-ashes-locations
    • That is very nice. However I was wondering. There are a lot of places that prohibit the scattering of ashes. I wonder if this site has any restrictions on posting locations where this might violate some rule, or if posting such a location might get someone in trouble. Not that I care. I think that these rules are much ado about nothing. I think if I were do to something like this, I might also consider marking the spot with a lasting monument that would follow the spirit of LNT. You could, for example, plant a small tree that is no different from any other in the forest but one you know has special significance.
    • usually those ash locations are sited in convienant places to stop for a piss. very considerate.

      i don't care much about what happens after i die because i'll be dead ya know? i leave that life after death crap to the dim witted religious zealots. so i've told my heir to do what she wants, but if she spends much money to dispose of my rotting corpse then she's a frukin' idiot. so she says, okay i'm gonna have you cremated no ceremony, where do you want your ashes. again, why the fruk should i care i'll be dead.

      disclaimer: i fully intended to offend with this post
    • odd man out wrote:

      That is very nice. However I was wondering. There are a lot of places that prohibit the scattering of ashes. I wonder if this site has any restrictions on posting locations where this might violate some rule, or if posting such a location might get someone in trouble. Not that I care. I think that these rules are much ado about nothing. I think if I were do to something like this, I might also consider marking the spot with a lasting monument that would follow the spirit of LNT. You could, for example, plant a small tree that is no different from any other in the forest but one you know has special significance.
      Ok. So during my research for my friend’s final hike, I discovered that most all Federal and State parks allow scattering of ashes. In fact, because cremation is more popular than burial, states have very generous policies for scattering ashes. Google “scattering of ashes in Federal Parks” and you will find policies for each park. Generally, all parks have similar policies. (See the attachment for The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.)

      Regarding ancestordirectory.com restrictions on posting locations, there are no restrictions. However, if you are concerned about the legality of the location you can make the location private and control who is allowed to see the location. In fact, the site lets you can control the privacy of all personal information.

      Regarding planting a tree or flowers to mark the spot, unfortunately, most parks forbid it. My guess is they are trying to avoid non-indigenous vegetation. However, ancestordirectory.com solves the problem by allowing you to upload photos of the spot thus giving visitors a way to identify the exact place. Pretty cool!

      Several of my hiking friends have asked me to create locations for their deceased friends and come Spring we are planning hikes to visit all the locations. Ashes have already been scattered at some of the locations and we will scatter ashes for loved ones who have be hanging onto ashes. Maybe we will make this an annual visit and celebrate the lives of those friends who are not longer with us. Sounds like fun and another reason for a hike!
      Files

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Love Hiking ().

    • kennesaw mountain national battlefield park faq:


      My loved one has passed and wanted their ashes spread at Kennesaw Mountain. Is this allowed?

      No. We are a battlefield not a final resting place. This directly violates our enabling legislation.


      weddings and similar events are also prohibited. 4,000 casualties (3,000 union and 1,000 confederate) during the battle.
      2,000 miler
    • max.patch wrote:

      kennesaw mountain national battlefield park faq:


      My loved one has passed and wanted their ashes spread at Kennesaw Mountain. Is this allowed?

      No. We are a battlefield not a final resting place. This directly violates our enabling legislation.


      weddings and similar events are also prohibited. 4,000 casualties (3,000 union and 1,000 confederate) during the battle.
      How true. Like I said most parks allow ashes, but not all. Always check first.
    • The Odum Trail, which makes a connector between the Pinhoti and Cave Creek trails to form a loop hike, has a marking cross with the name Joseph Scott .....cant remember the last name....on top of the mountain, I always stop there to pay my respects, didn't know Joseph but I know he had a good life, he had friends who liked him enough to climb the mountain and place his remains in a great place, it's normally winter when I'm there and the air is crisp and the wind is howling through the trees, I can almost feel his spirit looking out over the mountain, the kind of place I'd like for bones to spend eternity.....the rest of me plans to be somewhere else.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Drybones wrote:

      The Odum Trail, which makes a connector between the Pinhoti and Cave Creek trails to form a loop hike, has a marking cross with the name Joseph Scott .....cant remember the last name....on top of the mountain, I always stop there to pay my respects, didn't know Joseph but I know he had a good life, he had friends who liked him enough to climb the mountain and place his remains in a great place, it's normally winter when I'm there and the air is crisp and the wind is howling through the trees, I can almost feel his spirit looking out over the mountain, the kind of place I'd like for bones to spend eternity.....the rest of me plans to be somewhere else.
      Drybones, it does not get any better than that. You have a kind heart and a way with words. Reading your post, I felt like I was there. With his families' permission, I am going to make the location of my friend's final resting place on the trail public on the website so that others can stop and visit with him for a while. The website will also tell visitors what a great guy he was.

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Love Hiking ().

    • chief wrote:

      Love Hiking seems to mention a certain pay website with every post. Could this be nothing more than SPAM?
      No intent to spam. Just felt the responders to my post deserved the courtesy of a reply. I am not known for good choice of words. I have edited my post to remove as many references to the website as possible. Please let me know if further editing is needed.
    • Love Hiking wrote:

      chief wrote:

      Love Hiking seems to mention a certain pay website with every post. Could this be nothing more than SPAM?
      No intent to spam. Just felt the responders to my post deserved the courtesy of a reply. I am not known for good choice of words. I have edited my post to remove as many references to the website as possible. Please let me know if further editing is needed.
      i'm just a member here like yourself, nothing needed for me. though i get a little suspicious when i see websites promoted more than once by the same poster. thx for responding
    • LIhikers wrote:

      My wife and I have told our sons that while we'd like our ashes scattered on a hiking trail of their choosing.

      I've been told that leaving a monument, is in most places, considered abandonment of private property, which allows it's removal.
      Here's a picture I took along the AT in Maryland between Ed Garvey Shelter and Gathland State Park:
    • Trillium wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      My wife and I have told our sons that while we'd like our ashes scattered on a hiking trail of their choosing.

      I've been told that leaving a monument, is in most places, considered abandonment of private property, which allows it's removal.
      Here's a picture I took along the AT in Maryland between Ed Garvey Shelter and Gathland State Park:
      i figured there must be a reason why that memorial is still there, so i asked mr. google...

      Between The Ed Garvey shelter and Gathland State Park there is a plaque in memory of Glenn R Caveney who maintained this section of the trail with his father until his death in an automobile accent in 1975. Soon after Glenn's father established a fund that purchased 4 acres along the trail, providing permanent protection for the trail corridor and a memorial to his son. The parcel was dedicated on March 4 1976.

      edit to add: the maryland and northern virginia ATC guidebook confirms the above info.
      2,000 miler

      The post was edited 1 time, last by max.patch ().

    • Trillium wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      My wife and I have told our sons that while we'd like our ashes scattered on a hiking trail of their choosing.

      I've been told that leaving a monument, is in most places, considered abandonment of private property, which allows it's removal.
      Here's a picture I took along the AT in Maryland between Ed Garvey Shelter and Gathland State Park:
      Glad you posted this. Check this link photojourneys.org/gallery/Appa…_Wilderness_Memorial.html which will explain this apparent contradiction. In reality, the monument is on private property.