Evening star., 1936-07-04
GROUPS NINGIE IN HIKES ONLONGESTTRAII
APPALACHIAN DAYS
District Pleasure Seekers Are Found on
Mountain Way Which Reaches ID
i States $3.50 Miles Long.

ulating tramps in the snow.
The mountains themselves are stim-
ulating at all times. Have you ever
felt the thrill of being on . noun
tain in bright warm sunshine and
looking down to lakes of clouds be-
low. which, when unpiling and dis
persing, reveal a deep valley? Have
you ever felt the power and calm
that rushes to you when, standing on
pinnacle, you view the mountain
range extending endlessly-a valley
on each side dressed up in the patch
work quilt Of freshly plowed and
planted fields, or shadow patches
made by wandering clouds? Perhaps
far of there is secondary range
of mountains nesting comfortably
beneath blue sky. Have you then
ever felt the sudden rush of philoso-
phizing, or the conviction and classi-
ication of things into the permanent
and temporary?
The several sections of the trail
vary in dificulty. The easiest is
the new graded trail built by the
National Park Service in Shenandoah
Park. AS the trail meets the Skyline
Drive at number of points, it is
possible to take short, easy trips
which afford breath-taking views.
More taxing is the steep ascent
of Weverton Cliff, one side of which
offers excellent possibilities for rock
and rope climbing. Many have had
the opportunity and thrill of learn
ing how to rope climb under the
careful and scientific direction of q
club member, who has climbed with
the old timers and professional guides
of the Alps, and later the very dim
cult spots in other European ranges
and IN our own American Rockies.
CHIMNEY ROCK at Harpers Ferry
is an interesting rock formation
which may be roped up with some
little care in selecting foot and hand
holds. Big and Little Devils Stairs
near Washington, Va, offer scrambles
over the rocks in deep wooded ravines
bordered by cliffs and traversed by
sparkling streams. In both of these
there is a rise of about 1900 feet in
mile and a half.
The Appalachian Trail is a foot trail
only. 1t is the longest marked path
in the world, being 2,050 miles in
length. 1t begins at Mount Katahdin
in the Central Maine wilderness and
ends at Mount Oglethorpe in Northern
Georgia. 1t thus extends through II
Eastern States. 1t has been cut dur
ing the last IA years and is maintained
by about IS organizations with head
quarters at various points. Inter-
change of views is effected through
the Appalachian Trail Conference, 901
Union Trust Building, which Is also
the Office of the P. A. T. c. Guide
books to the more distant sections Of
the trail may be obtained there, as
well as more detailed information re-
garding the portion from the Susque-
hanna River to Southern Virginia.
The Potomac Appalachian Trail
Club maintains the well-marked 260-
mile section from the west bank Of
the Susquehanna, miles above Har-
risburg, Pa, to Rockfish Gap in Vir-
ginia. From the SusQuehanna 1t
is possible to walk south for IA con.
secutive days to Skyland, in Shenan.
doah National Park, without the
bother of carrying camping equipment
Daily travel to utilize accommodations
averages IS miles. Three shelters
along this route are maintained by the
Trail Club, and in addition there are
open lean-tos in the Michaux and
Mont Alto State Forests In Pennsyl-
vania The distance from Washing
ton ranges from Sc to 148 miles, and
many local inhabitants, exclusive of
the club, are enjoying the use of the
trail.
Both the main and side trails were
cut, marked and measured by the p.
A. T. c., except for the new section
in Shenandoah National Park, which
was graded and built by the c. c. c.
The A. T. is marked by white paint
blazes, by painted signs which indi-
cate the distance Ito the tenth OF a
mile), and direction to the nearby
points on the trail and the highways.
Side trails are marked by blue painted
blazes.
TO COME back to the days hike,
each member takes a lunch. A
suitable place is chosen about the
center of the days hike-preferably
near a spring. A roaring camp fire
is built and coffee made and served
to the crowd. A great deal Of trail
lore has been built up since the local
clubs organization in 1927.
There Is an interesting story OF a
lunch along the trail which gave the
name of Applesauce House to an
abandoned farm house. The club
group had gathered around the roar
ing camp fire for the usual lunch and
coffee, when it was sadly announced
that the coffee had been forgotten.
Undaunted, these modern pioneers Of
the woods gathered apples which had
fallen under the nearby fruit trees,
cooked them, and soon the club was
eating hot applesauce instead of cof-
fee along with the lunch from their
packs.
After lunch the remainder Of the
trip is covered. The group straggles
in to meet the bus---the leader with
the first hardy mixers arrives. Later
others, who have been slower along
the way, lingering over lunch. or
hunting rock formations, flowers or
just enjoying the beauties Of scenery.
And finally the rear guard comes up
with the last of the crowd, the bus