Appalachian Trail northbound- With a Nikon D800

Pickerel

Hey guys, I haven't mentioned this too much around here but on Thursday I take a train to Georgia and on Saturday I begin walking the Appalachian Trail from Springer Mountain towards Maine. I know it's heavy, but my D800, 16-35mm f/4G VR, and 85mm f/1.8G are coming with me. I am giving myself seven months to walk north - more than it takes most people, and probably more than it will take me, but in addition to hiking I am taking as many opportunities as possible to attend folk dances and dance festivals near the Trail. Hopefully I will find the time to share some stuff directly here, but I would also like to link to my trail journal. I plan to update that daily with the progress of my adventure, and ideally a photo processed in-camera and uploaded through my phone.

I'm putting the link here, though I suppose it is the admins' discretion if it stays up. (I hope it does, because I would love for anybody to get enjoyment from my adventures!)
http://www.trailjournals.com/shepherd

rschnaible

Have fun! Looking forward to seeing your images

Msmoto

OK, I renamed it so I think we are OK. And, as this is a documentary with the D800, we are on go.

dissent

Sounds like quite an adventure. Travel safely, Pickerel!

Beso

Good luck Garrett! Safe travels and may you find many photo ops and much enjoyment!

adamz

have a good journey! and Your link is ok here.

Juergen

Have fun Garret and good luck. Looking forwars to your photos.
Jürgen

chrisjakes

Good luck! if you need any supplies when you go through Harpers Ferry, WV let me know i'll bring them down. Its a long journey. Be safe!

warprints

I used to plan walking the entire AT, but never pulled it off. Good luck. Looking forward to enjoying the trip with you via your photos.

Correlli

Good luck, have fun and be safe.

Pickerel

Hey folks. It has been a pretty long radio silence here as I have been walking north. I have been uploading my photos, in-camera jpegs at least, to trailjournals. The photos up to March 9 are here: http://trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=713221

pippigurl

@Pickerel:Quite a group has formed and lifelong friends. Nice images of your hike. Anxious for you to see the Carolina high country. Be safe.

Pickerel

Went up Standing Indian yesterday and Albert last night. Night hiking Albert was really cool on such a clear night!

Msmoto

Unbelievable.....so cool!

Have a safe journey....

Beso

@Pickerel I have been following your near daily posts and enjoying the journey vicariously through you, Garrett. Your journal is well written and enjoyable to read. The photos help put the places and people in context. Continued good wishes and best of luck for a successful and enjoyable journey all the way to Maine.

Yetibuddha

Great job Pick, have fun and stay safe!

proudgeek

Awesome shots. I used to live just a mile or so from the trail in Vermont and would frequently pick up hitchhikers who had gone into town to resupply. Hopefully you'll get more opportunities to shower than they did. If you're so inclined, read "A Walk in the Woods," by Bill Bryson.

donaldejose

I have hiked many sections of the AT many years ago. An awful lot of it is in the Eastern Hardwood Forest and you just go up and down without much change in scenery since the hills or mountains don't rise above tree level so you have few views. Too much work for too few views in my opinion. In contrast, the Mountains in the West easily take you above tree level into a whole different alpine world. I liked the AT sections in Maine best, especially Mount Katahdin.

Pickerel

Shame you feel that way; I am having a great time out here. The sights are not always mountaintop vistas, but I am enjoying those when they are available and enjoying the human connection and micro landscapes quite often. The folks on and around the Trail are quite excellent, and it is worthwhile being put here and sharing the experience with these folks.

donaldejose

Good thing you are walking from South to North. It gets better and better in that direction. If you like it now you will love it later!

When you get to Shenandoah National Park I recommend a side trip up Old Rag as very worthwhile for some vistas of the mountains to the west but it will kill a day or two for you. If allowing only one day for Old Rag start very early to get to the top before noon so you won't be looking at the shade side of the mountains to the West with the sun glaring in your lens. The best is to allow two days for Old Rag so you can spend the night on the top by going East from the summit to find a place to camp. You must camp out of sight of the trail. Be sure to take enough water along. There is a spring near the top but it is unreliable. If you camp out on top, as I did once, you can photograph early morning light on the mountains to the West with fog in the valley; some of the nicest photography you will find on the first two thirds of the trail. Good luck, Hope you have the time for it and have a gorgeous morning if you wake up on top of Old Rag.

By the way, back in my day (30 years ago) people like you were called "through hikers" on the AT. Do people still use that phrase?

TriShooter

Pickerel, have fun on your trek. I see things everywhere to photograph when walking a trail, and will stop to photograph it. Turtles, and even wood stumps that look like an animal when viewed from a particular angle. I envy you have the possibility of spending so much time on the trail without the noise pollution, and distractions from daily life. It is a wonderful opportunity for you, and I appreciate your letting us join you on this trek. Thank you for posting here. I look forward to seeing your images, and following your adventure.

Yetibuddha

Pick, Sounds like you are doing well, meeting lots of characters, doing a bit of dancing, seeing some wonderful country. I follow your journal. its very good.

Pickerel

@donaldjose I will keep that side trip in mind. I am giving myself seven months so I can enjoy plenty of side trips. The other thru-hikers I have encountered are not taking many detours, but some have conceded my trip has been more interesting for all my hitchhiking and side trips. I have enjoyed all the side trips for sure, with the only negative being that any time I take a day off I wind up getting pushed back into a different group of hikers. I don't mind meeting a new group, but miss the other crew for sure!

donaldejose

Yes, seven months is a good choice. As I recall many of the through hikers I met were taking 5 months for the trip. Hope you enjoy Old Rag if you have time for it. http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/old_rag.htm Another nice side hike for waterfalls in SNP is the White Oak Canyon Trail. A person can leave the AT up along Skyline Drive and hike down White Oak Canyon towards Old Rag and then do a loop trip up and down Old Rag. In other words, White Oak Canyon can be the way to hike from the AT to the Old Rag Loop. http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/whiteoak_canyon_combined.pdf

birdman

Geez! That's a long trip. Nice choice of gear to take though

I love the 16-35mm more & more everytime I shoot with it. The colors are so WARM, and the very close focusing is quite nice. Besides the distortion at UWA, this lens is one of the best WA options in the business IMHO. I haven't used the 85/1.8G as much as I should, but maybe you can post some nighttime images with that gem. Would love to see the galaxy from up above. Have fun

Larry

I live Millinocket, Maine 20 miles from Mt. Katahdin. It is breath taking in it,s fall colors, you and your D-800 will love it. There are many photos opps. on the 100 mile wilderness.