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THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL CONSERVANCY / SPRING . SUMMER 2021 TRAIL AS MUSE CONTENTS / SPRING . SUMMER 2021 14 / THE NATURE OF BEAUTY ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL The Trail’s vast capacity to transport and inspire 06 / COntRIBUTORS 08 / PRESIDENT’S LEttER 10 / LEttERS 60 / PARTING THOUGHT 22 / FUTURE VIEWS Scenic significance along the A.T. corridor 24 / COMING IntO FOCUS The obscure past and lasting legacy of photographer George Masa 32 / UnITED BY THE 14 / THE NATURE OF APPALACHIAN TRAIL BEAUTY ON THE A photographic exhibition grounded by a footpath 34 / TRAIL AS MUSE APPALACHIAN TRAIL The inspired work of twelve contemporary artists The Trail’s vast capacity to transport and inspire A.T. Boardwalk – Pochuck, New Jersey By Jacob Bryant ON THE COVER “Time and Space” — By Nika Meyers A dance through fields and across rocks. Inspired by the wild weather along the ridgelines in the White Mountains of New Hampshire combined with the deep peace of walking under the night sky in southern Virginia. – Watercolor, Gouache, and Ink on Paper THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL CONSERVANCY / SPRING . SUMMER 2021 ATC EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP MISSION Sandra Marra / President & CEO The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Nicole Prorock / Chief Financial Officer mission is to protect, manage, and Shalin Desai / Vice President of Advancement advocate for the Appalachian Laura Belleville / Vice President of Conservation & Trail Programs National Scenic Trail. Cherie A. Nikosey / Vice President of Administration Brian B. King / Publisher & Archivist BOARD OF DIRECTORS A.T. JOURNEYS Colin Beasley / Chair Wendy K. Probst / Editor in Chief Robert Hutchinson / Vice Chair Traci Anfuso-Young / Art Director / Designer Edward R. Guyot / Secretary Jim LaTorre / Treasurer CONTRIBUTORS Daniel A. Howe / Stewardship Council Chair Grant Davies Jordan Bowman / Director of Communications Norman P. Findley Laurie Potteiger / Information Services Manager Thomas L. Gregg Alyssa Reck / Social Media Manager John Knapp, Jr. Brittany Jennings / Proofreader Ann Heilman Murphy Colleen Peterson Eboni Preston Nathan G. Rogers MEmbERSHIP ADVERTISING Rubén Rosales For membership questions A.T. Journeys is published three times Patricia D. Shannon or to become a member, call: per year. Advertising revenues directly Rajinder (Raj) Singh (304) 885-0460 support the publication and production of Ambreen Tariq the magazine, and help meet Appalachian Trail Conservancy objectives. For more [email protected] information and advertising rates, visit: PRESIDENT’S appalachiantrail.org/atjadvertising LEADERSHIP CIRCLE Hon. Stephanie Martz / Chair Diana Christopulos The staff of A.T. Journeys welcomes A.T. Journeys is published on Somerset A.T. Journeys ( ISSN 1556-2751) is Jim Fetig editorial inquiries, suggestions, matte paper manufactured by Sappi published by the Appalachian Trail Lisa Koteen Gerchick and comments. Email: North America mills and distributors Conservancy, 799 Washington [email protected] that follow responsible forestry Street, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, Mark Kent Observations, conclusions, opinions, practices. It is printed with Soy Seal (304) 535-6331. Bulk-rate postage R. Michael Leonard and product endorsements expressed certified ink in the U.S.A. by Sheridan paid at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, Robert Rich in A.T. Journeys are those of the NH in Hanover, New Hampshire. and other offices. Postmaster: Send Hon. C. Stewart Verdery, Jr. authors and do not necessarily reflect change-of-address Form 3575 to A.T. those of members of the board or staff Journeys, P.O. Box 807, Harpers Ferry, of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. WV 25425. © 2021 Appalachian Trail Conservancy. All rights reserved. YOUR HIKE CONTRIBUTORS YOUR FOOD KEEP IT YOURS Sarah Jones Decker Nika Meyers Marina Richie Jenny Siegfried Sarah Jones Decker lives on Wild and rugged landscapes Nature writer Marina Richie is From the very fi rst footprint she her family farm outside of have become more of a home happiest on trails leading away made on the Appalachian Trail, Hot Springs, North Carolina than any space with four walls to from the noise of cars and into Jenny Siegfried knew her life and is a trail maintainer for Bridgewater, Vermont native and the symphonies of bird song. had profoundly shifted. “I was a the Carolina Mountain Club. artist Nika “Early Bird” Meyers. She says that to write about total city girl, and yet there I was, She thru-hiked the A.T. in “Moving at a three-mile-an- the nature of beauty on the hiking along the A.T. in the Great 2008 and again in sections in hour pace is where I fi nd the Appalachian Trail (page 14) felt Smoky Mountains National Park 2018-2019, for her book The most peace,” she says. “To walk like an “invitation to delve more as a new member of the ATC’s 866.301.3442 Proud Appalachian Trail: Backcountry among the wild things, to take deeply into joy.” “On every trail Rocky Top Trail Crew,” she says. [email protected] Sponsor Shelters, Lean-tos and Huts, time to really see and not just near my home, I strived to be “Looking out on the mountain documenting every shelter on look, and to create pieces that as sensory as possible, asking peaks at sunrise and gazing the Trail. Her new book, coming celebrate raw beauty are part of myself: What glimmers? What at the Milky Way every night out this summer, The Ridges of who I am. Imagination, curiosity, draws me in? I began to notice was deeply transformative; I Madison County, explores local migrations, physical and mental a rhythm that would become was growing into myself more trails and one of her favorite challenge, wild places, trails, and the theme for the essay,” she fully with every deep breath of sections of the A.T. that runs the interconnectedness of this says. To apply the question mountain air.” Since that trip, the border of her county — Max world inspire me to dream big.” to the A.T., she turned to her the trails and mountains have Patch to Big Bald. The Trail has Nika currently lives in journals and quizzed former A.T. become her favorite place to infl uenced her creative work Colorado, where, in addition thru-hikers Renee Patrick and fi nd a moment of calm and for over twenty years, starting to creating paintings, she is an Liz Thomas. Residing in Bend, inspiration. “Painting and back in high school when she environmental educator and Oregon, Marina’s ties to the sketching on the Trail forces would hike up to Bears Den to Nordic ski coach. “When I think Trail run deep as the daughter me to slow down and pause, watch the sunset and practice of the Trail experience, one of of Dave Richie (the fi rst A.T. to watch the light shift and photography after class. “As an the fi rst things I think about are project manager for the National the colors change,” she says. artist, and hiker living near the the tracks that are made in sand, Park Service). She is a frequent (page 60) Trail, it is an honor to enjoy the mud, or snow,” she says. “They feature contributor to A.T. Jenny is a visual arts places that George Masa (page are representative of friends and Journeys and recently published teacher in New York City for 24) and so many before him, other hikers ahead — our human the article “Big Bald Banding students diagnosed on the helped to preserve for us and animal tracks. The little triangles Station Releases Hope into the autism spectrum. Her favorite future generations,” she says. that my walking shoes leave World” for BirdWatching. small artists fi ll every day with “Thankfully, my camera and behind are embedded in my Trail creativity and joy. “When the tripod only weigh a few extra memories. They fi nd their way school day is over, I love to pounds on day hikes.” into my paintings.” (page 38) run in Prospect Park or hike in the Hudson Valley,” she says. “Always with my mini-paint set and sketchbook in my pocket.” 06 Spring . Summer 2021 A.T. Journeys YOUR HIKE YOUR FOOD KEEP IT YOURS 866.301.3442 Proud [email protected] Sponsor ATC 2,000-Miler Recognition At the beginning of 2020, none of us knew how much Thankfully, things have improved over the first half of 2021. Widespread would soon be taken from us. To date, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken more vaccine availability is now a reality throughout the United States. The CDC than three million lives worldwide — over half a million in the United States alone. announced that activities like long-distance hiking are now a lower risk Consulting with the Trail’s land management partners, clubs, communities, and of spreading the virus. In light of these successes, the ATC reinstated its hikers, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) made the diffi cult call to aspiring 2,000-miler recognition program on May 11, 2021. thru-hikers to postpone thru-hikes until conditions improve. The unique nature The past year required signifi cant sacrifi ces both within and outside the of thru-hiking the A.T. — traveling through dozens of towns, shuttling to and from Trail community of volunteers, supporters, and hikers. Some delayed lifelong resupply points, and the “bubble” of hundreds of northbound hikers — fell under plans and aspirations — including A.T. thru-hike attempts — to better ensure categories the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlighted as they were at a lower risk of spreading COVID-19. We thank everyone who took, risks for spreading COVID-19. and continues to take, steps to help combat this pandemic. We look forward to To avoid incentivizing long-distance A.T. hikes during the pandemic, we once again celebrating A.T. 2,000-milers in the future.
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