Pinhoti

I was reading this article about the Pinhoti extension to the Appalachian Trail and wanted to highlight this.

Just like any hobby or sport, there are purists. The Appalachian Trail runs from Springer Mountain, Ga., to Mount Katahdin, Maine, and that's that. And honestly, that's what it will always be. No matter how many trails connect to the Appalachian Trail, that 2,000-mile long footpath will always be the Appalachian Trail.

Benton MacKaye's vision was for an "extension" into Alabama. This connection of the Pinhoti Trail to the Appalachian Trail facilitates MacKaye's plan. If through-hikers want to hike the complete length of the Appalachian range, they need to come to Alabama to do it. If they want the traditional Appalachian Trail experience, then they can start at Springer Mountain. The only thing that has changed is the option of where the hiker can start the trip.

The sentence in bold type will be the talk of the trail this season. I remember Rusty of Rusty's Hard Time Hollow saying "Katahdin isn't going anywhere but Springer might."

I am going to see what the folks at Whiteblaze think.