An Old Section Hike of the Appalachian Trail

Over the years the Appalachian Trail has become more and more crowded. Often it's so crowded that I have found that I am completely unable to find anything like the solitude that is the main reason I go to hike and backpack. The last time I backpacked a section of the Appalachian Trail was in late May of 2009. The Trail remains a unique and physically beautiful place, but the crowds I encountered there convinced me that it's not really the place for me to spend a lot of time in anymore.

Obligatory shot on the precipice of McAfee Knob.

The warmup hike we took to McAfee Knob before beginning the backpacking trip.

The scenery was indeed stunning. But the opportunity for peace and solitude was hard to find.

The three-day backpack that took us to Mountain Lake.