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Reptar’s Thru Hike Gallery
From the lowest valleys to the highest peaks, the Appalachian mountain range is a thing of beauty and splendor. Formed roughly 480 million years ago it is thought by scientists to be the oldest mountain range in the world. With a trail running through over 2,000 miles of it, it is hard to grasp the sheer magnitude of hiking the entire thing. With the smell of the fresh spruce permeating the air, and the fallen leaves crunching beneath your feet you feel as much a part of nature as the ancient stone embedded in the Earth. It is no wonder people are drawn to the AT like moths to a flame. Its majesty is matched only by the spirit of those fortunate enough to embark on the journey of hiking it. Being one of those fortunate few, I decided to carry 5lbs. of camera gear in 2015 to help capture the experience. 2189.2 miles later I’m honored to share these photos with you. May they inspire you and bring you the same amount of joy they brought me.
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- This was one of thousands of white blazes. That marked the trail.
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- Virginia is known as the green tunnel for a reason. It drives some to quit, but others carry on through the mist.
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- This was taken the second to last day of my thru hike as I entered Baxter State Park on October 14th 2015.
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- Hiking with Pop A JR, Delilah, and his dog Sampson in Massachusetts.
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- A double blazed tree signals a fork in the road in Baxter State Park.
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- Vermont was one of my favorite places along the trail. The smells were intoxicating and the scenery was whimsical.
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- Some very easy going terrain in Virginia. However when people tell you Virginia is flat, don’t believe them.
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- This is my buddy Hellbender holding a Hog Nose snake. I do not advise anyone do this. You should always practice LNT and that includes not disturbing the wildlife.
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- The AT is no walk in the park. It is steep, rugged, and exceptionally beautiful. Taken in Vermont.
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- It was a crisp morning in Maine when I snapped this. It was another 2 days before I reached civilization again. Day 5 of 7 in the 100 mile wilderness.
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- Maine is covered in water. This is one of many “ponds” that I hiked by.
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- At times it was hard to make good miles because around every bend was another photo op. Taken in Maine
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- I can’t recall the exact location of this stream but I remember a suspension bridge with a child jumping up and down on it while I tried to get this shot. It was nice to see kids enjoying the great outdoors.
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- Here stands Heidi aka Clark Kent soaking in the view at Buzzard Rock in Virginia.
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- You can find this gem on the AT near the Ethan Pond Trail in New Hampshire.
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- It was advised for us to slack pack heading southbound over Mt .Moosilauke. However Clark Kent, Whoopie Cat, and I carried our full packs and stayed true to or northbound thru.
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- The Appalachian Trail has many old fire watch towers along it. This was the view from the top of one in Vermont.
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- A beautiful sunset gave the sky a purple hue atop Blackrock in Virginia.
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- This is what Mt.Kathdin looked like on October 15th 2015, the final day of my thru hike. A day that will live with me forever.
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- Outside of Mountain Crossings in Georgia there is a tree that is filled with shoes. It’s a bit ominous to see on a rainy day but reassuring that so many have come and gone before you.
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- This was one of only a few campfires I lit on the journey. The warmth was shared with friends as we cooked our dinners after a long day
If you enjoyed these photos you can see more at www.instagram.com/reptarhikes
Or check out https://www.youtube.com/c/reptarhikes and see what kind of camera gear I took with me.
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Comments 9
Nice! Really takes me back. Thanks for the pix.
Love the pictures. Funny your living in Key West as I have a home in Marathon and will be down there tomorrow. My daughter also lives down there and spent nearly 5 years as a photographer at the Dolphin Research Center and is an avid world traveler. We are trying to plan a thru hike in the not to distant future and your photo’s are a great insperation. Maybe we will get a chance to see more if not this weekend we will be back down next weekend.
480 Million years ago. Lol
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Awesome pics!!
Many, many thanks for sharing these absolutely awesome photos of your journey.
Sadly, all the links are broken now.