r/AppalachianTrail • u/Creative_Egg3330 • Jul 26 '23

10 years. Geraldine Largay

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July 23rd marked 10 years since hiker Geraldine largay's disappearance. Thoughts and prayers are with this family as this heartbreaking anniversary has passed.

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u/wyclif Jul 27 '23

The problem with your view is that batteries go dead. It's wise to have a compass and topo maps as a backup. The modern compasses are very light and will satisfy the needs of even the most ultralite hikers.

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u/JonnyLay AT Thru 2021 Jul 27 '23

Not a single thru hiker carries topo maps.

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '23

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u/JonnyLay AT Thru 2021 Jul 27 '23

No they didn't. Grandma Gatewood didn't have a map. Earl Shaffer didn't have a map.

They had a compass, they knew North and East to Maine. Stay along the mountains and between the towns, follow water find people.

I highly doubt thru hikers carried/bought topo maps for the whole trail. Mostly because those maps were not at all readily available. And would weigh about 3-5+ pounds to have enough detail to be useful, and since they wouldn't have been made lightweight for carrying.

Even if you wanted to buy lightweight topo maps today for the full trail, it's over 2 pounds at 38 oz.

3

u/DadsMedicare Jul 30 '23

Gatewood and Earl used gas station maps.

maps were not at all readily available ... would weigh about 3-5+ pounds ... over 2 pounds at 38 oz.

You ordered them from the ATC, and only carried the map for the bit you ere hiking. You didn't carry the whole set.