[at-l] Outfitters....

[baltimorejack@hotmail.com (Jack Tarlin)]

In addition to Neels Gap and Hot Springs (the name of the place is Bluff 
Mtn. Outfitters and they are GREAT folks), here are a few others either on 
or very close to the Trail.

In the South, there are outfitters in Hiawassee GA and Franklin, NC, that I 
am not personally familiar with.  There is a good selection of outdoor gear 
at the Nantahala Outdoor center right on the Trail.

The Happy Hiker in Gatlinburg,TN has been helping hikers for years.  Erwin 
TN has a couple of places; Damascus VA has a great store on Main Street.  
Pearisburg has nothing, but nearby Blacksburg VA has several.  There was a 
nice little outfitter at the I-81/Trouville Interchange last year (go left 
at the Trailhead about half a mile to the mall where the 24-Hour Kroger's is 
located; the outfitter was at the end of the mall).  Waynesboro has a good 
store, and limited hiker stuff is available at the camp stores in Shenandoah 
Park.

Harper's Ferry has a great little outfitter, just off the trail in the town 
center. There are small shops in Boiling Springs, Duncannon, Port Clinton, 
and Delaware Water Gap, PA; also in East Stroudsburg, near DWG.

Kent, CT has a good store, West Cornwall has a tiny one.  Great Barrington 
MA has a good shop, there's another one near Cheshire.  Williamstown MA has 
a great shop, Manchester VT has two, including a full-size EMS.  Clarendon 
and Killington VT have small stores.

Hanover NH no longer has an outfitter; there's an Eastern Mountain Sports 
store in nearby West Lebanon.  Lincoln NH, near N.Woodstock, has several 
stores; there are limited supplies on the Trail at Pinkham Notch, and 
several good stores in Gorham.

Very little available in Maine, tho most of the General stores and hiker 
hostels have some small items available; Keith Shaw's in Monson, ME. has a 
small, but surprisingly extensive selection of stuff you might need.

    This is pretty much it for the major places; I'm sure I've left some out 
as I'm doing this off the top of my head, and of course, there may well be 
additions to this list ( or for that matter, subtractions---some of the 
smaller places might have closed their doors).

    Complete information on all of this, including data on new stores on or 
near the Trail can be found in the 2002 edition of the Thru-Hiker's 
Companion, available now, or in the 2002 Thru-Hiker's Handbook, which will 
hopefully be available within a few weeks.

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