[at-l] trail distance in 1952?

[RoksnRoots@xxxxxxx (RoksnRoots@xxxxxxx)]

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
In a message dated 4/10/2003 7:52:16 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
agaudet@theworld.com writes:


> I'd like to know how much the distance from Kent, CT to Bear Mountain has
> changed in the time since then. The www.ragtag.org calculator has Kent-Bear
> Mtn as 64 miles. Actually I'm specifically looking for where a 72 mile
> stretch would end if a hiker started at Kent, CT in 1952.


        If you can find an old topographic map they usually have the old AT
marked from their 1950's base print.

             In 1985 the Trail still went on some of the infamous east of the
Hudson roadwalks. By the time Avery got the Trail built in there most of it
was rural private land. Houses were few and far apart, so the AT took the
roads through that section. On my hike in 1985 I walked on several
still-existing long roadwalks in that section. NY/NJ Trail Conference AT
board member Elizabeth Levers had started a road relocation program in there
in the late 1970's. In 1985, the only sections moved to ridges were near West
Mountain (moved from the Pawling roadwalk) and Graymoor.

      Specifically, your 72 mile distance would probably have ended in
Harriman State Park if the 82 mile mark ended at Arden. Harriman has always
contained around 15-20 miles of AT depending on relocations. In 1952 the
Surebridge Mountain loop wasn't there nor was the Island Pond relocation. I
would say Harriman was nearer to 15 miles of Trail then.

       A 1950 AT guide and 1950 topo map would probably pinpoint your
location...