Bad DNA, AT Thruhiker 1994

BadDNA's Appalachian Trail thru hike as a photo essay. This is Paul Vail's 1994 Appalachian Trail thru-hike. I hiked the A.T. as a northbounder, known by my trail name as Bad DNA. Yes, I was the guy with the Virginia License tag on the back of my pack, a nickname I had earned at Virginia Tech back in 1985. I started the thruhike at Springer Mountain, Georgia in April, and climbed Katahdin in October, '94. In the meantime, 'DNA had the good fortune to cross paths with dozens of other 94 thru hikers and other trail folk. Long distance thru hiking is not just in my blood, but my DNA (just wait for the dad jokes...). Dry socks and cool breezes, everyone.


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Big Falls Road, McCoy, Virginia
Big Falls Road, McCoy, Virginia
Memorial Chapel, Virginia Tech
Memorial Chapel, Virginia Tech
Ice Storm 2, March 2
Ice Storm 2, March 2
Ice fence at Blacksburg, VA, March 2
Ice fence at Blacksburg, VA, March 2
Ice Fence at Sunset
Ice Fence at Sunset
March 9 Ice Storm
March 9 Ice Storm
Ice Storm by Squires
Ice Storm by Squires
Maple Casualty of the Ice
Maple Casualty of the Ice
Packing Resupply Caches
Packing Resupply Caches
Gearcheck in Atlanta
Gearcheck in Atlanta
AT Map, GA, NC, TN
AT Map, GA, NC, TN
Amicalola Gate, April 5
Amicalola Gate, April 5
Amicalola Visitors Center, April 5
Amicalola Visitors Center, April 5
Amicalola Falls footbridge
Amicalola Falls footbridge
Cemetary Road
Cemetary Road
Frosty Mountain
Frosty Mountain
Debris along the Approach Trail
Debris along the Approach Trail
Black Mountain
Black Mountain
Springer Mountain Brass Plaque
Springer Mountain Brass Plaque
Springer Mountain Summit
Springer Mountain Summit
National Scenic Trail Plaque
National Scenic Trail Plaque
Springer Mountain Shelter, April 6
Springer Mountain Shelter, April 6
Georgia Hills before Spring
Georgia Hills before Spring
Iced Tree at Hawk Mt Shelter, April 7
Iced Tree at Hawk Mt Shelter, April 7
Sassafras Mountain
Sassafras Mountain
Appalachian Trail Data Book
Appalachian Trail Data Book
AT Data Book pages
AT Data Book pages
Justus Creek
Justus Creek
The Green Tunnel
The Green Tunnel
Gooch Gap Shelter
Gooch Gap Shelter
Suches GA Post Office
Suches GA Post Office
Shadow Portrait, hiking toward Blood Mountain
Shadow Portrait, hiking toward Blood Mountain
Which way to Blood Mtn.?
Which way to Blood Mtn.?
Ascent up Blood Mountain
Ascent up Blood Mountain
Looking S from Blood Mtn toward Springer
Looking S from Blood Mtn toward Springer
View North from Blood Mtn summit
View North from Blood Mtn summit
Blood Mtn Shelter
Blood Mtn Shelter
AT Companion
AT Companion
AT Companion pages
AT Companion pages
Tesnatee Gap
Tesnatee Gap
Hog Pen Gap, Georgia, April 10
Hog Pen Gap, Georgia, April 10
Low Gap Shelter
Low Gap Shelter
Mist Hiking, April 10
Mist Hiking, April 10
Blue Mountain Shelter
Blue Mountain Shelter
Boots = Foot Torture Devices
Boots = Foot Torture Devices
Journal Entry
Journal Entry
Unicoi Gap, GA April 11
Unicoi Gap, GA April 11
Trey Mountain Shelter, April 12
Trey Mountain Shelter, April 12
The Blueberry Patch, April 13
The Blueberry Patch, April 13
Plumorchard Gap Shelter, April 13
Plumorchard Gap Shelter, April 13
GA NC state line, Bly Gap
GA NC state line, Bly Gap
Coweeta Hydrological Laboratory
Coweeta Hydrological Laboratory
Albert Mountain Fire Tower
Albert Mountain Fire Tower
Albert Mtn. Firetower
Albert Mtn. Firetower
Big Spring Shelter, Lunch
Big Spring Shelter, Lunch
Spring starting in some of the lower valleys
Spring starting in some of the lower valleys
Toward Franklin, NC
Toward Franklin, NC
Winding Stair Gap, US 64
Winding Stair Gap, US 64
Wayah Bald
Wayah Bald
Valley view, April 17
Valley view, April 17
One of the bald overlooks
One of the bald overlooks
Bald Lookout, April 17
Bald Lookout, April 17
Wesser Bald
Wesser Bald
Jumpup Lookout
Jumpup Lookout
Rufus Morgan Shelter
Rufus Morgan Shelter
NOC April 18
NOC April 18
ATC Regional Guides
ATC Regional Guides
ATC Section Guide example
ATC Section Guide example
So THIS is the Green Tunnel
So THIS is the Green Tunnel
Sassafras Gap Shelter, April 20
Sassafras Gap Shelter, April 20
Sassafras Gap Shelter
Sassafras Gap Shelter
Forest floor starting to come to life
Forest floor starting to come to life
noname Shelter
noname Shelter
noname Shelter, April 20
noname Shelter, April 20
Fontana Dam from Walker Gap
Fontana Dam from Walker Gap
Fontana Lake from the shore
Fontana Lake from the shore
Fontana Hilton, April 20
Fontana Hilton, April 20
Fontana Dam and Visitors Center
Fontana Dam and Visitors Center
Fontana Dam spillway
Fontana Dam spillway
Entering the GSMNP, April 22
Entering the GSMNP, April 22
Downy Serviceberry
Downy Serviceberry
Tired Dogs in Mollies Ridge
Tired Dogs in Mollies Ridge
'DNA in Mollies Ridge Shelter
'DNA in Mollies Ridge Shelter
White tail at Mollies Ridge
White tail at Mollies Ridge
Green Tunnel, Smokies
Green Tunnel, Smokies
Horse and Rider
Horse and Rider
A.T. and Jenkins Ridge Junction
A.T. and Jenkins Ridge Junction
Moonrise, Derrick Knob Shelter
Moonrise, Derrick Knob Shelter
Climbing into Alpine Vegetation
Climbing into Alpine Vegetation
Looking west in the Smokies
Looking west in the Smokies