Backpacking Appalachian Trail in Virginia in April-May

[jloen]

I'm backpacking about 400 miles from Shenandoah NP (Thornton Gap) to Damascus, VA, starting in mid-April. I'm starting out with a light (2.6 lb) Nagaoka 4x5 field camera rig, totaling 8 lbs including camera, 3 lenses, Gossan light meter, Slik tripod, two film holders, a box of HP5 sheets, dark cloth, and a few other things like filters, lupe, & shutter release. I plan to change films at night under the dark cloth although I could carry a changing bag if necessary, which would allow me to shoot more than 4 sheets/day.

The main problem I foresee is making decent hiking mileage (15-25 mpd), which will cut into the photo taking-ha ha, early AM or late PM probably are best for photos anyway and daylight hours are mostly for marching south.

My main question is if anyone has any suggestions as to localities for seeing gritty old log cabins, historical sites, battlefields, natural features, you know--good B&W material. I'm not so much into shooting views at overlooks. I will be entirely on foot, so mobility to surrounding areas is limited, and my time is limited to 4 weeks.

Plan to bring only 400 speed film, since the trail usually is quite low light.

[Walter Calahan]

The AT is far from battlefields because armies don't like fighting on ridge lines and mountain tops. The natural features in the area are usually below the AT trail, which means you'll end up eating up a lot of top off trail.

15 to 25 mpd is pushing it with that much LF gear. I prefer one Leica rangefinder when I'm on the trail.

http://www.walterpcalahan.com/Photog...festyle.html#2

[Bill_1856]

Replace those double-dark film holders with a Grafmatic or two. (Holds Six sheets at one pound.)
Which Slik tripod/head are you using?

[ROL]

To tell you the truth, I'm surprised you're able to get the camera equipment down to 8 lbs. (...my BPing MF Kit is 10+, with only 2 lenses, and meter) But really, 4 sheets of film/day? You must be very confident, very good, or both!

Like the other responders I am going to try to lighten/streamline your kit for you, rather than answer your actual question. When I carried LF for multiple days I was able to forego the darkcloth by using my (dark) windbreaker/rainsuit top, elastic waistcord snugged to the GG (works like a BlackJacket). Think about using cheap strong eyeglasses in place of a loupe. I changed film inside my sub 2 lbs. sleeping bag at night, in the shadow of a tree when moonlit.

Have fun!

[christopher walrath]

It has been a long time since I hiked the AT. In 85 I, along with an uncle, trekked from Penmar to Front Royal over the span of two weeks. And I remember that the 15-18 mile days were followed by a 6-8 mile day. Don't count on much being within close proximity to the trail. You might focus more on local living and aspects of the trail itself. Battlefields are but done from a car when there are reenactors present, IMHO.

There's no way I could traverse the AT now. But I am envious, nonetheless. That is one time I will cherish and never forget. Have a great time.

[Thebes]

Can you really make 15-25 miles per day for that long without blowing out your knees?
Can you really do that while also carrying your photo gear and occasionally using it?

My wife and I averaged about 12 miles per day hiking from Springer to MA in 2000 and from MA to ME border in 2001. Both times we went off the trail due to injuries, a common enough occurrence. Unless you have recently spent months straight hiking up every bump, mountain, ridge and peak around with a heavy pack on, I'd bet your knees won't handle the strain even if your muscles can. We did one 27 mile day slack-packing, and only three or four other 20+ mile days. We saw a lot of very fit adults drop off the trail due to joint problems, they were usually pushing to make big mile days. We saw a drunkard who hiked every year, actually hike while swigging Jack Daniels and smoking, he looked like crap but his body was used to it.

Its likely at some point everything you have will get wet. This happened to us about once a month. Double ziplock anything that should stay dry, consider how you will keep your film dry if it rains and fogs for a week straight. I can't imagine having changed film on many wet, foggy, or stormy nights, but a sleeping bag at least has two uses if you change in that.

If I were to make another attempt at a thru-hike or even at finishing up Maine, with a view camera, it would be something like a Galvin 2x3 and roll film. Aside from weight, film holders would be my biggest concern- its easier to keep rolls clean, uncrushed, and dry. In any case I'd send exposed film home (or to lab) each time you resupply, no sense in having more at risk due to mishap... and oh the mishaps we occasionally saw!

If you can keep up 15+ miles a day in that section, consider north bounding it, you will have some thru-hikers then and will enjoy the multi-day company. A lot of my fondest trail memories are of other long-distance hikers.

As for sites, occasionally look behind you as well as to the front. Consult hiking guides, some of the blue blazes lead to better views than the AT itself, decide in advance if you will only be following white blazes. If you no-bo it, you'll want to photograph people you meet along the way, if you so-bo you probably won't care because you'll see most of them once.

Duct-tape, super glue, a swiss army knife and a sewing kit will fix almost anything.
Not all who wander are lost.

[tgtaylor]

I haven't hiked the Appalachian Trail but 3 lens sounds like overkill to me. Here's my lightweight LF kit for Hiking in the Sierra consiste:

1. Toyo 45CF with 150mm Rodenstock Apo-sirona S lens attached. ~ 4lbs. Carried inside the pack.

2. F64 film holder case with 4 Toyo holders attached to the outside.

3. Harrison pup tent on the outside of the pack.

4. 50 Sheet film box with a mixture of B&W and color\ on the inside.

5. Cable release, Toyo 4x loupe, cokin P slim holder, and 3 Cokin P filters on the inside top.

6. Gitzo GT0540 tripod w/G1177M ball head on the outside. Yes, that's a light tripod and head but with a 4 lb camera with copal shutter you don't need a lot of weight as long as you have a shutter release.

I don't know how much all of the above weighs but I'm sure it comes in at around 10 lbs.

The above lens gives me as much coverage as a 35mm lens on a 35mm camera or a 75mm lens on my 6x7 and is the focal length I use most in the Sierra. A 90mm would be nice but mine, a f4.5 Grandagon, weighs as much as the tripod and is bulky.

The camera, which I keeped wrapped in a Domky wrap, is equipped with a folding focusing hood and I use it and the wrap in lieu of carrying a focusing cloth.

Thomas

[jloen]

Thanks for your thoughts. I knew there were some other LF backpackers and enthusiasts out there.

Anything can happen. Physically I've done this sort of thing many times before (career as a field geologist), but thank you for your warnings and concerns. The Blue Ridge sections have a lot of long ridge walks, so it is possible to do fairly good mileage. I also run ultramarathons (13 last year). My knees are fine and my pack weight will be fairly light. On my last backpacking trip I hiked Maine's 100 mile wilderness with a Contax G1 35 mm outfit and tripod, which was good, but I have a need for a bigger neg this time.

With a 12 lb base weight, I can afford 8 lbs for camera gear and 10 lbs food/water and still be at or below 30 lbs, which is acceptable to me (age 55, wanting to do this before I get much older!).

Probably I could use fewer lenses. I've chosen the wide field Ektar 100/6.3, Rodenstock Geronar 150/6.3, an Ektar 203/7.7. Weights range from 144 to 189 g. I had bought a Schneider Algonon 90/6.8 off eBay for it's light 121 g weight but it needs to be repaired. I might just use the two Ektars.

The tripod weighs about 1.5 lbs. It's the lightest Slik available, a little short but usable in a pinch with a light camera if the wind's not blowing.

I considered the Grafmatic holder, they certainly are convenient but heavy; three Fidelities are still lighter than one Grafmatic although the Graf takes up less space.

I normally do take very few photos. Four/day is about right. I am no expert, but pretty motivated.

There's another week to refine things. Thanks again for your suggestions.

[Bill_1856]

Jloen, I are impressed (and more than a little envious).
I am also surprised: you are absolutely right -- I just weighed them, and 3 Riteway holders are 12 ounces compared to 16 oz for a Grafmatic.
The two-Ektar option sounds good. If you really want a medium FL, there are often six inch (152mm) Ektars for sale cheap -- a really superb lens in the same Supermatic shutter as your other lenses. I love the 203mm Ektar.
I use a Nagaoka also, and don't believe that any tripod/head that light is adequate. A carbon-fiber Feisel with Leica ball head is about 3.5#.
Have a great trip, and please report back to us after you get home.

[Greg Lockrey]

LOL... I was watching a PBS show about the Appalachian Trail and they showed the number of cameras left behind at the first station.