I have been to Neels Gap at Blood Mountain twice. Both times, it had been raining. This time, we drove through hail to get to the top. Honestly, I had to pull over, I was a bit petrified. At the top, by the Appalachian Trail, is this tree where hikers will throw their old hiking boots.
This is an awesome silhouette! I had no idea that throwing old hiking boots in a tree was a thing on the A.T. is this at one of the ends of the trails? I don't live too far away from the A.T. but in the Mid-Atlantic.
@jenp Neels Gap is about 30 miles from the southern end. According to what I read, "Neels Gap is a landmark along the Appalachian Trail; it is the home of Mountain Crossings, a specialty outfitter with a certain cultural significance. Many hikers actually quit the trail at this point and many others use the stop to re-evaluate their pack weight, eliminate gear, or trade out their shoes. The discarded shoes end up hanging inside the store or on a tree outside (really – a designated shoe tree!)."
It's a really fascinating location.
It's a really fascinating location.