Stone Wall History

 

Sign at the Greenstone Overlook

(BRP mp 8.8)

While at the Greenstone Overlook Saturday, I took a picture of this sign because as Appalachian Trail maintainers, the most frequently asked non-trail question is about the stone walls that are all over the Humpback Rocks area and in many cases alongside or visible from the AT itself. Sure enough, while working on Section 8B, between the Humpback Picnic blue blaze and Battery Cliffs on Saturday, we had a trail runner (recently moved from Hawaii!!) ask about the stone walls. Lucky for him, I had this picture in the camera and could pull it up and read it off to answer his question.

Everyone, especially those maintainers who revel in rock projects (cribbing walls, stone steps, etc.), marvels at the construction and the scope of the walls ..... height, distance and the dry laid work itself. These extensive walls are truly beautiful and the sheer manual labor to gather the rocks plus the artistry of the men who laid the rocks is just amazing.

Section 8B (photos taken Nov. 16, 2013):

 

 

 

Section 8A (photos taken June 2012):

 

 

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Another view of that Greenstone Overlook sign, which has some pretty interesting, large rocks as a backdrop:

 

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(All photos: Merlot)