Watching the Solar Eclipse from the Appalachian Trail

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, NEAR FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA – 08/21/2017:
Bjorn Parramoure, 31, from Gainesville, Florida waits for the solar eclipse beneath Albert Mountain Fire Tower along the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina. He’s camped at Albert Fire Mountain, on the centerline of eclipse totality to wait for the event. With a homemade recorder he welcomes the eclipse. CREDIT: Spike Johnson for Outside Magazine. — (Spike Johnson)

This Monday's full solar eclipse was the first visible from the U.S. since 1979. Traveling over 14 states on its way east, from Oregon to South Carolina, the eclipse passed over the southern end of the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail. Photographer Spike Johnson traveled to North Carolina to check out the thru-hiking scene.

Photo: Bjorn Parramoure, 31, from Gainesville, Florida, waits for the solar eclipse beneath Albert Mountain Fire Tower along the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina. He camped at Albert Fire Mountain, on the centerline of eclipse totality, to wait for the event. With a homemade recorder, he welcomed the astrological event.

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, NEAR FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA – 08/21/2017: At camp hikers discuss potential eclipse viewing points along the Appalachian Trail. Simon Farr (middle, wearing a red bandana), from Asheville, North Carolina, shows old maps of the area to section hikers at Carter Gap, five miles south of the centerline of eclipse totality. As local families and tourists pour into the area, die-hard hikers plan for quieter, and harder to reach areas to witness the eclipse. Farr works on trail maintenance in the Southern Appalachians, and is hiking towards his own secret hiking area. “I’ve got a good place planned,” he said ”it’s nice and peaceful, and tucked away under a small cliff edge - no one’ll find it.” CREDIT: Spike Johnson for Outside Magazine. — (Spike Johnson)

At camp, hikers discussed potential eclipse viewing points along the AT. Simon Farr (middle), from Asheville, North Carolina, showed old maps of the area to section hikers at Carter Gap, five miles south of the line of totality. As local families and tourists poured into the area, die-hard hikers planned to go to quieter, more remote areas to witness the eclipse. “I’ve got a good place planned,” Farr said "It’s nice and peaceful and tucked away under a small cliff edge. No one’ll find it.”

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, NEAR FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA – 08/21/2017: Simon Farr (right), from Asheville, North Carolina, ponders maps of the area with a section hiker at Carter Gap, five miles south of the center line of eclipse totality. As local families and tourists pour into the area, die-hard hikers plan for quieter, and harder to reach areas to witness the eclipse. Farr works on trail maintenance in the Southern Appalachians, and is hiking towards his own secret hiking area. “I have these old ordinance maps,” he said “there’s places on these that don’t show on other maps.” CREDIT: Spike Johnson for Outside Magazine. — (Spike Johnson)

Farr pondered maps of the area with a section hiker at Carter Gap. “I have these old ordinance maps,” he said “There’s places on these that don’t show up on other maps.”

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, NEAR FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA – 08/21/2017: A sign marks the exact spot where the center line of the eclipse will intersect the Appalachian Trail, just below Albert Mountain in North Carolina. CREDIT: Spike Johnson for Outside Magazine. — (Spike Johnson)

A sign marked the exact spot where the line of totality would intersect the Appalachian Trail, just below Albert Mountain in North Carolina.

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, NEAR FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA – 08/21/2017: Yalda Jam, 32, at Carter Gap. Jam; who has traveled from Houston, Texas, hikes towards Albert Mountain to watch the solar eclipse pass over the Appalachian Trail. She has arranged her three-day section hike around the eclipse, her first time on the AT. “I’ve always wanted to see an eclipse,” she said, “and to watch one while hiking part of the AT is awesome.” CREDIT: Spike Johnson for Outside Magazine. — (Spike Johnson)

Yalda Jam, 32, at Carter Gap. Jam, who traveled from Houston, hiked towards Albert Mountain to watch the solar eclipse pass over the AT. She arranged her three-day section hike around the eclipse. “I’ve always wanted to see an eclipse,” she said, “To watch one while hiking part of the AT is awesome.”

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, NEAR FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA – 08/21/2017: Hikers and tourists congregate at Albert Mountain Fire Tower on the Appalachian Trail, on the center line of the path of eclipse totality. Hundreds of walkers and day-trippers walked into the woods at Albert Mountain to witness a total eclipse. Forest Rangers closed entrance roads and monitored numbers trying to access the Fire Tower denying access to the area as the number of spectators grew through the day. CREDIT: Spike Johnson for Outside Magazine. — (Spike Johnson)

Hikers and tourists congregated at Albert Mountain Fire Tower. Hundreds of walkers and day-trippers walked into the woods at Albert Mountain to witness the eclipse. Forest Rangers closed entrance roads and monitored visitor numbers to keep the crowds manageable.

Green forest rolls away from Albert Mountain Fire Tower.

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, NEAR FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA – 08/21/2017: Joseph Ellzey, 24, from Mississippi watches the eclipse from the top of Albert Mountain Fire Tower on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina. He traveled to Albert Mountain early in the morning to secure a spot at the top of the crowded tower, and sat wrapped in a foil blanket ready to witness the eclipse from the highest point in any visible direction. CREDIT: Spike Johnson for Outside Magazine. — (Spike Johnson)

Joseph Ellzey, 24, from Mississippi, watched the eclipse from the top of Albert Mountain Fire Tower. He traveled to Albert Mountain early in the morning to secure a spot at the top of the crowded tower, and sat wrapped in a foil blanket ready to witness the eclipse from the highest point in the area.

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, NEAR FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA – 08/21/2017: During the 2 minutes, 45 seconds of total eclipse, a faint halo could be seen pushing through thin clouds. August’s full solar eclipse is the first visible from the United States since 1979. Traveling over 14 states on its way east, from Oregon to South Carolina, the eclipse passes over the southern end of the Appalachian Trail - a 2,200-mile wilderness hike that winds from Georgia to Maine. CREDIT: Spike Johnson for Outside Magazine. — (Spike Johnson)

For just under three minutes, a faint halo could be seen pushing through thin clouds.

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, NEAR FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA – 08/21/2017: Yalda Jam, 32, who has traveled from Houston, Texas, waits at Albert Mountain to watch the solar eclipse pass over the Appalachian Trail. Albert Mountain in North Carolina, marks the spot where the exact middle of the eclipse crosses the trail, and the turnaround point on Jam’s three-day out and back hike. “It’s been a special experience” she said “but knowing what I know now, I’d think carefully before attempting a longer hike.” CREDIT: Spike Johnson for Outside Magazine. — (Spike Johnson)

Jam watched the solar eclipse pass over the Appalachian Trail. Albert Mountain marked the turnaround point on Jam’s three-day out-and-back hike. “It’s been a special experience” she said.

Watching the Solar Eclipse from the Appalachian Trail

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