The Green Tunnel

Today's Iconic Location takes us up north to the Presidentials in New Hampshire, to the summit of Mount Washington. Known for the most terrible weather in the United States, hikers and cars alike make the trek to be able to say "I climbed Mount Washington," but what is its history on the Appalachian Trail? Listen to find out. Show notes, including a full transcript, available at greentunnel.rrchnm.org.

Are hikers loving the Appalachian Trail to death? In this episode of The Green Tunnel, we examine the history of hiker trash - as in actual trash - on the trail. We'll look at a moment when the trashing of the trail got so bad that the trail clubs almost did something radical, something that would have changed the hiker experience forever. And we examine the many ways that community organizations have tackled the persistent problems of overuse, vandalism, and litter on the trail. The Green Tunnel is a production of R2 Studios at George Mason University. It's hosted by Mills Kelly. This episode was produced by Eleanor Magness. Show notes, including a full transcript, are available at greentunnel.rrchnm.org.

This iconic location on the Appalachian Trail is the very first monument in the country to George Washington. It also made a cameo in the Civil War, and now it makes a great place for birdwatching. Learn more about Maryland's Washington Monument in today's episode! The Green Tunnel is a podcast of R2 Studios at George Mason University. It's hosted by Mills Kelly and produced by Abby Mullen. Show notes, including a full transcript, at greentunnel.rrchnm.org.

Trail food: it's kind of weird. Think about it. When else do you eat freeze-dried lasagna? Or several protein bars…in one day? Probably not often. How did trail food become what it is now? And what did hikers do before the wonders of backpacker meals? In this episode of The Green Tunnel, we look back at 100 years of trail food history to understand what hikers ate then and the changes that impacted the food hikers took out on trail over time. The Green Tunnel is a production of R2 Studios at George Mason University. It's hosted by Mills Kelly. To learn more about the show, go to greentunnel.rrchnm.org. You can also support the show by becoming a member; information about membership is available at greentunnel.rrchnm.org or r2studios.org.

Bears, lightning, and Lyme...oh my! Natural danger on the Appalachian Trail is a real concern for hikers, but how much should hikers really be concerned about snakes, bears, lightning strikes, and ticks? In this episode of the Green Tunnel Podcast, we'll hear from several experts about how hikers approached these dangers in the past, and what they recommend for hikers today. Show notes at greentunnel.rrchnm.org/episode-4-danger, including full transcript, guest bios, and more resources. Support the work of The Green Tunnel and R2 Studios by becoming a member. Find out how at https://r2studios.org/support-us/.

In this Iconic Location episode, we've got a tight squeeze for you: the Lemon Squeezer. Learn about this claustrophia-inducing spot in the oldest section of the AT. Show notes at greentunnel.rrchnm.org. The Green Tunnel is a production of R2 Studios (r2studios.org). Support us by becoming a member!

This episode of The Green Tunnel shares the story of three changemakers who combined led, and continue to lead, the trail through its 100 years of history. From the earliest days with Jean Stephenson, legal battles with Ruth Blackburn, to a new future with Sandi Marra, these leaders of the Appalachian Trail project have proven themselves pivotal in its history. Show notes, including a full transcript, available at greentunnel.rrchnm.org.

Introducing Iconic Locations, a bonus series of short segments featuring iconic locations of the Appalachian Trail that will air in between regular Green Tunnel episodes. To kick things off, we're starting with what is probably the most photographed location along the trail: McAfee Knob. And we'll tell the story of the nine years when the AT was kicked off the Knob.

In this episode of The Green Tunnel we tell the story of the settler communities that existed along the route of the Appalachian Trail before the AT arrived. We've chosen three examples of those communities, each of which helps tell the story of life in the Appalachian mountains before Benton MacKaye dreamed up the AT in 1921. One community was home to people recently emancipated from enslavement, another was a thriving coal mining and railroad town until the mines played out, and the people of the third community had to rally their friends and neighbors to try to find a little boy who had wandered away from his schoolhouse in 1891. What was life like in the Appalachian mountains before the trail? Find show notes, including a full transcript, at https://greentunnel.rrchnm.org/episode-2-what-came-before/.

Benton MacKaye dreamed up the Appalachian Trail, and Myron Avery turned that dream into a 2,000-mile trail. Their competing visions of what kind of trail the AT should be continue to be at the heart of discussions about the trail today. Should it be a true wilderness experience? Or should it be easily accessible to as many people as possible? In this episode, we tell the story of MacKaye's and Avery's roles in making the trail what it is today, and why their differing visions for the trail permanently fractured their relationship. Full transcript and show notes available at greentunnel.rrchnm.org.