>>2801340Considering I am unironically about 8 minutes from AT in Tennessee. I'm calling bullshit on most of what you're saying.
>wet leaves and mudAt no point has wet leaves or mud been as slipper as ice, ever. That's just you have weak ankles.
>>2801325He is shitposting, I grew up here my whole life, family still lives on the mountains, I live in the Middle TN plateau now only a few minutes from them.
It's impossible to straight line through most of it because you'll be walking and cliff side out of nowhere into a drop that would instant end game you at a moments notice.
So even if you climbed down safely, you'll be met just a few minutes later with another cliff face you have to climb up.
Unless you're autistically into climbing and wasting hours of your day to travel a few hundred feet. We use the trails that bypass these sections entirely.
Some areas (Chatty white rafting rivers) would effectively be impossible to straight line by any reasonable person depending on which second you came across.
So sure theoretically you could straightline, if you're willing to add multiple days or weeks to your hike.
However guaranteed you aren't doing the full AT in one go. You'll reach the next town and give up because your body is a broken damaged thing.
