I met Baltimore Jack in the Smokies in 2010 and crossed paths with him a few more times between there and Hanover. I think it's a bit more complicated than that

I met Baltimore Jack in the Smokies in 2010 and crossed paths with him a few more times between there and Hanover. I think it's a bit more complicated than that. With the limits that come of only seeing him a few times on the trail, I'd like to suggest that he clearly had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and probably had some other demons. With that said, he was also a kind soul and the conscience of the hiker community. He was unafraid to say something to people acting in a way that was detrimental to the community at large. He encouraged other hikers and shared freely of what he had be that knowledge or food. Because of all of that, there was a certain amount of hero worship around him. He was a much loved character. But I get the sense that Baltimore Jack was a bit of a character, and assuming that role let him avoid some of the other things in his life that he might've lived longer had he addressed them.