Spring 2017 AT hike, day #2

Sunday, May 14, 2017
Start: Roaring Fork Shelter
End: Stateline branch
Miles: 16.8

I was up this morning at 6:15am after a less than restful sleep. The rodents in the shelter were quite active for most of the night, chewing on anything and everything. I spent much of the night tossing and turning, hoping they weren't eating my bag (even though all my food/ smellables were hanging from the bear cables anyway). Also turns out Parkour giggles in his sleep. It was a bit chilly this morning so I got a slower start than usual. I got my stuff together and headed out by 7:30am.

I climbed from the shelter (4019') up to Max Patch (4629') for 360 degree views (there was also call service!). From there I descended to Brown Gap (3500'), up to 3853', then down to Deep Gap (2911'). I then climbed up to Snowbird Mountain (4263'), where there was some lovely trail magic with cold drinks, cake, sandwiches, banana pudding, resupply snacks, and some personal item resupply. And chairs! I hung out there for probably half an hour, enjoying the food and chatting with people. I met Popsicle, who is a section hiker and a Smithie who graduated in 1996; she's currently traveling all around the world adventuring on her savings.

From there, I descended all the way to Green Corner Rd (1788'), which Sitting Bear hostel is located 0.2mi off the trail. I hiked to the hostel around 3:45, recharged my devices, had some snacks, bought a camp dinner, reapplied my KT tape, and headed back out by 5pm. While Standing Bear isn't quite 4 Pines in VA, it's perhaps best compared to Uncle Johnny's in TN. It's dirty, full of bugs, and everyone is drinking beer and smoking everywhere (both cigarettes and pot). It was full of people looking to get shuttles to Trail Days in Damascus.

I pushed on, descending under I-40 and going over Pigeon River Bridge (1373'), and then climbed up to Stateline Branch (1698'), setting up camp by the creek at the last campsite between here and the start of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1.1 miles. Despite there being space here for at least 6 tents, no one else is here as of yet. The creak is lovely white noise (which is good because I can vaguely hear the highway) and considering where it is, the bugs are light. I did an extra 1.6 miles today, which is that many less I have to do tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be perpetual climbing, going from 1698' up to 4950' within ~6 miles.

Spring 2017 AT hike, day #1

Saturday May 13, 2017
Start: Hot Springs, NC
End: Roaring Brook Shelter
Miles: 17.9

Last night, my connecting flight to Asheville was delayed by more than an hour with mechanical trouble. I didn't arrive at the hostel until 10pm. I walked into to a completely quiet house, with a note on the door saying "full." I noted my name was on their calendar though no location or room number was noted. I quietly poked around, going upstairs. I found an open door with a bed made with no one staying in it. I decided it was probably mine so I got settled and went to sleep. I got up this morning around 6:15am, did my morning routine, and was downstairs by 6:45am. No one else was up. I found my package on the front porch and integrated it into my pack. I left money and a note on the desk and headed to the diner. I grabbed a veggie breakfast wrap with some sweet tea, hitting the trail by 7:30am.

Leaving from Hot Springs (1326'), I climbed up to Deer Park Mountain (2571'), and then eventually climbed up Bluff Mountain (4686'). From there, I descended to Kale Gap (3700') and then climbed up Walnut Mountain (4293'). The trail then went down to (3455'), and then climbed up to get to Roaring Fork Shelter (4019). I arrived right at 4pm.

While I could have kept going, I have a light day tomorrow already anyway. The next place to camp out is Max Patch which is a bald mountain around 4600'; it's accessible by road, it's Saturday night, and I saw a group of 6+ locals headed to camp out on Max Patch with their carful of beer. It sounds cold and rather crowded. I'd rather pass through first thing in the morning, as the new light hits it (and after it has time to dry out from days of rain).

It didn't really rain today but it was extremely foggy and humid and the trees were enthusiastically dripping alllll day. Water has been, of course, plentiful, which is a nice comparison to the last trip. Loon and Parcour are sharing the shelter with me; I'm delighted to find some quiet, given how many people I've seen today. Loon is from Minneapolis and just got her PhD on Sunday from Auburn in Alabama in animal nutrition, specializing in poultry nutrition. We had lovely chats about the Minneapolis' theater scene, academia, and the struggles of being in more conservative spaces.