Just before going to sleep last night there was a pack of coyotes nearby and they let out a single, loud cry in unison. It was quite the sound, but afterwards we heard nothing more. There was no cell signal at our camp site yesterday so I uploaded yesterday’s blog this morning.
it was an easy day today as we hiked about 7 miles to the Fontana Shelter and then caught a shuttle bus into Fontana Village where we will resupply, spend the night and then head out tomorrow morning for a long, hard climb as we enter the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. The Fontana Shelter is pretty famous with AT thru hikers as it is on a beautiful site by the lake, is an exceptionally well-built and well-maintained shelter and it even has solar powered charging stations for phones and other electronic devices. It is fondly referred to as the “Fontana Hilton”! Time to go do laundry and pickup food supplies for the next 4 days.
Our camp site last night was rated as having room enough for 6 tents. By nightfall there were 15 tents and 3 hammocks in a very tight area. It resembled a very small base camp. It was a restless night for most of us as we were so close together you could hear every one who was snoring and the constant sound of people turning over on their sleeping pads.
We broke camp at 8:30 am and I hiked solo for the day. The reason for this was really to prepare myself for more mileage in a few weeks. The first two weeks of this hike were focused on just getting from point A to point B (usually a distance of 8-12 miles) and taking whatever time was necessary to safely do so without running the risk of injury. The next 2 or 3 weeks I want to focus on the efficiency of my hikes to make sure I am ready for greater mileage once we exit North Caroling and begin the long journey north in Virginia (Virginia has the most AT mileage of any state at just more than 500 miles). When we hike as a tramily there are frequent stops as one would expect – water breaks and refills, snack breaks, take clothing off or put it on, etc. By hiking solo today I was better able to gauge where my hiking capability is now so that I can make adjustments over the next few weeks to be prepared for more mileage. I really do not expect my hiking pace to increase dramatically so that means i need to hike greater distances in a shorter time frame by making fewer stops and/or hiking longer hours each day in order to gradually ramp up my mileage. I met up with the rest of the tramily just before noon and then again at our base camp tonight.
The weather today was cloudy and cool this morning and then windy with a cool rain for most of the afternoon hike. Overall, a good day for hiking and we covered 12 miles. Rather than another mountain top view video I made a short video (below) of a section of the trail I hiked today just to give my blog readers a better perspective of what a normal hike in this part of North Carolina looks like.
Tomorrow we have a short hike to Fontana of less than 6 miles. It will be the last location to resupply before we head into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Wednesday morning. As a permit is required for this section of our hike, we have 8 days to enter and exit the AT trail through the GSMNP. We will exit half way though this section to go into Gatlinburg for another resupply and to take a zero day.
I woke up at 6:45 am today to go wash my laundry and some of my teammates’ clothes as the electricity finally was restored after 10:00 pm last night. I try to keep this blog positive but also realistic for any future AT thru hikers. In short, our stay at the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center) was very lousy. The room was lousy, the food was average and priced extraordinarily high, the resupply provisions were basically candy and crackers, and the laundry facility was at least a third of a mile from our bunkhouse. Basically nothing at the NOC is geared toward hikers’ needs. We look so forward to our taste of normalcy when we come off trail that it’s incredibly frustrating to have the experience we had yesterday. But, sometimes the reality is that when you are the only game in town you can treat your customers anyway you want. OK – enough complaining.
Today’s hike was the most difficult yet, but i also felt the strongest today of any of our hard days. Immediately after leaving base camp this morning we began an 8.5 mile climb from 1,700 feet elevation to approximately 5,100 feet. It was a brutal climb but the weather was beautiful with lots of sun and a few breezes. After reaching the summit we had another 2.5 miles down to our campsite tonight. I must have burned 5000 – 6000 calories today. Very challenging to take in that many calories. Our group separated for today’s hike and Snapshot and I were paired up. We have very similar hiking abilities, our pace is roughly the same, neither of us like to take frequent breaks and we don’t spend a lot of time talking but rather focusing on the hike. So, as hard as today’s hike was it was very enjoyable and I feel as though my trail legs are starting to materialize. Tomorrow will see less of an elevation climb with cloudy weather and a good chance of some rain.
Last night was a wild and crazy experience with the weather. Fortunately, nothing as serious as some other states experienced but we had intense winds and heavy rain/thunderstorms until 9:00 this morning. Other than having to pack up a lot of wet gear we made out with no other issues. The trail out of camp this morning was a bit unworldly as we were on a narrow ridge for about 1 mile. The trees and fauna were very weather beaten but still beautiful. There was a lot of tree and limb debris all day long and one area where we had to take our packs off in order to climb over a large tree that had fallen. Most of our hike today was downhill as we made our way to the Nantahala Outdoor Center which is directly in from of the trail. It’s a well-known area for AT thru hikers and local outdoor sports enthusiasts. As soon as we arrived we had a good lunch and then printed our passes that will be needed to hike thru the Great Smokey Mountains National Park which we will be entering in a few days. We are staying in a 4 bed bunk house which is literally just that. Nothing more. There is a shower facility and also a place to wash our clothes. Unfortunately, as soon as we arrived the power went out and, 4 hours later, has still not been restored. We desperately need to wash our clothes and recharge our phones so we are hoping for the best. The weather today, after we got on trail, was beautiful and sunny with a stiff breeze – a marked improvement from yesterday. Tomorrow we have a very steep climb from our bunkhouse (chart below) as we make our way towards Fontana Dam where we should arrive on Tuesday.
We woke up to a cloudy/rainy forecast today. Fortunately, the rain held off until we got to camp after a solid 11 miles today. Some potentially severe weather is forecasted for tonight and the rain is now beginning to fall. We are keeping our fingers crossed.
After a fun day off in Franklin, Snapshot and I left our motel this morning via shuttle. Prior to leaving the motel I walked to a small donut shop in town and picked up some donuts for breakfast. They were so fresh and so delicious! After arriving at the trail head we waited about 15 minutes for Cobweb Rose and Mountain crusher to arrive. It was cold when we hit the trail but we warmed up quickly as we had a steep mountain to climb immediately after starting. In fact, most of the 11.2 miles we covered today were steep uphill climbs. Our legs are getting stronger and adapting to the continuous cycle of up one mountain and down another. The weather was perfect for hiking today and the sky was blue but very hazy from several prescribed burns that were being coordinated by the forest service. In fact, the trail we hiked today was closed yesterday for a prescribed burn and we could see areas today that had been burned including one tree that was still smoldering. Near the end of the day we climbed Wayah Bald Mountain and had more amazing views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. We are camping at a shelter site tonite with, again, our tents pitched on ground that is very unlevel. So, most likely another night of sliding off my sleeping pad.
Today was our first full day off the trail, which we spent in the hiker town of Franklin, NC. The town really embraces the hiker community in many ways. We were picked up in from of our motel at 7:15 this morning by a cheerful bus driver from the First Baptist Church just a mile or so away. There were approximately 15 other hikers and we were treated to a great breakfast by a few kind and enthusiastic church volunteers. Afterwards we walked about 3/4 mile to a local grocery store to pick up supplies for the next few days. Then back to the motel to do laundry. Last night we met some other thru hikers that are traveling in our “bubble” and celebrated the 65th birthday of one hiker from Michigan. We will meet other thru hikers at another local restaurant tonight and then return to the trail tomorrow morning.
Our tramily was formed under a crowded shelter on a cold, rainy day a little over one week ago. Snapshot and I met the second day on the trail at our campsite when the temperature dropped below 17 degrees. Mountain Crusher and Snapshot met on the approach trail to Springer Mountain. Snapshot and Cobweb Rose met at Mountain Crossing and Mountain Crusher met Cobweb Rose at Hawk Mountain shelter. So, back to that cold, rainy day at the shelter – that is the first time the four of us met. Because the conditions were so bad that day, and everything we were carrying was soaking wet, we quickly came together and agreed to hike another 2.5 miles to the town of Helen where we got hotel rooms, washed our clothes and dried out all of our camping equipment. And that was how our tramily was formed.
Cobweb Rose (aka Emily) is a traveling ICU nurse and lives in Asheville, NC. Her trail name derives from a previous hiking group. Cobweb because she was always out in front on the trail and therefore clearing the cobwebs strewn across the trail. Rose because she was hiking with all guys who dubbed her the Rose between the thorns. She is the most avid hiker in our group, has a lot of trail knowledge and always a fun, positive, high-energy personality. Cobweb Rose has a YouTube channel where she has begun posting videos of our exploits.
Mountain Crusher (aka Justin) is from Front Royal, VA. The youngest hiker on our team. he previously worked as a substitute high school teacher and a park ranger. He hopes to become a National Park Ranger after completing the AT. As his name suggests, he excels at ascending mountains and everything steep. He has a sharp but funny wit about him and a lot of energy to push us on the trail.
Snapshot (aka Taylor) is from Los Angeles, CA. Prior to hitting the AT he worked in the movie industry as a film colorist (the last person to insure the final film product meets the director’s expectations). Snapshot always has a smile on his face and is also a very solid hiker, in part due to his long stride and the ground he can cover very quickly. He thinks through options and decisions carefully and has a very calm disposition. Snapshot has some great trail photos on Instagram at tfmahonyphoto.
And then, there is me. I live in Concord, NH with my wonderful wife Diane. We are both retired which gives me the luxury of pursuing this crazy adventure. For reasons that are unclear to me, our young team members tolerate having me around which I greatly appreciate. There is an old African Proverb that says “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”. So, together we are making our way to Mt Katahdin and it’s great to do so with this tramily.
The shelter/camp site we stayed at last night was on a steep hill side which meant our sleeping surface was also. There were very few tent sites to choose from and Snapshot and I were literally tent stake to tent stake. Neither of us slept more than 2 hours as we continuously slid off our sleeping pads due to the slope of the hillside we were on. A very long, uncomfortable night but we both survived. We started early this morning, leaving camp at 8:00 am as we needed to make our way to our shuttle pickup site by noon. We did really well and covered the 7+ miles in less than 3.5 hours. While waiting for our shuttle a car whipped into the parking lot and a gentleman by the (trail name) of Solace asked if we wanted a ride into town, which saved us time and money. Solace was quite the character. A three-time AT thru hiker, he had the funniest stories and comments to share with us and we we all enjoyed his sunny personality. After a quick stop at a local trail shop, he showed us around the town of Franklin, gave us some recommendations and then dropped us off at the plush Hilltop Inn ($75/night) where we will stay tonight and tomorrow night. It’s funny what your idea of luxury becomes after 4 days of no showers, no bathrooms, sweating, putting on dirty clothing each morning and going to bed on the ground each night. To have a room with real beds, a working toilet and a shower – well, it’s practically heaven.
Every hostel and motel near the AT has a “hiker box” where other thru hikers have discarded items they no longer want or need and anything in the box is free for the taking. So, before checking into the motel we all dug through the box at the Hilltop Inn ( just as we have done at other motels and hostels) almost as if it was Christmas morning, searching for a few free goodies. Today I found an unopened can of Blue Diamond almonds (which Snapshot and I are using as our room snack), an unopened container of baby wipes and a small plastic bottle that I can put some liquid hand soap in. At the last motel I dropped several items into the hiker box and hopefully that will help out other hikers. But, we have all come to the conclusion that we have fully made the transition to “hiker trash” much quicker than we anticipated. And, I am sure my wife is reading this and sadly shaking her head! We look forward to a full day off tomorrow, something we have not had since our journey began, along with some good food and exploring the town. A local church bus will pick us (thru hikers) up at our motel tomorrow morning, feed us a good breakfast and then drop us back off at our motel all for free – it’s one of the things that the town of Franklin does to celebrate Appalachian Trail hikers from the first day of spring through Earth Day. One last note, we stopped by a small bakery this afternoon to pick up a few drinks and snacks. The young lady at the cash register asked if we were thru hikers and we said “yes”. She said “OK, you are all set. Someone donated a gift card to cover the food costs of thru hikers”. We were all astonished by such a kind gesture from someone we will never meet. We did leave a nice tip for the young lady to show our appreciation.
There was no cell service at camp last night so i will provide an update for Saturday, Sunday and today.
After checking out of our hotel on Saturday morning Cobweb Rose, Mountain Crusher and I hitchhiked the 11 miles to the trail head where we met Snapshot as he has previously booked his stay at a local hostel. Our goal was to only hike 5 miles but we were making good progress and it was a beautiful day so we hiked an additional 4 miles. On Sunday we had another nice day and hiked approximately 12 miles and this included two tough mountains – Sassafras (4,273 feet) and Standing Indian (5,478 feet). We were treated to some amazing views from both mountain tops but our feet took s beating from all the rocks on the trail. The highlight of our Sunday Hike was to cross over the state line from Georgia to North Carolina. Just before we crossed over we saw 3 small bear cubs playing in the valley below. As soon as they heard us they made a quick exit into the woods below.
Last night we had a thunderstorm pass over our campsite with some loud thunder claps and lightning. Most of the steady rain was overnight and by the time we left camp this morning it was very foggy but the rain was only a light drizzle. As the day progressed the weather became very nice. Our goal today was to hike approximately 7 miles and stop just short of a very, very steep climb up Albert Mountain. However, we made good time and our legs were feeling strong so we decided to make the 2.5 mile climb to the summit of Albert Mountain and then an additional 3 miles to our camp tonight. Albert Mountain marks the 100 mile point for north bound hikers so we had a small celebration of our accomplishment on the summit (that means we had additional food and water 😊). On top of Albert Mountain is an old Fire Tower which provided an even more spectacular view of the valley below. Tomorrow we have a short 7 mile hike and will take a shuttle into the small town of Franklin where we will take our first “zero” day on Wednesday. We are very excited to have two nights in a cheap hotel and eat some real food while in town. We will also resupply for the next phase of our journey before leaving Franklin on Thursday morning.
Side note – a few days ago we had heard that there was a Mother with 15 children (all hers) on the trail. When we stopped for lunch on Sunday we did so at the location that they were setting up camp for the night. It was quite the site with camping gear, kids and food everywhere. The children range in ages from 4 to early 20s. We talked to the family for a while and they were very friendly and polite. Only 8 of the family members were at camp when we passed by as the older children had gone into town to collect more supplies. I can barely keep up with my own supplies and needs on this adventure and cannot begin to comprehend what the logistics must be for s family if 16 – and the two dogs that were also with them. They reside in Virginia and their family trail name is “32 Feet”. I sure do wish them well on the journey ahead.
No pictures tonight as my cell signal is too weak to down load to this blog. Will try to send more out tomorrow night or Wednesday.
And the journey continues… 