Smokey Mountains (NC/TN)

Entered the Great Smokey Mountain National Park!!!!

Note the white blaze...  blazes were quite scarce up in the park for some unnerving reason. 

• 24 March 2015: 17 miles to Spence Field Shelter (in the Smokey Mountain National Park)
• We ditched/mailed ahead our tent in Fontana. This is a huge risk for a number of reasons but it could also be a huge advantage if things do not go terribly wrong. 
• The Smokey Mountains have weird rules. One rule is that all overnight campers MUST stay in a shelter 
• (hence the fact we decided to ditch the few extra pounds of the tent, since we were going to be forced to stay in the shelters anyway). 
• Only if a shelter is full may a backpacker camp/pitch a tent. 
• BUT if a section hiker shows up and the shelter is full and the section hiker does not want to camp in a tent the section hiker can KICK OUT the dirty thru-hiker (what we are) to make room. 
• The shelters are first come first serve (unless you are a section hiker, they have reservations)
• It was a race every day to get to the shelters first. But Poppins and I wake up super early for thru-hikers (6-7am) thanks to our old civilian jobs so we had a very good chance of getting to shelters first simply because we just started early. 
• The dice had been cast (we did buy a tarp in town to tarp tent just incase)
• 11 mile accent into the Smokies
• Accidentally did our highest milage to date
• We were having lunch at the first shelter in the Smokies when we struck up a conversation with a Daywalker (our term for a day hiker, someone who does not camp but retreats back to the safety of their residence at the end of the day) who assured us the next shelter was only 2.5 miles away (we thought it was 4 miles away and the 2nd shelter was also the one we had originally planned to spend the night at) and then the 3rd shelter was ONLY 4 miles away. Since we were already prepared to walk 4 more miles we decided to jump to the 3rd shelter instead of the planned 2nd. When we got to the 2nd shelter we found out it was in fact actually 3 miles from the first and the 3rd shelter was another 3 miles away (so actually 6 miles from the 1st). Confused yet? Basically we ended up walking 6 miles more instead of the intended 4 and learned NEVER TRUST A DAYWALKER WHEN IT COMES TO DISTANCE. 
• 25 March 2015: 14ish miles to Double Spring Gap Shelter
• We might have a stalker or at the very least a very clingy friend (story to come, maybe)
• 26 March 2015: 22 miles to Pecks Corner Shelter
• First 20+ day of the whole trip!!!!
• Went over Clingman's Dome
• The highest point on the AT at 6655 feet
• Didn't go up into the observation tower at the top tho. because we were basically hiking through a cloud so there wouldn't have been anything to see anyway

3rd day in the Smokies and the Smokies are FINALLY start to look like what I was expecting (the first 2 days just looked like any other part of NC)

Just a huge tree that uprooted and took a giant boulder along for the ride, it was pretty neat

At Newfound Gap about halfway through the Smokies and one of the only places motor tourists are able to see the trail in the park. We (the thru-hikers, especially the female thru-hikers, I guess we are a bit rare) were like celebrities, people would swarm us with questions, little elementary kids wanted to get their pictures taken next to the homeless people who hadn't showered in days and were walking through the woods with big packs on their backs for fun. The experience was mind boggling to me... but then again I guess the concept of a thru-hiker was mind boggling to the kids (and some adults) as well.  

Shelters don't typically have a view but the one we stopped at for lunch did

• 27 March 2015: 24 miles to Standing Bear Hostel (just outside the Smokies) 
• "I think it is starting to snow... the food bags were crusted with ice when I took them off the bear cable this morning" I said to Poppins at 6:20 in the morning as we packed up our gear. "It wasn't suppose to start till this evening" replied Poppins. Then we both stared at each other.  We were afraid of the Smokies for one main reason. It wasn't the mountains we had to climb, it wasn't the bears, it wasn't running out of food, it was the weather in the Smokies is super unpredictable and can change dramatically with dangerous consequences. We had heard from a Ridge Runner the day before that the temperature was suppose to drop into the single digits that (27 March) NIGHT but the snow also wasn't suppose to start until later that NIGHT. We just shrugged and agreed that we needed to get out of the Smokey Mountains fast and that day. So, that is what we did. 
• We had done our first 20+ mile day the day before so we knew what it felt like and that our bodies could handle it, probably. 
• But it was also snowing and showing no sign of letting up... which in fact it never did in the higher elevations that day. 

Snow in the morning was kind of a novelty for us... we also thought it would stop eventually...

...it never did...

... actually the snow just got progressively worse all day... (no pictures of the worst part tho. it was too cold to get out my camera, which is freeze-proof down to 14 degrees... I ended up stuffing it in my shirt to keep it warm)

• Once we had descended out of the Smokies to 2000 feet there was no more snow and it was actually starting to warm up. 
• Right when (literally 3 feet from the norther terminus of the park) we stepped out of the Smokies there was TRAIL MAGIC!!!!!
• Trail Magic is when total strangers out of the kindness of their hearts do nice things for thru-hikers. Typically this involves food, but sometimes it is just a ride into town or some other kind gesture to ease a thru-hikers day. 

Trail Magic!!!

The lovely providers of said trail magic!!! They said they had been doing things like his for 4 years now!

• At Standing Bear Hostel we called the boys and shuttled into Gatlinburg to crash on their motel floor... since we finished the Smokies 2 days faster than we had anticipated 
• The boys went into Gatlinburg to resupply and ended up getting snowed in. 

Walking to Standing Bear @ mile 23 of 24 mile day

Poppins might have walked a little too much or snorted too much snow

Kitty at Standing Bear Hostel! (I've made it my mission to photograph as many hostel cats as I can)

• 28 March 2015: "Zero" day back in Gatlinburg, TN
• First zero day of the whole trip 
• Thia came down to visit since we finished 2 days early and she has weekends off!!!

A typical Hiker Trash room (not to be confused with a Trashy Hiker room, yes there is a huge difference. I'll explain later). Gear everywhere, more people than management wants per room (respectfully tho), and shoulder rubs.

Josh teaching Thia how to pick a lock

BOO to the Daywalkers (hence the sign)... no, not really, but it was pretty ironic 

• Thia and I took Mike (Josh's friend who came out to hike the Smokies with him) back to his car at the NOC, since we actually had a car to use for once
• Stopped by Clingman's Dome on the way back over the mountains (the road had been closed earlier that day)
• The path up to the tower was super icy. 
• Sometimes it is fun just to be another motor tourist for a day :3... especially when it is freezing cold outside

Yep, there is a random concrete tower in the middle of the Smokey Mountains and on the highest point of the Appalachian Trail ... oh well, what is done is done, and it had nice views

• 29 March 2015: "Zero" day back in Gatlinburg, TN
• The boys went back out to finish their 2nd half of the Smokies. 
• My parents arrived!!!
• Originally we had planned to be done with the Smokies on the 29th of March and then hang out with my parents while we took two zero days... but plans change 
• 30 March 2015: 20 miles from Max Patch to Hot Springs, NC
• Slackpacking
• 31 March 2015: 12 miles from Max Patch to Standing Bear Hostel
• Slackpacking



On top of Max Patch, the bald is so big that the AT has to be marked with posts since a hiker would not be able to see the tree line from the other side



• My parents and Poppins wanted to see Clingman's dome (since I ran up there with Thia a few days earlier and had spectacular view, as shown for 28 March). It ended up raining as soon as we arrive, then turned to sleet a few minutes later. They trudged up to the dome, braving the elements, while I waited in the car and ate an avocado with triscuits. 
• Needless to say I think I got the better end of that deal. 
• On the drive back home we saw our first BEAR!!! From the car thank goodness, hopefully that will be the last bear we see... (*knocking on wood now*)

The bear is at the top of this picture (sorry, I only had my phone with me and it can only zoom so far)

NC

"The Twisted Tree" right after the NC state line

• Day 10- Stayed at Muskrat "Sheeter"
• Super creepy vibe from this particular shelter
• There was random ground cloths scattered over the hillside and through the woods surrounding the shelter. At a glance these pieces of plastic kind of looked like body bags.
• There was a copious amount of graffiti in this shelter. Now, basically all shelters on the AT have some amount of graffiti. Only this shelter was completely covered inside and out with not just trail names and creative pictures (the typical hiker graffiti we have come to know and love) but with phrases like "F[*]CK THA POLICE"... which, after getting over the initial shock of an individual spelling the word "the" wrong, phrases like that are quite unnerving in the woods. 
• Usually we get into camp around lunch time (since we are doing rather low milage to keep from hurting ourselves at the beginning) and then sit by the trail and talk to other hikers who pass by
• This particular day NO ONE was passing by, which is super rare, usually we see at least 10 fellow hikers every hour. The lack of people just added to the creepy feeling and our boredom. 

Results of our boredom. 

• Fortunately this was the fated day we would meet Vanguard (although he was just Eric at that point) and Josh. They saved us from "The Shinning Twins" (long story)

Really North Carolina? Really?

• 16 March 2015 (I'm not going to count the days anymore): 13 miles to Carter Gap Shelter
• 17 March 2015: 16 miles to Franklin, NC
• On Albert Mountain we came upon our first fire tower!!!! The view was amazing.

View from the top of the fire tower on Albert Mountain






View from the bottom of the fire tower on Albert Mountain. That is Josh poking his head over the side (we caught up to the guys at the top)



• Oh, and the fire tower just happened to be mile 100!





There was no sign to commemorate our completion of the first 100 miles of the AT, so we had to improvise. 



• The last 3.7 miles of the day were in under an hour (it was 2pm and we didn't realize the $3 shuttle to Franklin left at 3.... and we were 3.7 miles away. Just for reference our usual pace is 2-2.5, which is fair).
• Vanguard (Eric at the time) charged over the mountain in front of everyone (he was going at about 4.2 miles per hour, which is pretty much unheard of for backpacking) and got to the shuttle in time and held it for everyone else.
• I suggested that we start calling Eric "Vanguard" because the vanguard is the first charge/ leads the way into battle.... also he was kind of LITERALLY guarding a van for all of us to shuttle into Franklin. The name stuck and that is how the trail name "Vanguard" came about. 
•  Hiker party at the Outdoor 76 outfitters. It also happened to St. Patty's day, $2 draft beer, in the actual outfitters (there is some weird bar law in NC so serving beer in an outfitters is a common occurrence apparently)!!!! 
• Personally I do not typically partake in libations, expect Crabby's Ginger Beer. After humming and hawing about settling for a draft beer the bartender gets a smirk on his face and magically withdraws a bottle of Crabby's from underneath the bar. The bottle was only a dollar more, so worth it!!!! A perfect day. My first epic day on the AT.

Starting on the left and going in a "U": Poppins, Vanguard, Terrier, Stoat, Josh, PeaceDawg

• Met the greatest trail Angel, took us for a resupply and even paid for PeaceDawg's motel room.... amazing man

• 18 March 2015: 5 miles to Siler Bald 
• Everyone got their boots re-fit, hit the trail later in the afternoon.
• We met this guy at the outfitters we all now refer to as the "Shoe Wizard" because he knew SO much about feet and put everyone into shoes that no longer cause ANY of us to get blisters = Magic (no blisters from brand new shoes is unheard of on the trail)

Wildberry poptart color

New trailrunners ... all that breaking in the boots for nothing... but my pinkey toe tried to poke through my hiking boots to the point I had to cut a hole in the side of my boot to releive the pressure just to get into town yesterday

Everyone in the crew ended up getting fitted by the "shoe wizard" for new trail runners

• Slept on top of Siler bald the first night out of Franklin with Poppins, Vanguard, and Josh. Had amazing 360 degree views, no sunset or stars tho since the rain clouds rolled in that night.

Stoat, Vanguard, Poppins, and Josh

View from the top of the Siler Bald with the memory bell string we found at the top



• We found a little string of bells on top of the bald with a note attached saying "This is a *Memory Bell* And may it find you making a MEMORY... I am *Free*, so please take me with you to remind you of this moment. Also, to pause for a second to reflect on Past Memories, Present Memories, and making Future Memories...."
• We ended up taking apart the string and each keeping one of the bells (the entire beaded string would have been too heavy for just one person to keep in their pack and each of us getting a bell seemed fitting)
•  19 March 2015: 12 miles to Cold Springs Shelter
•  This day was absolutely miserable (still not as bad as the FRIDAY THE 13th DAY). 
• Typically when it rains we get an hour or two respite at some point in the day (it has rained more days than not since starting) but this day it just poured which made for some very sloppy and cold hiking.
•  Spent our first night IN a shelter, since it was pouring and all the campsites were not level for some reason. No mice bothered us, shockingly (mice typically like to jump on hiker's faces in shelters.... to show their dominance in the AT pecking order I guess)



Cold Spring Shelter in the rain

• It was only a 6 person shelter (smaller than most on the AT) Rabbit showed up an hour or two after Poppins and I got into the shelter and Vanguard and Josh showed up around 3 pm. Then we all just sat there shivering and eating until it was time to crawl into our sleeping bags and shiver some more. 
• 
  
• 20 March 2015: 12 miles to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (Cabin)
•  The rain stopped and views were amazing. 

View from the Jumpoff






•  Made it to the NOC where Vanguard's girlfriend got a nearby cabin for everyone to crash in for the night. While waiting for a ride everyone just hung out and drank beers on a bridge  spanning the Nantahalen River (because again, apparently that is a thing in NC).

The bridge across the Nantahalan River is actually a part of the AT, compete with a white blaze at each end

The cabin crew starting on the left and going in a "U"

Poppins, Donitello (Josh finally got a trailname), Vanguard, Rabbit, Sticks, Stoat (myself)

• 21 March 2015: 8 miles to Cheoah Bald
• 6 mile accent out of the NOC
• Met some really sweet older gentlemen that camped on top of the bald as well, they were section hikers tho. 

• 22 March 2015: 14 miles to Cable Gap Shelter
• 23 March 2015: 7 miles to Fontana Village (for a resupply) then to the Fontana Hilton Shelter
• We are pretty sure that the Fontana Village townies have a pact to not pick up thru-hikers but to happily suggest we take the $3 shuttle the 2 miles back to the trail. 
• Seriously, all (well all 3) of the establishments in town had a radio that linked up directly to the shuttle service. IT IS A CONSPIRACY I TELL YOU!!!
• Hitch-hiking in Fontana is a waste of time if there are no tourist running around who are not privy to the townie pact
• Spent the night at the Fontana Hilton, the best known shelter on the AT and for good reason. This shelter has SHOWERS. Also, the view isn't half bad either. 

Mile Marker enjoying the view of Fontana Dam 

Free. This view is free to all AT thru-hikers

The shelter is located in a public park, hence the access to running water for showers and flush toilets (both located about 0.1 miles up the road from the shelter)

• 24 March 2015: 17 miles to Spence Field Shelter (in the Smokey Mountain National Park)
• Crossed over Fontana Dam in the early morning
• Headed into the Smokies (see next post)

Crossing Fontana Dam

Observing the potentially hazardous fall off Fontana Dam

GA

• Day 1: 11.6 miles, approach trail to Stover creek shelter (2.6 miles into the AT)
• approach trail was not worth it
• loss of  appetite

First official blaze on the AT!!!

• Day 2: 11.6 miles, Stover shelter  to Justus ( yes that is how it is spelled) Creek
• loss of appetite
• beautiful campsite
• Rain started in the night

• Day 3: 10ish miles ( I'm too lazy to get out my guide book) Justus to Lance creek.
• rained off and on, but a good day.
• camped right before bear canisters are required
• met up with Learning Curve, Heavy Weight, Survivor, and Nine

• Day 4: 8 miles, lance creek  to a site just past  Neel's Gap.
•  up and over blood mountain, tons of fog.

Shelter at the top of Blood Mountain. No view since we were in a cloud.

•  hung out out Mountain Crossing Outfitters for hours, it was great!!!

At Neel's Gap. Look closer at the tree. It is a tradition. If a hiker gets to the Neel's Gap outfitters and buys new shoes they throw their old shoes into the old tree outside. We heard of one hiker that climbed the tree to get a new pair a shoes, I guess that is just the circle of life on the trail. 

Outfitter cats at Mountain Crossing Outfitters

• Day 5: 11ish miles, Bull Run Campsite to Low Gap Shelter
• 30+ people at Low Gap that night, looks like we hit a bubble

Unicoi Gap

• Day 6: 13ish day, Low Gap Shelter to the Cheese Factory.    
• no ruins of the old cheese factory, but camped in the tree line.
• Couldn't tell if we could still smell the lingering aromas of old cheese... or if it was just us 

In the treeline hiding from the wind

• Day 7: 10ish miles, Cheese Factory to Deep Gap Shelter. (FRIDAY THE 13th!!!!!)
• worst weather for hiking yet. 35 degrees, raining, wind 15 mph gusting up to 25 on ridge line  all day.
• Met some great people hiding out in the shelter: Awesome, Kingfisher, Shaggy hobo, and Nick

Coldest day (with the wind-chill factor) yet, still rocking the running shorts 

• Day 8: 3 miles, known as a "Nero day" not quite a zero day but close, first day staying in a hostel.... also first shower in 8 days, Deep Gap shelter to Top of Georgia hostel.

A helpful sign in case a northbounding Thru-hiker gets confuzzled 

• Top of Georgia is amazing!!!! It just opened last year so it is new and clean. Also, when you turn in your laundry for a washing they give you a pair of hospital scrubs to wear while you wait.
• Our clothes weren't done in time so we went into town to resupply all decked out in scrubs and soft shoes looking like a weird mountain cult.

Poppins and I looking like a weird mountain cult

There was some kind of celebration at the Top of Georgia. 

 They had a birds of prey demo, blue grass music, and FREE FOOD!!! 

 This is a screech owl named Golith

• Day 10: 13 miles.....Crossed the into North Carolina!!!!!!

After this I totally went down the hill and peed with one foot in Georgia and one in North Carolina... don't judge, it was an item on my thru-hike bucket list. I know, pretty sweet right? Now you're jealous of my good ideas AND judgmental.