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Stalking Tortoise & Smoking Sox Section Hike #32 - Sams Gap (I-26) to Dennis Cove Rd TN

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    • Stalking Tortoise & Smoking Sox Section Hike #32 - Sams Gap (I-26) to Dennis Cove Rd TN

      Background

      For 2017, we have 308.4 AT miles remaining in North Carolina / Tennessee and 373.1 AT miles remaining in New Hampshire & Maine. Sox and I were able to free up a week in March to knock off about a third of our southern gap. I checked the AT Thru Hikers' Companion and determined that Sams Gap at the I-26 underpass was a reasonable 99 miles south of our 2016 starting point from Dennis Cove Road.

      Friday March 17th

      Happy St. Paddy's Day! Since Sox live near Boston, he has a bit of travel just to get down my way. Previously, he has flown from Logan to Dulles and I have picked him up on my way down south. The downside to flying is a fixed return time or penalties for changing his flights. This time, he left his place at 03:30 and drove down to my place in the Harrisburg area. I worked a half day, snuck out an hour early, and we were on the road before 11:00. Not much to say about the 8-hour drive down I-81 except that we stopped off in Marion VA at the McAdo's Restaurant - the same place we celebrated St. Paddy's Day in 2014 when a storm drove us off the trail near Mount Rogers.

      We arrived at the Black Bear Resort on Dennis Cove Road just before dark. $50 for a rustic creekside cabin and $92 for tomorrow's shuttle down to Sams Gap. The electric heater was just enough to keep us warm overnight and the rain falling on the tin roof made for perfect sleeping conditions.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-8n3zFp2/0/M/AT%20Section%2032%20001-M.jpg]
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • Saturday, March 18th

      We got up at 06:00 even though our shuttle wasn't scheduled until 08:00. It was still raining and the forecast called for showers to continue for at least part of the morning. It was pretty easy to rig our packs for the wet conditions while inside the comfortable confines of our cabin. Our shuttle drive Carl knocked on the cabin door around 07:15 and told us he would be ready to roll in 15 minutes if we wanted to get an early start - perfect! We stowed our pre and post-hike gear in my vehicle, moved it to the long-term parking area at the Resort, and made our departure right at 07:30. There was one quick stop in Hampton at Dunkin Donuts for breakfast before we passed through Sams Gap southbound on I-26, exited at the next ramp, and returned to Sams Gap via northbound I-26 and pulled over in the truck area where a short side trail led down to the AT. Being purists, we walked all the way down to the Old Asheville Highway and then started our hike northbound.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-GBDMCLm/0/M/RIMG0522-M.jpg]
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-7Drgf3M/0/M/AT32%20001-M.jpg]

      Within the first 30 minutes of hiking, the rain stopped and I took a break to stow both my jacket and my gaiters. The heavy overnight rains had washed the trail clean of previous footprints so I only saw Sox tracks up the initial ascent. I did pass a hiker who looked like he was breaking camp and he soon fell in behind me as we began the climb out of Street Gap towards Big Bald. He told me that he was William from Scotland. As soon as he opened his mouth, I knew he was from Scotland. All I could think of was the custodian 'Willie' from The Simpsons, except that William's Scottish accept required a certified translator. One interesting note I learned from William was that he had been required to carry a PLB on his hike in order to obtain travel insurance. Or maybe he was a member of the Pennsylvania Liquor Board. I'm not sure... ?(

      The first view of Big Bald showed my just how close I was and let me know that I would be gaining elevation fast.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-5VQCt4V/0/M/AT32%20008-M.jpg]

      My plan for the first two days of this section hike was pure genius - carry just enough food and clothing for the 25 miles into Erwin, then send a re-supply box to our lodging in Erwin. Sox chose to carry all of his gear for the week from the start and still made it up & over Big Bald before me. I need to find a slower hiking partner. Just as I reached the summit and began enjoying the 360-degree views, rain started pelting me from the west. I took a few pictures and a panoramic video before beating feet off the high ground.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-8rWKS7G/0/M/AT32%20009-M.jpg]
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-Nc4FKmf/0/M/AT32%20012-M.jpg]

      The descent from Big Bald was completely different from the ascent. The trail was a slippery strip of mud and I could see every spot where Sox had lost traction. I was slow to drop my pack and don my rain jacket - a dumb mistake that left me shivering when I made it to the Big Bald Shelter for lunch. William AKA Energizing Bunny showed up a minute after me and we had a lively conversation that included a lot of "What?" and "I'm sorry, I didn't understand your question." Hail fell for a few minutes and we briefly contemplated spending the night here before realizing that it would make for a very long day into Erwin tomorrow. I was the last to leave and chuckled to see the shelter outlined in warm sunshine and all of the hail melted.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-n8MXwQQ/0/M/RIMG0534-M.jpg]

      The afternoon was completely different in regards to the weather and the miles passed by without incident. If I'm not mistaken, the view from High Rocks included a sneak-peek of Unaka and Roan to the northeast.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-d5FkLdj/1/M/RIMG0541-M.jpg]
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-2LsFQgB/1/M/RIMG0541-M.jpg]

      We passed established campsites in Whistling Gap in favor of a reported campsite 0.5 miles before Spivey Gap. Either we completely missed the side trail or the local trail club sanitized the site due to it's proximity to Route 19W. We ended up finding a few level spots in a deer browse field a few tenths closer to the road and made our home for the night after a solid 13.2-mile first day. Another NOBO hiker approached us just before dark and had the same comments on the missing campsite. He set up in the opposite corner of the field and was gone before us on Sunday morning.

      Sox and I split the batch of Manhattans I had carried in a plastic soda bottle and I refilled the bottle in the middle of the night to avoid leaving the warmth of my tent. Win-win!
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • Sunday, March 19th

      It got cold overnight. The thermometer on my pack read 34 degrees as I exited my tent and began my breakfast preparations. This was the first time I actually camped in my Big Agnes Fly Creek solo tent – the last time I used it was in the Knot Maul Shelter on a cold evening. Me and all my gear fit comfortably inside and my empty pack & boots were under cover in the vestibule. I have to admit that I sleep well in my tent at a campsite but I prefer the convenience of shelters.

      Leave no trace
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-FqrJTDJ/0/M/AT32%20019-M.jpg]

      My Fitbit alarm had gone off at 06:00 but there was no reason to rush with Erwin a short 11.4 miles away. As usual, Sox got packed up and underway first while I stripped off & stowed the warm layers. I did a quick gut-check and decided that I didn’t need to dig a morning cathole. With my pack secured on my back, I confidently took my first steps of the day.
      100 yards down the trail, I decided that I did have to dig a morning cathole. That put me well behind Sox for the rest of the morning. During the climb of the Oglesby Branch hollow, I was passed by a NOBO thru named Trippin’. She was nursing a sore ankle at Uncle Johnny’s hostel and had just been dropped off at Spivey Gap for a test hike back to Erwin. Based on how fast she left me in her dust, I’d say her ankle was doing pretty well. She passed Sox at the No Business Knob Shelter while he was waiting for me and stayed ahead of us the rest of the day.

      No Business Knob Shelter
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-8fCNncs/0/M/AT32%20021-M.jpg]

      I took a short lunch at No Business Knob and ran into my 2nd NOBO thru – Brightside. She passed me on the last climb of the day before the long descent to the Nolichucky River. Sox waited for me before the descent since he had no idea where we were staying in town. My first mistake of the hike was failing to stop and snug my upper boot laces before heading down the mountain. The result was a pair of matching blisters on the inside of both big toes by the time I hit the Chestoa Bridge. I had decided to skip Uncle Johnny’s and instead settled on a cabin at the Canterroso Farm. The owners provided pick-up & drop-off from the trailhead and even included a complimentary beer and Snicker’s Bar upon arrival. For $60, we got a 2-bed cabin complete with wi-fi, sink, shower and an electric composting toilet. Add in a few more bucks for a dinner shuttle to Unicoi and a load of laundry and it was a good deal in my book. We opted for dinner at Primo’s Italian. Their take on nachos was truly memorable and the large Stromboli provided enough sustenance for both dinner and Monday’s breakfast.

      A glimpse of the two Canterroso Farm cabins (silver roofs behind the arborvitae wall) from above
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      Ground level
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-pszQMwt/0/M/20170320_075722-M.jpg]

      My second mistake of the hike was getting psyched out by Monday’s weather forecast, which called for heavy rains overnight into the morning followed by thunderstorms all day on Tuesday. Add in the extra weight in my pack from my resupply box and I was not excited about the prospect of tent camping. The owner of Canterroso Farm offered a solution – he would drive us up near Beauty Spot Gap on Monday morning and we could hike the 12.7 miles back to the cabin. That sounded like an excellent idea to me. Sox declined the offer but encouraged me to do what made me happy. So for the first time in our 14-year section hiking history, we intentionally planned to go our separate ways in the morning. Sox packed up while I emptied my pack of all non-essential gear. And we both went to bed happy.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard

      The post was edited 1 time, last by StalkingTortoise ().

    • Monday, March 20th

      The day dawned with unlimited optimism and opportunity. Sox left at 07:00 for the Chestoa Bridge trailhead while I had a more leisurely 08:00 departure for Beauty Spot Gap – all the more time to digest my leftover stromboli. It was an uneventful drive up to Indian Grave Gap where we would access the gravel road up towards Unaka and Beauty Spot. At the top of the ridge, all optimism and opportunity abandoned me when we found the USFS gate to be closed and locked. There was also a blowdown on the opposite side of the gate for good measure. My plan had just gone to hell. The theme for the rest of the hike became ‘For the want of a nail…’

      For the want of a nail, a shoe was lost. For the want of a shoe, a horse was lost. For the want of a horse, a rider was lost. For the want of a rider, the message was lost. For the want of a message, the battle was lost. For the want of a battle, the kingdom was lost.

      In my case, it was the ‘want of an open gate’. It sounds dramatic but the reality is that Smoking Sox can hike circles around me. Last night, he had been kicking around the thought of pulling a 17-miler today to reach the Cherry Gap Shelter. If I was limited to the 8.3 miles from Indian Grave Gap back to Erwin today, I’d be hard-pressed to catch him over the rest of the week. There was also another dynamic playing out. Sox was hinting that it would be good for his family if we could pull 15 mile days Monday through Friday so that he could get home earlier on Saturday. My mind was swimming in options as I departed Indian Grave Gap. At least I would have the satisfaction of seeing Sox looking drained as he slogged up the climb from the Nolichucky Valley. I just hoped that he wouldn’t take too long to reach the Curley Maple Gap Shelter, the halfway point of my short slack-pack.

      Who looks happier - Smoking Sox or Stalking Tortoise?
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-gdcQj9j/0/M/RIMG0557-M.jpg]
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-mNCV3WC/0/M/AT32%20042-M.jpg]

      Imagine my surprise when Sox came into view before I made it to the shelter. Granted, I did spot him an hour head start, but I thought he would be much slower climbing with a full pack than me descending with only token weight on my back. We spent a few minutes reviewing my ‘want on an open gate’ before he continued northbound. At the shelter, I ran into the next couple of NOBO hikers leaving Erwin. Hugs had been ahead of me since I started on Saturday and Brightside was surprised to see me hiking the wrong way. South of the shelter I passed Falls, Stealth, Nutsloe, Nameless, Bear and Trippin’ (again). I made it back to the Chestoa trailhead by 13:00 and actually considered packing up and heading back to Indian Grave Gap. A quick check of the forecast showed that the rain & thunderstorms were still predicted. A quick check of my intestinal fortitude showed that I was still a wussy.
      So I did the next best thing. I texted Trailplace alum & HikerBum extraordinaire DMAX and he brought over an ice-cold six pack of Dos Equis. We kicked back on the porch of the cabin for a while (per the picture above) and I enjoyed the balance of my short day. Thanks again DMAX. Your southern hospitality was much appreciated. And now I can pronounce Unaka (yew-NAY-kuh) correctly.
      Things got real in the evening. I packed up, settled up, and scheduled an 07:00 departure for Tuesday morning. I may not catch Sox in the next day or two, but I’m going to take advantage of my hiking time and cover as many miles as I can.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • Tuesday, March 21st

      It didn't rain overnight and the morning was cool but clear. 17.8 miles or bust. I vowed to myself that I was going to make up for my easy day yesterday with an epic hike to the Clyde Smith Shelter. First, the 1077' up and 2.3 miles to Beauty Spot. Check.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-rNV8X3P/0/M/RIMG0560-M.jpg]

      Next, another 1080' up and 3.1 miles to the summit of Unaka. Done.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-4tm2qkL/0/M/RIMG0569-M.jpg]

      Cherry Gap Shelter at 13:00. 8.7 miles down, 9.1 miles to go. Iron Mountain Gap by 16:00. Watched a guy buzz up & down the mountain in an Ariel Atom.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-GftM44s/0/M/RIMG0571-M.jpg]

      It took dedication to the cause for me to pass up campsites in Greasy Creek Gap and another spot one mile later. At 19:45, I finally saw the shelter trail and a few hikers gathered around a welcoming fire. I made it. Hugs, Stealth & Falls from yesterday morning were set up inside the shelter and two guys from Michigan were hammocking behind the shelter. Hugs relayed a message from Sox - they were both at the Cherry Gap Shelter the night before. The gist of the message was that Sox felt he was a superior hiker and that I was a wimp. It's amazing how I got all of that from a two word message. The first word started with F and ended with uck. And it wasn't Firetruck...

      Clyde Smith Shelter
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-ZbCzb68/0/M/RIMG0572-M.jpg]

      I was too tired to eat dinner. At least I was smart enough to put on warm clothes in preparation for a cold overnight. The two Michigan kids were in beach hammocks and K-Mart sleeping bags. At 23:30, it started raining and they hastily (and noisily) joined us in the shelter. I swear I heard chattering teeth as I fell asleep.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • Wednesday, March 22nd

      I really don't like those two kids from Michigan. They got up early to run back to their car in Iron Mountain Gap because they were freezing. When I stepped out of the shelter, I saw that they left a bag of trash next to the fire pit. And the peels from their morning bananas were thrown on top. Classy.

      Skipping dinner last night was a poor choice. It was a bad omen when I had to stop three times on my way back up the hill from the spring. I rewarded myself for yesterday's hike by taking my time this morning and enjoying a relaxing lasagna breakfast. At 09:30, I hit the trail and the first 3.1 miles to Hughes Gap passed by without much to see.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-RPXSBS7/0/M/RIMG0576-M.jpg]

      Now for the real fun - the 2110' ascent of Roan Mountain. I kept telling myself that it was only half the climb I did Up Mt. Moosilauke last September but it didn't matter. I made it to Ash Gap around 14:00 and took a break before heading up the final portion of the climb. Did I mention the ice? Portions of the trail were thick, solid ice that required delicate steps and careful foot placement. It took me until 15:30 to reach the side trail to the Roan High Knob Shelter and 16:30 to make it down to Carvers Gap.

      Roan Summit fireplace
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      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-zZ8ZzhJ/0/M/RIMG0580-M.jpg]

      All of the rest breaks on the climb had given me plenty of time to think. I was thinking that I wasn't having much fun, I wasn't going to catch Sox, and that I would need to skip a piece of this section to make it back to Dennis Cove by noon on Saturday. Realistically, I could make the climb over the Roan Highlands and reach the Stan Murray Shelter in 3.7 miles. Then again, I had already talked to my daughter about hiking the 15 miles from Carvers Gap to Route 19E as her first AT trip. It was the best section to skip. I pulled out my phone and made myself a deal - if I got signal, I would call the Mountain Harbour Hostel and get a ride. No signal, I would filter water in the gap and head to the shelter.

      "Hello, Mountain Harbor. Yes. We'll be there in 30 minutes."

      B&B
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-svmZWQF/0/M/RIMG0583-M.jpg]

      Hostel
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-ctHnj2Q/0/M/RIMG0582-M.jpg]
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard

      The post was edited 1 time, last by StalkingTortoise ().

    • At the hostel:

      Pepsi
      Shower
      Snacks
      Dinner
      Lord of the Rings
      Warm, comfortable bed

      I was the only hiker 'officially' staying in the hostel. Another hiker Hilton and his pup Forest were tenting but snuck into the hostel overnight. I didn't mind - their company and conversation were both welcome.

      A text came in from Sox stating that he was camping between Hump & Little Hump Mountains, a mere 7 miles behind me. My last location for him had been the Cherry Gap Shelter on Monday night. Now I knew that he had been making good time and was doing OK. I was also OK with how things had worked out. I'm still a wimp but I'm a happy wimp.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • Thursday, March 23rd

      I spent about 30 seconds yesterday evening thinking about packing up in the morning and heading north on the trail. The rest of the time, I congratulated myself on deciding to get shuttled north to USFS 293 at The Bitter End then hiking back to the hostel. I really enjoy hiking the AT. It’s the backpacking part that sometimes leaves me less than enthusiastic. I also got in touch with my daughter and confirmed our date to return for a Roan Highlands hike in the summer. Oh yeah… it dropped below freezing again overnight.


      Mary from the Mountain Harbour B&B dropped me off at the trailhead right at 09:30 – another late start but I had no schedule or agenda. A trail maintenance crew was unloading their truck at the trailhead so I gave them a thank you before turning to the south. It was cool but sunny – a perfect day for hiking. The theme for today was pictures. I stopped to admire the cascades on Laurel Fork, knowing that they would eventually lead to the impressive Falls we saw last spring. I took a break on the memorial bench near the Vango Solar hostel trail and gazed at Unaka in the distance. A quick look at the map confirmed that the AT had taken a big swing to the south after Unaka and I was closer to it now than when I was crossing Roan Mountain. Interesting…

      Laurel Fork Cascades
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-CsmpSh5/1/M/RIMG0584-M.jpg]

      Unaka Mountain
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-W2qqXDZ/0/M/RIMG0586-M.jpg]

      A smilin' Tortoise sitting on the Group W bench
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-WJS7bNH/0/M/RIMG0587-M.jpg]

      Shortly afterwards, I ran into a pair of trail maintainers who were heading north and enjoyed a lively 10 minute conversation covering a number of topics. Lunch was at the Mountaineer Falls Shelter. I had just finished my snack when I heard voices coming up the hill. Turns out it was Nutloe, Nameless, Bear and Brightside. They recognized me from our crossing paths on Monday morning and told me that they were pulling a 25-miler to reach Dennis Cove Road and the Black Bear Resort. To put their progress in perspective, they had covered 58.8 miles from Monday morning through Thursday noon and planned on finishing another 15.6 by the end of today. Factor in the ice on Roan and it’s even more impressive.

      Mountaineer Falls Shelter
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-483Hd2H/0/M/RIMG0589-M.jpg]

      Mountaineer Falls
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-3X5zKvw/0/M/AT32%20105-M.jpg]

      Elk River
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-TsHG5FW/0/M/RIMG0592-M.jpg]

      Jones Falls
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-73rPZZX/0/M/RIMG0596-M.jpg]

      The green fields along the Elk River almost tempted me to take a nap but I was looking forward to meeting up with Sox. I made a quick visit to the Jones Falls but found photography difficult as the sun was perched directly over the top of the falls. No worries… I wanted to get back on the trail anyway to make sure I didn’t miss Sox. Sure enough, Smoking Sox came into view within a few minutes. We dropped our packs and took a long break to catch up. Here’s what y’all missed:

      Monday’s hike to the Cherry Gap Shelter was an ass-kicker. The shelter was full so he ended up tenting nearby. Good thing it didn’t rain. He made it to a small campsite before Ash Gap on Tuesday evening. That gave him a rest before finishing the climb over Roan on a windy Wednesday morning. Wednesday late afternoon, Sox waited for me at the Overmountain Shelter and eventually departed to see how far he could get before dusk. He found a small tent spot in an old orchard near Bradley Gap. While I was shuttling to The Bitter End, Sox was hiking down to Route 19E.

      I made sure to mention things like beers with DMAX, hot showers, the soda machine at Mountain Harbour, and sleeping indoors with heat and plumbing. We set up our plan for tomorrow to meet at the Moreland Gap Shelter then finish the last six miles together.

      My legs were feeling strong today but the climb from Buck Mountain Road to the top of the final ridge slowed me down a bit. I was surprised to see Hilton & Forest hiking towards me since they had planned on spending another night at Mountain Harbour. The low point of the day came as I reached the summit. The view south was incredible but two locals on ATVs crashed through the brush nearby then buzzed past me right on the AT.

      NOBO Thru Moses was just finishing his ascent and asked about the distance to the Mountaineer Falls Shelter. Even though it was getting late in the afternoon, he figured that he could make it and proceeded to part the grasses on the trail ahead. I made a slow descent to Route 19E and put on an incredible display of purist ethics. While crossing Bear Branch Road, I could look to the west and see the hostel. A quick right turn would save me a few tenths and get me back quicker. I shook my head, crossed the road, and followed the white blazes all the way to Route 19E. I may be a wimp, but I still want to hike the entire Appalachian Trail.

      Southbound descent to Route 19E
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      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-JN9nv6j/0/M/RIMG0602-M.jpg]

      At the hostel, my first move was to take advantage of their new food trailer. I ordered an AT Double Cheese Burger, large Chili Cheese Fries, an Arnold Palmer & a Pepsi. Next up was washing my hands with soap and hot water in the hostel - I never tire of that luxury. Third was gorging myself on the food (it was outstanding!). Fourth was a hot shower and rinsing out a shirt for tomorrow. Fifth was packing up as much gear as possible. And the last move was to hang out with my hostel roommates WonderWoman and Jolly while watching a movie. Hiker midnight was very close to actual midnight, but I wasn’t concerned since there were only 10.8 miles on tap for Friday. My feet & legs felt good, my pack weight was down, and tomorrow’s forecast was for another beautiful day.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • Spending a couple of days at Mountain Harbour (MH) allowed me to observe the dynamics of daily hostel operation and general hiker behavior. Here are a few things I found interesting.

      On their website, MH claims to have improved the opinion of folks in the nearby towns of Roan Mountain and Elk Park concerning AT hikers. But now, MH has a General Store and food trailer. It looks like they are trying to grab as much cash as possible before hikers leave their property. MH management mentioned that there is some current tension between the towns and their establishment.

      A new hostel in the area is poaching MH customers by parking their shuttle vehicle at the Route 19E trailhead and offering rides to their own hostel. Hikers who had a reservation at MH call late in the day to cancel and MH turns down potential business during the day because they are theoretically booked full. I talked to hikers who stayed at the other hostel and they liked it. I enjoyed my time at Mountain Harbour. Poaching doesn't seem like a fair business plan but the hiker's will sort things out eventually.

      MH has a set of rules that differentiates between B&B guests, hostel guests, and tent camping guests. Tenters can use the hostel facilities from 07:00 – 21:00. That makes sense as it would suck to have random folks opening & closing doors through the night. These rules are self-policed, and some hikers continually push the limits. As I previously mentioned, a tenter slept on the hostel couch the first night. For the second night, a group of girls on spring break were tenting and knocked on the hostel door at 22:00 to see if they could use the bathroom. The hostel management had specifically told us that the tenters were informed about the access rules so we reminded the girls that it was after-hours. I’m guessing that the hostel folks can tell when someone requests a $10 tent site but really wants the $25 hostel experience. The next morning at 06:30, one of the girls knocked again and asked if she could fill her water bottle. I said yes, pointed to the kitchen sink and she immediately ran into the bathroom to use the facilities. Those porta-potty seats outside must have been mighty cold.

      So in a brief two-day period, I learned that the many locals don’t like hikers or the AT, the local businesses resent Mountain Harbour’s ‘possessive’ tourism revenue plan, and Mountain Harbour resents the predatory marketing practices of their new competitor. Maybe I stumbled across a novel MBA thesis topic – Appalachian Economics and the Effects on the Transient Hiker Community.
      :D
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • The quality of that shelter jumps out at you

      StalkingTortoise wrote:

      Wednesday, March 22nd

      I really don't like those two kids from Michigan. They got up early to run back to their car in Iron Mountain Gap because they were freezing. When I stepped out of the shelter, I saw that they left a bag of trash next to the fire pit. And the peels from their morning bananas were thrown on top. Classy.

      Skipping dinner last night was a poor choice. It was a bad omen when I had to stop three times on my way back up the hill from the spring. I rewarded myself for yesterday's hike by taking my time this morning and enjoying a relaxing lasagna breakfast. At 09:30, I hit the trail and the first 3.1 miles to Hughes Gap passed by without much to see.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-RPXSBS7/0/M/RIMG0576-M.jpg]

      Now for the real fun - the 2110' ascent of Roan Mountain. I kept telling myself that it was only half the climb I did Up Mt. Moosilauke last September but it didn't matter. I made it to Ash Gap around 14:00 and took a break before heading up the final portion of the climb. Did I mention the ice? Portions of the trail were thick, solid ice that required delicate steps and careful foot placement. It took me until 15:30 to reach the side trail to the Roan High Knob Shelter and 16:30 to make it down to Carvers Gap.

      Roan Summit fireplace
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-w67Jh88/1/M/RIMG0579-M.jpg]

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-zZ8ZzhJ/0/M/RIMG0580-M.jpg]

      All of the rest breaks on the climb had given me plenty of time to think. I was thinking that I wasn't having much fun, I wasn't going to catch Sox, and that I would need to skip a piece of this section to make it back to Dennis Cove by noon on Saturday. Realistically, I could make the climb over the Roan Highlands and reach the Stan Murray Shelter in 3.7 miles. Then again, I had already talked to my daughter about hiking the 15 miles from Carvers Gap to Route 19E as her first AT trip. It was the best section to skip. I pulled out my phone and made myself a deal - if I got signal, I would call the Mountain Harbour Hostel and get a ride. No signal, I would filter water in the gap and head to the shelter.

      "Hello, Mountain Harbor. Yes. We'll be there in 30 minutes."

      B&B
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-svmZWQF/0/M/RIMG0583-M.jpg]

      Hostel
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-ctHnj2Q/0/M/RIMG0582-M.jpg]
      I really enjoyed Mt Harbour, I'd say it was my best day, which followed my worst, 24 miles of torrential downpour, cold, and mud...had about a dozen great hikers to share it with.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • StalkingTortoise wrote:

      Thursday, March 23rd

      I spent about 30 seconds yesterday evening thinking about packing up in the morning and heading north on the trail. The rest of the time, I congratulated myself on deciding to get shuttled north to USFS 293 at The Bitter End then hiking back to the hostel. I really enjoy hiking the AT. It’s the backpacking part that sometimes leaves me less than enthusiastic. I also got in touch with my daughter and confirmed our date to return for a Roan Highlands hike in the summer. Oh yeah… it dropped below freezing again overnight.


      Mary from the Mountain Harbour B&B dropped me off at the trailhead right at 09:30 – another late start but I had no schedule or agenda. A trail maintenance crew was unloading their truck at the trailhead so I gave them a thank you before turning to the south. It was cool but sunny – a perfect day for hiking. The theme for today was pictures. I stopped to admire the cascades on Laurel Fork, knowing that they would eventually lead to the impressive Falls we saw last spring. I took a break on the memorial bench near the Vango Solar hostel trail and gazed at Unaka in the distance. A quick look at the map confirmed that the AT had taken a big swing to the south after Unaka and I was closer to it now than when I was crossing Roan Mountain. Interesting…

      Laurel Fork Cascades
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-CsmpSh5/1/M/RIMG0584-M.jpg]

      Unaka Mountain
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-W2qqXDZ/0/M/RIMG0586-M.jpg]

      A smilin' Tortoise sitting on the Group W bench
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-WJS7bNH/0/M/RIMG0587-M.jpg]

      Shortly afterwards, I ran into a pair of trail maintainers who were heading north and enjoyed a lively 10 minute conversation covering a number of topics. Lunch was at the Mountaineer Falls Shelter. I had just finished my snack when I heard voices coming up the hill. Turns out it was Nutloe, Nameless, Bear and Brightside. They recognized me from our crossing paths on Monday morning and told me that they were pulling a 25-miler to reach Dennis Cove Road and the Black Bear Resort. To put their progress in perspective, they had covered 58.8 miles from Monday morning through Thursday noon and planned on finishing another 15.6 by the end of today. Factor in the ice on Roan and it’s even more impressive.

      Mountaineer Falls Shelter
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-483Hd2H/0/M/RIMG0589-M.jpg]

      Mountaineer Falls
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-3X5zKvw/0/M/AT32%20105-M.jpg]

      Elk River
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-TsHG5FW/0/M/RIMG0592-M.jpg]

      Jones Falls
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-73rPZZX/0/M/RIMG0596-M.jpg]

      The green fields along the Elk River almost tempted me to take a nap but I was looking forward to meeting up with Sox. I made a quick visit to the Jones Falls but found photography difficult as the sun was perched directly over the top of the falls. No worries… I wanted to get back on the trail anyway to make sure I didn’t miss Sox. Sure enough, Smoking Sox came into view within a few minutes. We dropped our packs and took a long break to catch up. Here’s what y’all missed:

      Monday’s hike to the Cherry Gap Shelter was an ass-kicker. The shelter was full so he ended up tenting nearby. Good thing it didn’t rain. He made it to a small campsite before Ash Gap on Tuesday evening. That gave him a rest before finishing the climb over Roan on a windy Wednesday morning. Wednesday late afternoon, Sox waited for me at the Overmountain Shelter and eventually departed to see how far he could get before dusk. He found a small tent spot in an old orchard near Bradley Gap. While I was shuttling to The Bitter End, Sox was hiking down to Route 19E.

      I made sure to mention things like beers with DMAX, hot showers, the soda machine at Mountain Harbour, and sleeping indoors with heat and plumbing. We set up our plan for tomorrow to meet at the Moreland Gap Shelter then finish the last six miles together.

      My legs were feeling strong today but the climb from Buck Mountain Road to the top of the final ridge slowed me down a bit. I was surprised to see Hilton & Forest hiking towards me since they had planned on spending another night at Mountain Harbour. The low point of the day came as I reached the summit. The view south was incredible but two locals on ATVs crashed through the brush nearby then buzzed past me right on the AT.

      NOBO Thru Moses was just finishing his ascent and asked about the distance to the Mountaineer Falls Shelter. Even though it was getting late in the afternoon, he figured that he could make it and proceeded to part the grasses on the trail ahead. I made a slow descent to Route 19E and put on an incredible display of purist ethics. While crossing Bear Branch Road, I could look to the west and see the hostel. A quick right turn would save me a few tenths and get me back quicker. I shook my head, crossed the road, and followed the white blazes all the way to Route 19E. I may be a wimp, but I still want to hike the entire Appalachian Trail.

      Southbound descent to Route 19E
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-zkbxLPf/0/M/RIMG0599-M.jpg]

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-BRszLrB/0/M/RIMG0600-M.jpg]

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-JN9nv6j/0/M/RIMG0602-M.jpg]

      At the hostel, my first move was to take advantage of their new food trailer. I ordered an AT Double Cheese Burger, large Chili Cheese Fries, an Arnold Palmer & a Pepsi. Next up was washing my hands with soap and hot water in the hostel - I never tire of that luxury. Third was gorging myself on the food (it was outstanding!). Fourth was a hot shower and rinsing out a shirt for tomorrow. Fifth was packing up as much gear as possible. And the last move was to hang out with my hostel roommates WonderWoman and Jolly while watching a movie. Hiker midnight was very close to actual midnight, but I wasn’t concerned since there were only 10.8 miles on tap for Friday. My feet & legs felt good, my pack weight was down, and tomorrow’s forecast was for another beautiful day.
      The walk along Elk River could have been about 20 miles longer in my opinion. I love walk along rivers.
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123
    • Rasty wrote:

      StalkingTortoise wrote:

      Thursday, March 23rd

      I spent about 30 seconds yesterday evening thinking about packing up in the morning and heading north on the trail. The rest of the time, I congratulated myself on deciding to get shuttled north to USFS 293 at The Bitter End then hiking back to the hostel. I really enjoy hiking the AT. It’s the backpacking part that sometimes leaves me less than enthusiastic. I also got in touch with my daughter and confirmed our date to return for a Roan Highlands hike in the summer. Oh yeah… it dropped below freezing again overnight.


      Mary from the Mountain Harbour B&B dropped me off at the trailhead right at 09:30 – another late start but I had no schedule or agenda. A trail maintenance crew was unloading their truck at the trailhead so I gave them a thank you before turning to the south. It was cool but sunny – a perfect day for hiking. The theme for today was pictures. I stopped to admire the cascades on Laurel Fork, knowing that they would eventually lead to the impressive Falls we saw last spring. I took a break on the memorial bench near the Vango Solar hostel trail and gazed at Unaka in the distance. A quick look at the map confirmed that the AT had taken a big swing to the south after Unaka and I was closer to it now than when I was crossing Roan Mountain. Interesting…

      Laurel Fork Cascades
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-CsmpSh5/1/M/RIMG0584-M.jpg]

      Unaka Mountain
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-W2qqXDZ/0/M/RIMG0586-M.jpg]

      A smilin' Tortoise sitting on the Group W bench
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-WJS7bNH/0/M/RIMG0587-M.jpg]

      Shortly afterwards, I ran into a pair of trail maintainers who were heading north and enjoyed a lively 10 minute conversation covering a number of topics. Lunch was at the Mountaineer Falls Shelter. I had just finished my snack when I heard voices coming up the hill. Turns out it was Nutloe, Nameless, Bear and Brightside. They recognized me from our crossing paths on Monday morning and told me that they were pulling a 25-miler to reach Dennis Cove Road and the Black Bear Resort. To put their progress in perspective, they had covered 58.8 miles from Monday morning through Thursday noon and planned on finishing another 15.6 by the end of today. Factor in the ice on Roan and it’s even more impressive.

      Mountaineer Falls Shelter
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-483Hd2H/0/M/RIMG0589-M.jpg]

      Mountaineer Falls
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-3X5zKvw/0/M/AT32%20105-M.jpg]

      Elk River
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-TsHG5FW/0/M/RIMG0592-M.jpg]

      Jones Falls
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-73rPZZX/0/M/RIMG0596-M.jpg]

      The green fields along the Elk River almost tempted me to take a nap but I was looking forward to meeting up with Sox. I made a quick visit to the Jones Falls but found photography difficult as the sun was perched directly over the top of the falls. No worries… I wanted to get back on the trail anyway to make sure I didn’t miss Sox. Sure enough, Smoking Sox came into view within a few minutes. We dropped our packs and took a long break to catch up. Here’s what y’all missed:

      Monday’s hike to the Cherry Gap Shelter was an ass-kicker. The shelter was full so he ended up tenting nearby. Good thing it didn’t rain. He made it to a small campsite before Ash Gap on Tuesday evening. That gave him a rest before finishing the climb over Roan on a windy Wednesday morning. Wednesday late afternoon, Sox waited for me at the Overmountain Shelter and eventually departed to see how far he could get before dusk. He found a small tent spot in an old orchard near Bradley Gap. While I was shuttling to The Bitter End, Sox was hiking down to Route 19E.

      I made sure to mention things like beers with DMAX, hot showers, the soda machine at Mountain Harbour, and sleeping indoors with heat and plumbing. We set up our plan for tomorrow to meet at the Moreland Gap Shelter then finish the last six miles together.

      My legs were feeling strong today but the climb from Buck Mountain Road to the top of the final ridge slowed me down a bit. I was surprised to see Hilton & Forest hiking towards me since they had planned on spending another night at Mountain Harbour. The low point of the day came as I reached the summit. The view south was incredible but two locals on ATVs crashed through the brush nearby then buzzed past me right on the AT.

      NOBO Thru Moses was just finishing his ascent and asked about the distance to the Mountaineer Falls Shelter. Even though it was getting late in the afternoon, he figured that he could make it and proceeded to part the grasses on the trail ahead. I made a slow descent to Route 19E and put on an incredible display of purist ethics. While crossing Bear Branch Road, I could look to the west and see the hostel. A quick right turn would save me a few tenths and get me back quicker. I shook my head, crossed the road, and followed the white blazes all the way to Route 19E. I may be a wimp, but I still want to hike the entire Appalachian Trail.

      Southbound descent to Route 19E
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-zkbxLPf/0/M/RIMG0599-M.jpg]

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-BRszLrB/0/M/RIMG0600-M.jpg]

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-JN9nv6j/0/M/RIMG0602-M.jpg]

      At the hostel, my first move was to take advantage of their new food trailer. I ordered an AT Double Cheese Burger, large Chili Cheese Fries, an Arnold Palmer & a Pepsi. Next up was washing my hands with soap and hot water in the hostel - I never tire of that luxury. Third was gorging myself on the food (it was outstanding!). Fourth was a hot shower and rinsing out a shirt for tomorrow. Fifth was packing up as much gear as possible. And the last move was to hang out with my hostel roommates WonderWoman and Jolly while watching a movie. Hiker midnight was very close to actual midnight, but I wasn’t concerned since there were only 10.8 miles on tap for Friday. My feet & legs felt good, my pack weight was down, and tomorrow’s forecast was for another beautiful day.
      The walk along Elk River could have been about 20 miles longer in my opinion. I love walk along rivers.
      Same here, the Foothills Trail along the Chattooga was nice, saw where Burt Reynolds broke his leg, heard banjos playing...planing a raft trip there when the weather warms.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Drybones wrote:

      Rasty wrote:

      StalkingTortoise wrote:

      Thursday, March 23rd

      I spent about 30 seconds yesterday evening thinking about packing up in the morning and heading north on the trail. The rest of the time, I congratulated myself on deciding to get shuttled north to USFS 293 at The Bitter End then hiking back to the hostel. I really enjoy hiking the AT. It’s the backpacking part that sometimes leaves me less than enthusiastic. I also got in touch with my daughter and confirmed our date to return for a Roan Highlands hike in the summer. Oh yeah… it dropped below freezing again overnight.


      Mary from the Mountain Harbour B&B dropped me off at the trailhead right at 09:30 – another late start but I had no schedule or agenda. A trail maintenance crew was unloading their truck at the trailhead so I gave them a thank you before turning to the south. It was cool but sunny – a perfect day for hiking. The theme for today was pictures. I stopped to admire the cascades on Laurel Fork, knowing that they would eventually lead to the impressive Falls we saw last spring. I took a break on the memorial bench near the Vango Solar hostel trail and gazed at Unaka in the distance. A quick look at the map confirmed that the AT had taken a big swing to the south after Unaka and I was closer to it now than when I was crossing Roan Mountain. Interesting…

      Laurel Fork Cascades
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-CsmpSh5/1/M/RIMG0584-M.jpg]

      Unaka Mountain
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-W2qqXDZ/0/M/RIMG0586-M.jpg]

      A smilin' Tortoise sitting on the Group W bench
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-WJS7bNH/0/M/RIMG0587-M.jpg]

      Shortly afterwards, I ran into a pair of trail maintainers who were heading north and enjoyed a lively 10 minute conversation covering a number of topics. Lunch was at the Mountaineer Falls Shelter. I had just finished my snack when I heard voices coming up the hill. Turns out it was Nutloe, Nameless, Bear and Brightside. They recognized me from our crossing paths on Monday morning and told me that they were pulling a 25-miler to reach Dennis Cove Road and the Black Bear Resort. To put their progress in perspective, they had covered 58.8 miles from Monday morning through Thursday noon and planned on finishing another 15.6 by the end of today. Factor in the ice on Roan and it’s even more impressive.

      Mountaineer Falls Shelter
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-483Hd2H/0/M/RIMG0589-M.jpg]

      Mountaineer Falls
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-3X5zKvw/0/M/AT32%20105-M.jpg]

      Elk River
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-TsHG5FW/0/M/RIMG0592-M.jpg]

      Jones Falls
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-73rPZZX/0/M/RIMG0596-M.jpg]

      The green fields along the Elk River almost tempted me to take a nap but I was looking forward to meeting up with Sox. I made a quick visit to the Jones Falls but found photography difficult as the sun was perched directly over the top of the falls. No worries… I wanted to get back on the trail anyway to make sure I didn’t miss Sox. Sure enough, Smoking Sox came into view within a few minutes. We dropped our packs and took a long break to catch up. Here’s what y’all missed:

      Monday’s hike to the Cherry Gap Shelter was an ass-kicker. The shelter was full so he ended up tenting nearby. Good thing it didn’t rain. He made it to a small campsite before Ash Gap on Tuesday evening. That gave him a rest before finishing the climb over Roan on a windy Wednesday morning. Wednesday late afternoon, Sox waited for me at the Overmountain Shelter and eventually departed to see how far he could get before dusk. He found a small tent spot in an old orchard near Bradley Gap. While I was shuttling to The Bitter End, Sox was hiking down to Route 19E.

      I made sure to mention things like beers with DMAX, hot showers, the soda machine at Mountain Harbour, and sleeping indoors with heat and plumbing. We set up our plan for tomorrow to meet at the Moreland Gap Shelter then finish the last six miles together.

      My legs were feeling strong today but the climb from Buck Mountain Road to the top of the final ridge slowed me down a bit. I was surprised to see Hilton & Forest hiking towards me since they had planned on spending another night at Mountain Harbour. The low point of the day came as I reached the summit. The view south was incredible but two locals on ATVs crashed through the brush nearby then buzzed past me right on the AT.

      NOBO Thru Moses was just finishing his ascent and asked about the distance to the Mountaineer Falls Shelter. Even though it was getting late in the afternoon, he figured that he could make it and proceeded to part the grasses on the trail ahead. I made a slow descent to Route 19E and put on an incredible display of purist ethics. While crossing Bear Branch Road, I could look to the west and see the hostel. A quick right turn would save me a few tenths and get me back quicker. I shook my head, crossed the road, and followed the white blazes all the way to Route 19E. I may be a wimp, but I still want to hike the entire Appalachian Trail.

      Southbound descent to Route 19E
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-zkbxLPf/0/M/RIMG0599-M.jpg]

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-BRszLrB/0/M/RIMG0600-M.jpg]

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-JN9nv6j/0/M/RIMG0602-M.jpg]

      At the hostel, my first move was to take advantage of their new food trailer. I ordered an AT Double Cheese Burger, large Chili Cheese Fries, an Arnold Palmer & a Pepsi. Next up was washing my hands with soap and hot water in the hostel - I never tire of that luxury. Third was gorging myself on the food (it was outstanding!). Fourth was a hot shower and rinsing out a shirt for tomorrow. Fifth was packing up as much gear as possible. And the last move was to hang out with my hostel roommates WonderWoman and Jolly while watching a movie. Hiker midnight was very close to actual midnight, but I wasn’t concerned since there were only 10.8 miles on tap for Friday. My feet & legs felt good, my pack weight was down, and tomorrow’s forecast was for another beautiful day.
      The walk along Elk River could have been about 20 miles longer in my opinion. I love walk along rivers.
      Same here, the Foothills Trail along the Chattooga was nice, saw where Burt Reynolds broke his leg, heard banjos playing...planing a raft trip there when the weather warms.
      Files
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Friday, March 24th

      I was up at 06:00 even though my shuttle ride wasn't departing until 08:15. Sox had sent a message last night telling me that he was camped by Laurel Fork, so I would only have a small head start on him once I headed out from The Bitter End. It was tempting to sign up for the Best Breakfast on the Trail ($12) up in the B&B but I figured that we'd be gorging ourselves on a post-hike feast later in the day, not to mention that I was still full from that glorious AT Double Cheese Burger.

      This morning was just another example of the joys of section hiking. Today was Day 7, and my legs were at their strongest level of the entire week. Conversely, my pack was much lighter and the terrain was pretty gentle. I would have loved to be climbing Big Bald with these legs. The few landmarks from the guidebook passed quickly and I was surprised to see the Moreland Gap Shelter ahead at 11:50. 4.8 miles down, 6.0 to the finish. A quick check of the map showed me that the town in the valley below the shelter was Roan Mountain TN. Once again, the AT had made a big turn so I was closer to the town now than when I was at the hostel. The proximity allowed me to catch up on my phone while I settled in and waited for Sox.

      [IMG: https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-rwW6zWz/0/M/RIMG0605-M.jpg]
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-nf7vJ26/0/M/AT32%20119-M.jpg]

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-pVPbPjP/0/M/RIMG0607-M.jpg]

      Within an hour, I heard a whistle and looked up the trail. Sure enough, it was Sox.
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-vQWCPgV/0/M/RIMG0608-M.jpg]
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-CsNrMPs/0/M/RIMG0610-M.jpg]

      We hung out for a while at the freshly-pained shelter, catching up on yesterday evening. Sox laughed that he misunderstood my suggestion to enjoy the view of Unaka from the bench. He thought I was speaking topographically, not literally. :P We finished snacking and decided it was time to get this this done. And for the first time on this hike, I was able to keep up with Sox.

      This isn't a rant as much as a comment. So many of the guidebook landmarks are ambiguous - "Pass a height of land on a minor ridgecrest", or "Cross intermittent small stream". But some obvious features like the Hardcore Cascades are not listed. Then I came to this:

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-Vc7JDHR/0/L/RIMG0611-L.jpg]

      If the guidebook said "Pass through Cleavage Rocks", any hiker would know exactly where they were. Alas, there was no mention of cleavage, buttcracks, or any other natural gaps to be found. But Unaka Mountain made one final appearance at a power line clearing.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-ZxNqK3X/0/M/RIMG0612-M.jpg]

      The trail maintainers had mentioned forest fires last year in this section and we saw many places where the flames had crossed or paralleled the trail. Hikers were bussed around the fires.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-ssKgSZg/0/M/RIMG0613-M.jpg]

      The majority of the descent to Dennis Cove was down one long hollow. There was a final cliff viewpoint then nothing but woods until the fields close to the road.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-9jdhrWn/0/M/AT32%20125-M.jpg]

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-SDshG36/0/M/RIMG0615-M.jpg]

      We made it to Dennis Cove Road, turned right, and began the 0.4 mile road walk to Black Bear Resort.

      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-M8PMHQq/0/M/AT32%20127-M.jpg]
      [IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-mXzHLFh/0/M/AT32%20128-M.jpg]

      We received complimentary showers. Well, complimentary as they were included in our cabin rental last Friday and we didn't use them at the time. The owners even shuttled us in a golf cart to the long term parking area up the hill to get our post-hike gear and again to retrieve my vehicle after showering. After departing the Resort and heading back towards I-81, Sox and I were discussing a spot for dinner. Almost simultaneously, we saw a billboard for Fatz, a local chain. "OK Google, navigate to Fatz!" Steak, ribs, Caesar salad, fries and gallons of ice cold sodas did wonders to replenish the calories burned during the week.

      Just as we pulled into the restaurant parking lot, the owner of Black Bear Resort called me and asked if I had left my hiking poles there. Doh! No worries... she offered to mail them to me and confirmed my address. Nice folks. I'd stay there again.

      We pulled into my driveway at 01:00 on Saturday morning. Sox essentially took a nap until 06:00 and then headed out for the drive to Boston. I limped around the house catching up on chores until dinner with the neighbors at a local place, where I devoured a 20 oz. prime rib. Sunday was another catch-up day then Monday was back to work in the morning followed by a business trip to New Hampshire.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • i think we all probably agree that mr. tortoise does the best trip reports of anyone around. glad you came here from trailplace.

      i'm definitely a left brain type of guy; it's about all i can do to say i hiked from point A to Point B and that is was 36 miles over 2 days of which i hiked 15.65 hours at an average pace of 2.3 mph and had a net elevation gain of 1,265 feet. and maybe, just maybe, i'll post one picture.

      and thats on a good day. usually i don't post anything. :(
      2,000 miler
    • Looking Back

      So what did I do wrong on this section? I got skeered of the weather forecast that called for several days of near or below freezing temperatures. AS a result, I packed an extra shirt that I didn't really need. I also sent a pair of hiking shorts in my resupply box where I could have gotten by with zipping off the legs of my hiking pants. It all added up to extra weight on my back during that long 17.8 mile day. I also packed extra food, but I gladly carried that weight while remembering how I bonked on a relatively flat section of trail in Virginia last year. Skipping dinner on Tuesday night was also a mistake but I had been grazing all afternoon and didn't want to be THAT GUY cooking his dinner after hiker midnight.

      I also got skeered of rain in the forecast. I'd make for a lousy thru-hiker. Then again, I've hiked my fair share of rainy days over the past 14 years. Hobbies are supposed to be fun, right?

      What good decisions did I make? I really enjoyed my slack packs back to Erwin and back to the Mountain Harbour Hostel. I really enjoyed every mile of the trail those days, knowing that I had a shower and indoor plumbing waiting for me. Walking up to the hostel, ordering food, washing my hands, eating, then taking a shower was a great reward for a 13.5 mile day. I also am glad I carried enough warm clothing for those days when it was cold.

      I spoke with my daughter this past weekend and she's excited to do her first AT section hike with the old man. I offered her the choice of an easy overnight from Carvers Gap to Route 19E but she opted for the 14.8 mile day hike. Not a surprise, as she just ran her first half-marathon. It will be a nice contrast returning to Tennessee in the summer to see green landscapes and introducing my (not so little) girl to the white blazes
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard