Background
When I did my March Section Hike from Sams Gap to Dennis Cove, I made a decision to skip the section between Carvers Gap and Route 19E. One of the reasons was that I wanted to bring my daughter out to the AT and this seemed like a slam-dunk eye candy addicting section that could be done either as an overnighter or as a long day hike. We opted for the latter and met up at the Mountain Harbour B&B on July 1st so we could get an early start on the morning of the 2nd.
As a warm-up, we drove up to Carvers Gap that evening and continued up to Tollhouse Gap near the site of the former Cloudland Hotel. I had been so damn tired after climbing up the south side of Roan that I didn't even poke my head out of the pines to see the marker for the hotel site or realize that there was a road and parking lot a mere 50 yards from the AT. Smoking Sox was kind enough to take this picture for me.
[IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-22X8bR9/0/55960a7c/M/AT32%20071-M.jpg]
It had been raining near the Roan summit as we drove to Carvers Gap, but the sky looked like it would give us enough time to do a quick trip to the Roan High Knob shelter. It was an easy walk and we soon came to the shelter side trail. I took a break here here in March with nothing but ice covering both the AT and the side trail.
[IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-Bxgk25Q/0/21e13a2f/M/20170701_185906-M.jpg]
Up at the shelter, there were five section hikers, one who happened to be from a neighboring town. The couple in this picture were headed northbound and we ended up flip-flopping with them quite a few times the next day.
[IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-VSnBpdF/0/1d96332a/M/20170701_184604-M.jpg]
We took a quick side trip to the actual high point, then beat feet back to the vehicle under darkening skies. Rain started falling as we passed the Cloudland marker sign so we made it back to the car without getting soaked. 30 minutes later, we were back at the B&B drinking a few beers on the porch, then turned in early to get a good night's sleep.
When I did my March Section Hike from Sams Gap to Dennis Cove, I made a decision to skip the section between Carvers Gap and Route 19E. One of the reasons was that I wanted to bring my daughter out to the AT and this seemed like a slam-dunk eye candy addicting section that could be done either as an overnighter or as a long day hike. We opted for the latter and met up at the Mountain Harbour B&B on July 1st so we could get an early start on the morning of the 2nd.
As a warm-up, we drove up to Carvers Gap that evening and continued up to Tollhouse Gap near the site of the former Cloudland Hotel. I had been so damn tired after climbing up the south side of Roan that I didn't even poke my head out of the pines to see the marker for the hotel site or realize that there was a road and parking lot a mere 50 yards from the AT. Smoking Sox was kind enough to take this picture for me.
[IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-22X8bR9/0/55960a7c/M/AT32%20071-M.jpg]
It had been raining near the Roan summit as we drove to Carvers Gap, but the sky looked like it would give us enough time to do a quick trip to the Roan High Knob shelter. It was an easy walk and we soon came to the shelter side trail. I took a break here here in March with nothing but ice covering both the AT and the side trail.
[IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-Bxgk25Q/0/21e13a2f/M/20170701_185906-M.jpg]
Up at the shelter, there were five section hikers, one who happened to be from a neighboring town. The couple in this picture were headed northbound and we ended up flip-flopping with them quite a few times the next day.
[IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-32/i-VSnBpdF/0/1d96332a/M/20170701_184604-M.jpg]
We took a quick side trip to the actual high point, then beat feet back to the vehicle under darkening skies. Rain started falling as we passed the Cloudland marker sign so we made it back to the car without getting soaked. 30 minutes later, we were back at the B&B drinking a few beers on the porch, then turned in early to get a good night's sleep.
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 days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard