He we were shuttled out of Franklin early Friday Morning at Winding Stair Gap (which has no stairs to speak of) and hiked 11 miles to Wayah Bald. Over the course of the day, we gained roughly 1000 feet in altitude. We spent the night with some Alaskan native which made for an interesting night (the guy was planning a thru-hike and his plan was to fund the trip by peddling weed on the trail...) That night, the beginning of the deluge began. We woke up around midnight to the sound of rain pounding the shelter. Interestingly, the next morning, everything was bone dry. I'm not kidding. Go figure.
The next day, we were nearing the beginning of week 3 on the trail, so we began a slow acceleration of our mileage. We hiked just under 17 miles (16.8, to be exact) to Rufus Morgan Shelter. The hike there took us along a burnt-out ridge and up to an observation tower with some epic views. It was also the day when we got Trail Magic. Meaning some folks brought up and handed out homemade chocolate chip cookies, apples and ice-cold water to thruhikers.
Rufus Morgan is just one mile from the Natahala Outdoor Center (the NOC) which is a popular destination for hikers, so Tenderfoot and myself had the shelter to ourselves that night. The net morning we awoke to sheets of rain. We power-hiked to the NOC for some hot hashbrowns, biscuits drowning in gravy, and coffee. Braced by the warm food, we began the climb up from NOC in the pouring rain.
The NOC is right next to the Natahala River, so for the next 9 miles we were going uphill. We started at an altitude of roughly 1,800 feet and we where scaling a peak of 5,100. When it it rains, the trail becomes a creek. Each rock is now as slick as ice. The mud would swallow you whole. So for 5 hours, we slogged up the mountain. Even my water-proof boots were soaked--so much that when I looked inside them at lunch, there was an half-inch of water in the bottom. Those couple hours so far have been the only time when I was truly miserable.
Fortunately for our moral, it lighted up later in the day and we were able to make to Brown Fork shelter having accomplished a solid 17 miles.
It stayed damp for the rest of the week, but the rain was gone for most of the next day. We took it easy after consecutive 17 milers and hiked the "easy" 13 mile to the Fontana shelter, of the "Fontana Hilton." Tenderfoot and I had planned a restock in Fontana Village, which hiking there and back would add 6 miles, making our easy day 19 mile day. Thanks to a wrong turn, I hiked 20 miles that day and missed my restock. Luckily, I had over-packed in Franklin so I had more than enough food to make it to Gatlinburg (which was totaly God's Providence, I had scored several free meals and cliff bars so my food went much further).
We had an awesome evening at the Hilton. The shelter had showers, real bathrooms (as opposed to a privy in the woods), a solar charger for your devices, picnic tables, and the whole caboodle. We caught up with some of the other thruhikers and had a blast.
The next morning, the weather reared its ugly head once more. After a late start due to me having a logistical nightmare of printing off my backcountry camping permit for the Smokeys, we headed out in the thick of the rain. We planned a 15 miler, but the rain and the plummeting temperature drove us in early after 12 miles. We ended up spending the night with some of the hikers from the Hilton who also headed in early.
All five of us woke up to fog and a nasty wind. As we ate breakfast, we sat staring up the trail and the element we would have to conquer. We braced ourselves and headed out.
Many of you have mentioned that you have been praying for me, and that next day, those prayers paid off. We hiked all day in that fog and rain. We even spent a solid fifteen minutes hiking in hail. We hiked along a ridge line that--if the Ridgerunner I talked to later was correct--several people have been killed by lightning strikes. on that ridge. But we all made it same and sound to our shelters. I had hiked 19 miles that day, and 12 of them where in the worst weather imaginable.
Yet, as bad as the rain is, it does bind you close with your fellow hikers. Camaraderie was at an all-time high. If someone found moist sock (moist was all you could hope for since dry was impossible) we would all congratulate him.
The next day, we hiked 10 miles to Newfound Gap. Our rout took us up and over Clingmans Dome, the highest point on the AT (or TN, for that matter). I guess it's all downhill from here on out. The clouds were really low that day, so the view was atrocious. But the hike up to it amazing. The wood were mostly pine, and the forest floor was covered in ferns, mist, and moss. It felt like I was hiking in some part of Narnia or Middle Earth.
At Newfound Gap, we hitched into Gatlinburg, the Vegas for rednecks. I've never been a huge fan of tourist towns or malls, but after weeks in the woods it was overstimulating. Neon and country music blared for my attention. Stores filled with cheap junk cry for you money. I see people obsessed with the museums when they stand in one of the most beautiful mountain valleys I've ever seen. I have nothing against Gatlinburg, but I can't wait until I leave it and all it's lights behind. Give me the rain and fog any day.
Anyways, we have finally found our trail legs. Our pace is up, and we are in the groove. Our eyes are set on Main and Katahdin.
One last item, please add these thruhikers to your prayers:
-Yogi Bear
-Dirty Jesus
-Mc. Double
-Wild
-Wandering Star (she is in her upper seventies, with a triple crown under her belt--which means she hiked the AT, the PCT, and the CDT--this is her third thruhike of the AT)
Levi "Seeker" Jaeger (Matt 7:7)
PS Yes, I know this post is massive, but here are two bonus picture. The shelters are notoriously covered in graffiti. Here are the two drawings that I actually appreciated:
