Hi Everyone! I just reached the lodge at Amicalola Falls State Park last night after a long day of travelling from New York City where I spent the weekend with my family. All told, it took me a plane, shuttle, bus, train, and taxi to get here at around 11pm. Today, I walked outside the beautiful lodge here to find it snowing…
Appalachian Trail 2004
Daily dispatches and photos from the Appalachian Trail, a 2194-mile footpath running from Georgia to Maine through 14 states along the East Coast.
Springer Mt.
Day #1 of my adventure is finally here!!! I left the lodge at 9:30 this morning after a nice breakfast, and walked under bright blue skies all day on very level and easy trail to Springer Mt. and the southern terminus of the AT. Saw a few local day hikers on my way to Springer who were amazed to see me in shorts and a t-shirt, themselves bundled as if it was still mid-winter on such a nice day.
Gooch Gap
The weather was so beautiful today that I decided to leave my schedule a bit and push on a bit further. Went past Hawk Mt. Shelter with the trail all to myself and up and over some sun-soaked hills (albeit still dead and leafless since it's still early for spring even in Georgia) where I promptly did a nice job of starting myself on a good sunburn.
Neels Gap
Another carbon copy day today of the first few with more blue skies and beating sunshine, although the temps are still around 50 in the mountains and around 30 or so at night. Pushed on ahead a bit more today, opting to get to the Hostel and Mountain Crossings Outfitter Store at Neels Gap (Walasi-Yi).
Low Gap
Date: 3/13/04 Starting Location: Neels GapDestination: Low Gap ShelterMiles: 10.6Total Miles: 49.9
Blue Mt.
Date: 3/14/04 Starting Location: Low Gap ShelterDestination: Blue Mt. ShelterMiles: 7.2Total Miles: 57.1
Deep Gap
Date: 3/15/04 Starting Location: Blue Mt. ShelterDestination: Deep Gap ShelterMiles: 14.8Total Miles: 71.9
Dicks Creek Gap
Date: 3/16/04 Starting Location: Deep Gap ShelterDestination: Dicks Creek Gap, US 76Miles: 3.5Total Miles: 75.4
Muskrat Creek
Date: 3/17/04 Starting Location: Dicks Creek Gap, US 76Destination: Muskrat Creek ShelterMiles: 11.6Total Miles: 87.0
Carter Gap
Date: 3/18/04 Starting Location: Muskrat Creek ShelterDestination: Carter Gap ShelterMiles: 12.5Total Miles: 99.5
Rock Gap
Date: 3/19/04 Starting Location: Carter Gap ShelterDestination: Rock Gap ShelterMiles: 12.1Total Miles: 111.6
Siler Bald
Hi all! Had to skip a few entries there to speed things along a bit. I bet some of you were wondering how I was able to manage 79.8 miles in just one day! Well, for those of you who are keeping track, my record for daily miles is just under half of that, at around 34 miles. But, lucky for me, I don't have any of those kinds of days planned on this hike...
Cold Spring
Last night, Semicolon and Professor T and I were treated to an incredible thunderstorm that lasted for over an hour. Rain pelted the aluminum roof of the shelter on Siler Bald like marbles on a snare drum. Good thing we had two electrical engineers to figure out who'd get fried first if the aluminum roof got struck by lightning.
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Brrrr. Very cold night last night at Cold Spring. Temp was down around 10-15 degrees, and no one was toasty; convinced me to call Mountainsmith at the N.O.C. about the down feathers that appear to be shifting in my sleeping bag. Feet a little better today after another night of therapy, and they didn't get worse in the 6 miles of downhill to the N.O.C.
Sassafras Gap
Finally, our drought of not seeing other thru-hikers has come to an end. Another blue sky day, though a bit warmer than the last two thankfully, and Semicolon, Professor T, and I waited til 10am so we could get stove fuel at the Outfitter. Also heard that Fontana Dam grocery store up the trail is closed, so I hope my Mom can come through with an express package of food to the Fontana post office!
Cable Gap
You know, I'm really getting tired of these gorgeous weather days. Nice and warm today in the 60s, and all sunshine. Wonderful views from the top of Cheoah Bald, a natural bald summit (some of the southern "balds" are actually mowed to maintain their bald look). Most of the group from last night is here--Professor T, Semicolon, Curious George, Ben, Slick, and Mo, along with a group of Boy Scouts.
Fontana Dam
An amazing day today rolling on into Fontana Dam, the southern boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, under more beautiful skies and temps in the 70s. Oh yeah, and my Mom is an absolute superstar. Having overnighted a week's worth of food to me here, I'm ready to roll through the park with Professor T to Hot Springs.
Russell Field
The Smokies are here!! First day entering the park after snapping some photos down by Fontana Dam. After waiting so long to visit the park, I had this feeling we might cross into the park, leave behind a trail of dry earth and no foliage, and enter a springtime-y paradise of green and blooming trees and wildflowers.
Double Spring Gap
Another absolutely amazing day. Really started to get into the heart of the Smokies with Professor T today, walking over several grassy balds and open fields. The sun made it very warm and sweaty on some of the tougher uphill climbs, and my feet were definitely complaining more today than yesterday.
Icewater Spring
Don't know where to begin about this incredible day—start to finish. Professor T and I woke up at 4am and headed up to the summit of Clingman's Dome for a sunrise at the trail's highest point (it's all donwhill from here, right?), and we weren't disappointed.
Cosby Knob
Started off in fog and mist today expecting rain, but we never got a drop as the clouds mixed with sun in the afternoon. Didn't have any view from Charlie's Bunion in the morning, but had some decent ones in the afternoon of the mountains on both sides of the trail (the trail is also the North Carolina/Tennessee border here).
Standing Bear Farm
Last day in the Smokies with about 8 miles to the northern boundary, and we awoke to another drizzle of rain that again split into sunnier skies. Lots of great wildflowers to see as we got closer to the park's edge at Davenport Gap. The good news is that I finally figured out how to take a good close-up with my camera! Saw lots of violets, bloodroot, false and true Solomon's Seal…
Roaring Fork
Well, it was bound to happen eventually. Celebrated my third-week trail anniversary today as our good weather came to a screeching halt as 70-degree sunshine was now a steady day-long snowstorm. And, yes, for those of you back home up north, this is still North Carolina.
Hot Springs
Knowing a warm town was only 15 miles away made it pretty easy for everyone to get in gear early this morning and boogie on down the trail to Hot Springs. A wintry stretch of trail this morning up and over Bluff Mt. through 3-6" of fresh snow in some places, but it was all downhill for the most part after that down into town.