Great Smoky Mountains: Days 17-21

Day 17: 9.7 miles hiked (trail mile 165.7)

Eager to reach Fontana Dam, we broke down camp by 7:30. We hiked with Caramel, M&M&M, Gandalf, and Rocket Man most of the way in. Right before reaching Fontana, we met Marcher, a man who seemed a real traveler like the kind folk bands sing about, who said this trail makes him feel proud to be an American. We also met So Uh, as well as Dr. Evil and her thru-hiking chihuahua, Lola: Instagram.com/ChiOnThePeaks

SoUh offered us a ride to the Lodge, which we accepted. At the lodge got a big lunch (to go) from the restaurant which we ate out on the patio, picked up our resupply box which my family sent (packed cutesy little presents for us like a couple flower headbands), did laundry at the laundromat down the road, and ate dinner at the restaurant with the same crew we’ve been with the last few days. We each took a long soak in the tub in our room. We are both quite sore and debating whether to enter the Smokies tomorrow or wait one more day. For our Smokies hike we will be carrying seven days of food; food weight is one of the reasons this is considered one of the most challenging sections of the entire AT, besides the huge elevation changes.

Aunt Becky and Aunt Pammy surprised us with these extra stylish headbands in our resupply box.

Day 18: 12 miles hiked (trail mile 177.7)

After a good night’s rest—and looking at the weather forecast for the Smokies—we decided it is in our best interest to move now and take our first zero (a day of no hiking) after we exit the Smokies. There appears to be a winter storm coming in that we might just miss, and we want to avoid temperatures in the teens while we’re in these mountains if we can. atweather.com has been an excellent resource; it allows hikers to view the weather forecast by state and by shelter. Weather can of course vary greatly between shelters depending on the elevation and which side of the mountain the shelter is on.

Along with the other hikers, we used the hot water tap in the hotel lobby to make cups of instant oatmeal and drank those as we packed. We are excited about the contents of our resupply, which contains a Backpacker Pantry meal for every night in the Smokies. This makes clean up fast and easy and will be great for making good mileage. 

There were a few items we decided not to carry from our resupply box, so we left them in the hiker box. In this hiker box I found a Patagonia (known as Pata’gucci on the trail) rain jacket in Chris’ size, and in great shape with just one spot patched. Really nice find since Chris’s old rain jacket was starting to have its waterproof liner wear off. We left Chris’s jacket in the hiker box in case someone needs a wind breaker or is just desperate. We also found a couple granola bars that sounded tasty, and a handful of Smuckers jam packets which are worth their weight in gold. The only thing we were unable to find in the hotel resupply store was jam or dehydrated fruit, and pb&j tacos have become our lunch staple. 

We took the hotel shuttle to the point we left off on the trail yesterday and began our hike with Donatello on a short road walk across Fontana Dam. While crossing the dam we saw our second bald eagle soaring over the water. When we approached the edge of the woods, we deposited our Smokies permits in an overflowing metal box at the trail head and started our slow ascent into the mountain range.

Can you spot the Bald Eagle?

Today was a major ascent into the mountains and almost entirely up, all day long. We climbed the tall, rickety Shuckstack fire tower and were awestruck by the beauty of the Smokies. Clouds settle all around the mountains and we are often either inside or above them. 

Caramel, M&M&M, Rocket Man, and Gandalf

Toward the end of our hike the fog became super dense. We made it to Mollie’s Ridge Shelter just as the sun was setting and, because of the high chance of rain, decided to sleep in the shelter for the first time. The shelter is a standard three-walled structure except this one is two levels, has a fire crackling in the fireplace, and a large overhang so if it rains, we will stay nice and dry. There is a ride-runner staying here, so the place is well-kept. We are in our sleeping bags on the top center level. This will make packing up nice and quick tomorrow.

We also hung our bear bags on the bear cables. Because bears are so prevalent in the Smokies every shelter has bear cables. It’s so much easier than using our twine that I’m giddy about it. We saw lots of bear scat (identifiable by thick globs of black bear-hair) along the trail today, so we know they are here. 

Bear scat is full of thick black bear hair!

We also have a view of some city far below and off in the distance (possibly Gatlinburg)—all the beauty and none of the noise.

Day 19: 12.1 miles hiked (trail mile 189.8)

Neither of us slept very well in the shelter. It is very different from the quiet of a tent. The shifting and snoring of others (especially Gandalf)—plus the pitter patter of mice feet—made for a long night. I eventually dug out our ear plugs and we were able to get a few hours of sleep. It was a good chance to try out the shelter though, since it was the same group of hikers that we’ve been with for almost a week now. We are still trying to be wary of the pandemic and tent as often as possible and mask in vehicles. I’m glad we took the opportunity to shelter sleep. If anything, it gave me a deeper appreciation for our tent.

When the sun rose, we were surprised to see a young stag outside the shelter only a few feet away. It was unbothered by our presence, as if it knew it was safely within national park lands. 

We drank instant oatmeal out of our Nalgenes, and took off around 10am—a late start, but we did spring forward an hour thanks to daylight savings. The hike itself was lovely though rather uneventful, consisting of some steep ups and downs, more bear scat, and lots of fog. We enjoyed hiking the last mile with So Uh, pictured below enjoying his lunch with a view.

We were both dragging today but were relieved to hear—once we made it to Derrick Knob Shelter and ran into Blue Jacket, Spots, and Snapshot—that we weren’t the only ones who struggled with the steep grades in today’s hike. We are happy to be back in our tent tonight. Tomorrow, we may take it easy and only do a 7.5 mile hike to the next shelter. The only other option is 13 miles which would mean summitting Clingman’s Dome, the highest point on the AT, towards the end of the day. Tomorrow is also supposed to be high winds. We are going to get out of camp earlier than today and see how far we make it. 

Blue Jacket

Day 20: 13 miles hiked (trail mile 202.8)

Out of camp at 9:15. We shared a Nalgene bottle of apple cinnamon oatmeal. So good. I hope the oatmeal routine doesn’t get old, although it probably will. We filled up a liter each at a stream because the Smokies have considerably less frequent water sources then the parts of the trail we’ve hiked so far.

The wind howled all day long, making for an exhilarating hike. We stopped for our pb&j tortilla lunch at Silar’s Bald Shelter so that we could eat while sheltered from the wind. By the time we made it to Double Spring Gap Shelter, it was only about 1:30 or 2, and the adrenaline we had from hiking in such windy conditions—as well as the rain forecasted for the next morning—inspired us to press on and summit Clingman’s Dome today in windy (but dry!) conditions. 

In the Smokies hikers must plan their mileage from shelter to shelter because it is required to camp within visibility of the shelters to minimize environmental impact. Sometimes this forces hikers to cover more, or less, miles than they might otherwise chose to hike. Today it would be more, and we had an exciting hike up to Clingman’s Dome, the highest point on the AT.

Our surroundings underwent a major transformation as we passed into a very green and wet zone. It felt like an enchanted forest; vibrant green moss coats every surface, young spruce and fir trees sprout from nurse logs, and the aroma of pine needles and sap dominate the senses. Even in the wooded sections the wind cuts through the branches and all around us tree branches whipped back and forth, and entire trunk and root systems wobbled in the earth, making the soil undulate like liquid.

A nurse log with lots of life growing from it

We summitted Clingman’s Dome around 4pm (shortly after crossing the 200-mile mark!) and took a brisk walk to the top, where the wind was so powerful that it was a bit frightening, even weighed down by our packs. The winds at the top of the mountain were about 45 miles an hour according to the AT weather app, and surely more on top of the tower. I grasped the railing tightly and snapped a couple photos before we hurried to complete the last 4 miles of our hike to Mt Collin’s Shelter.

During the last leg of today’s hike, we saw some major telltale signs of the bark beetle, which is wreaking havoc on forests all over the country, including in the Smokies.

It looked like a storm was rolling in, so we opened to shelter-sleep again tonight. We squeezed in next to Snapshot and Spots; super grateful to be sheltered from the wind and incoming storm. 

Day 21: 8 miles hiked (trail mile 210.8)

It rained on and off all night. Tucked into the second story of the shelter, directly under the tin roof, the sound of rain on tin sufficiently drowned out the snores and rustling of the 12 or so other hikers sheltering from the rain with us. We got a slow start, along with Spots and Snapshot, waiting out the morning showers. The rain lightened up around 10:30 and we headed out for an easy 8-mile day to the next shelter, Icewater Spring.

Chris scales a fence meant to keep wild hogs out of a protected section of the park

We passed Newfound Gap around midday. It was crawling with tourists - a bit of a shock after being in the woods for three weeks. One thing that really stands out is how strong dayhikers smell to us. Not just some of them, either. Literally every dayhiker we pass smells intensely of chemical fragrances, likely a blend of dryer sheets, lotion, perfume, etc. Even more mysterious, we can’t smell the other thruhikers although logically I know we must stink to high heaven.

Hiking up, we met a dayhiker couple who asked if we were thruhiking, and when we answered yes they offered us a couple of Cliff Bars! The Cliff bars energized us, and we powered through our last climb to the next shelter. As we made our way back into the woods, we realized that we have reached the point where the woods have begun to feel like home, which is a really nice feeling.

Breaking at the next shelter we reunited with Spots and Snapshot. We also met a family of 6, kids ages 14-19, who have already completed the PCT and CDT and are now thruhiking the AT to Triple Crown together. They hike long miles of 20-30 a day and claim the AT is the hardest trail they’ve done of all three. We frequently hear this which is a surprise to me as I was under the impression that the AT was the ‘starter’ trail of the big three. I suppose the constant dramatic elevation changes are what give the AT an edge, although the other trails certainly have their own unique challenges like long desert stretches or less trail support.

Not long after we settled into the shelter, Caramel, M&M&M, Gandalf, and Kitchen Sink arrived after a short adventure in Gatlinburg. Dance Party, Ramen, Spring and The Dream showed up after. It’s fun how we are starting to hike and camp with, more or less, the same thruhikers every day. The Curator (formally M&M&M) and Rocket Man played push hands against a picturesque mountain sunset backdrop, which was comical to watch. Chris and I looked on from the warmth of our sleeping pads.

Bear bags suspended on bear cables outside the shelter.

Thruhikers all get in our bags/quilts just before sunset and grow completely silent seemingly all of a sudden each night just as it reaches complete darkness. Tonight, just after the silence settled in, someone said “goodnight, everyone” into the darkness and the entire shelter (about 17 of us packed in like sardines) erupted into laugher. It has rained almost every night in the Smokies, and we have been opting for shelter stays almost every night, along with basically all other thruhikers.

Carrying a sopping went tent is just very unappealing because of the added weight, and the fact that it gets all the rest of your gear wet. We are starting to adjust to the shelters. I just keep my ear plugs on the ready in case of heavy snorers and am at peace with the fact that a mouse might scurry over my quilt at any moment, which has happened at least once already. 

Cowboy Camping: Days 13 - 16

Day 13 – 11 miles hiked (trail mile 120.4)

We started our morning with Beyond Meat sausage biscuits that we made in the hostel kitchen. It’s incredible how close they are to the real thing. We had a couple extra to share and they were a big hit with Gandalf, Dr. Who, and Zen.

Nomad took us by the outfitter on the shuttle ride back to the trail and we picked up a couple new water filters: a Sawyer squeeze and a Be Free Katadin. Since our other bottled waters froze overnight our last night on the trail, we were concerned our water filters may have frozen as well, which would have rendered them useless. There is no way to tell, but we decided to play it safe and replace them. Giardia is not something we want to risk. Moving forward we will sleep with our filters on our person (or in the toe box of our quilts) on freezing nights. We already love the Be Free filter; it has a high flow rate and is very easy to use! 

Our hike began with a footbridge over a cascading waterfall. Halfway through the day we met a couple trail angels from Franklin who were offering brownies and soda to thruhikers. We didn’t want the treats (We later heard a hiker refer to the brownies as the ‘brownies of death’… ha!) but we chatted with them awhile. Lucky Moon is paying it forward and doing trail magic this year while planning her own thruhike for next year after she retires. Her husband, Jim, will be supporting her. 

Toward the end of our hike we summitted Wayah Bald (“Wayah Bald, Bitches!” had been the collective warrior cry prompted by Zen when leaving the hostel) and we were able to see the Smokey Mountains—where we are headed—from the rock tower at the top! Wa’ Ya’ means wolf in Cherokee. 

When we walked up, a solo hiker named Dragonsky yelled excitedly, “A WOMAN!” when she saw me walk up. It is true there are more men out here, although I am impressed by how many solo female hikers we’ve met! We lucked out and found the last flat tent site tucked into the far reaches of Wayah Shelter, then got our tent set up and bear bag hung just in time for sunset. We joined a group of hikers at the shelter: Dragon Sky, Dr Who, Gandalf, Rocket Man and Blue Jacket, and enjoyed each other’s company for about an hour before turning in around 8. One of the metal pieces in the shelter sliced about an inch of Chris’s down jacket so we repaired it with some fabric repair tape. Then we spilled a bag of trail mix on the shelter floor to which was both awkward and hilarious since hikers go to such great lengths to not attract bears by keeping food away from the shelter at night. We did our best to pick up every last bit.

Rocket Man told us that he thinks he already had Norovirus and that a couple he had been hiking with had to be hospitalized with it. Chris is very vigilant about norovirus, and we always use hand sanitizer after touching any ‘shared’ objects and never accept food offerings if others’ hands may have touched it (e.g. shared bags of M&Ms). Norovirus is basically spread by someone having feces on their hand and then eventually that feces making its way into someone’s digestive system. Since personal hygiene is rather lacking out here this is a real risk and due to it’s level of contagion, norovirus sweeps through huge sections of the trail every year, especially the more populated sections. It is funny switching over to this world where Covid-19 takes a backseat to so many other ever-present risks. 

Day 14: 9.8 miles hiked (trail mile 130.2)

We took our time getting out of camp this morning. Dragonsky was packed and ready to go at the same time as us, so we decided to hike together for awhile. Dragonsky is a creative, young Black woman (and solo hiker) from New Jersey who has set her sights on becoming a Triple Crowner. She would be the second Black woman to triple crown and first gay Black woman to triple crown. She already has a bunch of gear sponsors and is building an online presence to make the trail more accessible to BIPOC communities: instagram.com/_dragonsky__. She is the first person to hike with us all day out here and it was a fun shake-up of our daily routine. 

We took a long lunch break at Cold Spring shelter and met Donatello, who is hiking with a large staff. We also finally got to chat with the Gap Year Gang: 3 young guys that are hiking together. We had a couple mountain summits today but otherwise fairly smooth walking. 

We wrapped up our hike at Wesser Bald, a mountain top with a huge observation deck on top. The 360° view was so spectacular and the deck so spacious and flat that we decided it was a perfect spot to cowboy camp (sleeping under the stars without a tent). Another group of three decided to sleep up here, too, so we are in good company. The steps seemed too tall and rickety for a bear to climb so we decided to sleep with our food which felt quite luxurious.

As we watched the beautiful sunset, Issa whittled a pipe for Dragonsky. We also met a local who had hiked up catch the sunset. He was evidently tickled to find the top of the deck covered with hikers sprawled out in our colorful sleeping bags and quilts. He told us to make sure to see the crescent moon rise at 6am just before the sunrise. We are going to see if we can make that happen without an alarm. With six of us up here someone should be able to notice and wake the rest. 

Without a tent or bear bag to contend with in the morning it should be quick getting back on the trail and into the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center) tomorrow to pick up our replacement tent pole shipment from Big Agnes, and resupply for the next couple days until Fontana Dam.

Late night thoughts: I wish I could get a good photo of the stars from up here but it is beyond the capability of my phone camera. It feels like we are in a designated dark sky zone with how much the sky glitters above. We also saw a shooting star.

Day 15: 9.2 miles hiked (trail mile 139.4)

At 6am all of us on the tower sat up to watch the crescent moon rise. It was a beautiful sight and the sun followed shortly after.

We feel so fortunate to have had this amazing camping experience so early into our trek. Cowboy camping will be more challenging once the bugs are out in force. Colgate, Issa and Carter packed up and took off, followed by Chris and me. Dragonsky stayed to write (she is authoring a book about her experience on the trail) and stretch; she is an inspiration to make time for introspection and creativity on the trail. It is easy to get caught up in the physical challenge and simply try to “crush miles” each day.

An occasionally steep seven-mile trek down the mountain and we arrived at the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center). Here we had two packages awaiting us, including our missing tent part, which Big Agnes hooked us up with for free! The relief I felt in receiving this missing part really drove home the fact that this tent is our actual home for the next few months.

We got lunch to go from The Rivers End restaurant: veggie burger, sweet potato fries, salad, cauliflower wings. Outside the restaurant we ran into Rocky, Dr. Who’s friend who we originally met at the Atlanta train station. She is here giving out trail magic beer and helping hikers slack-pack the section between the NOC and Fontana Dam. She is starting the trail in April but will probably catch us in Maine because she is known for doing very high-mile days (upwards of 50 miles a day).

There was a cluster of thruhikers hanging out by the Rivers Edge so we ate while perched on a low stone wall near some of our companions.

Dr Who will be getting off the trail here for a few weeks for a work gig, but he is staying in touch with others from our pack and rejoining up the trail.

We debated staying at the NOC for the night but ultimately decided to save our money and move on so we could treat ourselves to a stay at the lodge at Fontana Dam before we enter the Smokies. We probably should have sent a Resupply box to the NOC even if only for the two day stretch to Fontana Dam, but we were able to get what we needed at the NOC General Store, albeit expensive. It looks like we will be eating lots of cookies and graham crackers with peanut butter until Friday.

We headed up Sassafrass Mountain for about three miles and ran across Snapshot and Spots at an unofficial campsite halfway up the mountain just below a big cave. They had a campfire going and we decided to call this home for the night and push for more miles tomorrow. Caramel, M&M&M, and Gandalf joined us, too. Bats came flying out of the cave right after sunset, answering our speculations about what lives in the cave!

Day 16 – 16.6 miles hiked (trail mile 156)

An early start, out by 7:15. We had a big day ahead of us and needed to put in some miles if we wanted to make it to Fontana Dam in time for our room reservation. We hiked straight up a huge mountain for the first five miles and then some PUDs (pointless ups and downs) and another mountain summit, followed by more PUDs.

A bald eagle soared over the valley below us when we were coming out of Simp Gap. The same crew we camped with near the cave kept at about the same pace as us with the same destination, so we crossed paths multiple times. Everyone was sweaty and focused, and some listening to music in earbuds to keep their pace up.

After a strenuous first half of the day, we had our fingers crossed for trail magic at Stecoah Gap. As luck would have it a man pulled into the parking lot mere seconds after we arrived, threw open the lit to the cooler on the back of his truck, and offered everyone ice-cold beers and soda. The trail angel was an older man who was also thruhiking the trail, supported by his wife. He had taken the day off to look into buying a few acres that were sale near the AT. Shortly thereafter, a couple of day hikers from Florida pulled in with more drinks! There were also a couple of neatly labeled snack bags left out on the picnic tables by some folks from a local church; the contents were divvied up amongst hikers. We also met a local man named Crockett who was out getting into shape for his own thruhike beginning in April and excited to talk gear.

Freshly carb-loaded, we ascended yet another very steep mountain and walked until about 6:30pm when we reached Cody Gap, a packed campsite with maybe eight tents. Everyone is eager to make it to the Smokies. Chris had a good chat with M&M&M about the national parks. 16.5 miles covered today with 7,000 feet total elevation climbed. We must be getting stronger.

Sticks: Days 9 - 12

Day 9: 9 miles hiked (trail mile 78.2)

We had a restful night at Hostel Around the Bend and this morning I had a much-needed hot shower. I rifled through the Hiker Box, a bin of gear and food discarded by hikers that every hostel and outfitter supposedly have. Chris tells me the contents usually consist of repackaged food in Ziploc bags that no one wants to touch. Sure enough, that was the case, besides a couple heavy or well-loved pieces of gear. Still fun to look!

We hopped on the next shuttle back to the trail and ran into One Shot and Princess Bella. Some other hikers we’ve ran into a couple times—including a solo-hiker girl we met on day 0 and a group of young guys—were also there receiving trail magic from the same family that fed us yesterday evening. We had a lovely hike with some of the best weather we’ve had on trail.

We stopped at Plum Orchard Gap shelter for lunch and ran into Dr Who again! What an interesting fellow. He is an experienced thruhiker with many stories; he lives his life bouncing between contract jobs as a nuclear safety compliance advisor and thruhikes. At a sturdy 3-stories tall, the shelter was the coolest we’ve seen yet. It was built offsite and airdropped into place by the fifth army ranger battalion. We considered staying in the shelter, but we were feeling good, and it was still early, so decided to go ahead and cross into North Carolina!

We made it to Bly Gap Campground just past the state line. It is extremely windy, but we found a somewhat shielded site to pitch our tent, ate a cold dinner and hung our bear bag, which went well this time! We suspended the bag from a branch on an old, gnarled tree very near the trail. We will wake up early to take it down since this tree is noted as “often photographed gnarled tree” in our trail guide and our blue food bag might detract.

We are getting acclimated to the trail. We feel our trail legs developing, as well as our appetites. Each day we become more efficient at setting up and breaking down camp. We go to sleep by 8pm and usually wake up around 6am when the sun comes up. We are beginning to get a sense of who is around us day after day, hiking at a similar pace to us. Our gear has been tested and proven effective in different weather conditions— from high wind to freezing temperatures to rain—which gives us confidence for the next stretch of our hike.

Day 10: 7.7 miles hiked (trail mile 85.9)

We awoke to discover that a hiker named Midnight had set up his tent by the gnarled tree after we had already gone to bed. Midnight was a great character with an infectious enthusiasm for the trail. He is a well-traveled musician from New Orleans, who told us about other European long distance trails. We learned from him there is a cluster of hikers only a few days behind us, strengthened in number by the people who postponed their start date because of those few days of rain we endured. 

People call the huge numbers of hikers that start in March and April by many names: the herd, the bubble, etc. Chris calls it the stampede. There can be upwards of fifty people starting per day during this period, as opposed to our 20 or so. From what I’ve heard and read, these numbers fall significantly only a week or two into the trail as many drop out because of injury, being ill prepared, or simply not finding the trail to their expectations. Staying ahead of the herd was one of the reasons we chose to start our hike a week earlier and we are glad that we still find solitude on the trail. 

During our hike this morning we heard our first grouse! They flap their wings in a hollow log and create a loud thumping that resonates throughout the forest like helicopter blades or a motorcycle engine. Chris recounted that on his AT thruhike in his early twenties he was bewildered by this recurring noise, believing that there were just motorcyclists everywhere, just out of sight. We also saw our first flowers, with tiny little purple petals, growing in the middle of the trail. We are very excited to witness the emergence of spring on the trail.

When we passed Chunky Gal trail (what a name) we noticed a plume of smoke on the horizon in the direction we were hiking. Eventually we were walking through a smokey haze. Chris called the national forest service to make sure there weren’t any trail closures we needed to be aware of but they assured us that it was a prescribed burn, and we hiked on. 

We hiked to Standing Indian shelter where we ran into Scott, who we last saw at Hostel Around the Bend, sitting by a campfire. Unable to pass up our first campfire opportunity on the trail, we decided to call it a night and pitched our tent in the woods near the shelter. Scott is a young guy who is hiking the trail until he starts work at a fishery in Alaska; he is trying to decide whether to do the thruhike or take the work opportunity. We hung out around the fire until it grew dark and the temperatures began to plummet.

Chris managed to hang the bear bag PCT style, using a small stick in substitution of the second carabiner! It is nice to know we will be able to use this method when we’re down to only 2 or 3 days of food and the bags are lighter.

Days 11: 16.5 miles hiked (trail mile 102.4)

We stirred at 6am. Since temperatures were in the upper twenties, and we knew we needed to do some good mileage today, we decided to go ahead and pack up and hit the trail. Out of camp by 7:30, our fastest break-down yet. I love the feeling of hiking in the freezing cold and gradually feeling the warmth creep back into fingers and toes after moving for a while. It is easy to keep moving and cover more miles on extra cold days because if we stop for more than a couple minutes at a time, we start to catch a chill.

Today was smooth walking for the most part. First thing in the morning we climbed a ridge and walked for about a mile with incredible views on either side. The terrain was the flattest we’ve experienced so far, and we decided to try to make it past the 100-mile mark and position ourselves so that tomorrow we would only have a few miles until Franklin, NC, another resupply point.

We stopped for lunch at an overlook point with an amazing view of the valley and surrounding mountains. On the overlook we called a hostel in Franklin and booked a room for the next day. Driven by the promise of laundry facilities, showers, and a bed, we pushed for Long Branch shelter, only 7 miles from where we will catch our shuttle to Franklin tomorrow.

Just before Long Branch we summitted Albert Mountain. The initial ascent of the mountain was a beautiful hike; moss dripped all around us, intricate root systems wove across the trail, and at times we walked along a path cut into a cliff face with a view out over the valley. The top of the mountain was a very steep ascent, flanked by rhododendrons and scrambling up boulders.

At the top, we were granted a 360° view of the mountain ranges all around us. We climbed the old fire tower that, last operated in 1989, for a better look. A wayside marker told us that the land visible from the tower is a part of a long-term ecological research project looking at best forestry practices.

On our way down the other side of the mountain, we passed the official 100 mile point (!) which someone had marked with a handmade “100” out of broken sticks. We eventually made it to Long Branch shelter, where we set up camp and hung the bear bag. I accidentally left our temporary stick tent pole back at Standing Indian shelter on accident so carved up a new one for tonight.

Chris demonstrates how effectively a bear bag keeps bears out of our food!

We are the only ones at this shelter tonight, which is weirdly much creepier than stealth camping alone. It is supposed to get into the teens tonight so others (self-proclaimed fair-weather hikers or people who are so ultralight that they push safety limits with their sleep systems) must have made a big push for town. Thankfully we are prepared with our 0 degree quilts, although in hindsight I wish I’d gotten a ten degree quilt. Last night it was in the 20’s and we were still sweating.

16.5 miles covered today! Our longest day yet and we still feel good! Now that we have passed 100 miles (the distance of the Lonestar Trail in Texas) this is also the furthest we have ever thru-hiked together. Looking forward to Franklin tomorrow. 

Day 12: 7 miles hiked (trail mile 109.4)

With the temperature inside the tent hovering around 20° we struggled to motivate to get out of our quilts this morning. At 7:30 we finally decided to get moving and break down camp. We heated up some instant oatmeal and scarfed that down for some fleeting warmth as the titanium pot formed ice crystals before our eyes. All packed and bundled up, we headed out for a short 7-mile day to Winding Stair Gap where our hostel shuttle would pick us up. 

We kept noticing clusters of ice crystals in fragile, stringy formations along the sides of the trail where soil had been disturbed, and later learned that this is called “needle ice”. We ran into MacGyver and Crew. They told us they had camped on top of Albert Mountain! Since temperatures were in the low teens overnight for us it must have been very cold on the mountain top.

I chose my trail name today! Every hiker gets a trail name eventually, whether self-appointed or named by others on the trail. Often the name indicates something silly that happened or something that a hiker has become known for on the trail. I’ve been hiking for days with various large sticks poking out of my backpack that I’ve whittled to make a substitute top tent pole. Many a hiker has stopped us to ask about it, and thus I’ve become “Sticks” on the trail. Chris is holding out to see what name he is given. 

We hiked with single-track minds and reached our pickup location just after noon. Gooder Grove Hostel offers complimentary shuttle service and Nomad was there to pick us up. He hiked the trail last year, same as Bear from our last hostel. When we saw it, we immediately knew we would enjoy our stay at Gooder Grove. It has cool hostel/co-op vibes, complete with prayer flags, colorful knick-knacks, and all the trappings of a home. We dropped our things in our private room, enjoyed a short soak in the tub, got showered, did laundry, and walked to town. We later learned the place has a very mixed reputation, but we had a perfectly decent stay and had no complaints.  

Franklin is a charming little town with a lot to offer, including a climbing gym, a handful of bakeries, a gem museum, a brewery, a couple outfitters and a skate park! We had dinner at a food truck outside the Lazy Hiker brewery, and Chris had a flight of beer. After that we resupplied at Ingles where we ran into a handful of other hikers there, including Spots and Snapshot and Bug (who we met on the approach trail) and then walked back to the hostel for the night.

Boiled Peanuts: Days 5 - 8

Day 5: 6.9 miles hiked (trail mile 38.2)

We spent the morning preparing for the next stretch of our hike. We picked up groceries at Ingles and a couple gear items at WalMart. The thruhike resupply method is so contrary to how we shop in normal life that it’s comical. As a thruhiker you buy the lightest weight, individually packaged, highest salt and fat content, unrefrigerated goods you can find. I also got a second ankle compression sleeve! We are still trying to solve the mystery of the missing tent pole. 

Dave made us his “McDavid” breakfast sandwich specialty along with apple juice. Laura joined us for a 7-mile slack pack between Hog Pen and Neels Gap. Slack packing is when someone hikes with a daypack while their gear stays at the lodging. In the most common scenario, a hostel may shuttle a group of hikers anywhere from 10 to 30 (or more!) miles up the road and let them hike back to the hostel; the next day the hikers are shuttled back to the spot they were dropped the day before and carry on north. It’s a nice way to cover some higher miles without the weight of a pack. It is amazing to get this opportunity so early in our trek.

The weather was nice in town but by the time we reached the trail we were back in that same cold, soupy fog from the day before. It was fun sharing the hiking experience with Laura, and we crossed paths with several hikers, including Matt and James. We shared some of our snacks with James, who told us this was his first trail magic! Halfway through the hike the sun came out, and we had a wonderful hike down to Neels Gap where Dave awaited us in the Klugenwagen.

Back at the Airbnb we finalized our meal plan for the next week, rethreaded a tent pole that had lost its stretchiness, and enjoyed a delicious home-cooked meal of Risotto, asparagus, and blanched kale. After dinner Dave kindled a fire in the outdoor fireplace and we spent a couple hours soaking up the warmth together.

Day 6: 14.3 miles hiked (trail mile 52.5)

This morning we baked some Annie’s cinnamon rolls. It was another slackpacking day! It feels incredible to be able to still cover miles while also allowing our bodies a couple days of reprieve from the heavy winter-packs. After breakfast, Dave dropped us off at Unicoi Gap at mile marker 52.5 for a 14 mile trek back south to Hog Pen Gap. With light packs we covered ground relatively quickly. It started out a bright and beautiful day but about halfway through the hike the fog and chilly drizzle had returned.

When we finished the hike much earlier than expected, we texted Laura and Dave and waited all bundled up and perched on a log. Laura picked us up and we gassed up at an antique pump at the Sunrise Grocery. It was an eclectic old gas station owned by a nature photographer hobbyist who has transformed the station into something very special, complete with a photo gallery, fresh produce outdoors, and lots of neat odds and ends. He was stoking a fire to the side of the gas station, making boiled peanuts in a giant cast iron pot. We ordered 2 bags of fresh boiled peanuts and devoured them immediately upon return to the Airbnb, amazed by how completely delicious these warm, wet salt-bombs are.

This evening Laura and Dave made gnocchi with blanched kale and beyond meat sausages. We spent the rest of the time packing for the week ahead on the trail. At the moment we’re bagging food for each day in its own labeled zip lock so we can keep track of our food consumption and make sure we have enough for the last day of each stretch.

Day 7: 9.6 miles hiked (trail mile 62.1)

Our last morning with Laura and Dave. Before leaving, Chris got to try Dave’s Occulus AR headset (and loved it). A nice bit of digital fun before returning to the woods. They dropped us at the trail at Unicoi Gap and we said our goodbyes.

The trail took us directly up Tray Mountain, and we decided to break at the top for lunch. While lunching in the shelter, we met a woman who told us that she had received a diagnosis when she was younger that she would never be able to walk due to her club feet, but underwent an experimental treatment and is now testing her limits by hiking the AT. She is taking it slow, but seems determined. We also met Dr Who, an experienced hiker and friend of Rocky’s who she had told us we might run into. We briefly considered sleeping at Tray Mountain shelter but read a review on Guthooks (the map app we’re using) and received advice from other hikers that the shelter was no good in bad weather. Considering the high chances for sleet/snow/rain tonight we decided to push on.

The next shelter was a bit too far for comfort, so we found a spot tucked in the thick of a dogwood grove, just past Swag of the Blue Ridge. Our little stealth campsite is charming, and the little leafy trees should provide some shelter from the wind. This is our first night with. No other campers in the immediate vicinity, although we passed another rogue tent maybe 200 yards back. At Dr. Who’s suggestion I found a springy branch about the width of our missing top tent pole and whittled it so that it would serve as a suitable replacement; it worked! We also heard back from Big Agnes and they are going to send us a replacement pole for free!

We boiled Knorr Spanish Rice in our titanium pot and added nutritional yeast, hemp, and pumpkin seeds. It exceeded expectations (delicious and cheap!) and the heat warmed us after a day in the low 30’s.

Our first night bear bagging on the trail proved challenging. We tried using the PCT method and it took us nearly an hour to get the bag hung because it’s so heavy carrying a weeks resupply for two people. It is hanging rather low but was the best we could do tonight so hopefully a bear doesn’t make off with it.

Day 8: 7.1 miles hiked (trail mile 69.2)

We woke up slowly. It’s hard to find the motivation to get out of our cozy down quits in freezing temperatures. It only rained a couple hours last night so the slow start allowed our tent to dry out before we stuffed it in its sack. Then, sweet relief, our food made it through the night! We set out around 9:30 and enjoyed feeling the sun’s warmth pricking our skin through our clothes. One by one we were able to peel off our fleece and wool base layers. Not too far in we ran into a couple who said they, too, struggled to find a good tree to bear bag on; they had ended up just tying the food to a tree trunk and saying, “screw it, the bear can have it.” We had nearly reached this point, too, so were glad to hear we weren’t the only ones struggling.

We had used the PCT method where you use a special carabiner and knot combo to suspend the food in such a way that the extra line just hangs slack; to retrieve the food a person must pull on the line and unclip the carabiner. So, if the bag is hung high enough and far out enough on a branch the food is practically impossible for a bear to steal. In the standard method, which entails hoisting the bear bag and tying the line to a nearby tree, some bears have learned that all they must do is swipe at the line and the food comes crashing down. However, because of the shared weight of our food bags, any future bear bagging will have to be the traditional method and we will keep our fingers crossed we don’t meet any extra savvy bears. 

It was a beautiful day for hiking: cool and sunny. We enjoyed a creative lunch of tortillas filled with peanut butter, dried cranberries (a jam substitute), banana chips and honey-roasted sesame sticks. 

At some point what had been only a dull discomfort in my left knee on the downhills became too painful to ignore. Our bodies are complaining about the physical stress of challenging terrain, constantly either climbing or descending, and the miles. We told ourselves all along that we will listen to our bodies and let ourselves acclimate to the trail at our own pace, so when we heard of a hiker hostel called Hostel Around the Bend that would pick up hikers from Dicks Creek Gap we decided to take the opportunity to rest.

As we waited for our ride, we snacked on fresh fruit from a trail angel family from Kentucky. Their 12-year-old daughter had hiked 800 miles with them last year before they decided as a family that they would prefer to make the switch from thru-hikers to trail angels, and have been doing this ever since, all up and down the trail. 

Bear picked us up in a large white shuttle van and we got moved into our private room at the hostel (one in a row of converted ready-made sheds consisting of two twin beds). At 4pm I joined a hiker shuttle into Clayton for a resupply run. In town I got more toilet paper, knee support, ankle support for Chris, an impossible burger with tots, and some snacks. It was fun getting to know Heath, Scott, and Dr Who as we ate dinner at the local bar. Chris took the opportunity while I was away to do some yoga and stretching. We ate dinner in our room, Chris had a shower, and we called it a night.

Later, feeling (perhaps unreasonably) suspicious of the heavy-duty propane ‘Buddy Heater’ in our tiny dwelling, which the owner pointed out was new, and that he had installed a carbon monoxide alarm “just in case”, we ended up opening up the windows to the winter-night air, and sleeping under our quilts to keep warm.

The Beginning: Georgia, days 0 - 4

Hello! We are alive and well, and excited to share our first post from the trail. We spend a few minutes together each night huddled in our quilts after lights-out typing up our memories from the day on my phone before closing our eyes. We will be posting these, so all of our posts from here on our will be trail-journal style, somewhat raw, and shared as often as we have time and cell reception. Thanks for following along!

Day 0: 1 mile on the Approach Trail

We spent our final days before departure at my parents’ farm and pulled an all-nighter to organize gear despite months of careful preparation. The amount of work that goes into planning a long thruhike is why it is said that ‘once you arrive at the trailhead you’ve already done the hardest part of the trail… getting there’. My dad dropped us at the Dallas airport where we caught a flight to Atlanta. We had to check our bulging rucksacks for the flight and hope for the best. All went smoothly and upon arrive in Atlanta we took the train to North Springs to meet our shuttle driver.

While waiting at the train station, we met Rocky and Matt, two others who are thruhiking this year. Rocky is a triple crowner (someone who has completed the AT, PCT and CDT). She has hiked the AT several times already and is doing it again this year starting in April in honor of her son who passed away last December. Matt is starting tomorrow, same as us, after being forced to leave the trail last year when COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. Rocky is supporting Matt by picking him up from the airport and letting him stay at her place tonight.

Ron Brown picked us up in his slick ride, a heavy-duty off-roading vehicle nicknamed the Yellow Blaze. Ron shared stories about Dawsonville and the trail. He was also our first trail angel, giving us water and a lighter, participating in the pack-weighing outside the visitor center, and took our photographs under the stone arch that marks the start of the approach trail.

We managed to arrive within 10 minutes of the Amicalola State Park visitor center closing and officially registered as 235 and 236th hiker of the season with approximate pack weights of between 30-35lbs. It’s a relief to have been able to register before climbing the falls, as this will save us a trip back down tomorrow. We are told many may be hiking under the radar this year because of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s (ATC) messaging around COVID-19 so it’s hard to say what the actual numbers are. In summary, the ATC still wants hikers to register, but they are not officially “recognizing” thruhikes right now and the ATC headquarters remains closed to visitors.

After registering, we hiked up the first—nearly vertical—mile of the approach trail along the waterfall; essentially a great staircase. At the top we caught a beautiful glimpse of the sun beginning to lower over the valley from the top of the fall.

Upon arrival at Amicalola Lodge we checked into our room we watched the sun set over the mountains. We enjoyed a dinner from the hotel restaurant, sat by the fire, and gazed up at the three-story tall map of the AT in the lobby, faded from where visitors over the years have touched the only accessible part of the map at the very bottom. Early to bed, tomorrow is a big day. 

Day 1: 7.5 miles on the Approach Trail, 2.8 miles on the AT

Thruhikers have the option of hiking 8.5 miles to even get to the AT trailhead on a strenuous trail called the Approach Trail. It’s something of a tradition and wasn’t something we wanted to miss out on. We were told that the Approach Trail is so challenging many people decide the trail is not for them and call it quits before even giving the AT a proper chance.

We reorganized our backpacks so that we have our clothes and sleep gear in our pack liner (garbage bag) at the bottom of the sack, and everything else accessible on top. We checked out around 9:45 and made our way back to where we left off on the Approach Trail. 

We met about 15 other Northbound (NoBo) thru-hikers during the hike. We enjoyed lunch at a spring and ate one of the backpacker pantry meals, and discovered miles later that Chris had left his knife back at the spring. Someone’s lucky day. We made it to Springer Mountain, the official starting point for the AT, around 2pm where we signed the registry and chatted with some other hikers (including Matt from day zero!).

After that we officially began the Appalachian Trail! In my eagerness I almost immediately slipped and rolled my ankle less than a mile into the actual trail. A good reminder to keep our eyes on the path, as the trail is very rocky and tangled with roots. After that we took it a bit slower and eventually made it to Stover Creek shelter just before sunset. Here we discovered our topmost tent pole was nowhere to be found! We think it either got lost at the airport or left it behind in our hotel room. A droopy tent is a bit of a buzzkill, but we will make some calls to troubleshoot the situation when we have cell service again. We have also set up our tent under a tree that appears to be dead; certainly not ideal. For dinner we had another hot meal with tea. Overall, it was a fine day in the low 60’s and a clear, chilly night under an almost full moon. We are happy.

Day 2 - 12.8 miles hiked (trail mile 15.6)

Having made the mistake of believing that 8am was a respectable start, we awoke to realize most others had already cleared out. The waves of pain my ankle sent up my leg all night must have been an indication of my body performing its natural healing process because I was able to walk this morning. Chris reminded me that it was ok if I needed to take a day and relax at the camp sit, we are on no one’s schedule but our own, but we ultimately decided to hike on and were back on the trail at around 9am.

We had a few stream crossings today and explored a couple side trails as well. We first took a short detour to see Long Creek falls, and later Chris walked down a road to see Hickory Flats cemetery. I decided to wait at the crossing and spent some time talking to a sweet local couple who pulled over to make sure everything was ok. They are the caretakers of the cemetery and told me that they rescue a hiker who’s ready to quit the trail just about every other time they come out—only 6 miles in! Everyone we’ve met so far is so supportive and helpful toward hikers. 

We came upon a trail angel legend named Fresh Ground at Horse Gap, just before Sasafrass Mountain. He was cooking burritos for thruhikers, and had fresh fruit and cookies! We felt so lucky to meet Fresh Ground this early into our hike! While we ate our lunch we chatted with a couple other hikers, including an experienced hiker who was thruhiking the trail while being supported by her husband in his RV, and man who said he would need to lower his pack weight if he wanted to stay on the trail. It didn’t come to us until later that the name Fresh Ground might mean different things to different people… fresh ground (as in land), fresh ground meat, fresh ground coffee, etc. Great name. 

Stuffed from Fresh Ground’s wilderness buffet, we climbed the very rugged and strenuous trail over Sassafrass mountain. On Sassafrass we met our first, rugged-looking southbound hiker who about to complete the trail. We also had our first ridge-runner encounter; a ridge-runner is a seasonal ATC role in which someone lives in a tent or shelter on the trail and regularly walks a certain section of trail to care for shelters and campsites, and make sure people are hiking safely and responsibly.

The trail is visually stunning even now, in the winter, when the trees are bare. It permits us expansive views of the mountains beyond as we hike along the ridges. The mica all along the trail causes it to literally glitter where the sun touches. When we see Rhododendrons and Dogwood trees, we know water is near; it is like a fairy land walking along the creeks. 

We finally arrived at Gooch Gap shelter just before the sun went down. We put up our tent, ate dinner, establishing our routine for the next few months. We also met a couple with what can only be described as a pack of dogs. We are exhausted, and wary of the rainstorm that is supposed to arrive in the early hours of the morning. We are going to attempt a very early rise to pack up before the rains arrive. Tomorrow is sure to be wet; every local we met today eagerly warned us about it.

Side note: I rolled my OTHER ankle today; this trail is no joke. I am determined to walk deliberately and with hiking sticks in both hands from here on out! KT tape proves to be an amazing resource as the ankle that rolled first felt very supported and had no issues. 

4AM update: Awoken by heavy rainfall. It feels like our first real test is about to begin. 

Day 3: 12.1 miles hiked (trail mile 27.7)

We awoke at 5am, listened to the rain fall on our tent until about 6:30, then broke down camp. We sat with the other campers in the protection of the shelter for a while and ate breakfast before hitting the trail. Chris used his ultralight umbrella for the first half of the day, holding it in one hand and his hiking pole in the other. I found mine quite cumbersome and obstructive, and decided to ditch it we make it to Neel Gap.

Less than a mile into our wet hike, we waved at a man standing under his RV awning in a camping spot just off the trail, and he beckoned us over for fresh brewed coffee, sheltered from the rain. We dropped our packs and chatted with him for a while. One Shot is the husband of the woman we met yesterday (Spark Plug) at Fresh Ground’s trail magic set up, and he is supporting her trek the whole way. He introduced us to their darling toy poodle, Princess Bella.

Refreshed from another bit of trail magic we spent the rest of the day covering as much ground as possible, setting our sights on Woods Hole shelter so that we will be in a good position to reach Neels Gap by mid-day tomorrow. It rained all day long, making our packs wet, and alarmingly heavy. As we hiked through the mountains, we marveled at the army ranger recruits who were training by running a 12-mile training circuit through the mountains, carrying what appeared to be very heavy packs, wearing only their fatigues and no head protection. Once the novelty of hiking in a rainstorm wore off, the second half of the day was very challenging, and certainly tested our morale. The rain, biting cold winds, dense fog, and waterlogged backpacks were a drag.

We made it into camp around 7:30 to find a small, densely packed shelter and a couple other tent campers. We set up our damp tent, at dinner under the overhang of the shelter, and then retired to our tent as quickly as possible, where we exchanged our wet clothes for dry ones. Our shoes are sopping wet but we are thankful for wool socks and waterproof winter gloves which provided us with some semblance of warmth. On the bright side, we both sleep better with the steady sound of rain, and we see our friends Laura and Dave tomorrow! Tomorrow morning, we ascend Blood Mountain—intimidating for its name if not the steep elevation grade. It is the highest point on the trail in Georgia.

Side note: KT made both of my ankles strong enough for no ankle rolls today, despite challenging terrain! I am gradually feeling more confident in my ability to do this trek.

Day 4: 3.6 miles hiked (trail mile 31.3)

We awoke to a sopping wet tent, a slick layer of condensation on our quilts, and rain continuing outside. By the time we emerged from our tent around 8:30am the rain had subsided, and we were able to shove all our wet clothes and gear into stuff sacks and prepare for a short day of hiking. We learned the names of a couple different solo thruhikers today: Casey from Ann Arbor and Laura from Pennsylvania. 

Today we summitted Blood Mountain. Thanks to pushing so hard the first few days, we had less than 4 miles to Neels Gap, where we would be meeting our wonderful Austinite (turned digital nomad) friends Laura and Dave.

We weren’t quite sure what all the fuss was over Blood Mountain because we found it much easier than the unnamed pass we hiked the day before, which we have begun referring to as Soldier Mountain due to the Army Ranger trainees. It could have been that we were well rested, and the rain had stopped, but for whatever reason we both felt stronger today and had enjoyed our summit. An eerie stone shelter at the top (the fog makes everything feel eerie).

The fog stayed, but we still stopped at the overlooks to use our imaginations for the view beyond as we peered into a wall of soupy white fog. We enjoyed watching the vegetation change as we climbed and were impressed by the number of dayhikers making the ascent on this foggy, wet day. We reached Neels Gap right at 1pm as planned, and embraced with Laura and Dave, who were right there waiting when we emerged from the forest! 

Another trail angel gave us a donut, which we ate while observing the hundreds of shoes suspended from the large tree out front. It is a hiker tradition to fling your uncomfortable hiking boots over a limb once finding a better pair at the outfitter with which to continue your thru-hike.

We dropped our packs in their car, switched to dry socks and sandals, and visited the outfitter, Mountain Crossings. Here we picked up a package of shock cord we’d had shipped to Neels Gap since our old tent pole shock cord had lost its stretchiness and made for an awkward assembling experience. In the back of Laura and Dave’s camper conversion car—dubbed the Klugenwagen—we snacked on fresh berries and grapes that they surprised us with, as we made our way to the Airbnb. 

The Airbnb is spectacular; it has a rustic cabin feeling with all kinds of modern amenities. We were especially excited for showers, laundry, and hanging out gear to dry on the spacious covered deck. Laura and Dave made us beyond meat burgers and brauts with salad and corn, and we took a soak in the jacuzzi after dinner. Tomorrow we will resupply at Walmart and then do a day of slackpacking with Laura before returning to the Airbnb. These friends are so generous and wonderful. We feel fortunate to have become so intertwined in one another’s lives. We chat for as long as we can stay awake and then turn in for a good night’s sleep [in a bed].