Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Volume IV– Mile 554.7 Fontana Dam NC to mile 798.8 Erwin TN

Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Mollies Ridge Shelter; Derrick Knob Shelter – Two miles north of Fontana Dam the AT enters Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of (if not the) most visited National Park. More rules come into play to help manage larger visitor populations, like the shelter reservation system. If you do not have a reservation you are expected to stay in a shelter to minimize wear on the natural environment (IE tenting). If the shelter fills up by those with reservations, you are expected to relinquish your space and find alternate arrangements (IE tenting). This can be a hassle if people arrive late in the evening and get you out of bed to set up camp elsewhere. While this was a nagging threat throughout the Smokys, it fortunately never happened to us. Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Sam’s Gap, past Silers Bald and Double Spring Gap Shelters; Clingmans Dome ele 6643); Mt Collins Shelter – Shared the site with several of our GSMNP trail family, like 7th grader, Mookie, Derrick & CO, Doc and others. Clingmans Dome, the highest spot on the AT, is a big tourist draw. So, like the shock felt at Nantahala Outdoor Center, we walked out of the woods and fell into throngs of people. RJ quickly retreated back into serenity. JJ never came out into the open… Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Newfound Gap, Icewater Spring Shelter, Charlies Bunion area to Pecks Corner Shelter

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Eagle Rocks, Mt Sequoyah, Mt Chapman, 1984 plane wreckage, Cosby Knob Shelter – For such a well travelled park there sure are a lot of narrow and dangerous spots in GSMNP. Watch each step! There have also been a number of plane wrecks over the years. The trail crossed close to one that was military Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike related. The park often leaves wreckage once people, oil and gas have been removed. Out of respect the mentioned site was further cleaned by the families a number of years later. We elected to move right along to our next camp site and last of the GSMNP route – Cosby Knob. Such a fun night with the trail family.

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Mt Cammerer side trip, descent to Davenport Gap, cross over Pigeon River and under I-40 en route to Standing Bear Farm – Hartford, TN - We didn’t do the Charlie’s Bunion detour this week so we went out of our way to check out the fire tower at Mt Cammerer – well worth the extra 1.2 miles. Standing Bear Farm never quite made it out of the 1960’s. Lots of fun with the VERY loose vibe.

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike Hiker Extra

Dogs of the Trail - The Boston Terrier, Roo, at Standing Bear was a ball freak - A living example and lesson to all about crossing the line of simple fun to over indulgence. Maybe one of the hired hands, “Two Tokes,” was sending a similar message.

Hiker Clothes - JJ models the Standing Bear offering to the hiker clothing fashion show.

Share the Trail – Though not pictured, looking out our back “deck” at night revealed an as-promised firefly show of epic proportions. It sounds like this area is known for the phenomena, and we’re told there are occasions where the billions of participants blink in unison. If that is really something, it must be really something. Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Ascend Snowbird Mountain; Groundhog Creek Shelter; Max Patch; Roaring Fork Shelter –

More rain across the evening left things wet and foggy. A nice hike day along with unique views atop Max Patch (clouds blowing just overhead), which is a homophone that replaced the original name “Mack’s Patch”. The summit was cleared for cattle and is maintained as a bald. As with any bald, hikers do not want to be caught up there during thunder storms since lightning can be a very real threat. Just before arriving at the shelter the clouds opened up. Timing was pretty good, all considered.

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Hiker Extra

How do you protect against lightning? - Lots of theories, but here’s one that can be used on the trail

Guthook Guide to the AT – A phone application used to navigate terrain, Guthook Guide also provided a critical social networking function that static maps do not provide. The app allows users to upload real- time comments that help with conditions that subsequent hikers can use for planning. There are some pretty unique user comments, like the one made for Roaring Fork (“Boring Fork”) Shelter. When this is read, keep in mind that most long distance hikers get to the shelter, get water, eat and crash…EARLY. Same thing every day.

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Lemon Gap, Walnut Mtn Shelter, Catpen Gap, Garenflo Gap, Deer Park Mtn Shelter; Laughing Heart Hostel – Hot Springs, NC

Laughing Heart Hostel is well run and located in the cool town of Hot Springs, NC. Great place to take a zero day (last one was on 5/31, about 100 miles ago) due to scenery, good food and massive scoops of homemade ice cream. As you hike out (north) from town you can see remnants to the April 2016 fire that barely missed town.

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Slack pack across French Broad River, Lover’s Leap Rock, Tanyard Gap (rainstorm), Spring Mtn Shelter, Allen Gap, Little Laurel Shelter, Bearwallow Gap, Big Firescald on to Jerry Cabin Shelter

Tons of rain near Tanyard Gap where we tucked underneath a highway over pass to wait it out. The French Broad River was really swollen.

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

June 11: Big Firescald Ridge – Dangerous exposure in bad weather so an alternate bypass is offered. The weather had passed so we were able to take the ridge. What a difference one day can make.

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Bald Ridge, Big Butt Mtn, Flint Mtn Shelter, Rice Gap to Hogback Ridge Shelter, Sams Gap, Big Bald, Big Stamp, Bald Mtn Shelter, Little Bald to Whistling Gap tent site

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Places of rest – Many memorials are passed during the hike and sometimes in the most remote places. This one for Dorothy Hensley was just off of Suggs Mtn in Unicoi County, TN. She was born on May 2, 1865 and passed away three days before her one hundredth birthday. Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Trail Magic - While traversing the balds we hiked down into a gap, crossed a dirt road and found a cooler with delicious treats in gallon baggies. Within the baggies were encouraging notes from a lil’ hiker. How uplifting!

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Spivey Gap, Devils Creek Gap, No Business Knob Shelter, Uncle Johnny’s Nolichucky Hostel Erwin TN – TN is really hilly! Lots of ups and downs, and rewards come a-plenty, like the view across the balds and the descent into Erwin, TN.

Appalachian Trail – 2019 Long Distance Hike

Cats of the Trail – 1. Uncle Johnny’s black house cat; 2. Brindle cat that lives at the USPS (don’t let him out!); 3. “Winter” (not pictured). Actual trail cat taken out by “Walkin Tree” and “Rain” from Pearisburg. Winter wasn’t too fond of trail life, as it happens, so he escaped. This is a white cat gone missing in backcountry VA. The owners were devastated, as one can imagine. A couple of hundred miles up the trail we were told they found Winter, who has since retired from hiking.