Appalachian Trail - Day 012 - Cody Gap to Mollies Ridge Shelter

Day: 012

Date: Saturday, 06 May 2023

Start:  Cody Gap (AT Mile 156.0)

Finish:  Mollies Ridge Shelter (AT Mile 177.7)

Daily Kilometres:  37.8

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  302.5

Weather:  Cool to mild, overcast in the morning with a shower and then sunny in the afternoon.

Accommodation:  Shelter

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts

  Lunch:  Ham & cheese subs

  Dinner:  Soup and Rehydrated Meals

Aches:  Dave - very tired and a few niggles (always in the left leg); Julie - nothing to report.

Highlight:  Climbing the old Shuckstack Firetower in mid-afternoon for awesome views of the surrounding mountains and Fontana Dam below on a beautifully sunny afternoon.

Lowlight:  None really.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We were hiking by 7:00am on a cool and cloudy morning with the goal of reaching the Fontana Dam Marina and its small store for an early lunch and to resupply for the next few days.  As usual our journey involved many ups and downs, but also lovely woodland and wildflowers and, towards the Dam, views over the lake as well.  There was a brief shower, which made us put on our pack covers, but it wasn’t heavy enough to warrant raincoats.

Along the way we saw a few hikers who we met again at the floating Marina.  Resupply was limited and we couldn’t get our regular hiker dehydrated meals so we bought a few things with which we will experiment.  Ideally, we only use our Jetboil stove to boil water, which is its specialty, and then we add it to satchels of dehydrated food, which are sealed for about 15 minutes before eating.  Back in Hiawassee, we purchased some reusable plastic-like bags that are boil-, microwave- and oven-proof, and will try adding boiling water to these more readily available foods (that usually require about seven minutes of simmering and stirring) to see what happens.

We also bought some lunch from the meagre pickings available and ate it out on the Marina deck, which would have been lovely on a sunny warm day, but not so much this morning when it was cool, overcast and breezy.  Despite the conditions, there were about eight other thru-hikers there eating, drinking and chatting.

It was probably just as well that we didn’t get too comfortable, because we had an ambition to hike another 13 miles in the afternoon if possible.  Ideally, we plan to take a day off in Gatlinburg on Tuesday and, if possible, we would like Monday’s hike to be shorter than usual to give us time to get to Gatlinburg before too late in the day.  After crossing the impressive Fontana Dam we entered the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) where we are only allowed to stay in, or camp near, shelters.  The nearest shelter that put us within range of a shorter day on Monday, was Mollies Ridge Shelter and that meant a 21-mile day, our longest yet.

Of course, from the relatively low altitude of the Fontana Dam, the trail climbed steadily and occasionally steeply onto the spine of the Smoky Mountains.  The AT follows that spine for about 70 miles, reaching a height of about 6,700’.  The climb was tiring, but not as brutal as the Stecoahs of yesterday and we made steady progress meeting a lot of day hikers including a scout group and a bachelor party group.  A highlight of the climb was a brief sidetrip to the Shuckstack Firetower and its tremendous views (see above).

Soon after the Firetower we met a guy aged around 60, who didn’t look particularly fit, walking down the narrow trail carrying a motorcycle helmet and a short time later we found a motorcycle abandoned on the trail.  The trail is definitely closed to motor vehicles and we suspect the guy will be in big trouble with GSMNP, even if he manages to retrieve his bike.

The afernoon’s weather was much better with the sun shinng most of the time and we managed to stay on schedule for our stretch target.  The scenery was great and the woods peaceful which helped the time go by.  We eventually reached the shelter a little before 8:00pm and, although there must be 20+ hikers camped here in tents, nobody was actually staying in the shelter, so we decided to sleep there and not put the tent up.  Jimmy, the thru-hiker we met a few days ago, is here and several others came over for a chat while we set up and had dinner.  A bear was seen nearby a few hours ago and there is a warning about bear activity near this shelter, so we may be in for an interesting night.

Appalachian Trail - Day 011 - Nantahala Outdoor Center to Cody Gap

Day: 011

Date: Friday, 05 May 2023

Start:  Nantahala Outdoor Centre (AT Mile 136.9)

Finish:  Cody Gap (AT Mile 156.0)

Daily Kilometres:  32.0

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  264.7

Weather:  Mild and mostly overcast

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Honey Buns

  Lunch:  Cheese & ham roll/Chicken Caesar wrap

  Dinner:  Soup & dehydrated meals

Aches:  Dave - tired with a few niggles; Julie - nothing to report

Highlight:  Calm evening in a beautiful campsite in Cody Gap, which we have all to ourselves, with birds singing, woodpeckers tapping and owls hooting.

Lowlight:  None really

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We left the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) just before 7:00am after a night disturbed by the seventh graders billetted in the room next door who talked audibly late into the night.

Our packs weighed pretty much the same, but our wallets were much lighter after a day at the NOC..

Today was the day of the Stecoahs, a small mountain range along whose spine we walked most of the day, after climbing over 3,000’ from the NOC to get there.  It is renowned as one of the tougher sections of the AT and it did not disappoint.  There were many rocky knolls with very sharp technical ascents and descents along with occasional boulder-hopping and steep drop-offs, sometimes on both sides.  At some points the spine was just five metres wide, while at other times we walked along a broad ridge and it felt like a lost plateau that we had all to ourselves.

In fact, despite the scores of AT Thru-hikers we saw at the NOC yesterday, we only saw one on the trail today, plus a few other hikers, although a group of four young thru-hikers did pass through Cody Gap as we were setting up camp.

Some of the knolls did offer great views and there were again abundant wildflowers along the way with occasional birdlife and butterflies.  Julie did see a rabbit, but we have been surprised at how little widlife we have seen on our hike so far.  Tomorrow we get into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and things may change.  We need a permit to go through there and since getting it we have received messages warning of bear activity at one of the shelters.

All in all it was a tough but satisfying day capped off by a nice campsite which we found by the trail around 6:30pm.

Appalachian Trail - Day 010 - Near Burningtown Gap to Nantahala Outdoor Center

Day: 010

Date: Thursday, 04 May 2023

Start:  Near Burningtown Gap (AT Mile 123.8)

Finish:  Nantahala Outdoor Center (AT Mile 136.9)

Daily Kilometres:  22.0

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  232.7

Weather:  Perfect!  Sunny all day and cool to mild.

Accommodation:  Bunkhouse

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts

  Lunch:  Hamburger

  Dinner:  Fried chicken & vegetables, chocolate brownie and ice-cream

Aches:  Dave - tired with a couple of niggles; Julie - nothing to report

Highlight:  The first few hours of hiking were idyllic.  Though cool, the sun was casting its first light through the trees and there was no wind, in contrast to the past few days.  The views were clear and we could see a very long way from our first lookout, the tower atop Wesser Bald.(4,618’).

Lowlight:  Finding that our bunkhouse for tonight involved a stiff little climb up from the Wesser River, a test for the legs who had been told their climbing was done for the day.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We were away hiking by soon after 7:00am on a perfect morning (see above).  It felt good to be alive and the first climb to Wesser Bald seemed relatively easy.  That may have been due to lighter packs (most food eaten), or perhaps the prospect of only 13 miles hiking with junk food and a cold Diet Cokes a reward.  Whatever the reason, it was very enjoyable and the few hikers we met all seemed upbeat.

After Wesser Bald began the very long descent to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) on the Wesser River at an altitude of 1.727’, probably the lowest we have been so far on the trail.  The descent was memorable, crossing a couple of rocky crags that provided not only excellent views, but some thrills on steep, rocky, cliff edge trail.

Once down the steeper drops, the trail fell more gradually through very green forest.  In a way, we were seeing the whole of spring in one day.  Up high, the trees barely had their new ll green leaves and the forest floor seemed relativel bare.  As we got lower, the leaves were fully grown, the undergrowth verdant, and the wildflowers different.  It was quite a transition.

We reached the very different vista of the NOC at 2:30pm.  It straddled the fast flowing Wesser River and a main road, with stores, a restaurant, a pub and a plethora of outdoor activities on offer.  It was buzzing, with quite a few readily-identifiable AT Thruhikers - looking unwashed, maybe carrying a pack - along with tourists, watersports fans, a canoe slalom course, zip-lines, you-name-it.

I checked in at the store to get the key to our room, but before going there we stopped in at the pub for a late lunch which we ate in the sun overlooking the river.  Very pleasant.

The walk to our allotted bunkhouse, advertised on their website as “Stay where the Appalachian Thru-hikers Stay”, incorporated a nasty little hill and was more than a few hundred metres from the centre of the resort.  Our bunkhouse (four bunks) is basic and over-priced, but we knew that before we booked.

After showers and laundry, we had an over-priced meal (as also expected) at the restaurant perched on the edge of the river before walking back to our bunkhouse to do some admin, including posting multiple days’ of this blog now that we have decent copnnectivity.  There were still lots of thru-hikers hanging around the place and it was hard to work out where they were going to spend the night, but they didn’t seem to want to leave.

Appalachian Trail - Day 009 - Rock Gap Shelter to Near Burningtown Gap

Day: 009

Date: Wednesday, 03 May 2023

Start:  Rock Gap Shelter (AT Mile 105.6)

Finish:  Near Burningtown Gap (AT Mile 123.8)

Daily Kilometres:  31.0

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  210.7

Weather:  Cold and sunny with a strong icy wind

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts

  Lunch:  Trail Mix

  Dinner:  Soup and dehydrated meals

Aches:  Dave - very tired and some niggles; Julie - nothing to report.

Highlight:  The views from the lookout tower on Wayah Bald gave us spectacular 360 degree views on a clear sunny day and was a reward for the long climb.

Lowlight:  None really

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We woke at 6:00am and were walking soon after 7:00am, not having been bothered by a single mouse in the shelter all night.

After a short stretch of downhill, we began what was the first of three significant climbs for the day, over the shoulder of Rocky Cove Knob.  It was very chilly and windy, but the air was clear and we had excellent views through the trees of the mountains beyond, and there were a lot of them.

We never really have any idea at any point in time which compass direction we are hiking in and which mountains will be next on our path.  Carefull analysis using our navigation app would help us work it out, but there’s not a lot of point in doing that very often.  We just follow the trail and the AT whiten blazes on the trees and go where it takes us. We’ve learnt never to assume we are at the top of a climb because, inevitably, you round a corner and the trail continues upwards.

The next climb, up from Winding Stair Gap to the shoulder of Siler Bald (5,207’), was just as tough and then it was down to Wayah Gap and the climb to the summit of Wayah Bald (5,337’) where there was a lookout tower (see above).

The woodlands we passed through are still just gaining their season’s new foliage, but wildflowers are abundant and varied.  There are also lovely groves of rhododendron, but no flowers on them yet.

Saw quite a few other hikers today and chatted with a few, along with some tourists atop Wayah Bald who wanted to know all about the hike.

Soon after 6:00pm, after a long descent, we found a nice little campsite set in a rhododendron grove, about 50 metres away from another thru-hiker’s tent.  Jimmy, who we had seen a few times over recent days, came over and introduced himself while we set up camp.

Dave is still struggling a bit with the mileage, heavy pack and hills, but Julie remains patient and we are doing well timewise.  Looking forward to a shorter day tomorrow and a bunk, shower and food  at the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Appalachian Trail - Day 008 - Near Standing Indian Shelter to Rock Gap Shelter

Day: 008

Date: Tuesday, 02 May 2023

Start:  Near Standing Indian Shelter (AT Mile 85.8)

Finish:  Rock Gap Shelter (AT Mile 105.6)

Daily Kilometres:  32.9

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  179.7

Weather:  Cold and mostly sunny with a strong icy wind.

Accommodation:  Shelter

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts

  Lunch:  Trail Mix

  Dinner:  Soup and dehydrated meals

Aches:  Dave - very tired and some niggles; Julie - nothing to report

Highlight:  Passing the 100 Mile mark, which was indicated by some sticks arranged as “100” beside the trail.  Only 2,100+ to go.

Lowlight:  Packing up in freezing temperatures this morning was no fun

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We set our alarm for 6:00am and did as much packing and dressing as was humanly possible while still in our sleeping bags on a very cold morning with an icy wind blowing.

We were walking, wearing more layers than normal, by soon after 7:00am in the early morning shadow of Standing Indian Mt (5,478’) which we climbed on a trail at a reasonable grade, hoping that the sun would soon hit us.  Near the summit, the sun did warm us a little, but the day remained very cold.

The trail today had more gentle grades and easier walking, much of it along ridge lines with lovely filtered views of endless mountains rolling away into the distance.  Often the trails also passed through groves of rhododendron, but mostly through woodland.  Sadly, there were sections where the trees all appeared dead, likely due to disease.  On a happier note, there were many wildflowers lining our trail all day.

A notable exception to the easier trail was the ascent of Albert Mt (5,213’), the last part of which involved climbing a very steep rocky bluff.  At the top was a disused, but maintained, firetower which we scaled to get exceptional 360 degree views, but it was so cold in the blasting wind, we didn’t stay up there for long.

We saw only a few other hikers today, which enhanced our wilderness experience.  Having started in late April, we are behind the main “bubble” of hikers who tend to start between early March and mid-April.  We will gradually catch “the bubble” but it will be spread out and thinned out, so should never get too busy for us.

Dave began struggling a bit with fatigue and “hammered” feet over the last hour or so, and managed a “face plant” when he stubbed his toe on a rock, but no harm done apart from a little skin off one shin.

He was very glad when we reached Rock Gap Shelter, our target for the day, at around 6:20pm.  Originally, we had intended to find a campsite somewhere shortly after the shelter, but finding the new structure empty, we decided to stay there for the night.  A few other hikers are camped nearby, some of whom we chatted with while having dinner, but it’s not busy and we are still the only ones sleeping in the shelter.  The risk of sleeping in the shelter is that we will have mice scampering over us during the night.  The plus is that we won’t have to pack up a tent in the morning.

The forecast is for another cold day tomorrow.  Still insufficient internet reception to post this blog or yesterday’s.

Appalachian Trail - Day 007 - Dick’s Creek Gap to Near Standing Indian Shelter

Day: 007

Date: Monday, 01 May 2023

Start:  Dick’s Creek Gap (AT Mile 69.2) but staying at Hiawassee

Finish:  Near Standing Indian Shelter (AT Mile 85.8)

Daily Kilometres:  27.5

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  146.8

Weather:  Partly sunny and cold with a cold wind

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Cooked breakfast, toast & jam

  Lunch:  Italian sandwich/chicken salad sandwich

  Dinner:  Dehydrated meals & soup

Aches:  Dave - a few niggles; Julie - nothing to report

Highlight:  In the early afternoon we crossed from Georgia into North Carolina, a milestone and the next of many states we pass through before reaching the end of the trail in Maine.

Lowlight:  It got quite cold at times today, especially when exposed to the full force of the wind and the sun was behind the clouds, though we both have the gear and it wasn’t a real problem.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We had a 6:30am breakfast at the diner next to the motel.  Other patrons included a few police, always a good sign, and a table of good ole boys enjoying what looked like their regular Monday morning get-together.  They didn’t look like they had first met up at 5:30am for a run, as is the SOP back home in Terrigal before a cafe breakfast!

We were hoping to get back on the trail early by getting an Uber from town back to the trailhead.  Uber did offer service in the area but, as new users, we didn’t reralise that although they quoted a price for our journey and took our request, “Limited Availability” meant we were unlikely to get a ride, and that’s how it turned out.  So, around 7:15am, we began hitch-hiking from outside the motel, somewhat hopeful, given the volume of traffic and knowing that Appalachian Trail hikers were a common sight in town.  However, it took a while before two Hispanic landscapers in a pickup stopped for us.  Unfortunately, a miscommunication about where we wanted to go, meant that they had to apologetically drop us at an intersection a few miles out of town and we began hitching again.

After about 20 minutes another pickup, emblazoned with Trump stickers, stopped and the friendly couple on their way to work (he was a tree-lopper) took us to the trailhead.

It was an hour or more later than we had hoped, but not too bad.  Also at the trailhead and continuing their hike from Springer Mt to Virginia on the AT (about 500 miles), were a mother, her two children (boy about 10yo and girl about 8yo) and her father.  We had a brief chat and learned that her husband, who could work remotely, was driving the support van and presumably working from the van or Starbuck’s, etc., and that her mother was looking after her baby, presumably also in the van.  They looked a happy bunch and it seemed a great arrangement.

Further along the trail today we saw other AT thru-hikers.  Several 20-somethings with their ultralight gear passed us making a good pace, and two others, older, not doing so well.  One, a very overweight mother (her daughter had gone on ahead) was resting on a long climb and we wondered how she will ever make it to Maine before the snow arrives.  On the other hand, she had already hiked nearly 80 miles on very tough trail during which she must have thought about quitting many times, so her tenacity was to be admired.

The rhythm of the trail was much the same today as for previous days.  Climb a mountain, get fantastic views somewhat obscured by deciduous trees with their fresh green foliage, then descend to a “gap” before climbing the next mountain.  Occasionally we had short sections of relatively flat trail, but mostly we were climbing or descending.

Typically, on the first day out of town you are climbing with a full pack (four days of food) and a full stomach making the hills even tougher, but it wasn’t too bad today and the day off to recover from the first five days has helped Dave.

Although it felt like winter for most of the day, the variety of wildflowers along the way proved it was spring and were a constant source of interest as we kept an eye out for new varieties.

Around 6:30pm, we found a nice spot alongside the trail and beside a babbling stream to camp for the night.  It was cold, and by 8:00pm we were in the tent, wearing many clothes having changed and eaten.  It will get down to near freezing tonight.