September 19th through September 25th
Day 1 (Saturday)
4:15 AM the alarm goes off. I get up put some clothes on and make some coffee. Oh yeah, I recall that I have some video shots I have to get for Mike and his production company. I am really not good at this movie making as I would like to be. Anyway, I toss the bag in the car, drive to the airport and thus begins the day of mask wearing. On the parking shuttle, in the airport, on the plane. Making my transfer in Charlotte I have to walk the tarmac and use runway steps for the little regional jet. It has been a while since I did that. I arrive in Asheville North Carolina on time. A rarity for me and air travel. I wait for Mike to come pick me up. It has a feeling like the Colorado trip all over again. I like the feeling of dropping in for some adventure via airplane. Its so Nat Geo. Ok, its not that exotic but fun none the less.
Unlike the Colorado trip, its business right away. Mike points the car to Fontana Dam. We grab some McDonalds chicken for lunch, a gas station energy drink and over an hour later we are at the dam parking lot. The sky is overcast, which is fine as it’s not raining. Twenty minutes later we are unpacked, loaded up and start walking. The packs are heavy. Not 2016 Arizona Trail heavy, but we are each carrying northwards of 11 pounds of food. This is 7 days and 6 nights days with no resupply. A week of food is heavy. I think with water and full camera gear I come in around 34 pounds. We best start hiking so we can start eating.
We cross the Fontana Dam. A tail of the dragon road rally is going on, lots of exotic and semi-exotic cars slowly roll by. Being both car guys, Mike and I enjoy it as they go by. Finally, on the other side of the dam, there it is; the park entrance. Smoky Mountain National Park. It begins. The steady climb from the dam into A section of the grandfather of long-distance trails: The Appalachian Trail. Where we pick it up it has already begun some 180 miles back in Georgia. We have 73 trail miles through the park. A small sliver of the entire 2200 plus mile trail that stretches to Maine.
Today it’s a short 5-mile jaunt uphill to the Birch Springs Campsite. Permits are required for all hikers and we had to pre determine where we would stay when applying for these. It works out great since we didn’t actually get on trail until 3 PM, any longer and we would be hiking into the dark. As we walk, we take bets on the over under of seeing a bear. I say 2 or less Mike says 3 or over. Two miles into the trip we meet a couple of hikers who say there were bears just ahead. 3 to be exact. Could I be losing the bet in the first hour of this trip?
We walk on and never see a thing. The trail is crowded. Granted it is a Saturday but over 15 people in 5 miles is a lot. Other trails we could go 2 days without seeing a soul. About three quarters of the way to the campsite we jump on a side trail to Shuckstack fire tower. We are doing this trail leisurely so we will do many side trails and look outs as possible. Shuckstack is what I will deem a ‘sketchy’ tower. Angle Iron construction, steep wooden stairs and missing railings all add to the pucker factor. Cameras in hand, I can only get to the second platform before I feel like I could fall, drop a camera or both. Irrational, probably. Just when the fear of heights meets perceptions of poor construction and the brain says nope. Mike went all the way up. Which I have to say, going up is ok, it was the down on the steep stairs and platforms with no safety features that made it tough. His decent was slow and steady.
We tossed our packs back on and finally made it into camp, a little after 6. The camp had several people set up. Socializing, eating, sleeping. We scout out a few spots for Mike’s tent and my hammock. We set up. Quickly, we get some water from the spring and make dinner up by the fire ring. All sites and shelters have designated areas for this and it makes it easier for all and also keeps trash and odors limited to a few places.
Another note, most if not all shelters have a spring. Finding water is never too hard. Getting to the spring can be hard because it’s usually some drop or climb to get to it.
For dinner I had some Pasta Roma dish in which I added too much water. Nothing worse than drinking your dinner. We finish eating in the dark. We pack up our food bags and put them on the bear cables. No tossing a bear line or hanging food on a bear pole. These are legit steel cables specific to hanging food to keep the bears away.
Its after eight when we crawl into bed. The forest sounds are loud tonight. I fall asleep.
Day One by the Numbers:
Miles 6.47
Time Hiking 4:00 Total Time 4:00
Elevation Gain 2615 Elevation Loss 712
Calories In 2260 Calories Out 3584
Max Temp 77° Min Temp 53°
Day 2 (Sunday)
We wake up late. Who am I kidding? I was awake, but really had no inclination to get out of bed. Warm and cozy, slight swing, cloudy outside. You would do the same. When I do get up, I make some coffee and some hot oatmeal multi grain bowl. Really good.
The whole campsite is fogged in. We take our time and we are the last people to leave camp. Its almost 10 AM. I am anxious to get moving. I tell Mike he can catch up to me or I can meet up when I stop for a break. Again, like yesterday, it’s a slow climb but the haze and fog lifts and the sun shines through the trees. Feeling really good, I catch up and pass two women who were in camp with us and left before us. That makes me feel even better.
So far, I have not said too much about the scenery. That’s probably because there is not much to say. I could be in any forest in Wisconsin for all I know. The foliage blocks most of the views we would have as we continually climb in elevation. In early spring or late fall it might be different, but so far, this a walk in the woods.
I eventually make it to Mollie’s Ridge Shelter. Off with the pack and get at some lunch. (any opportunity to lighten the pack!) I go down the hill for some water at the spring. Two other gentlemen that stayed at the site with us last night are finishing up their lunch as well. John and Gavin. They have done the trail before and usually try to get out at least once a year for a longer distance hike like this. I find out we will be in the same shelter tonight so I will see them later. They leave and I wait for Mike. The ladies I passed come in, then another group of hikers from another direction roll in. Where is Mike? Finally, he rambles it. I know he likes to shoot video and pictures, but I have been here over an hour. We chat a bit and I let him know I will head out and we can catch up at the next camp where I can grab a site for him.
I put my outer shirt on, then my pack. Back on trail. It’s another 6 miles to Spence Field Shelter. The weather is great sunny, no bugs, it’s pretty easy going.
I roll in right around 5 PM. Gavin and John are already there as are 3 other couples. I find a site with 2 trees and a pretty flat spot for a tent. This will work. Being last in camp you don’t have many choices. Mike arrives and we have dinner. All the hikers are around the shelter and because there is much more daylight, we have time to sit and join the evening discussion and storytelling. It doesn’t take too long before the sun starts to set and a chill creeps in. We hang our food and hit the hay.
Day Two by the Numbers:
Miles 11.77
Time Hiking 5:06 Total Time 6:47
Elevation Gain 3215 Elevation Loss 2037
Calories In 2453 Calories Out 4482
Max Temp 78° Min Temp 48°
Day 3 (Monday)
The wind picked up last night and I woke up a few times due to some gusts. Really re-thinking my lightweight quilt choice. By 8 AM the camp is up and humming. People eating, packing up and getting water. Standard camp chores. Again, we are the last out of camp. Today we finally get to see some views. The wind cleared any remain clouds out and the morning out of camp is glorious and clear. On the trail I notice there is a good hard frost on the grass. Yep it got cold last night.
A little over a mile out of camp we hit the famous ‘Rocky Top’. You may know the song. The views are great in every direction. We take a lot of pictures and it gives me a sense of accomplishment, finally seeing some things for the 20 miles of effort.
The next spot is Thunderhead Mountain. Talk about opposite of Rocky Top. We would have missed it if not for the USGS Disk on the ground. Socked in with vegetation.
We work our way to Derrick Knob shelter for lunch. Again, we have caught up to John and Gavin. They are staying at Silers Bald Shelter tonight. We are going further to Double Spring Gap Shelter; the rest of the day is pretty uneventful. Silers Bald is another view point in the early spring, not in late summer.
I get to the shelter as the sun is setting. I have about an hour to set up and eat to beat the dark. This site has 12 people tonight. The max. A few are really ambitious as they try to make a fire. This late in the season all the wood has been picked over, or is rotten and wet. It’s mostly smoke. Mike and I make it past dark chatting for a little bit. Again, hang the food and off to sleep.
Day Three by the Numbers:
Miles 14.2
Time Hiking 7:00 Total Time 8:37
Elevation Gain 4314 Elevation Loss 3802
Calories In 1993 Calories Out 5130
Max Temp 66° Min Temp 38°
Day 4 (Tuesday)
Today is different. We are out of camp before 9 AM! We were trying for 8:30 but 8:45 isn’t too bad. Two reason for the early start. Today will be the longest day so far day and we might be meeting Mike’s Uncle at Clingman’s Dome so hence the reason to get an earlier start. Today we also hit a few high points of the trip. Literally. Clingmans Dome is the highest point on the Appalachian Trail at 6684’. It takes us less than 2 hours to get to the paved trail where all the tourists are plodding up the hill. We get to the observation deck (which has a UFO like appearance) and walk to the top. 360-degree views and a perfectly clear day. This is actually my 4th time to the top of this look out. Its still cool all the same. We come down from the observation deck and decide to walk down to the parking lot to get rid of some garbage (weight reduction!), use the restroom (weight reduction!) and see if the tourist center has any snacks for sale. Mike is really jonesing for diet Coke. Sadly, COVID restrictions have it limited to park merchandise and a few candy bars (which I purchase two). We chat with the Park ranger for a bit then head back up the paved tourist path.
We meet up with the trail where we jumped off and get back on. Running into a few of our camp mates form the night prior.
Today seemed a bit harder. Not sure if it was just the few days catching up to my body? Maybe it was the trail. Mike and I were hiking together for quite some time, when I hear a short “Ahhggh!” I turn to see Mike on the ground. He had just twisted his ankle of some particularly rocky part of trail we were on. He’s ok, has some pain and weakness, but we continue on.
On this trail water is pretty easy to get and this afternoon we were going to fill up at the Mt Collins Shelter as it was around our halfway point. When we get to the side trail for the shelter it states it was more than a mile roundtrip (with a lot of up and down no less), we decide to pass and try our luck at a possible source a bit further down and much closer to trail. When we get there, we see a wet path and some seep from the rocks, but nothing that will be easy to gather. Luckily, we search a little further and find the source, trickling out of a rock, much like a faucet that was left running. We fill up, eat some lunch and Mike takes some Advil to ease the sore ankle.
The next stop today is Newfound Gap the highway that bisects the park and major tourist attraction. Today is no different. It’s packed. We take some pictures, take a break and then get back on trail. It’s 3 miles of almost all uphill to our campsite.
It’s a long day when we arrive at Ice Water Spring shelter. It’s a nice site, views and clear skies for the evening. Unlike most shelters, this is not buried under some canopy of trees. We set up camp, eat some dinner, chat with the other guys here and go to bed. Mike’s ankle seems ok, but the more he lets it sit the tighter and sorer it gets.
Day Four by the Numbers:
Miles 15.31
Time Hiking 7:44 Total Time 9:30
Elevation Gain 3894 Elevation Loss 3478
Calories In 2108 Calories Out 5279
Max Temp 79° Min Temp 39°
Day 5 (Wednesday)
The night wasn’t too cold nor too damp, so I slept pretty damn good. That’s the thing with these trips. It takes a few nights for your body to acclimate to the new sleeping arrangements. But once it does its not too bad. I woke up made some breakfast and instant coffee. That was super disappointing. I had brought enough pour over coffee for the whole trip. The issue is my collapsible cup got a hole in it, so I was down to one pot to hold water and hence nothing to pour the coffee through and into. At least I had some back up.
Mike rolled out and tested the ankle. Sore and weak, clearly sprain symptoms. It’s causing him some pain and probably not going to get him 31 more miles. It’s his choice to continue, but this is also the best place to get out if he can’t go. Newfound Gap is only 3 miles back and his parents can pick him up easily. If he tries to continue there are no more outs s easy as this. He makes the right call and then calls his Dad to schedule a pickup. Mike and I exchange some items (I left all my cables to charge my phone and inReach in the car). We wish each other good luck and we go in opposite directions.
I have done plenty of solo trips so I won’t have any problem with finishing the trip. I just feel bad for Mike, he was looking forward to this for so long and now he can’t finish it.
The sun has disappeared behind a gray sky. There are a lot of day hikers out today. Having easy access at Newfound Gap is a reason why. The other reason is Charlies Bunion. Its less than 2 miles from camp, making it an easy out and back for many. Charlie’s Bunion is a rocky outcrop near the summit of one of the mountains. It’s a tourist spot and people are lined up waiting to climb up, look at the view and take pictures. I drop the pack and do the same. All week-long, day hikers and tourists alike always ask if I am through hiking the trail. I always answer, yes, I am though hiking the Smoky’s. Then they ask if I will do the whole trail and need to explain that I still have a job
.
The rest of the morning is uneventful, I sit on the trail and have a bit of lunch. The next shelter I am slated to stay at is Tri Corner Knob. Until then I need to get water again. Like the other day I was going to get water at a shelter, this time Pecks Corner Shelter. Also like the other day it’s more than a mile round trip to the shelter and back to trail. I start the walk down to the shelter and see some water trickling off the side of some rocks. I improvise a leaf to channel the water into my container. Its super slow, but sure beats 25 minutes of extra hiking.
The rest of the day is pretty boring an occasional great view, but much of the same we have seen all week. Seemingly ancient temperate rainforest.
I roll into camp and the shelter has 6 people in it. I say hi and go find a place to hang the hammock. Once that’s done, I change clothes and walk back to the shelter for dinner and chat with a completely new group of people.
This group is all older. By older I mean in their 60’s or perhaps even older. Four of them are local and do they have the stories of the park. How the dams were built, how people were removed from the park when it became national park. All the secrets; homesteads where stoves and chimneys may still stand. Family graveyards that are all over the park and so much more. They tell the stories and I just listen.
It slowly gets dark and we all retire for the night. There is rain in the forecast for tomorrow afternoon. I can’t complain, we had 5 days without any bad weather and for me that’s unheard of.
Tomorrow afternoon happens much sooner. More like 11PM and I am awoken by rain drops hitting the fly. I start thinking if I left anything out, yep. My hat is now getting soaked, as I had it hanging to air out when I came into camp. I reach to get my water bottle under my hammock and take a drink. I am hanging on a pretty steep slope so when I put the bottle back, I slides and I hear it roll down the hill. Perfect.
Day Five by the Numbers:
Miles 13.1
Time Hiking 6:07 Total Time 6:28
Elevation Gain 2900 Elevation Loss 2917
Calories In 2011 Calories Out 4133
Max Temp 63° Min Temp 45°
Day 6 (Thursday)
Well the rain has not stopped. Its not hard, but it is steady. I lay in bed not wanting to get up because is chilly and damp. I eventually work my way to the shelter eat some breakfast and say goodbye to my campmates.
I have a few options today. My permitted shelter is over 16 miles away. Davenport Gap. There is another shelter that was closed due to bear activity when we secured our permits but has since been re-opened. That would make it an 8 mile day. Decisions, decisions.
I pack up under the tarp and then finally put the tarp away, trying to stay out of the rain as long as possible.
Surprisingly I am in a pretty good mood, even though my feet are slowly getting more wet. Especially when you walk though tall grass that just dumps all that moisture on your legs and into your socks.
I am cruising today and get to Cosby Knob Shelter before noon. The signs are everywhere. Caution – aggressive bear activity - a fed bear is a dead bear. I get under the shelter and strip off my rain jacket. Put a warmer shirt on. Trying to dry out a bit, I take my shoes and socks off. I mean why not I will be staying here for the night.
A couple I stayed with last night roll in as well to take a break to have some lunch. They only have a few miles and take a side trail to where they left their car. We chat as we are both eating and eventually, they leave.
I am sitting here in my thoughts, rain just pounding on the metal roof of the shelter. Am I really going to sit here damp and cold for the next 6 plus hours while I wait to go to bed? Should I start a fire? I could sleep in the shelter (uncomfortably). Just me and the bears and mice.
Nah. I stuff my feet back into those cold-ass socks. Back in those damp shoes. Repack my bag and grab by raincoat off the drying hook. Way too much daylight to sit here. Plus, when I make it to Davenport Gap Shelter, it will leave me with a 3 mile day and not a 9 miles day tomorrow.
I leave Cosby Knob with the rain coming down nice and hard. Good. Bring it on.
About 2 miles in I come up on the Mt Cammerer look out trail. It will add another one and a half miles to my day. The Guthook trail guide says it’s well worth the effort. I think to myself. Its only miles, you may never have this chance again. Why am I even debating this with myself, out loud. I take the fork to the left and head to the look out. This trail is muddy, steep, rocky and slippery. I have to climb up a few spots of granite. The rain and wet does not help.
Eventually I see it, a dumpy little building. I climb some more granite and get to the little stairway. I can already tell my choice to come here was a good one. The views are amazing, the rain has stopped. The clouds swirl though the valley below me.
I jump into the creepy building take off my pack and get the cameras out. I walk back on the 360° deck and just soak it all in. I am not religious by any means. However, it felt strangely spiritual, in a one with nature, type of way.
I grabbed a snack in the dryness of the building and look out the window. Still feeling it.
Completely re-energized, I leave Mt Camerer Lookout and bound down the trail. (Until I almost fall several times on the slick rocks). Tempering my enthusiasm just a little bit I get back to the Appalachian Trail and continue my journey. The rest of the day is mostly downhill. That’s hard on the knees and treacherous with the rain. About 2 hours later I am nearing the Davenport Gap shelter, I am making incredible time. It’s not quite 6 PM. I still have over an hour of light left.
I pause at the fork to the shelter for the night. Again, decisions to be made. Go set up in the mist and spend one more night here, where I can clearly hear Interstate 40 traffic? Or pound out another almost 3 miles and complete the trip a whole day early?
It doesn’t take long before I am down the trail and letting Mike know I will need a pick up around 7:15 under I-40.
Giddy with exhaustion, having wet feet that are starting to feel signs of blisters from wet socks. I narrate the remainder of the trip to myself. I finally slip enough and hit the ground. I just laugh. It took the trail all week to get me down. It was going to happen. Just can’t believe it took this long. The trail follows a stream that grows into a river and that finally dumps me and its contents on a bridge to the Pigeon River. Unceremoniously, I am out of the park and done with this walk in the woods. That’s it. 80 miles and 20,000 feet of elevation gained and lost. So much planning, one false start in July and now it’s over. Proof that sometimes the journey is better than the destination.
Day Six by the Numbers:
Miles 19.1
Time Hiking 8:08 Total Time 9:25
Elevation Gain 2412 Elevation Loss 6752
Calories In 1623 Calories Out 4665
Max Temp 56° Min Temp 42°
Epilogue, (sort of).
Mike picks me up with a small cooler of beer as I requested. A hand selected assortment of local micro brews. I grab one and throw everything in the car. We head toward the airport. In seconds I am on the phone booking a room for the night.
I get to the room, drop my gear and take lovely, long, hot shhhhhower. Trail remnants circle the drain. I come out and Mike who is waiting to take me to dinner asked if I had anyone in there because I must have made lots of ‘ahhh’ sounds in the shower. Hey, sometimes it’s the little things.
We get burgers and beers and after 6 days on trail it was delicious.
I try to alter my flight to leave the next day, but the cost to change is more than the cost of the whole flight itself. The next day Mike picks me up for lunch and some sightseeing. Sadly, much of the sights are socked in with clouds and rain. I have known Mike a long time (over 20 years). We have done quite a few of these adventures and to his parents I am just a myth. Until now. We sit and chat on the screen porch for over an hour. I hope I let them know how much I appreciate them accommodating us with the car drops and pick-ups.
What’s left? Dinner. North Carolina BBQ. Ribs, pulled pork and smoked wings. Enough said. I would come back just for the ribs.
Mike and I talk about the trail, how we both felt about it, and what the next trail we can do.
The next morning it’s a 5:45AM shuttle to the airport. The week ends just the way it started. Although now I am anxious to get home instead of back on trail.
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