Hello everyone! Austin and I (Gil) arrived in Hot Springs, NC, yesterday and we finally got internet access, so an update is in order!
Austin, Joe, and I left Franklin and headed for Fontana Dam, our last stop before the Smokies. The trail in between the two stops was rugged, with tons of deep gaps dropping down below 2,000 feet elevation, and mountains over 4,000 feet. We stopped at the NOC, but only long enough to look around, opting to camp a mile up the steep ascent out of the valley. The next day was awful weather: it was pouring and freezing cold so we decided a short 6 mile day would be perfect, so we went to the next shelter, where we caught up to Jim and Nate! We were stopping for the day and they were just about to start theirs, but we still talked for a while and updated each other on stuff that had happened. It was awesome to catch up with them and we hope we will again soon!
When we arrived in Fontana Dam, we immediately went to eat REAL food at a restaurant. Everything on the menu looked absolutely delicious to us so making a decision was difficult but what we ended up with was awesome! The meals we had include, but are not limited to, potato skins with bacon, sour cream and cheese, immense pulled pork sandwiches, massive burgers with cheddar cheese, etc.
We attempted to do our resupply, but like Jim and Nate said, almost every store was closed. Luckily, we didn't need much food, and even more luckily, the owner of the general store opened early, just for us! She even would go rummage in the back of the store to retrieve more obscure items! We then went to the Fontana Hilton, and prepared to venture into the Smokies!
Our first day in the park was fantastic, with temperatures in the 70s and not a cloud in the sky. Just like Jim and Nate, our days were gorgeous and clear until Clingman's Dome, where the summit was enshrouded in fog. Luckily, the observation tower had pictures of the views so we could see what we were missing!
We headed into Gatlinburg, TN, to resupply and get some awesome junk food, both of which were accomplished! We hit up an all you can eat buffet and ate A LOT of food. However, Gatlinburg, being one of the tourist destinations of the south, had millions of little tourist trap stores and the atmosphere was incredibly exhausting. Austin and I were eager to leave and left the night before Joe departed, so we encountered our first night hiking, which required a lot more caution than regular hiking.
Unfortunately, the library is closing! I'll update more ASAP!
Gil
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Y'all ready for this?!
What's up everyone! Nate and Jim here--finally with internet access. We just finished the Smokies today, and what a crazy adventure they have been. We had possibly the best weather we could have asked for--blue skies, 70 degree weather, and no rain. The views were fantastic almost the entire time, with the only exception being Clingman's Dome. Since it's the highest point on the AT, the fog and mist never seem to leave...and we figured out pretty quickly why they call them the Smokies.
Pause. REWIND. After getting separated from the group and pushing several big days, Nate caught up to Jim just before the road to Franklin, where a group of Ohio Wesleyan University students had set up a huge, trail magic feast of chicken, donuts, pizza, fruit, chips, pretzels, sandwiches, candy bars, drinks and much more! After stuffing our faces, we pushed on with our good friend Spam to a beautiful campsite next to a creek. Two days later we stopped at NOC for a warm meal. We said our goodbyes to Spam, and hitched into Bryson City for a recovery day. Back on the trail, our next big stop was the Fontana Hilton, the shelter right before the Smokies...but it was no ordinary shelter--hot showers, flushing toilets, and running water! While Fontana Shelter was amazing, the "town" itself lacked anything resembling a town. No grocery store, no outfitter (closed for winter); only the "Pit Stop," a deserted gas station with one lonely, overpriced, mini jar of Jiff peanut butter. We got a ride into the next town over, Robinsville, and resupplied and pigged out. The next day, with heavy, full packs, we headed over the Fontana Dam and into the crazy, up-and-down wilderness of the Great Smokey Mountains.
After a disappointing view from Clingman's Dome we decided to lift our morale by hitching into Gatlinburg, TN to order up some massive 18" pizzas!
We hurried to NewFound Gap so we could have sufficient time indulging in real food and make it back to the trail before dark. All the locals and tourists of Gatlinburg wanted to know if two teenagers were actually hiking the ENTIRE Appalachian Trail--why wouldn't we be? They were stunned and treated us like national heroes.
Our biggest adventure so far took place our last night in the Smokies. When we arrived at Tri-Corner Gap Shelter and checked the hiker log we saw a notice from a ranger that said there was a missing hiker, and to call if we knew anything. We skipped on signing the log because really...who wants to be the guy who follows up the missing hiker alert with a "WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY OF HIKING IN THE SMOKIES!" We figured someone would sign before us and then we would be in the clear. So later that night in the shelter, with Pa Bert and Hap (two older dudes), we were all journaling about our normal day of hiking, when suddenly we hear someone yell "Hello?!" from a little ways away. We yelled back and the voice quickly responded with a cry for help. We all jumped out of our bags and sprung into action. The missing hiker had stumbled across the AT and found his way to our shelter. He told us he hadn't eaten for 4 days--just some maggots, worms, and ferns, and had drank melted snow-water our of his boot. We made him some food and gave him some water and he filled us in on his story. Apparently he had planned to do some backcountry bushwacking and had gotten lost along the way. He had ditched his pack in a confused, mad dash for safety and ended up stranded without any gear. He told us that he was a Wilderness First Responder and that he was usually the one coming out to rescue people in his very situation. He told us about his injuries, the worst of which was a deep cut on his left tricep and wrist--exposed fat and ligaments--from falling down a mountain. He had puncture wounds in his neck and on the back of his skull. Jim and Pa headed South down the AT to get cell service and contact a rescue team, while Nate and Hap kept him company and got him warmed up and comfortable. Jim and Pa returned over an hour later with news that a team en route and his family had been notified. It was a long, sleepless night waiting for the medical crew to arrive. We were at least15 miles from any access road, so it wasn't until a little after 2:30 in the morning that help arrived: a team of 3 medic/park rangers. They worked throughout the morning patching him up and stabilizing his condition, waiting for daybreak to bring him to a hospital. With all the excitement, everyone got an early start to their day. About an hour down the trail we all had to stop while a helicopter attempted to land in a small clearing on a mountaintop, however the high winds made it too risky. We said our goodbyes, good lucks, and get wells.
We pushed on because we had a big day ahead of us, hiking 18 miles to Standing Bear Farm Hiker Hostel.
Pause. REWIND. After getting separated from the group and pushing several big days, Nate caught up to Jim just before the road to Franklin, where a group of Ohio Wesleyan University students had set up a huge, trail magic feast of chicken, donuts, pizza, fruit, chips, pretzels, sandwiches, candy bars, drinks and much more! After stuffing our faces, we pushed on with our good friend Spam to a beautiful campsite next to a creek. Two days later we stopped at NOC for a warm meal. We said our goodbyes to Spam, and hitched into Bryson City for a recovery day. Back on the trail, our next big stop was the Fontana Hilton, the shelter right before the Smokies...but it was no ordinary shelter--hot showers, flushing toilets, and running water! While Fontana Shelter was amazing, the "town" itself lacked anything resembling a town. No grocery store, no outfitter (closed for winter); only the "Pit Stop," a deserted gas station with one lonely, overpriced, mini jar of Jiff peanut butter. We got a ride into the next town over, Robinsville, and resupplied and pigged out. The next day, with heavy, full packs, we headed over the Fontana Dam and into the crazy, up-and-down wilderness of the Great Smokey Mountains.
Our biggest adventure so far took place our last night in the Smokies. When we arrived at Tri-Corner Gap Shelter and checked the hiker log we saw a notice from a ranger that said there was a missing hiker, and to call if we knew anything. We skipped on signing the log because really...who wants to be the guy who follows up the missing hiker alert with a "WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY OF HIKING IN THE SMOKIES!" We figured someone would sign before us and then we would be in the clear. So later that night in the shelter, with Pa Bert and Hap (two older dudes), we were all journaling about our normal day of hiking, when suddenly we hear someone yell "Hello?!" from a little ways away. We yelled back and the voice quickly responded with a cry for help. We all jumped out of our bags and sprung into action. The missing hiker had stumbled across the AT and found his way to our shelter. He told us he hadn't eaten for 4 days--just some maggots, worms, and ferns, and had drank melted snow-water our of his boot. We made him some food and gave him some water and he filled us in on his story. Apparently he had planned to do some backcountry bushwacking and had gotten lost along the way. He had ditched his pack in a confused, mad dash for safety and ended up stranded without any gear. He told us that he was a Wilderness First Responder and that he was usually the one coming out to rescue people in his very situation. He told us about his injuries, the worst of which was a deep cut on his left tricep and wrist--exposed fat and ligaments--from falling down a mountain. He had puncture wounds in his neck and on the back of his skull. Jim and Pa headed South down the AT to get cell service and contact a rescue team, while Nate and Hap kept him company and got him warmed up and comfortable. Jim and Pa returned over an hour later with news that a team en route and his family had been notified. It was a long, sleepless night waiting for the medical crew to arrive. We were at least15 miles from any access road, so it wasn't until a little after 2:30 in the morning that help arrived: a team of 3 medic/park rangers. They worked throughout the morning patching him up and stabilizing his condition, waiting for daybreak to bring him to a hospital. With all the excitement, everyone got an early start to their day. About an hour down the trail we all had to stop while a helicopter attempted to land in a small clearing on a mountaintop, however the high winds made it too risky. We said our goodbyes, good lucks, and get wells.
We pushed on because we had a big day ahead of us, hiking 18 miles to Standing Bear Farm Hiker Hostel.
P.S. We got our trail names! Nate is Johnny Appleseed and Jim is Mango ;)
Sunday, March 13, 2011
More Pictures!
Ah yes, and a quick update. Gil, Joe, and Austin are together, and Jim and Nate are about a day or so ahead. We're about to leave Franklin, NC, and Jim and Nate are stopping at the N.O.C, about 30 miles ahead of here. I'm sure we'll cross paths soon!
Nate as he walks up the highway at the Unicoi Gap.
March 10, 2011
This morning we were awoken by a driving rain on the metal roof of Plumorchard Shelter, it was our last day in Georgia! Luckily, by the time we were actually prepared and ready to hike, at about 9 AM, the rain had disapated into foggy mist.
After a few hours of hiking through non-descript fog-filled valleys and fog-enshrouded ridges we finally reached our first state line. A small wooden sign nailed to a tree simply stated, "GA/NC". However, there was little time for celebration as North Carolina welcomed us with an incredibly steep and winding path straight up a ridgeline exposed to the freezing wind.
We stopped for lunch at the Muskrat Creek Shelter where we met a section hiker holed up for the day in his sleeping bag. Only his eyes were exposed to the elements, the rest of his body was enveloped in his mummy sleeping bag. The weather proved too cold to sit around and lounge for awhile, customarily our routine, so we pushed on to our destination, Standing Indian Shelter.
We hiked up to the shelter at around 3 PM, chilled to the bone. Immediately we donned our camp clothes and slipped into our sleeping bags to escape the frigid temperatures. As the afternoon turned into evening, we cooked plenty of warm food, and a snow flurry had begun. By 6:30 I was in my sleeping bag for the night, sheltered from the snow and cold with 2 pairs of warm long johns, two long sleeve shirts, a thick fleece, gloves, and a fleece hat.
Gil
After a few hours of hiking through non-descript fog-filled valleys and fog-enshrouded ridges we finally reached our first state line. A small wooden sign nailed to a tree simply stated, "GA/NC". However, there was little time for celebration as North Carolina welcomed us with an incredibly steep and winding path straight up a ridgeline exposed to the freezing wind.
We stopped for lunch at the Muskrat Creek Shelter where we met a section hiker holed up for the day in his sleeping bag. Only his eyes were exposed to the elements, the rest of his body was enveloped in his mummy sleeping bag. The weather proved too cold to sit around and lounge for awhile, customarily our routine, so we pushed on to our destination, Standing Indian Shelter.
We hiked up to the shelter at around 3 PM, chilled to the bone. Immediately we donned our camp clothes and slipped into our sleeping bags to escape the frigid temperatures. As the afternoon turned into evening, we cooked plenty of warm food, and a snow flurry had begun. By 6:30 I was in my sleeping bag for the night, sheltered from the snow and cold with 2 pairs of warm long johns, two long sleeve shirts, a thick fleece, gloves, and a fleece hat.
Gil
Monday, March 7, 2011
One week in...
Sup everyone! After one week on the trail, we're starting to get a pretty solid idea of what this adventure could become. We all have our own different paces, and we are all learning to hike our own hikes. It's turning into both a solo and group journey. Some days we will walk alone all day but we always have a group to return to at night. The whole trail is becoming a family, so even when we are all separated it's hard to be completely alone with such a thriving community of backpackers. On our first day we got to Springer pretty late and so we had a short day. After a few more days of hiking we had our first hostel stay at Neels Gap. We all had our backpacks shaken down, and the employees at the outfitters (attached to the hostel) showed us how to pack our packs correctly, and helped us figure out what we could send home. Even the few pounds we were able to shed off made a huge difference! The next day there was a really horrible storm, so we busted out a little over 11 miles before lunch. There wasn't enough shelter space for all of us, Jim and Gil stayed in it, and the rest of us got into our tents right away. It was cold and rainy, so we didn't get out of our tents until the next morning. We woke up to cold weather the next morning with wet tents and gear, so we decided another stay in town to dry off, warm up, and resupply was in order. We caught a ride into the silly town of Helen, GA. Truly the silliest little southern Appalachian town, designed to look like a little German town. Helen is the only place in America where you will find an American flag, a Confederate flag, and a German flag all hanging next to each other. Our packs are restocked and we're ready to get back onto the trail to follow the white blazes.
Joe, Nate, Austin, Jim, Gil
Joe, Nate, Austin, Jim, Gil
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
So long civilization...
On behalf of our expedition we would like to give a special thanks to Jessica Cudnik and her roomie Sarah for their great hospitality these past few days. We are all extremely stoked to begin our journey on the trail and as soon as Jessica returns from sitting on babies we will all pack into her spaceship and blast off to the trail head @ Springer Mountain!
We've been hanging out in Athens, GA for a few days getting our food & supplies in order. The original plan was to start the trail yesterday, however, due to severe weather we decided to postpone until today. Our packs are feeling heavy. We probably got more food than we need. But at this point everything is a major learning experience. Send all your positive energiez this way!
We've been hanging out in Athens, GA for a few days getting our food & supplies in order. The original plan was to start the trail yesterday, however, due to severe weather we decided to postpone until today. Our packs are feeling heavy. We probably got more food than we need. But at this point everything is a major learning experience. Send all your positive energiez this way!
HAPPY TRAILS!
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