Day 9 - Day 16 of Reed's AT Adventure

 
 
  This installment of Reed's AT Adventure takes Reed from the border of Georgia through the Great Smoky National Forest, over the highest peak on the AT Clingman's Dome, and then finally ending up in the little town of Hot Springs, North Carolina. In Hot Springs, Reed has hiked 270 miles of the trail and has roughly 1900 miles to reach the summit of Katahdin
 
 

A view of the morning breaking over the Little Tennessee River Valley from Copper Ridge Bald (5,200) (4/24/99 8:00am)

As I approached the Natahala River, I walked through a mile-long section of the trail that had been seriously hit by fire. I later found out it had happened less then 2 weeks earlier. (4/24/99 12:46pm)

Ironically, about 3 miles after the fire area, I came upon a plaque dedicated to a fireman who had died fighting a forest fire. This made me think quite a bit about how eager many hikers are to build roaring fires each night, and the consequences. (4/24/99 5:51pm)

Dogwood tree behind trail signs (4/25/99 11:10am)

 
 
 

Much to my surprise, one of the hikers at a shelter pulled out a guitar and began taking requests. Sigal, who came from Israel, just to hike the AT, had no problem with my my Pink Floyd suggestion, but stumbled when I asked for Billy Joel At Any rate, it was great to have music in the woods. (4/25/99 5:11pm)

Lonestar and Sigal prepare dinner at the Cable Gap Shelter (4/25/99 6:02pm)

Once in the Smokies, my first two days were rainy and foggy. This was my view of the inside of a cloud from the summit of Rocky Top(5,441ft.) Famed in Song (4/27/99 10:37am)

Another view through the foggy forest. Almost surreal (4/27/99 11:02am)

 

DETOUR!!!!  To get to the Smoky Mountains from the south, I had to cross Fontana Dam, built by the Tennessee Valley Authority and the highest dam east of the Mississippi. Extensive work had closed the dam to traffic, but, as the yellow sign indicates, construction personnel and AT hikers could cross. (4/26/99 10:59am)

A view of the dam from the side. (4/26/99 11:03am)

This was taken from atop the dam, looking at the valley below the dam's outlet (4/26/99 11:11am)

This is the same spot, but looking in the opposite direction over Fontana Lake, which was created by the dam. The contrast in the two photos illustrate why dams raise such contraversy. An amazingly beautiful valley has been turned into a rather ugly lake (note the artificial shore line) Still, the lake provides a lot of recreational activities and the dam creates clean(sort of) energy. The debate rages on..... (4/26/99 11:11am)

 
 

My one beautiful day in the Smokies came on Wed. 4/28. Fortunately, this was the day I submitted Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the entire AT. at 6,642ft. (4/28/99 8:25am)

Valley to the left(4/28/99 8:31am)

Valley to the right(4/28/99 8:49am)

This is a striking view how clouds and fog can shroud one valley and not the other. I later walked along this same ridge. Looking to the left I could see clearly hundreds of feet into the valley below. Looking to the right, I could barely make out trees 30 ft. away through the clouds. (4/28/99 9:02am)

 

On top of the clouds, nearing the summit of Clingman's dome. (4/28/99 9:03am)

Same spot as previous but in opposite direction (4/28/99 9:05am)

Ahhh. I reached the Top of the AT Now that it is all down hill from here, I have decided to eat an energy bar. (4/28/99 9:08)

I DID IT. I have conquered the AT, now all I need to do is around 2000 miles more. (4/28/99 9:12)

 

The AT constantly weaves between North Carolina and Tennessee, so reaching the "border" is not a big deal. This was taken at Newfound Gap, the spot where Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the park in 1940. Most of the time in the Smokies, I had no idea whether I was in NC or TN. My general rule of thumb: if I stepped off the left side of the trail I was in Tennessee, if I went to the right I was in North Carolina (4/28/99 1:29pm)

This view is from Charlies Bunion, an incredible rock outcropping that drops straight down seemingly forever. The edge of the "Bunion" can be seen to the right of the photo. (4/28/99 4:35pm)

This is a self-timer shot taken on the "bunion" (4/28/99 4:38pm)

Another view from the "Bunion" (4/28/99 4:40pm)

 

wa, whoa, I better get back from the edge. (4/28/99 4:48pm)

zzzzz.... zzzzzz. oh, I'm awake, I'm awake. Are my legs sexy? I have decided to quit the trail and become a hairy leg model :-) Hey Teva, I'll consider an advance of $2000 for this advertisement. (4/28/99 4:56pm)

Are you sick of the "Bunion" yet? Okay this is the last one.. (4/28/99 5:14pm)

 

The Great Smoky National Forest is a protected area for animals. Because of this and so many people visit the park, the Rangers have decided to protect both species. To prevent bears from viewing careless visitors as sources of food and handouts, the park requires hikers to sleep in or near shelters, which have fence-enclosed fronts to keep wandering beers away from sleeping hikers and their food. Like the other shelters, Icewater Spring Shelter, where I stayed the night of 4/28. The shelter had two sleeping platforms, accommodating up to 12 hikers. As you can imagine, the shelters become amazingly congested on a rainy evening with up to 12 hikers and all of their equipment, trying to cook dinner and take care of duties within a sort of reverse zoo. Also, because the shelter are dark and confined, it was normal for hikers to begin to sleep by 7pm (4/28/99 5:43pm)

This is an example of "Trail Magic" These lovely gems were left by some "Trail Angel" who are people who live near the tail do kind, thoughtful acts -usually anonomously- to make our journey easier. I never realized before how great donuts tast. ("Trail Magic" although kind and generous, can be a nuisance to some thru-hikers. Not all thru-hikers like for this to happen) (5/1/99 9:59am)  I awoke on April 30th, my last morning in the smokies, to find an inch of snow on the ground, and it was still coming down. Unfortunately, the cold knocked the batteries out of the camera, so i couldn't capture the moment on film. Fittingly, by noon I had left the park, and the temperature was in the 70's

My journey on May Day saw me hike over Max Patch Mountain (4,629ft). Max Patch is the southernmost point on the AT that is retained(they mow it for hay) as an open, grassy bald. Because there are no trees, the views from the trail are magnificent. The posts in the photo mark the AT as it crosses the bald. (5/1/99 10:50am)

In Hot Springs, North Carolina, I stayed at the night at the Sunnybank Inn, also know as Elmer's, after the owner. Thru-hikers can stay for $13 a night. this is a shot of my soft bed(the other guy in the room grabbed the 4-post full-sized bed) (5/2/99 2:33pm)

Our bedroom door led directly to the side porch complete with swing-rocker (5/2/99 2:40pm)

Shot of the Inn from front (5/2/99 2:43)

One last shot from the rear. Guests are also encouraged to enjoy the family style vegetarian dinner and breakfast that Elmer cooks each day. After dinner, I literally had to lie down because I had eaten too much. The Inn is entirely furnished with antique and Elmer has an extensive library. I spent several hours in a hammock, reading a book about Bill Irwin, a blind hiker from Maine who hiked the AT in 1990. The local store didn't have the book, but good 'ole Elmer did! (5/2/99 2:47pm)