Just finished this trip with a friend of mine who has appeared in many of my trip reports. We are both 36 and did this trip from a Thursday at 12:30 and finished Sunday also at 12:30. We are both in decent shape for our age and experienced backpackers.
We met up just outside of Asheville and left one car at an Ingles and then drove to Fontana to meet our shuttle at 1030 that morning. AJ was our driver out of Bryson City and the shuttle was $160. We talked music with the driver all the way there and honestly I'm not sure how long the drive was. This guy was knew his Charlie Parker and old time mountain music, good guy.
After getting all geared up with last minute adjustments and my knees all properly braced we set out at about 1230 from Wayah Gap. With food and water my pack weighted 22 pounds fully loaded but I carried a bit too much food. Weather was warm but it was a clear day. We hiked uphill a few miles to Wayah Bald and took in the amazing views from the firetower. We continued on down the trail passed Wayah shelter and then on to Cold Spring shelter for a total of about 10 miles. We arrived at 7 to lots of thunder and an imminent storm. We set up camp as quickly as we could and then tried to get dinner cooked before the storm arrived but we got lucky and it stayed on the other side of the mountain.
The shelter was small but had a very nice privy and very few spots for a hammock. The spring was also just outside the shelter so water was wonderfully plentiful. There were two other older section hikers there who we would leapfrog over the next few days. Extremely nice guys, we enjoyed their company.
We enjoyed dinner and headed to bed. I had a new england corn chowder that was not my favorite freeze dried meal but was ok, just too soupy. It never rained at all and I was up before 7 the next morning and we hit the trail around 8. Another warm and sunny day, just about perfect hiking weather. The Wesser bald fire tower was in great shape and offered more wonderful views. I don't know those peaks like I do in other parts but the views were spectacular. We left the tower around 1130 and stopped for lunch at the shelter just past. That shelter was very nice with plenty of covered "living space". We continued on taking in all the amazing views and admiring the recovering forest from the 2016 fire.
We arrived at the NOC at 4:30 did a quick restock and then walked down to the river to cool our feet and knees after that extreme downhill hike. We each had 2 beers, chips, salsa and guac and felt great. Also ran into the lead singer from the Steep Canyon Rangers and chatted with him for a bit who was there on vacation. (if you like bluegrass/americana check them out)
Somehow I sliced open one of my toes in the river so I cleaned up a very bloody foot and bandaged it and then we continued on. We wanted to get a few miles of the climb out of the way that night. We covered around 2.5 miles and set up camp along the trail and were too tired to cook dinner. I slept pretty much through the night that night but my hiking partner was clearly struggling with hard day and hot temps.
The next morning he could not get going so we didn't get on trail until after 9. We had another long day of 15 miles and back to back 15 mile days on that terrain and heat does not make for easy hiking. We took frequent breaks for my buddy and his dog and even had a 2 hour lunch at a shelter (sassafras gap I believe). It was a hard day for sure. We made it to Stecoah gap at 6 and considering the miles we had left my hiking partner called it quits. He had not been feeling well all day and he made the right call to take the next day off. Lonnie from Wolf Creek Hostel was at the gap and he gave him a ride back to the hostel for a bed, warm food, and a cold beer. I continue up to Brown Fork Shelter. The climb out of the gap was probably the steepest single climb I've done on the AT. It was straight up a steep mountain with no switchbacks at all. It was miserable and I second guessed my decision to continue. Got to camp at 745 and the other section hikers arrived at 815. I enjoyed some delicious black beans and rice and was in bed before 9 ready for another great nights sleep.
Just after falling asleep I woke up to the feeling of slowly falling and before I knew it I was laying on the ground. I had wrapped my tree huggers around the tree several times to take some length off and while sleeping they somehow unwound creating more length and it seemed my whoopie slings may also have released a bit despite the fact I know I tested them and pulled them tight. This may be it for me and whoopie slings. They are light and pretty easy to use and I have a decent amount of money in them with the hooks, dyneema huggers etc but you cannot hang from trees that are at all too close and they are not near as easy or flexible as a cinch buckle system. I got my hammock back up but the sag was crazy and my ridgeline had tons of slack. I didn't sleep great out of a nagging fear that I might end up back on the ground. Change my mind if you can but I'm about done with whoppies, this was the second time I've had issues with them.
The next morning I was up early and was on trail by 7. I bid goodbye to my new friends Jim and Tom and set out to finish my last 13 miles as quick as possible to I could get to the car, pick up my lost hiking companion and then hit the road for home. I passed Cable gap shelter just before 10 and said hello to some hikers that had just hit the trail. I hustled all day and burned all I had and was back at the dam at 1245 that day. Not a bad pace for a 36 year old guy who hasn't been on trail yet this year other than some day hikes. I grabbed a shower, changed clothes and headed to Wolf Creek hostel.
The hostel got a great review with superb hospitality from Lonnie. That night off was just what he needed and he played guitar in peace and quiet and didnt have to suffer those last few miles.
This completes a good chunk of trail for me, Wahah gap to I-81 in Virginia. I'll finish NC later this year and report back here when I do. All in all a great trip with a few challenges. I also left my trekking poles at Fontana so that was not fun to discover but what can you do. I was very pleased how well my knees held up with all the steep downhill hiking. I think the hamstring specific exercises helped a ton to ensure my right knee didn't lock up as it sometimes does. Looking forward to getting back out there for some more great hiking with hopefully weather as good as what I had for this 4 day trip.
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