As of 6:30pm this evening, I completed a 29 mile hike in just over 24 hours. I started to regret that decision around mile 25. But before I whine about how tired I am, allow me to diverge into an unnecessary recap of the adventure thus far…
If you read my prior journal entries, then you will know that last year, on May 21, I set out to do an epic hike from Amicalola Falls State Park, up to Springer Mountain, and then on to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) and maybe – if all went well – on to Fontana Dam, a total distance of about 175 miles. While I did not complete this distance in one trip, I was able to string several weekend hikes together in 2017 to get myself to the NOC.
Now, it is mid-May of 2018 and I am ready to get on with my planned hikes for this year. I have always wanted to hike completely through the GREAT Smokey Mountain National Park in one trip. Yes, because they are GREAT! Because I left the trail in 2017 at the NOC and the Smokeys start at Fontana Dam, I still needed to cover the 29 miles between the two. Thus this weekend’s trip.
I had an unavoidable obligation at work yesterday until around lunch, so I did not start driving until after noon. Four-point-five hours later, I was parking at Fontana Dam where I met my shuttle transport for a quick hop over to the NOC. I stepped out of the shuttle and onto the Nantahala River footbridge at exactly 6:30pm EDT. And up I go. The hike out of NOC is pretty brutal. NOC is at 1732 feet above mean sea level and Swim Bald is almost six miles away at 4710 feet. All uphill. I knew it would be dark soon, but I consoled myself with the thought that, if needed, I could always just pop the tent up anywhere along the trial and continue hiking in the morning. The problem was, there aren’t any decently flat tent spots along this mountainside. I started to wish I had brought my hammock.
As the sun set, I continued to update my estimation of time required to reach the Sassafras Gap Shelter, located about a mile past Swim Bald. I also reminded myself of certain rules I try to follow: never hike alone; never sleep in a rodent-infested shelter; never hike after dark; never mention that Scottish play in a theater. Eventually, I pulled out my headlamp and plodded onward.
I reached the shelter unharmed at around 9:30pm. To my great surprise, I was the only person there. It was admittedly a little creepy to be in the shelter alone – especially knowing that this was high hiking season with so many others on the trail. I heated some water, made some noodles, unrolled the bed, and crawled in. I did not care about the mice at that point. About 3 minutes after the light was out, I suddenly DID care about the mice as they could be heard scampering around everywhere. Maybe they would just keep to the edges of the platform and not drop into the facehole of my sleeping bag where they would then dart around all over me inside the bag trying to get out while giving me rabies or the plague or mouse cooties or something. Nightmare fuel.
The next morning, I was up before the sun, packed everything away, and was hiking before 7. I topped Cheoah Bald just as the sun was starting to peek over the other mountain tops. There I met a nice couple who had tented on the open bald. We talked for a few minutes and he took the photo of me featured on today’s entry.
The rest of the day was uneventful until I reached Cable Gap Shelter. I had initially planned on stopping here for the night and hiking back to the car at Fontana tomorrow morning. But it was only 2:30 in the afternoon and I had nearly 6 hours of daylight left. Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and I convinced myself that it would be a nice surprise for my wife to have me return home tonight and be available all day tomorrow for family stuff. What I did not consider was that I had already hiked more than 15 mountain miles. But the last 4 back to the car were downhill, so again, off I went. HUGE MISTAKE.
Two miles later, I was sore, tired, drained of energy and wishing I had stopped for the day. The downhill descent to Fontana Dam goes on FOREVER. Switchback after switchback takes you lower and lower, but seemingly never any closer to the dam. Then, just when you think you have finally arrived, you learn that you are only at the marina and still need to hike an additional 1.5 miles to reach the Fontana Dam shelter.
OK – so a brief word about the Fontana Dam shelter. Its nice. Really nice. The mice wear ties. Its nicknamed the “Fontana Hilton” because it has ample bunk space, a nice deck, a shower and flush toilet bathroom nearby, and a great lakefront view. At that point, though, I could not care less. By that time, I was in zombie stagger mode and only wanted to get to the car and drive home.
The parking lot for the Dam Visitors’ Center is another half mile down a nicely manicured sidewalk complete with contoured stone kneewall. I hobbled to the car, took a quick rinsing shower at the Dam’s Visitor Center (yes, there is another shower there too) and drove home.
That was a very difficult hike, but only because I plowed through 29 miles in such a short time. But I did succeed in arriving at Fontana Dam on 12 May, allowing me to claim my goal of completing the AT from the beginning of the trail to the beginning of the Smokeys in less than a year.
Doctor Photon