[AngryMetalsmith]

Day 14

15 miles from Sassafras to Cable Gap Shelter.

First day hiking alone. Only saw four other hikers, including the two that left camp 10 minutes before me. Other than that it was just me for 9.5 hours. At camp there were just two other hikers.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Day 15

Hiked a short 5 miles from Cable Gap to Fontana Dam road.

Walked pretty slow on the climbs and descents but pushed the pace where it was kinda flat. Legs were pretty much toast at this point. Came across a few other hikers who were on the way up.

When I got to Fontana Dam road there were a couple signs with directions. No cel reception but found the phone you can use to call for a shuttle but it was out of service. As I was trying to figure out what to do next two other section hikers showed up. We all walked down to the marina to call the shuttle only to find out that they had stopped running it. The other two were experienced hitchhikers so off we went to get a ride into Fontana Village. They had good techniques but I’m from NC and speak local. Flagged down a pickup with TN plates and a boat. I asked the guy how safe is it to walk down that road to the village and he said “hop in the back”.

We went straight to the restaurant for some much needed town food. My friends picked up their resupply boxes, headed back to the trail and I checked into the lodge. Made sure to get a room with a bathtub. Nothing like a hot soak for sore muscles.

 

[jdcamb]

Awesome!

 

[jonKranked]

i hope RM isn't your primary hike journal, but i am glad you're sharing it.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

i hope RM isn't your primary hike journal, but i am glad you're sharing it.

I don’t do other social media. This is it.

 

[jonKranked]

I don’t do other social media. This is it.

i meant writing it down, like, by hand

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

i meant writing it down, like, by hand

 

[Westy]

I don’t do other social media. This is it.

How many ticks?

 

[Jozz]

I don’t do other social media. This is it.

Thanks for taking the time to share this with us.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

How many ticks?

Non so far. I think it might still be a little cold at higher elevations. Back down in the flats they’re everywhere.

 

[Full Trucker]

This is it.

It’s amazing. Thank you.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Yesterday I was feeling exceedingly apprehensive about entering the Smokies especially alone and with bad weather. For those that are unfamiliar the area is remote, steep, rugged and has some the highest peaks of the trail. Talked to my Dad for some AT advice as well as the shuttle driver who thru hiked it years ago. Then I got a call from Rambo, turns out he’s very close by and we’re going to link up and enter the Smokies together today. Much relief.

 

[AT turtle]

Yesterday I was feeling exceedingly apprehensive about entering the Smokies especially alone and with bad weather. For those that are unfamiliar the area is remote, steep, rugged and has some the highest peaks of the trail. Talked to my Dad for some AT advice as well as the shuttle driver who thru hiked it years ago. Then I got a call from Rambo, turns out he’s very close by and we’re going to link up and enter the Smokies together today. Much relief.

Hey hope all is well and u and Rambo got each others back. You got this. Its not time to go back yet to those diva bi@#hs. Thanks for sharing your journey

 

[AT turtle]

Day 4

Only 4 miles to Neels Gap.

This is the first resupply stop for AT thru hikers, a major milestone and right of passage. The outfitter, Mountain Crossings, is an over the top store for hikers with everything they could possibly need. Not just the average big box store brands, but many smaller companies were well represented. Not only could you replace gear and resupply your food but there was laundry service, showers, hot food, and a place outside on the deck to recharge electronics, and organize. It was here that hikers would gather, meet and do their respective tasks.

I spent five hours there with some people I had camped with the night before. A mother and her son from Florida doing a short section hike. The son was in his mid twenties and totally proud of being Florida Man. Told us stories about jumping on the back of alligators. His mom was pretty cool as well.

After seeing countless YouTube vids, read articles and heard stories about the place made the whole experience that much moar fun. It was probably around this time that it had finally hit me, that am actually thru hiking the AT.

A group of us all headed back out on the trail to camp one mile past Neels Gap. There was a spigot outside the store but for some reason I thought I’d just get water at camp. Bad move. The water source was a puddle with tiny worms swimming around in it. Yuck. I of course filtered it. Cooked with and drank some of it. So far no issues. A camp fire was started by a group of high schoolers who were doing a section hike. Pretty great day.

View attachment 194994

View attachment 194995

View attachment 194996

View attachment 194997

View attachment 194998

View attachment 194999

View attachment 195000

View attachment 195001

View attachment 195002

Edit: first pic and attached pic are from the top of Blood Mountain, a rather difficult climb before Neels Gap. Quite similar to UCI World Cup DH tracks before bobsled runs, gnar, gnar-chunk-a-gnar.

Florida man loved your review of him and took a screen shot of it lol

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Day 16

After 15 days of hiking I took a zero at Fontana Village. The general store had a decent but expensive selection for resupply and a laundromat. There were two restaurants serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Both over priced.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Day 17

Decided to take another zero before entering the Smokies. The rest was well needed. Legs felt great.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Day 18

8 miles from Fontana Dam rd to Birch Spring Tentsite.

Got a shuttle from a Fontana local who thru hiked the AT several years ago back to Fontana Dam. There I had a 1.1 mile hike to the Fontana Hilton, a popular shelter along the AT where I met up with Rambo to enter the Smokies.

 

[canadmos]

Very cool.

What is the permit for?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Very cool.

What is the permit for?

Weed.

 

[dump]

You need a permit to walk on a trail? Wtf?

 

[SkaredShtles]

You need a permit to walk on a trail? Wtf?

This is not a new concept...

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Very cool.

What is the permit for?

Thru hikers have to have a permit to hike in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. It costs $40. Putting one in the box is an AT thru hiker milestone.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Day 19

Hiked 12 miles from Birch Spring tentsite to Spence Field Shelter.

Unlike the previous sections of trail, hikers are restricted to camping in and around the shelters or official tentsites. This means that often you do fewer miles than you want and set up camp early or way more than you want.

We got to camp way earlier than our usual 5:00-6:00. Ate dinner then sacked out in my tent for a bit. Don’t really like stopping at 3:00, but what can you do when the next shelter is another five miles of steep rugged terrain.

Rambo decided to split, for…reasons. So on my own in the Smokies. This meant no serious pace pushing because there are no road crossings, no cel service and above 5000 ft. Get injured and you could be seriously fucked.

 

[dump]

This is not a new concept...

thought this was the land of freedom. Can’t remember the last time I paid to hike in a national forest… US or otherwise.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Day 20

14 miles from Spence Field to Double Spring Gap Shelter.

The trail through the GSMNP is not well maintained. It’s so over grown in sections that you can barely get two feet on it unless you walked like a runway model. Combine this with high elevation gain and steep technical sections makes for slower miles per day.

 

[kidwoo]

Fontana Village.

I've many a poops buried around there

 

[kidwoo]

Putting one in the box is an AT thru hiker milestone.

that means pooping in the box?

I hope that means pooping in the box

 

[kidwoo]

thought this was the land of freedom. Can’t remember the last time I paid to hike in a national forest… US or otherwise.

The general rule is this: If it's some dipshit article in outside magazine, you need a permit. Because that means it's the type of thing that every investment firm douchebag is reading about in outside magazine and then they all start buying enough crap they're going to use once that an entire industry can exist, and so many people want to do it (did you see the write up in Outside?) that the infrastructure gets so overrun with said douchebags, that management agencies start requiring permits because it gets way too overcrowded (you saw the write up in Outside right? Buffy and Chad are going next year, should we?)

See John Muir Wilderness, Pacific Crest Trail, Colorado River Rafting, Appalachian Trail, literally any high peak with a glacier on the west coast etc, etc, etc. It's the white people conquering thing. But other people have already conquered it so you feel left out as a white person who hasn't conquered it and you can't be left out now can you?

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Day 21

11 miles from Double Spring Gap to Newfound Gap.

Rained off and on all night. First time since I started. Woke up early, before the birds and got on trail at 7:30. Pushed the pace a wee bit to try to beat the crowds at Clingman’s Dome. The forest at 6612 ft is stunning. Everything is covered in green moss and ferns. When I got to the tower there were dozens of people already there and all I could think of was getting up there taking some obligatory snappies and hurtling back to the serenity of the trail and away from the throngs of zombie like tourists.

Shortly afterwards I encountered a couple of hikers who were checking off another section of the AT that they were forced to skip last year. They offered to drive me to Gatlinburg when I told them I was going to resupply there. So I thought I would just head that way then look for hotels online in the parking lot while I waited for them. My knee had been getting aggravated but really started to hurt as I continued down the mountain. Got so bad that I could barely walk at some points. Pain began to radiate from the knee to my hip. They caught up to me and it was all I could do to keep up. Knee and hip were so bad that balance was getting compromised. Made it to their car and they shuttled me into town. So grateful for their help. Joanne and Jackie, y’all rock !

Got checked into a hotel, showered and went to dinner. Town food is sooo good when you’ve been climbing the highest peaks on the AT.

Not sure what my next move is, but it’s an unacceptable reality that I may have to come off trail and see a sports medicine doctor. A very frustrating place to be mentally when your will is stronger than your body. Ughh.

 

[canadmos]

Day 2

11 miles from Double Spring Gap to Newfound Gap.

Rained off and on all night. First time since I started. Woke up early, before the birds and got on trail at 7:30. Pushed the pace a wee bit to try to beat the crowds at Clingman’s Dome. The forest at 6612 ft is stunning. Everything is covered in green moss and ferns. When I got to the tower there were dozens of people already there and all I could think of was getting up there taking some obligatory snappies and hurtling back to the serenity of the trail and away from the throngs of zombie like tourists.

Shortly afterwards I encountered a couple of hikers who were checking off another section of the AT that they were forced to skip last year. They offered to drive me to Gatlinburg when I told them I was going to resupply there. So I thought I would just head that way then look for hotels online in the parking lot while I waited for them. My knee had been getting aggravated but really started to hurt as I continued down the mountain. Got so bad that I could barely walk at some points. Pain began to radiate from the knee to my hip. They caught up to me and it was all I could do to keep up. Knee and hip were so bad that balance was getting compromised. Made it to their car and they shuttled me into town. So grateful for their help. Joanne and Jackie, y’all rock !

Got checked into a hotel, showered and went to dinner. Town food is sooo good when you’ve been climbing the highest peaks on the AT.

Not sure what my next move is, but it’s an unacceptable reality that I may have to come off trail and see a sports medicine doctor. A very frustrating place to be mentally when your will is stronger than your body. Ughh.

View attachment 195359

View attachment 195360

View attachment 195361

View attachment 195362

View attachment 195363

View attachment 195364

View attachment 195365


View attachment 195366

View attachment 195368

Sorry about the knee. Hopefully it sorts itself out.

 

[jdcamb]

Greatness!

 

[Jozz]

Sorry about the knee. Hopefully it sorts itself out.

Hope it's nothing serious.

 

[AT turtle]

Day 13

Short 7 mile hike from the NOC to Sassafras Gap.

This was a hard day for me. Our little group was splitting up. Homer said his goodbyes early in the morning. He had been hinting at wanting to take off since he was on limited time and only had a few days left before having to go back to work. Wanted to make it 200 miles on the AT. Rambo stayed at the NOC and would have to go back to where he got off then catch up. It was just me and our other friend left. We hiked for a while together but I fell off pace from being tired. We stayed at the same camp that night. But we too split, leaving me to hike solo.

Thru hiking is by far one of the most difficult things I have ever done. You can train for years, watch countless videos, read articles and books and talk to those who have thru hiked, but nothing can prepare you for how it feels both physically and emotionally. In 15 days I have pushed through pain, sore legs, smashed toenails and drug lead filled legs up and down mountains. And there are three other dudes right there with me embracing the suck. Almost an identical situation occurred when I went to Penland School for back to back two week sessions and the intense concentration. In those situations bonds form quickly.

Although I’m currently hiking alone, Rambo is somewhere close but will pass me soon enough, and Homer is heading home, I am both deeply saddened and grateful for the experience. Back in the real world most of my friends have either died or moved on. I have not been able to really connect with anyone in person for a couple years it seems. In a way I have already gotten what I needed from this hike. If it were to end tomorrow I would still be grateful. It’s been one Hell of an adventure.

View attachment 195075

View attachment 195076
Yuck about the knee. Its about the journey not the destination and this is all part of your story. Hope Rambo is good too and he jumped off the trail for that girlfriend you told him to get.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Thanks Turtle.

Been using that Sawyer syringe to back flush my filter when in hotels. Spent 20 minutes pushing that brown puddle water out.

 

[eric strt6]

bummer about the leg. Kind of why I don't wear lightweight trail runners. my joints need a more stable footbed in rough terrain. Heal up bro

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

bummer about the leg. Kind of why I don't wear lightweight trail runners. my joints need a more stable footbed in rough terrain. Heal up bro

Thanks. Knee and hip are much better today. Should be good to go tomorrow.

Was going to go to a hostel for another couple of nights but forgot to ask what the return shuttle would cost. Called back and decided to cancel since it would cost $165 in shuttle fees plus a room. Cheaper to stay in this place as gross as it is. Sometime today I will arrange a shuttle back to the trail for tomorrow or just hitchhike. There’s an outfitter on the edge of town and the trailhead is a popular destination for day hikers.

 

[canadmos]

$165 for a shuttle.... how far is it? That's nuts. Obviously not run by someone who hikes?

 

[6thElement]

$165 for a shuttle.... how far is it? That's nuts. Obviously not run by someone who hikes?

Or run by someone who has plenty of hikers who need a shuttle and who likes money.

 

[CBJ]

Hope the body will not fail you.

Nice you posted some rhododendrons in bloom. I have a Rhododendron Smokianum in my garden named after the range and grows at 6000 feet approx.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Hope the body will not fail you.

Nice you posted some rhododendrons in bloom. I have a Rhododendron Smokianum in my garden named after the range and grows at 6000 feet approx.

My target start date May 4 would have allowed me to hike North with the Rhodo bloom. Which would have been spectacular. I’ve hike in blooming rhodo tunnels before. However the Laurels are still blooming at higher elevations as are various colors of wild azaleas.