START LOCATION: Cherry Gap Shelter
FINISH LOCATION: Roan High Knob Shelter
TODAY'S MILEAGE: 15.5
TRIP MILEAGE: 372.5
MILES TO GO: 1,806.6
Smokestack said I snored like a dying rhinoceros last night.
Hilarious. Well, I knew I'd sleep better. Two nights of bad sleep just
doesn't happen when you are working out 8 hours a day.
Rolled out around 8:45. After a quick mother nature break, I found an
exposed spot and tried to send my blog post... To no avail. So I
walked a bit further. As I did, I heard a log roll over down a ravine
about 100 yards to my left. As I glanced down, I saw a little brown
face freeze it's stare on me. In a split second, the small bear turned
around and bolted off into the underbrush. I was so excited. Many
successful thru hikers have never seen one out here.
Spent most of the morning hiking solo... Until I got to Clyde Smith
shelter for lunch around 1. Caught up to Thrasher, Turkey, Bama,
Walking Man and Smokestack.
We all decided at 2PM that it was time to attack the real challenge
today... The 2,500' ascent up Roan High Knob. Wow, what an ascent it
was... Most of it was I've 3 miles. When I arrived at the summit I was
greeted by what else??? MoRe snow! It felt like the smokies again, but
only for a short while. No postholing, no soaked boots.
Tenting outside the Roan High Knob Shelter. At 6,285' elevation, this
is the highest elevation shelter on the entire AT. Even higher than
the Huts of the White Mountains. It's pretty cold up here. I have my
long johns and hat on. Pretty wild considering it got up in the 70's
during our hike.
Terrain flattens out and I'm thinking of reaching Hampton, TN the day
after tomorrow. That would be real nice. Make up some time from the
ankle injury... Which still feels great by the way!
-natedog
The most dangerous bear to see in the woods? A cub when you don't also see Mama Bear. Mama was nearby somewhere.
ReplyDeleteCharlie and I, while driving, saw the tail ends of a bear and two cubs running across the road up in Wytopitlock, Maine. We stopped where we guessed they entered the woods. Mama and one cub ran into the woods but the second cub treed. Mama stood on hind legs, staring at us, while the cub slowly hitched his way back to the ground. Then they all disappeared. Definitely the best, non-dump-related bear sighting of my life.
i hope you got a quick picture of the bear. :) and smokestack usually snores like a grizzly. i was reading something yesterday about there still being snow up there and that it was to drop down in temp too. hope you guys enjoy the decent tomorrow. and im so happy to hear the ankle feels better . and if you could please pass along a message for me. can you tell smokestack to call home . sorry for posting messages to pass along in your blog. i really love reading the blogs tho. and i think the gps spot on your iphone is amazing. happy trails and i am hopeing to be back on the trail next thursday.
ReplyDeleteI heard Grizzly Adams had a bear.
ReplyDelete-Matty P