Clingman's Dome

• Day:  17
• Start:  189.0
• End:  206.8
• Miles:  17.8
• Hours:  10
• High temp:  68
• Low temp:  44
• People met:  9

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The morning crept in slowly with a soft light inside the shelter. I'm up, packed and on the trail by 0730 hrs. Today is a momentous day as I'll reach the 200 mile mark and summit Clingmans Dome, the highest point on the AT. Plus without seeing a sign saying so I'm now in Tennessee. Rain has not happened for many hours still the trail is muddy. I approach Clingmans and the forest changes to evergreen with moss everywhere. 

 

The beginnings of the rain forest

Truly a rain forest as now the cloud moisture has condensed on the trees and it is raining.

 

 Still in the clouds

 When climbing with rain gear, even GorTex products you sweat, so I have to figure will the rain on me surpass the sweat, if not then go without the jacket. It's a changing process and I don and remove my jacket many times today. 

Finally in a shroud of mist I am at the observation tower at Clingmans Dome. I make a trip up the ramp just to do it as there isn't a view today. 

 

View of the tower from the winding trail up

 

The observation tower

 

Yes I was there

 

Once down I rejoin the AT trail and immediately a soft Seattle rain begins. The sound of the trail today is the squishing, sucking, sloppy sound of mud as I walk on a trail turned creek. For the next 4 plus miles I hike in the worst trail conditions yet. I meet Rock Hopper and Mandrake along with BooBoo at the last good water source before the 3.3 miles to New Found Gap.  

 

Rock Hopper and Mandrake

 

This tree had a good idea to latch onto a big rock, guess it wasn't good enough though. 

I reach New Found Gap and immediately see BooBoo waving and saying run, he has a tide to Gatlinburg. Onthego, Chuckles and BooBoo had just got a car to stop and offer a ride into town, how perfect is this timing.  Its time to let some of this rain go away so perhaps I can enjoy a view or two in the Smokies .