My Hiking Life: Into the Smokies

Monday, March 27, 2017

Into the Smokies

Day: 15
Start: 163.9
End: 180.1
Miles: 16.2
Hours: 7
High temp: 62
Low temp: 42
People met: 24

It's the evening before entering the Smokies, I'm sitting in the lodge great room reading my book and enjoying the fire waiting for sleep to overtake me. Onhgego stopped by to chat expressing his concern about tommorws climb, the biggest one yet. There is an undercurrent of concern among the hikers here as to the climb. Huck and Finn stop by to say hi as they help their friends unload their gear. We exchange blog information and best wishes for a happy hike. They a two wonderful people, very positive and happy. I hope to see them often on the trail.

Sleep comes nicely with the help of my ear plugs, neighbors are noisey.

0800 hrs the restaurant opens and the lodge common room is full with 14 thru hikers all waiting. A couple of cups of coffee and then its 0800 hrs. I enjoy a good high fat and protein breakfast, then catch the shuttle back to the trailhead.

In short order I'm walking along the lake heading for the dam.

My first close look at Fontana Reservoir

Overlook parking lot

First look of the dam

The AT crosses the dam

I'm always impressed by the massive engineering of dam building

The spillway

http://360.io/R9CxU6

360 of Fontana Dam

In short order o leave the dam and turn into the Smokies NP. The trail starts and the road ends. Hikers are required to date and place one half of their permit in the entry box. Now I climb out of the low land. The morning is overcast but the temperature is mild, no jacket or gloves required, in fact I roll up my sleeves and stow my hat. The humidity is at 80% this morning so I sweating already as I climb. I see Onthego by an unusual tree, so I join him in picture taking.

It would be a nice sleeping area for an animal

There are many shelters on the AT in the Smokies. The first one I come to is called Mollies. It is made of wood and stone and is two levels inside, sleeping 14 people. Plus there is fireplace inside and a tarp covering the open wall. Very upscale shelter. There is room for me but I choose to hike on to the next shelter, Russell Field.

Rain is forcast, so I'm thinking I'll try a shelter tonight. The trail so far is a climb but not an ordeal like Jacobs Lsdder. I arrive at the shelter and there about 5 spaces left so I claim one. Nice hikers here so I feel comfortable. Now lets see what its like sleeping with so many so close.