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Hey-Man

Fontana to Newfound Gap, then phhhht

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by
Hey-Man
, 10-04-2013 at 10:28 (1880 Views)
Oh well, made the first 40 miles. Clingman Dome was deserted and foggy so felt very surreal. Saw a bunch of rangers putting up barriers in the parking lots - too bad they have to work without pay. One said he wasn't even allowed to use his vacation pay - just zero income right now. Nice guys, hard workers, wish it was different for them (and us).

This and two other emails listing the shelters we'd reserved north of Newfound Gap were in my inbox:

Backcountry Permit - B118147
Entry Date: Sunday September 29, 2013
Exit Date: Sunday October 6, 2013
Number in Group: 2


105 Icewater Springs has been closed for the following reason:


Due to the government shut down, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is closed until further notice. Backcountry hiking and camping is suspended during this closure. Please call 865-436-1297 for more information.

Please contact the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Backcountry Office at 865-436-1297 if you have any questions. The Backcountry Office is open every day from 8 am to 5 pm.
Thank you for using the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Backcountry Permit System.
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Comments

  1. LuckyMan's Avatar
    So did you hitch out of the park or keep hiking or what?
  2. Hey-Man's Avatar
    paid for a shuttle into Gatlinburg, got a room and called for a ride back home three days earlier than expected.....
  3. ChuckT's Avatar
    Maybe a silly question (maybe not!) but suppose you had gone on? What would happen? "They" arrest you for trespassing? In theory at least this is a good time to fade into the background.

    I been thru the smokies more than once. Always got the standard yadda-yadda about the "dangers", example - "if it snows you could die, why back in 19xx we had to..." Saw one nitwit that hiked in the rain in a full down jacket and suffered from it.

    Strikes me you bring your own dangers with you.

    Hope you get the chance to pick up where you left off.

    Cvt
  4. Hey-Man's Avatar
    Yep, me too - thanks for the sentiments. I'm hiking Springer to Fontana next week then hope to finish from Newfound Gap to Davenport. Haven't purchased a thru-hiker's permit yet; feel like I already paid for those three days. Just can't figure out how to get them to agree with my thinking….