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lisaj825
08-14-2014, 20:25
I was told today that they now have a place in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park that you can leave food drops, as opposed to having to get into Gatlinburg or carry enough to get you through the Park. Has anyone heard of this? Supposedly, this just started in June or July. I can't find anything about it searching the web. Thanks.

Slo-go'en
08-14-2014, 20:49
Who told you this? The only place which might be able to store food would be the little gift shop at the Clingmans dome parking lot and I find it unlikely that they would do this. It's not that hard to carry enough food to get through the park.

kayak karl
08-14-2014, 21:05
maybe somebody is shuttling it in ? one group at ice water had to leave early one cold january morn going south to meet someone for "The Gummy Bear Drop". i was tired and cold. didn't get the details ;)

Chair-man
08-14-2014, 21:24
http://www.awalkinthewoods.com/pages/wd_shuttle.htm

I saved this link in case I might need them when I do my thru. I never dealt with them. I imagine they would deliver your drop but I don't think it would be cheap.

HooKooDooKu
08-14-2014, 22:02
The last official word I ever read was that you were not allowed to "leave anything" in the park with the exception of a car at trailheads.

It would be nice if they had drop boxes somewhere, but unless they spent the money to basically install coded lock boxes (expensive), I can't see the park risking getting involved in possibly people having issues with drops that go missing... there's just so much traffic in the area.

Companies like A Walk In The Woods will deliver drop boxes... sort of like if they were picking you up for a shuttle. You just have to mail or deliver the package to them ahead of time. I've never checked on a cost for this service, but I would imagine it's about the same as hiring a shuttle to pick you up at Clingman's Dome or New Found Gap. Email them to get a quote, but I would guess that a drop-off service at New Found Gap would be in the area of $40 to $60 (for any shuttle service... not just AWITW).

Praha4
08-14-2014, 23:04
the Post Office at Fontana Village used to be a good place for maildrops. You can Yogi at Newfound gap too.

T-Rx
08-15-2014, 07:38
I have used A Walk in the Woods for shuttle services on 3 separate occassions. I have found them to be polite and reliable for their shuttle service and I feel confident that a supply drop would also be handled this way. I think HookooDooKu is right that the cost would be similar to a shuttle at around $40-$60. Have fun.

RED-DOG
08-15-2014, 11:14
A food drop within the GSMNP, the only place you could possibly do that is at the Visitors center at Newfound Gap but that is very unlikely, I just carry enough to get me from Fontana Damn to standing bear farm hostel here is the mileage i do in the park while hiking the AT.
Day 1 Fontana damn to spence field shelter.
Day 2 spence field shelter to double springs gap.
Day 3 double springs shelter to Ice water shelter.
Day 4 Ice water to Tri-Corner knob shelter.
Day 5 Tri-Corner to Standing bear farm hostel.
this mileage is not hard to do, you should be able to make it through the park with 5 days of food with no problem. 5 days of food doesn't weigh that much either.
In my oppinion the only reason a person should go into Gatlinburg is if the weather is REALLY crappy.
But bro why don't you just call the GSMNP headquarters and ask them directly.
HYOH bro.

HooKooDooKu
08-15-2014, 12:56
the only place you could possibly do that is at the Visitors center at Newfound Gap.
There is no Visitor's Center at Newfound Gap. There is just parking, the dedication platform, some restrooms down the hill, and access to the AT.

Now there is a visitor's center near Clingman's Dome 7 miles away. It's located near the Clingman's Dome parking lot about 1/2 mile down the hill from where the AT crosses the dome. I think people are saying this is the only feasible location for drops because the visitor's center is manned on a regular basis.

Tennessee Viking
08-15-2014, 14:46
More than likely it was friends delivering aid. I have heard people meeting up at Clingman's, Davenport Gap, or hike into Icewater to deliver supplies for friends that are thruhiking.

Dogwood
08-15-2014, 15:20
I assume you are referring to doing mail drops that might make sense for someone hiking only the AT through GSMNP. In that case, THIS!


A food drop within the GSMNP, the only place you could possibly do that is at the Visitors center at Newfound Gap but that is very unlikely, I just carry enough to get me from Fontana Damn to standing bear farm hostel here is the mileage i do in the park while hiking the AT.
Day 1 Fontana damn to spence field shelter.
Day 2 spence field shelter to double springs gap.
Day 3 double springs shelter to Ice water shelter.
Day 4 Ice water to Tri-Corner knob shelter.
Day 5 Tri-Corner to Standing bear farm hostel.
this mileage is not hard to do, you should be able to make it through the park with 5 days of food with no problem. 5 days of food doesn't weigh that much either.
In my oppinion the only reason a person should go into Gatlinburg is if the weather is REALLY crappy.
But bro why don't you just call the GSMNP headquarters and ask them directly.
HYOH bro.

misterfloyd
08-17-2014, 10:40
I asked about the same question for my hike in June. It is much easier just taking the food and going through. I did not stop in G'Berg. I'm a slower hiker so I took 6 days of food. Good thing too because of foot problems made for slow going. Kind of heavy going up from Fontana, but very doable.

Can resupply at standing bear farm........ out of Davenport Gap

Floyd