AO2134
09-02-2014, 18:01
I just came back from my first section hike on the AT. I did the first 53-mile section in Georgia.
My pack weight ranged from 30-32 lbs depending on water.
I spent Thursday night in the hiker's hostel. A great place which I highly recommend.
Day 1: Friday morning (around 9:45am) hit the trail at Springer Mt parking lot. Hiked back up to Springer the .9 miles and started the AT!!! Resupplied water at Long Creek Falls and Hawk Mt shelter. I have never hiked between Hawk Mt Shelter and Justus Mt. So that was a great experience on day 1. I have had a history of blister problems and had to stop at Cooper Gap to switch socks and redo the mole skin I had done in the morning. We kept pushing forward and arrived at Gooch Mt. Shelter. All side trails and all, easily 17 mile day 1. We arrived to shelter pretty early. Had plenty of time to resupplied water, set up camp, cooked food, etc before night. Despite all the time we still had, I was surprised by how long it takes to to set up camp. I need to develop a system. I slept in a tent night 1.
Day 2: Saturday morning around 6:45am we get up. It surprised how long it took me to break camp. I had to go through my 20 minute ritual of redoing the moleskin on my feet and put on new socks (i brought with me 9 pairs of socks, which I caught some flack for, but I used 8 pairs of them). I was the last to break camp. Supersonic was kind enough to wait for me and we broke camp around 8. Ramrock Mt was the first big highlight of the day. Shortly followed thereafter by Big Ceder Mt, which was beautiful. We resupplied water at Lance Creek. We continued forward to Slaughter Creek Trail and resupplied water again and began to climb blood mountain. The climb wasn't brutal at all. The downhill though was awful on my feet. My socks were completely drenched in sweat. My moleskin was no longer where it should have been. It was a rough experience. But the summit at Blood and getting the spend the night at Neels Gap hostel was worth it. I arrived at Neel Gap around 5pm. I regret not taking 20-30 minutes to replace my socks and moleskin at Jarrard Gap. People who saw my feet couldn't believe they were that bad after 2 days. They were more surprised that I planned to keep hiking. All said and done, it was a 16 mile day. Some amazing views (which I have seen before) at Big Ceder and Blood Mt.
Day 3: I was super excited about day 3. I had never taken a step passed Neel gap on AT. It was supposed to be a short 11 mile day. I was really looking forward to Wolf Laurel and Cowrock Mt. I couldn't wait. Again, I was the last to break camp. Since I had never done this section, I was a little more camera happy then in the first 31 miles. I took a picture of the marker which shows you are entering Raven Cliff Wilderness. I thought I put my camera in my pocket and kept hiking for more than 3 miles. I got to Wolf Laurel Top and wanted to snap a picture. Phone was gone. I was already behind Supersonic and Wayne. I decide to turn around. I go back all the way to Neel Gap constantly scanning the ground while still trying to go as fast as I can. I make it back in great time. I didn't find it on the trail. I went to the store and someone was kind enough to return it. I just took a 7+ mile detour. I start hiking back up. I make pretty good time to Cowrock Mt while using the anger of dropping my phone. I get to the summit of Cowrock and it is stunning. I am tired by this point. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast which was just a cliff bar. I am really, really dehydrated. This section is very dry. I decide not to eat because all the food I had was very dry, which wouldn't help me. Some day hikers told me that they ran into Supersonic and Wayne Tenatee Gap or Hogpen Gap 1 1/2 hours ago. I was catching up, but exhausted. I had only done 12 miles so far that day, but I was really really pushing it and this section is very dry. If those kind day hikers didn't provide me with some water, I would have been in trouble. Cowrock Mt. is amazing. I had to stop and enjoy it even though I knew I was going to fall even farther behind. I thought to myself I had cut the distance that I was behind likely from 7+ miles to 4. Maybe I can still catch up. After 15 minutes at Cowrock Mt, I start to make my way down. The climb from Tesnatee Gap to Hogpen gap was brutal. It sucked all remaining energy. I was forced to take a break at Hogpen. I still hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, nor did I eat anything at this break. Luckily someone dropped some water off at Hogpen. I drank a 1/2 liters and took 1/4 liter with me. I knew Low Gap Shelter had water from other hikers. I was hoping to meet Supersonic and Wayne there. This last 4.6 miles was the longest section of my life. I hated every step of it. I hated myself for dropping my phone. I just hated everything. Time just stopped. I felt like I was hiking for hours and traveled maybe 1/2 mile. I was not happy with life at this time. It is about to start to rain. I consider a camping stop further up trail, but then decided to push on to shelter. I was so drained I had no clue how far it might be. I kept playing the it must be around this next bend game. It never was. Finally, just before the rain hit, I see the sign for the shelter. I scream out for Supersonic and Wayne, they weren't there. However, another section hiker was. He told me Supersonic and Wayne had just left there about 30 minutes before. I was a maximum of 45 minutes behind but I was done. It was around 7 pm. All I had to eat was a single cliff bar all day and that was about 12 hours ago. I had done almost 19 miles this day. I just couldn't do any more. I cooked my first meal of the day. Talked with some hikers. Spend night in Shelter. First night even in a shelter, which looking back was very cool. I never sleep well on the trail. I usually can't go to sleep before 3 am when it gets colder. I tried to break camp early to try to meet them at Unicoi Gap, but my feet were pretty bad since for second day I did not replace socks and moleskin this day either.
Day 4: I broke camp at 8:30 ish determined to try to catch up. I had a shuttle scheduled to pick me up at 3 pm at Unicoi. It was an easy sub-10 day. There is a great spring right on trail about .2 or .3 miles north of Low Gap Shelter, easier to collect water if you are not using a pump then at Shelter, but shelter water if fine. The section between Low Gap Shelter and Chattahooche Gap is the easiest, kindness section I have ever taken. I killed this section. It was very easy and soft. Just what my feet ordered. There is water at this section, but it is a trickle from what I remember. I had to use a cut .5 L water bottle to collect the water an ounce at a time. It was slow, but at least it was there! There were certain sections of Blue Mountain climb and descent which were particularly rocky. My blisters were hurting at this point, but I made it down to Unicoi Gap just before 1. I contemplated going up to Rocky Mt since I still had 2 hrs to burn, but decided again it. I'll save that for next time. I ate a few bars and drank the remaining 1.5 liters of water that I had. It was a nice and fairly easy (except portions of Blue Mt. descent) 9.7 miles half day.
AT miles: 53ish.
Actual miles hiked: 61 + miles.
Overall it was my second favorite hike every (only second to a trip I had at Glacier National Park). Although there were a few parts that I absolutely hated due to my stupidity, I still have no regrets of the hike. I am soo happy I got these 4 days off to do this. I miss the AT already!
I plan to give my feet a rest for 2-3 weeks due to all the hiking I have done. My blisters never heal because I am hiking every weekend. Luckily, to finish Georgia all I need is 25.6 miles plus 3.2 miles of back hiking to Blue Ridge Gap At my pace, that is an easy weekend hike. If I can get someone to join, I might be able to do Unicoi to Deep Gap, NC which would be a somewhat hard 2 day hike or easy 3 day hike.
Overall I am nothing but smiles and can't wait to get back!
My pack weight ranged from 30-32 lbs depending on water.
I spent Thursday night in the hiker's hostel. A great place which I highly recommend.
Day 1: Friday morning (around 9:45am) hit the trail at Springer Mt parking lot. Hiked back up to Springer the .9 miles and started the AT!!! Resupplied water at Long Creek Falls and Hawk Mt shelter. I have never hiked between Hawk Mt Shelter and Justus Mt. So that was a great experience on day 1. I have had a history of blister problems and had to stop at Cooper Gap to switch socks and redo the mole skin I had done in the morning. We kept pushing forward and arrived at Gooch Mt. Shelter. All side trails and all, easily 17 mile day 1. We arrived to shelter pretty early. Had plenty of time to resupplied water, set up camp, cooked food, etc before night. Despite all the time we still had, I was surprised by how long it takes to to set up camp. I need to develop a system. I slept in a tent night 1.
Day 2: Saturday morning around 6:45am we get up. It surprised how long it took me to break camp. I had to go through my 20 minute ritual of redoing the moleskin on my feet and put on new socks (i brought with me 9 pairs of socks, which I caught some flack for, but I used 8 pairs of them). I was the last to break camp. Supersonic was kind enough to wait for me and we broke camp around 8. Ramrock Mt was the first big highlight of the day. Shortly followed thereafter by Big Ceder Mt, which was beautiful. We resupplied water at Lance Creek. We continued forward to Slaughter Creek Trail and resupplied water again and began to climb blood mountain. The climb wasn't brutal at all. The downhill though was awful on my feet. My socks were completely drenched in sweat. My moleskin was no longer where it should have been. It was a rough experience. But the summit at Blood and getting the spend the night at Neels Gap hostel was worth it. I arrived at Neel Gap around 5pm. I regret not taking 20-30 minutes to replace my socks and moleskin at Jarrard Gap. People who saw my feet couldn't believe they were that bad after 2 days. They were more surprised that I planned to keep hiking. All said and done, it was a 16 mile day. Some amazing views (which I have seen before) at Big Ceder and Blood Mt.
Day 3: I was super excited about day 3. I had never taken a step passed Neel gap on AT. It was supposed to be a short 11 mile day. I was really looking forward to Wolf Laurel and Cowrock Mt. I couldn't wait. Again, I was the last to break camp. Since I had never done this section, I was a little more camera happy then in the first 31 miles. I took a picture of the marker which shows you are entering Raven Cliff Wilderness. I thought I put my camera in my pocket and kept hiking for more than 3 miles. I got to Wolf Laurel Top and wanted to snap a picture. Phone was gone. I was already behind Supersonic and Wayne. I decide to turn around. I go back all the way to Neel Gap constantly scanning the ground while still trying to go as fast as I can. I make it back in great time. I didn't find it on the trail. I went to the store and someone was kind enough to return it. I just took a 7+ mile detour. I start hiking back up. I make pretty good time to Cowrock Mt while using the anger of dropping my phone. I get to the summit of Cowrock and it is stunning. I am tired by this point. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast which was just a cliff bar. I am really, really dehydrated. This section is very dry. I decide not to eat because all the food I had was very dry, which wouldn't help me. Some day hikers told me that they ran into Supersonic and Wayne Tenatee Gap or Hogpen Gap 1 1/2 hours ago. I was catching up, but exhausted. I had only done 12 miles so far that day, but I was really really pushing it and this section is very dry. If those kind day hikers didn't provide me with some water, I would have been in trouble. Cowrock Mt. is amazing. I had to stop and enjoy it even though I knew I was going to fall even farther behind. I thought to myself I had cut the distance that I was behind likely from 7+ miles to 4. Maybe I can still catch up. After 15 minutes at Cowrock Mt, I start to make my way down. The climb from Tesnatee Gap to Hogpen gap was brutal. It sucked all remaining energy. I was forced to take a break at Hogpen. I still hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, nor did I eat anything at this break. Luckily someone dropped some water off at Hogpen. I drank a 1/2 liters and took 1/4 liter with me. I knew Low Gap Shelter had water from other hikers. I was hoping to meet Supersonic and Wayne there. This last 4.6 miles was the longest section of my life. I hated every step of it. I hated myself for dropping my phone. I just hated everything. Time just stopped. I felt like I was hiking for hours and traveled maybe 1/2 mile. I was not happy with life at this time. It is about to start to rain. I consider a camping stop further up trail, but then decided to push on to shelter. I was so drained I had no clue how far it might be. I kept playing the it must be around this next bend game. It never was. Finally, just before the rain hit, I see the sign for the shelter. I scream out for Supersonic and Wayne, they weren't there. However, another section hiker was. He told me Supersonic and Wayne had just left there about 30 minutes before. I was a maximum of 45 minutes behind but I was done. It was around 7 pm. All I had to eat was a single cliff bar all day and that was about 12 hours ago. I had done almost 19 miles this day. I just couldn't do any more. I cooked my first meal of the day. Talked with some hikers. Spend night in Shelter. First night even in a shelter, which looking back was very cool. I never sleep well on the trail. I usually can't go to sleep before 3 am when it gets colder. I tried to break camp early to try to meet them at Unicoi Gap, but my feet were pretty bad since for second day I did not replace socks and moleskin this day either.
Day 4: I broke camp at 8:30 ish determined to try to catch up. I had a shuttle scheduled to pick me up at 3 pm at Unicoi. It was an easy sub-10 day. There is a great spring right on trail about .2 or .3 miles north of Low Gap Shelter, easier to collect water if you are not using a pump then at Shelter, but shelter water if fine. The section between Low Gap Shelter and Chattahooche Gap is the easiest, kindness section I have ever taken. I killed this section. It was very easy and soft. Just what my feet ordered. There is water at this section, but it is a trickle from what I remember. I had to use a cut .5 L water bottle to collect the water an ounce at a time. It was slow, but at least it was there! There were certain sections of Blue Mountain climb and descent which were particularly rocky. My blisters were hurting at this point, but I made it down to Unicoi Gap just before 1. I contemplated going up to Rocky Mt since I still had 2 hrs to burn, but decided again it. I'll save that for next time. I ate a few bars and drank the remaining 1.5 liters of water that I had. It was a nice and fairly easy (except portions of Blue Mt. descent) 9.7 miles half day.
AT miles: 53ish.
Actual miles hiked: 61 + miles.
Overall it was my second favorite hike every (only second to a trip I had at Glacier National Park). Although there were a few parts that I absolutely hated due to my stupidity, I still have no regrets of the hike. I am soo happy I got these 4 days off to do this. I miss the AT already!
I plan to give my feet a rest for 2-3 weeks due to all the hiking I have done. My blisters never heal because I am hiking every weekend. Luckily, to finish Georgia all I need is 25.6 miles plus 3.2 miles of back hiking to Blue Ridge Gap At my pace, that is an easy weekend hike. If I can get someone to join, I might be able to do Unicoi to Deep Gap, NC which would be a somewhat hard 2 day hike or easy 3 day hike.
Overall I am nothing but smiles and can't wait to get back!