Resupply question

[gargamel]

As I read the options for resupply in Fontana Dam are pretty limited.
Sending a maildrop to Fontana won't work for me as I'm from Germany. Staying at the Hike Inn and taking the shuttle to Robbinsville would be an option, but only if nothing else will work out. How about hitching into Robbinsville from Stecoah Gap on NC 143? Will the hike from Stecoah Gap to Fontana with a pack full of supplies brake my back?

Nuts

[Max Power]

Fontana's reputation for limited resupply is slowly fading. The village wants to offer what the backpackers need, so they have gotten better. When I begin work there I will be doing my best to make sure we can help as many hikers possible.

[neo]

As I read the options for resupply in Fontana Dam are pretty limited.
Sending a maildrop to Fontana won't work for me as I'm from Germany. Staying at the Hike Inn and taking the shuttle to Robbinsville would be an option, but only if nothing else will work out. How about hitching into Robbinsville from Stecoah Gap on NC 143? Will the hike from Stecoah Gap to Fontana with a pack full of supplies brake my back?

Nuts

resupply in noc before fontanna,hitching into bryson city is easy neo

[tiamalle]

resupply in noc before fontanna,hitching into bryson city is easy neo

1 mile east of the noc is a large convience store with
lots more food at half the price,Fontana is well known as very expensive
for everything.

[neo]

1 mile east of the noc is a large convience store with
lots more food at half the price,Fontana is well known as very expensive
for everything.

i have been in that store,i would still hitch to bryson city neo

[gargamel]

Yup, Bryson City would be an option. Sure an easy hitch and every kind of store I would need. But as I heard a lot about the steep climb out of NOC and the knee breaking descent to Stecoah Gap, would it really be wise to load my pack with 6-8 days of food? (should be the last stop before leaving SMNP)

[specter]

resupply in noc before fontanna,hitching into bryson city is easy neo

What's the NOC?

[Lone Wolf]

Nantahala Outdoor Center.

[gargamel]

NOC means Nantahala Outdoor Center. It's located at US 19 and the AT passes through. Look here

[neo]

Yup, Bryson City would be an option. Sure an easy hitch and every kind of store I would need. But as I heard a lot about the steep climb out of NOC and the knee breaking descent to Stecoah Gap, would it really be wise to load my pack with 6-8 days of food? (should be the last stop before leaving SMNP)

the climb out of noc is overated,buy stuff to get to new found gap in the smokies then thumb into gatlinburg,an easy hitch,tourist love feeding hikers any way,next ressupply would be hot springs nc neo

[specter]

Food is available at NOC?

[gargamel]

thumb into gatlinburg

Only if I'm close to dying of starvation. I think after days in the woods this shock would be a world to big to bear

tourist love feeding hikers any way

It's only a matter of time until rangers will put up signs at Newfound Gap reading "Please don't feed any hikers".


@ specter
As I haven't been there I can only cite the books: They have short term supplies (whatever this means)

[Frosty]

As I read the options for resupply in Fontana Dam are pretty limited.
Sending a maildrop to Fontana won't work for me as I'm from Germany. Staying at the Hike Inn and taking the shuttle to Robbinsville would be an option, but only if nothing else will work out. How about hitching into Robbinsville from Stecoah Gap on NC 143? Will the hike from Stecoah Gap to Fontana with a pack full of supplies brake my back?

Nuts

Two options:

1) buy food in Hiawassee or Franklin, and mail a drop to yourself from there

2) spend a night at the excellent Hike Inn. They will pick you up at Fontana Hilton and bring you back the next morning, plus give you a ride into Robbinsville for supplies.

[mweinstone]

pesonaly i plan on eating out of a laundrymat candy machine with soggy nut rolls if i have to. and there are more supplyes each year along the trail.im using no mail drops,no bounce box,and no resupply planning further than one stop ahead. i like freedom.i love the country hitch and the country long walk to the store is okay with me too.only thing i dont like is planning and plans to keep. i carry a little more food to give me a larger opportunity to choose where to resupply.i get my info from the guide and i count on buying the next guide en- route.i dont like to resupply any more than once every 6-8 days.but ill top off my food bag at any roadside gumball machine. heres what i start with on march 4th from georgia
pasta 1lb
salt and pepper 2oz
cheese 1lb
raisins 1lb
oatmeal 1lb
nuts 1lb8oz
bread 1lb8oz
peanut butter
margerine 4oz
milk 8oz
tea 2oz
coffie 2oz
fish 8oz
potatoes 8oz
peanut butter 8oz
crackers 7oz
rice 14oz
garlic 2oz
ginger 1oz
nori 1oz
chocolate 14oz

[Jack Tarlin]

Specter:

Food is available at the NOC.

There are two restaurants, one kinda pricey and one fairly moderate, considering this is a Yuppie whitewater sports complex.

Limited, and quite over-priced hiker re-supply is also available, but it's not a very good selection. Then again, you don't need much as you only need enough to get to Fontana Dam. Nevertheless, I usually send myself a small maildrop here, as I'd rather eat my own selection of food than overpay for theirs.