Resupply Info for NOC?

[ToeJam]

I have done some reading, Jack's guide as well as other comments and see that NOC apprenlt has a pretty good supply of hiker-type foods.

Any more specific comments?

If we can resupply there alot of the way, we will only have to carry 4 days and then 3 worth instead of the 7 I was planning initially for our section hike. Sure would be nice!

But curious as to what you guys consider typical hiker food? Lipton noodles? Freeze dried meals? Instant oatmeal packs, etc?

Thanks in advance...

[A-Train]

I haven't been there since March 13th, 2003, so things might have changed a bit, but when I was there the outfitter had very thin and EXPENSIVE resupply. Even the 2-3 days to get to Fontana. Glad I had sent a little box there. They had liptons, pop-tarts, expensive bars and candy and things of that sort. Your not gonna find tortillas and cheese there most likely, nor pepperoni.

I remember recently reading the journal of one of the early january starter (maybe Jaws or bluevist or heidi) and they said the resupply here was almost non-existant. Its up to you if you wanna gamble. There is a store a mile down the road from the NOC that had a lot of junk food. If your not picky and price isn't important, you'll get to Fontana OK

[Lone Wolf]

NOC is not good for resupply. Very limited selection. Good enough to get you to Fontana is all.

[Moose2001]

Got to agree with ATrain and LW. I've always sent a drop there and doing so this year as well. If you try to resupply here, you might be OK or you might be screwed. I prefer a small drop and that way I know I'm ok to Fontana.

[ToeJam]

K, thanks guys. Oh well, no maildrops for our lil' 100 mile or so section hike, so I reckon we pack up with 7 days of food then! Might have to give up some of my luxuries I was hoping for tho lol!

[Moose2001]

Why no maildrops? I'd much rather do a small drop than try to lug 7 days of food!! Ouch..that hurts just thinking about it!

[orangebug]

I was up there for the MLK/SORUCK weekend. They have great gear, but thin food resupply. There was some GravityGear food, freeze dried stuff that has a great reputation and some Mountain House stuff, if I recall correctly. They have the usual Powerbar and such. Candy is there, but expensive to attract the Flatlanders.

I'd consider a mail drop there.

[Footslogger]

They've got food, gear and clothing at NOC but it is pricey. They do accept hiker packages. Follow the earlier advice and send yourself a food box there if that's when you'll need to re-supply. You can get snacks and the like there but I'd limit it to that stuff.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[chris]

I was at NOC in early May of 2002 and found it adequate for me. Besides, you are only a day and a half from Fontana, so you don't need much. In the worst case scenario, you eat a whole lot at NOC and haul a sack of cheeseburgers out with you from the restaurant. However, when I was there they had:

Plenty of candy and energy bars
poptarts
granola bars
mac and cheese
couscous

I can't remember what else, but their were other things also.

[Jaybird]

I have done some reading, Jack's guide as well as other comments and see that NOC apprenlt has a pretty good supply of hiker-type foods.Any more specific comments?......etc,etc,etc,...

NOC has plenty to choose from (as of May 2004)...freeze-dried, energy bars, Snickers, etc, etc., thats what i call "trail food".
Ice Cream too!

plenty of re-supply goods. Good folks...prices are a bit high...but i found this to be standard operating procedure for most gear/supply places along the trail thus far.

i rented a pair of Leki poles from the gang @ NOC (for $10 for a wk rental)

while @ NOC...take enuff time to down a BIG WESSER BURGER or two!
yummmmmmmmm-good eatin'!

good luck with yer hike!

[orangebug]

That is a really good point. There is no reason you couldn't scarf down a burger or two at the restaurant and bring something good for supper. For me, NOC to Fontana was more than 1.5 days, I think more lake 2.5 days.

Once at Fontana, you can eat very well at the Lodge and get something from their general store, although it isn't the best resupply either.

[Footslogger]

Once at Fontana, you can eat very well at the Lodge and get something from their general store, although it isn't the best resupply either.

=====================================
If you stay at the Hike Inn when you hit Fontana, the owners will drive you into Robbinsville where you have access to a full size grocery store and a wide selection of restaurants. That doesn't affect what you do coming out of NOC but I thought I'd throw that in.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[Jack Tarlin]

Quick note re. NOC:

In most places on the Trail that hold hiker mail, the letters and parcels are reasonably "secure", i.e. they're in a separate room, behind a counter, in a place that only employees have access to, etc.

At the NOC, maildrops are on the second floor, or the back stairway, and while they are piled neatly and arranged reasonably alphabetically, they are available to anyone, i.e. people sort thru the boxes and pick up their own mail.

This obviously increases the chance of a piece of mail getting lost or stolen. For this reason, while I don't discourage folks from sending mail here, this is probably NOT the best place to send such items as ATM cards, cash, important medications, new eyeglasses, etc. Instead, I'd send these to Hiawassee, Franklin, or Fontana Dam.

It's great that the NOC holds hiker mail, but this is NOT the best place to send something you'd have a problem replacing.

And while the re-supply shopping options here are somewhat limited, keep in mind that you're only 27 miles from Fontana Dam, so you won't need much. And if you are considering a maildrop here, send only what you need to get to Fontana....there's a monster climb coming out of the NOC and you really don't wanna do that with the adition of a 20-pound maildrop.

In short, plan on light re-supply here at the NOC or send a small parcel with a few days of supplies. Your main food drop in these parts should be sent to Fontana Dam, where the camp store has unreliable hours, limited goods, and is over-priced, and may have their shelves stripped by the time you get there.

[Brushy Sage]

Asheville Citizen-Times reports that NOC already has about fifty boxes awaiting hikers, with the number expected to increase now that springtime is here:

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pb...03/1014/NEWS02

[Stoker53]

If NOC is slim on hiker food when you arrive there you can hike E on the highway for ~3/4 mile to a fairly good sized store. Store has a pretty good supply of camping food, regular food as well as fresh fruit....nothing like a good crisp apple. You can stock up on NASCAR stuff too.

[Ramble~On]

I live not far from NOC.
They've moved their backpacking stuff downstairs into a corner and no longer have nearly what they used to.
I'd send a maildrop to NOC if you don't plan on spending much time in the area.
They are expensive and unless they "gear up" for thru hikers they don't have a great selection.
Small maildrop and eat at the restaurants or spend $$$ for what they have.
West is Robbinsville..East is Bryson City both are good for long term resupply.
Both are a long hitch and would eat up a day.

[grrickar]

I sectioned hiked to the NOC last year and they were pretty lean on food. They do have a decent selection of gear; most of that being centered around kayaking.

As others have stated, they do have PowerBars, ice cream, sodas and juices, and candy. I saw a few dehydrated meals there too, but everythng was expensive.

They have a showerhouse and laundry room. The laundry is a coin-op and the showerhouse is for paying customers so I had to pay about $5 or maybe $7 to use the showers, which are at their 'base camp', which is a short walk from the NOC.

The restaurant there is good, and in the spring and summer month while there are boaters on the river you have an excellent opportunity to hitch someplace that might have a better resupply.

[neo]

you are not that far from bryson nc,i would hitchike there,its easy to thumbneo

[orangebug]

I wouldn't. I'd do minor resupply at NOC with a mail drop or purchases there or the nearby general store. You are only a few days from Fontana and out of Franklin. The hitch into Bryson is really a fairly good distance past a number of good convenience stores. I think you would lose most of a day with such a plan.

[superman]

I was hiking with Dolly when I came to the NOC. Dolly put up her thumb and about the first car picked us up. We went to the River Bend Motel (I think that's the name). It had the highest water pressure on the whole AT. You don't need soap with that kind of water pressure. We went into the town and ate at a barbecue place. Dolly and I polished off a huge platter of assorted beef and pork. While we were eating I noticed the pictures of officers and men of the Confederate Army. I asked the teenaged waitress about the pictures and she told me who each man was and where their people live in town now. It was impressive. We also found a good resupply store in town. The motel folks drove us back to the AT first thing in the morning.