GSM Trail Info

[Whack-a-mole]

We just did the south side of the GSM and I wanted to pass along some info to folks heading that way. We left Newfound Gap heading south. The water situation was very good. Water was as follows:
Spring right on the trail, 1mi before Mt Collins.
Mt Collins shelter
Double Spgs Gap Shelter
Silers Bald Shelter
Derrick Knob Shelter
Beechnut Gap
Spence Field Shelter-This has been reported as a dry spring, but it is running real good right now.
We also had cell service with Verizon at a lot of shelters, but not all of them. We did have it a lot more than I expected.
The woods are beautiful this week. The leaves are gone from the trees up high, but there are a lot of views looking down into the valleys, and it is very pretty. This will probably be the last weekend for leaf color, if you are going into that area.
Unfortunately for me, I experienced some severe chaffing "down there" and was walking pretty bow legged by the time I got to Spence Field. Scott and Chris were very generous and offered our group a ride from Cades Cove to our vehicle, so we jumped off the west side of the ridge and went down the Bote Mtn and Alexander Creek trail to Cades Cove. This was a very pretty walk, and while it was not the AT, it was very nice, and I would highly recommend it if you like walking in big woods with lots of big creeks. The only downfall is that you share it with horses, so sometimes you have to dodge the horse poop, but you know, it's really not a big deal. The woods are so pretty there. Bottom line- I've got to go back and do an in and out hike up to Spence Field to complete this section, but it let me know that I need to loose 20 lbs and exercise a little more. Sometimes a hike can be more than a hike, and I can't wait to get back out.

[Whack-a-mole]

fresh bump for the weekend hikers