Originally Posted by
HooKooDooKu
Digger,
I hate to say it, but I'm still confused.
THhiker thinks you are connecting Hazel Creek and the A.T. via Jenkins Ridge.
But your last post makes mention of Silers... which suggests you are connecting Hazel Creek and the A.T. via Welch Ridge.
If you are using Jenkins Ridge, then Hazel Creek is a non-issue. It's a maintained roadway with bridges at every major creek crossing. You can even see the bridges in Google Earth if you set the Imagery Date to 4/2013. The path from Proctor to Spence Field is about 15 miles and about 3,000' elevation gain. The path from Spence to Fontana is a little more than 15 miles, and perhaps the biggest challenge (if the shuttle runs) is the shorter day light hours in winter.
If you are using Welch Ridge, then you have more than a half dozen fords of Hazel Creek and about 18 miles to get to Silers Bald Shelter, and about 3,500' in elevation gain, plus another dozen miles (and 1,500' of up-n-downs) along the A.T. to get to Spence.