View from Wayah Bald Observation Deck
t,Sarting mile 109.6T
Today is Easter and I’m trying to get out of Franklin NC before the rain comes. If I can make it 4 miles by about 10 am. I should be able to make it to a shelter before the rain starts. So, “Bull” and I get dropped off at Winding Stairs Gap about 8:45 and we both took off up the mountain. There is a little bit of rain, but it is more just the fact that we are walking in the clouds.
After about four miles of non-stop walking, I turn off on the shelter trail; the rain really starting to come down. I hadn’t seen “Bull” since I left the road, so I don’t know if she is going to push on in the rain or not, so I head to the shelter. When I got to the shelter I had it all to myself. I threw my pack down in the nice dry shelter and start getting some warm layers on.
As I was sitting there eating an early lunch, I hear the rain bouncing off the metal roof. This was such a great sound because it meant I was staying dry. I pull out my phone to check what the weather report said, it looks like if I stay here until 1 pm the rain will clear. So that is exactly what I did.
About 12:30 I decided to give my parents a call to wish them a happy Easter. We talked for a little until I saw a couple more people coming down the trail to get out of the rain, so I said goodbye.
About 11:51 the rain had stopped so I started packing up, I had another 12 miles that I wanted to get in for the day. I had about 7 hours to get those miles in so I figured I could make it.
Most of the rest of the day I hiked by myself, not really seeing anyone all day. I got to the first shelter I could have stayed at about 430, but I really wanted to get to the next shelter 4 more miles down the trail so I just kept moving. I got to Licking Log Gap about 45 minutes later and took 15 minutes to get some food in me before taking off again.
It was starting to get cold and I was getting tired so I decided I was going to camp at Burningtown Gap about 1.2 miles from the next shelter. The 1.2 miles wasn’t the issue, it was the 700 feet of elevation gain I would have had to do. When I got to the Gap I was a little worried because it was really windy but I set up my hammock anyways. Luckily by the time the sun went down the wind died down as well.
Tomorrow I should get into the NOC in time for lunch. Even with the rain it was a great day of hiking. I got in 14.6 miles in with about 3,500 feet of gain.
Ending mile 124.2
Comments
One response
At least you made it to the shelter before you got too wet. I know your Mom was happy to get that phone call from you.