Day 17

Trail Magic Jenkin’s Ridge and AT

Starting mile 178

This was my first day waking up in the Smokies. I’ve got a couple of easier days ahead of me so that I can go in to Gatlinburg on Sunday instead of Saturday. 

Due to only having a twelve mile day I decided to relax in camp for longer than normal and don’t hit the trail until after 8 am. The morning went by quickly with some easy ups and downs. Before I knew it I got to Spence Field Shelter, which is the first shelter that had a privy, so of course I have to stop and use it. I don’t understand why all the shelters up here don’t have privies. Since everyone has to stay at the shelters I would think it would be more environmentally sound to focus all that crap in one place than all over the hillside.

After visiting the privy and refilling my water I decided to have a snack. While I’m was enjoying my break a couple of other hikers showed up so I hung out and talked for 15 minutes or so. Then I said my goodbyes and took off. The hardest part of the day was still ahead.

About 0.3 miles down the trail I came upon a the Jenkins Ridge Trail and some Trail Magic. A couple had hiked in all sorts of fruit and vegetables along with stuff for sandwiches. I kind of wish I hadn’t eaten so much just minutes ago. I ended up hanging out for another twenty minutes, enjoying some of the fresh fruit. That is one thing that I really miss on the trail. The couple that did this lives just down the mountain and enjoy do this a few times every year. The best Trail Magic is somewhere like this, somewhere you’re not expecting it at all.

So after taking almost an hour break I decided I had to get going. I still had to climb another 2,000 feet of gain to get to the next shelter. The first climb wasn’t too bad and it got me to the top of Rocky Top. I took a selfie up there and sent it to my brother Jon, a Tennessee grad. 

After Rocky Top the trail continues up to Thunderhead Mountain that while taller than Rocky Top doesn’t have any views. When I made it to the top I had knocked out about half my remaining elevation gain in just two miles. The other half of the gain was spread out over 4.5 miles so it wasn’t as bad. It just made an afternoon of constant little climbs and descents. 

I finally made it to the Derrick Knob Shelter, and my home for the night. I made it 12.1 miles with about 3,300 feet of elevation gain. Tomorrow I’ll make it to Clingmans Dome and the highest point on the Appalachian Trail.

Ending mile 190.1