The last few days were pretty rough and strenuous, with two 4000 footers and one slightly injured left foot. I’m taking a day off the Trail to see if it gets better.
The ground has been much more rocky than it was at the start of the Trail and going up and down those rocks is rather tricky, at least for me. I’m sure I’ll get used to them soon enough, but for now they’re a real pain, literally.
When we last left off I was leaving Woody Gap on March 16 after taking a day off to wait out some severe weather which had brought hail to the mountains and a tornado through downtown Atlanta. Some pictures of Woody Gap follow.
First stop of note was Big Cedar Mountain, which has some nice views into the valleys below.
That day I hiked some 10.6 miles from Woody Gap to Neels Gap, over Blood Mountain at 4461 feet.
Coming off Blood Mountain, I arrived at Neels Gap.
I shot video of the day’s hike:
The next day my left foot started hurting and I only made about four miles to Baggs Creek Gap, where I tented to try to relax and see if it got any better. It did only after taking some Aleve.
On the 18th I pushed hard and tried to get as far as Blue Mountain, hiking the last part after dark, but wound up taking a wrong turn at the five-way intersection at Chattahoochee Gap and following a side trail for over a mile to I don’t even know where. I was too tired to backtrack all the way so I camped on the side trail that night. It’s probably just as well, since the 2.2 miles from Chattahoochee Gap to Blue Mountain Shelter was extremely rocky and would have been dangerous at night.
And yesterday I woke up to a light rain, packed up my wet tent, and hiked through the rain back to Chattahoochee Gap and then to Blue Mountain Shelter, where I spent the day waiting out what turned into a serious rainstorm.
The storm broke last night, but too late to do any serious hiking, so eight of us crammed into a shelter rated for seven, with half a dozen more people tenting outside.
Finally this morning I ascended Blue Mountain at 4025 feet and then descended into Unicoi Gap, where I hitchhiked into town and am taking a day off to rest my foot. I think I pulled a muscle in it somehow, but nothing seems to be broken.
I’ll hit the Trail again tomorrow and try to make Dicks Creek Gap (16.6 trail miles from Unicoi Gap) and the Cloud 9 hostel by Saturday afternoon. Then on Sunday it’s a nine-mile hike to Bly Gap and the North Carolina state line.
I love the pics of the rocks! Makes me want to climb them!!
thanks for the pics and video!
*grins* Love it.
It’s amazing that we can “watch” you hike this trail. I hope you’re enjoying yourself!
Mike, are you on this hiking trip alone?
Yes, and I like it that way. Not that I never see people, though I can go for half a day without running into anyone.
And, no, I’m taking all of you along on this hike with me, at least virtually.
Thanks for taking us with you, Mich – oops – Red Porcupine.
Hope the foot is healing quickly, and that the next several days of good weather (unless the guy on the radio is lying) will give you a less slippery trail.
Red Porcupine is catchin’ on, I’m tellin’ ya!
Gotta stay tough on the trail, man. If you think Georgia is rocky, wait ’till you get to the Whites.
You take care, and stay safe. I’m enjoying watching your progress….post early and often.
dude, that shit is right on! im fixin to do a small strecth of the A.T. starting at neels gap . this is my first on this trail and your video and pics are awesome. i hiked the john muir last year . un@#$%%^^&& believable. so dude , if we start at the hostel, and hike north for say three days where would be a good pickup point?
Depending on how fast you hike, you could make Unicoi Gap or even all the way to Dicks Creek Gap. Either place, Cloud 9 will be able to hook you up with a ride. Tell Crutch I sent you.
Beware of a guy named Crutch or that also goes by Danny Stearnes. He took complete advantage of a woman and three kids. Not only that but he lived with her for a month and took as much money from her as possible. Now he ran away after spending all her money. So maybe someone will catch him before he takes advantage of someone else.