Dates ........ Monday, April 29, 2002
Miles ........ 12.1 miles, climb 2150' total
From ........ Muskrat Creek shelter NC 4600'
To ............. (new) Carter Gap Shelter
Weather ... 40 degF AM, wet then sunny, breezy, warm, humid 75degF.

Monday, April 29, 2002

Standing Indian Mountain 5498'

It was another morning where it was difficult to leave the warmth of a sleeping bag. I had breakfast with the family of four, and then went off on the side trail to check out the plane wreckage. I packed my gear and hit the trail about 9 AM.

I had my first unpleasant experience of the trek on my way to Yellow Mountain. Suddenly, without warning, out of the woods along the trail, a large aggressive German shepherd type dog charges at me barking, growling and baring his teeth. Fortunately, the dog's owners came running and yelling after the unleashed dog and controlled it just as I was preparing to defend myself. They were camped just off the trail. It sure ruined any peaceful moment or wilderness enjoyment I was having that morning. They apologized and promised to leash the dog. I said nothing and got away from that area as fast as I could.

The climb up Yellow Mountain was a long, gradual ascent up the side of the mountain on a well graded trail to a gap where the trail switched back and traversed the other side. Then a rocky switchback downhill took me into Deep Gap, at 4341' elevation, where a forest service road leading to Standing Indian Campground ends. I stopped long enough to have a quick lunch, sitting in the sun, sheltered from the cool breeze by the large refuse collection bins. The warm sun felt good.

After lunch I started my second big climb of the day, the 1158' ascent to the 5498' summit of Standing Indian Mountain. It was a long climb up the old logging road that switched back and forth up the side of the mountain. Near the top, a short blue-blazed side trail led to the summit. The view from the summit was restricted because of trees on three sides, but was open on one side and was awesome. I took off my pack, took a series of panoramic photos and just basked in the sun for a while, enjoying the fantastic weather and vista. I have no doubt Dan would have thought the nice sunny day and great views divine. I wondered where he was and how he was doing.

Summit View - Standing Indian Mountain.

AT cuts a tunnel swath through dense rhododendron near Coleman Gap.

As I was on the summit of Standing Indian, the couple with the dog must have passed me without my knowing it. As I reached a clearing on the downhill side of the mountain, the nasty surprise was repeated again. Their aggressive dog came after me and they came yelling after him. They apologized again and promised again to leash the dog. I politely reminded them how inconsiderate of others they were being and accepted their seemingly sincere apology. Those seeking the tranquility and beauty of the wilderness experience should not have to fend off other hiker's aggressive dogs.

I observed that the further north a hiker went, the bigger, more rugged and higher the mountains got. Also, the AT stays at a higher average elevation.

I started my trek down the mountain and hiked through a large burned-out area before I reached Carter Gap at 4 in the afternoon. There were two shelters there, the old and the new Carter Gap Shelter. I had my pick. The new shelter was clean and bright, equipped with a large overhang, gravel in front and it even had extra platformed sleeping space underneath it. The old shelter was very basic, it had no overhang, a platform only 6 inches off the dirt in front of it and looked dirty and decrepit. It was conveniently close to the spring, though.

Three circuit hikers (Circuit hikers plan a hike on various trails or roads that will take them eventually back to their original starting point.) calling themselves the South Georgia Heathens came and set up at the shelter. They had through-hiked the AT in 1980 and were still taking circuit, weekend and section hikes together. They were fun guys to be with. The family of four (Dennis, Esther, Autumn and Sage) came along and settled into the old shelter just across the trail. Most of the trail talk was about hiking gear. One of the three guys had a lightweight Mountainsmith pack that interested me. It was smaller than mine and had thinner waist and shoulder straps but was over 2.5 pounds lighter. My pack empty weighs 4 pounds and I only use 2/3 of its capacity.