Free Spirit’s ( Al's )

Appalachian Trail Journal

Amicalola Falls - Springer Mt. GA to

I 40 Davenport Gap, At the TN - NC border (Part 7)

 

Dates ........ Wednesday, May 1, 2002
Miles ........ 7.5 miles, 1700' climb, total
From ........ Rock Gap Shelter NC
To ............. Siler Bald Shelter NC
Weather ... T-storms, Rain, 50's AM, mostly cloudy cool 60ish day

Wednesday, May 1, 2002

Old NC Rt 64 at Wallace Gap, New NC Rt 64 at Winding Stair Gap

It was a very wet morning. I donned my raingear (pack cover and rain jacket) but soon took off my rain jacket, as it was too hot and clammy. I prefer cool and wet to hot, sweaty and wet. Especially when backpacking. At Wallace Gap, where the trail crosses the old route 64, which heads to the Standing Indian campground, three women from Florida riding in a big Chevy Suburban stopped and asked me if I was OK or needed help. I didn't, I was just taking off my rain jacket, but it was very nice of them to ask. Though wet, the morning was very pretty, affording some beautiful, though obstructed views into the misty valleys. Put another way, the mountains were sticking above the clouds. I was hiking in and out of clouds all day.

Above the clouds - view from Nantahala Mountain ridge down into valley below.

The trail went through another large burn area between Winding Stair and Wallace Gaps, this one probably from last spring or fall. It had some new growth sprouting through the ash and some leaves from last fall scattered about, unlike yesterday's burn area, which smelled strong and had no dead leaves or new growth visible.

I took my time at Winding Stair Gap, along NC 64, eating lunch and having some water. Dennis and his family came out of the woods and headed into town on Highway 64. I entered the woods and climbed along a cascading stream with beautiful waterfalls. Except for a little 600 foot descent into Winding Stair Gap from Rocky Cove Knob, it was all uphill to Siler Bald Shelter, though not steeply.

Mountain stream cascades into Winding Stair Gap

As I began my final ascent into the 4700' high Siler Bald, I climbed back into the clouds. They were dense and visibility was less than 100 feet. I had to watch the trail and markers closely; I didn't want to miss the loop trail off the AT that led to the shelter. The shelter loop trail was much longer and more roundabout than I expected. In the fog, it was very confusing. When I finally reached the shelter, it was in and out of the blowing clouds and quite chilly, in the low 40's. I was the only one there. I hung my food sack, set a mousetrap and went to a nearby stream to wash. Though very chilling, it felt good to be clean again.

Then I began the wait for Brett to meet me as scheduled. Brett spent the last week at a firefighter's conference in Hilton Head and I was on the trail, so there was no way to communicate any change in schedule or plans, or delays. I was a little concerned because the trail was in the thick clouds and evening was drawing near. But then again, Brett is a good hiker and smart guy and very reliable. He'll be here. Top and his dog Copper (the "Copper Top" team) came along. He was a very nice guy and his dog was very friendly. Copper looked just like and reminded me of Chubby, my childhood dog. Then, and I'm not really sure about the order, Evlyn, Caribou Frank of MA, Ed "Turtle" of MA, Pete "Peaks" Lane of MA and Larry "Chainsaw" of Ithaca NY came to stay at the shelter. As others were arriving, my mousetrap snapped and fell to the shelter floor with a dead mouse in it. I reset and replaced it. It was a full house, and then some! Brett came just before suppertime. Pete decided to set up a tent nearby.

"The Crew" at Siler Bald Shelter. L to R: Pete "Peaks" Lane, "Caribou Frank", both of MA, Brett "Firefly" Chellis of Port Crane NY, Larry "Chainsaw" of Ithaca NY, Ed "Turtle, of MA, and "Top" with "copper" wagging his tail below.

It was a lively group with lots of interesting conversation.

The register was full of entries detailing the theft of food and packs from this shelter area. One hiker had dutifully hung his food sack from a nearby large tree only to have a bear climb the tree, grab the rope and pull it until it broke. Another told of watching from a distance as a bear entered the shelter and dragged his pack off into the woods, rigging it apart to get to the food inside. Another wrote a short novel from the perspective of a pack being ripped from a tree by a bear and then rescued by the screaming hiker. The dangling and tattered remains of rope from the nearby tree attested to the stories. After supper, I carefully hung my food sack in a small tree that was (hopefully) not easily climbable by a bear, and was 12 feet off the ground and 5 feet away from nearby tree trunks. Everyone did likewise, some with comical efforts. Alas, no bear showed up the entertain us.

At bedtime, just about 9 o'clock, we all piled into the shelter, shoulder to shoulder. It was very cozy, despite being a cool, windy night. As soon as I set my mousetrap at my feet I caught another, then in rapid succession caught three more before I could even lay down again. I quit trapping at 10 o'clock, so others could sleep

Daily Journal Entries

~ Journal Part 7 ~

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Tue
Wed
Thur
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04/24/02 04/26/02 04/27/02
05/05/02 05/06/02 05/07/02 05/08/02 05/09/02 05/10/02 05/11/02
05/12/02            

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