WK4-4/01/03

Week of 4/01/03

	After spending two nights at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, I am heading out. Here's a tip in case you ever run into the same situation. There were no clean towels at the NOC, and I was told there probably wouldn't be for several days so I went to the place where they kept the dirty towels, got one, and washed and dryed it along with my clothes so I could have a nice, clean towel when I got out of my long waited-for shower. They had run short on towels because so many hikers were coming in. I hiked 16 miles today to the Brown Fork Gap Shelter and then about 12.7 miles the next day on in to Fontana Dam.
This is the Fontana Dam and the beginning of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The building shown had a shower and bathroom that hikers can use as well.
The place to stay at Fontana is the Fontana Dam Shelter known more fondly as the "Fontana Hilton". This is a very spacious two-story place that sleeps 40 and is very close to the restroom facilities and showers located at the Fontana Dam.

This is also the place to get your backcountry permit which you must have before entering the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Dogs are not permitted in the Park so you have to shuttle your dog, if you have one, ahead to Davenport Gap. After one night here, I am off again.

It has been rainy and cold for the last week, and it is still rainy and cold. I hiked only about 10 miles today to Mollies Ridge Shelter. It only sleeps 12 so I hiked as fast as I could in the rain to get there early to get a spot. Legend says that this area was named for a Cherokee maiden who froze to death looking for a lost hunter and her ghost still haunts this ridge. It got pretty eerie tonight with very large hail hitting the tin roof, and a few of my roommates swearing that they either heard Mollie or "saw something strange."

The next day it rained some more, and I could only make about 11.7 miles to Derrick Knob Shelter. My friends, BamBam, Snoring Bear, Lady Bug, and Nuke (from New Jersey) are here. That's the best thing about being able to get into the shelter as opposed to tenting (camping out in your tent) is being with people, talking and laughing. The camaraderie on the trail is the most important thing. You always learn something new from someone else, and just being around other people really lifts your spirits.

The next day the rain subsided somewhat, and I was really glad since we were only ten miles from Clingsman's Dome. This is the highest point on the AT at 6,643 feet. There is an observation tower that provides magnificent views, and I was able to get some good shots with my camera and my video camera. Right then, it started thundering and lightning again so I got back down to the trail muy pronto as hail began to fall. Stayed at Mt. Collins Shelter tonight. Still raining. The weather is so bad I doubt I will get more than eight or nine miles tomorrow.


This is a 73-yr old Ridge Runner I met close to Mollies Ridge shelter. His name is "Many Sleeps".	This is Jeremy, part-time college student and Ridge Runner in the Smoky Mountains.

This is me near Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the AT (6,643 feet).	This is Stu and Wayne, trail maintainers in the Smoky Mountains. THANKS !!!