After crossing Fontana Dam, you are in the Smokey Mountain National Park which starts with a steep climb out of the lake's valley. A few miles in you reach the Shuckstack Tower, which must be the sketchiest fire tower still standing this day that isn't surrounded by a barbed wire fence and "No Trespassing" signs. So we climbed up the tower to check out the views.
Dan, Alex, and I hiked together most of the day and leapfrogged a massive fat guy named Bear who kept the entire shelter up last night with his sleep apnea, it sounded like the predator's growl through a megaphone. I even heard it from my hammock about 50 yards away. We got to Russell Field shelter and were greeted by an old Triple Crowner (the title given to those who thru hiked the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail) named Wildcat and some other former thru hikers. It was Saturday night and they were just out for the weekend and wanted to treat us current thru hikers to a good time so they shared brandy, brownies, bananas, cigars, cooked us bratwurst wraps with peppers and onions, chopped firewood for a blazing fire, made hot Chai lattes, and had tales of their hikes. We partied like kings!
However, the celebrations soon did a 180 as it was pouring and cold the next day.
My hands got so cold I eventually had to bite the buttons on my gopro to take videos and there was no chance I'd be taking photos. I hiked 9.2 miles without stopping to Derrick Knob Shelter which was packed full of fair weather hikers who were taking a Zero because they didn't want to get wet. I couldn't operate my hands well enough to open my bag of trail mix and a girl named Parakeet made me some tea which was a lifesaver. After thawing my hands I cooked some mac-n-heese as a guy played a travel mandolin which made the place feel like an old pirate shanty. I then hiked five miles to the next shelter and was again disappointed to find it full of hikers taking a Zero-day... but at least they had a fire going. So I warmed my hands and set off to the next shelter, Double Spring, which again was full. These hikers didn't even want to walk 3 miles to Clingman's Dome where they could get a ride into town! And we hiked 17 miles but still had to sleep outside in the rain. By the way, the Smokeys have a rule that all hikers must stay inside a shelter and if it is full then you may camp in the direct proximity to it. Thru hikers also have to be in and out in right days but we made it in four, well five if you include the Nero-day we took in Gatlinburg.
The clouds cleared up the next day as we made our way up the three quick miles to Clingmans Dome, standing at 6,644 feet which is the highest point on the entire trail. Of course this wasn't good enough for me so I climbed on top of the roof of the lookout tower which looks like it was designed by the same architect that made the buildings in the Jetsons cartoon.
This apparently is my signature pose
We then went down to the parking lot and hitched a ride into Gatlinburg to dry out, resupply, and maybe do some touristy things. Day walkers were avoiding us, literally arcing their walking path to stay away so asking for a hitch for four people was looking grim. I put on my town pants and five minutes later a lady offered us a ride. She was driving a support truck and camper for her husband and son who were thru hiking so she could easily spot us thru hikers, but I like to think it was my pants.
We stayed at a Motel 6 in the slummy outskirts of town, hung our gear to dry, and did laundry across the street in what looked like a meth house. The main strip was like the Ocean City boardwalk with all the touristy things you could imagine which was a bit of a sensory overload after being in the mountains for days. We had lunch at a brewery and were surprised but not disappointed when the "large“ beer size was not 22oz but instead a giant Stein.
Hooray beer!
The next day we lined up for a free shuttle that a local church runs but wound up riding back to the top of the mountains with a park volunteer. He had a high end model Impala with heated leather seats that felt amazing right up until we opened the doors at the Clingmans Dome parking lot. A cold, misty wind slapped me in the face and was a chilly reminder of how much altitude affects the weather. We had an easy 10 mile day that got clearer and clearer offering lots of amazing views and even the wildlife was happy to have nice weather. Sadly, I never saw a bear :(
Ruffed Grouse AKA a Thumpy Bird. https://youtu.be/1jFwdGho1IA
When we arrived at Icewater Creek Shelter we sprawled out on the front lawn, dried our shoes, ate early dinner, and relaxed. I started a time lapse of clouds rolling through a valley but realized my vantage point wasn't high enough so I rock climbed up the shelter's chimney to set my gopro on the roof for a better angle. A few friends got jealous of me always climbing things and joined me on the roof. The sun was shining and all was well for our roof party!
Time-Lapsing clouds rolling across the valley below
ROOF PARTY! Icewater Spring Shelter
We all got up early to watch the sunrise and then hit the trail. A mile later we took the 0.1 mile Charles Bunion side trail which loops around a steep canyon with a beautiful overlook but I am now no longer an AT "purist", one who walks every single foot of the trail, never cutting corners and always doubling back to finish sections. But why walk on the AT through a boring grassy field when you can have views like this?
Charlies Bunion Overlook
This day was beautiful as we followed the ridgeline for 20 miles and along the way we checked out some airplane wreckage of an F4 Phantom that crashed in the 80s. We stayed at Cosby Knob Shelter which was just down off a peak that had howling wind all night but the campsite remained calm and peaceful enough for me to hammock under the stars without my tarp hanging over me. I again woke up with the sun and saw another vibrant sunrise and right as it popped over the hills a bunch of us shouted "baaaaaa whazzenyaaa" from the Lion King opening sequence while one guy thrust his food bag upward like Rafiki holding Simba. Being in the woods this long makes everyone a little weird...
Parts of what used to be a F4 Phantom Jet
Sunrise from Cosby Knob Shelter
About halfway through the day I uneventfully popped out of the park which ends at a gravel road but there was a trail angel handing out sodas. He thru hiked last year and shared stories of bears and moose up north while also warning us of how real post trail depression can be. I'll worry about that in September.