Milestones: GA/NC Border and 100 Miles

Hiawassee Shuttle to Plum Orchard Shelter

We had a quick resupply stop in Hiawassee thanks to the Hiawassee Shuttle being available again. Two Nearos and we got everything we needed!

Getting back on trail in the afternoon meant a shorter hike of only 4.4 miles, which I wasn’t complaining about. It was a warm day. The high temperature was 77 degrees for the first time on our AT hike. I was hot and sweaty, but my hiking legs were getting strong and steady at last. FINALLY, I was able to get rid of my knee and ankle supports! Consistency is coming, I can feel it.

The hike was beautiful and unhurried. Bill and I soaked up the sunshine and admired the squirrel and chipmunk nests in the trees. As always, the ups were slower and the downs helped me move quickly.

We got to Plum Orchard Shelter and were greeted by one of the young people who rode to the trail with us on the shuttle and another young lady. After setting up our tent, I sat down to take care of my feet and legs, and Bill went to the shelter to chat. 

The young hikers were happy to share their stories and had dinner with us. She, a fellow Floridian, was doing part of the AT to celebrate college graduation and ponder the future. He was celebrating high school graduation by completing the entire AT.

At sunset (AKA hiker midnight) we all went to bed.

First Border Crossing

The youngsters hiked out before Bill and I did. I wanted to do a 12 mile day. That would be 7 miles to a lunch stop at a shelter. At that point, I would evaluate whether or not the other 5 miles were doable.

Packing went quickly this morning, and I was ready to go at 7:30am. A small miracle. 

We hiked along the mountains, savoring each view. I love hiking through the green tunnels and this morning offered several. Early morning hikes are always a pleasure. The temperature was mild, and around every corner was another breathtaking series of mountains with the sun shining across them.

Another reason this morning was easy was our goal. Reaching the Georgia/North Carolina border. We successfully did so before noon, which was also a goal!  Georgia whisky shots, hugs and kisses were part of our border celebration!

North Carolina is Rough

Georgia trails were well maintained. But when we got to NC that changed immediately. The first climb into NC was a series of sharp climbs. No step-like support, just rocks and dirt to scramble up. I climbed like a champ without any falls.

The trail in NC has been assaulted by downed trees. There were not any that were impossible to get over, but downed trees were seen with regularity. Most of these trees look like they had been dead for a long time though. So it made us happy to not see many living trees downed.

Once we were out of that section, the trail smoothed out a little. With the change of the trail came the change of the beauty of the trail. The rocks were now covered with huge patches of bright green moss. This beautiful hike led us to our lunch spot, Muskrat Creek Shelter.

During the first few weeks of our hike, I had been hyper focused on not taking long breaks because of the amount of time it took my legs to get back under me comfortably again.

Now that my hiker legs have grown in, I like taking longer breaks to rest and refuel. It still does take my legs a bit of time to get back up to speed, but with proper stretching, they don’t hurt.

At the end of the day, we had giant boulders to climb over and through. Again, I overcame my fear and just did it. No falls again. My confidence was boosted.

We had a smooth and steady uphill and downhill hike for a few miles. It did seem to last forever, since this was my longest hike to date on the AT. But I was glowing with pride at my accomplishment, despite being super tired.

We finally got to Standing Indian Shelter, and I was exhausted. After a quick dinner, we tucked in to the shelter for the night.

As we were settling in, lots of other hikers stopped in to have dinner and then go hang their hammocks or set up their tents. I loved hearing about everyone’s hike at this time of day, but I was happy that it was only us in the shelter. More people bring more snoring.

After some discussion, we made a decision to do a shorter hike tomorrow, so I don’t overdo it on my newly minted hiker legs. Thinking about a shorter hiking day helped me relax and melt into my mummy bag for a good sleep. It was mostly a quiet and peaceful sleep, no coyotes woke me up.

Falling in Love with NC

We woke up to a crisp cold morning, and because I didn’t have to rush we had coffee together. Our pre-dawn minutes were spent watching all our friends from last night hike out at dawn.

Hiking in NC was turning out to be full of new terrain. Some parts of the trail are dry and rocky, but five miles later it’s lush with little streams and creeks to cross every mile. You cannot get bored hiking in NC. 

We also still had snow and ice on the ground in a few places because the elevation was so high the ground was still frozen. I have said it before, but the whole reason I wanted to start hiking in February was to hike in the snow. So I was tickled pink!

Our high elevations made me feel like I was on top of the world. At one point, I spotted a huge black bird soaring, but it was soaring BELOW us. I had never had that experience before and it amazed me. 

At 5,000 feet of elevation, I could see for miles and miles. Some of my favorite views were of the aqua colored lakes far, far in the distance. I would make guesses about what the tiny buildings in the distance might be too. It was always hard to hike on from these beautiful lookout spots.

I love the colors of the trail, and the mosses and lichens on the fallen trees provide the most luxurious shade of green. Certainly, high fashion designers use these shades as inspiration for their creations.

NC provided me with the most visual inspiration so far, from the bright, shiny green leaves of the rhododendron to the tiny light green leaves of the Mountain Laurel. I wish I was a visual artist, but my drawings and paintings are child-like. Thankfully, as a budding iPhone photographer, I am learning from the absolute best.

We happily arrived at Carter Gap Shelter around sunset after a relaxing and gorgeous day of hiking. Dinner was cold tonight while we planned our next big day! 

Tomorrow we planned to make it to the 100 mile fire tower. I wanted to do another 12 mile day, but Bill kindly gave me some bail out points in case Albert Mountain kicked my ass. I went to bed excited to take tomorrow by the horns!

100 Miles Under My Belt

We woke up early, and I had my quickest pack up time yet before 7am. A gorgeous one hour hike to our first summit was perfect. It was a crystal clear day, and we could see for miles.

As always, I didn’t want to leave the summit, but we were on our way to the 100 mile fire tower. I ate a quick snack and took off again.

As we hiked toward Albert Mountain, each turn opened up another view. The mountains went on for miles and miles. Between the mountain tops, we hiked through tunnels of rhododendron.

It was the most pleasant hike of the AT so far. Bill warned me that the rest I was getting at this point was to set me up for the mega-climb up Albert Mountain. Thankfully, the gorgeous views helped me stay calm and focused as I faced this challenging hike.

The climb up Albert Mountain started with us connecting with one of my favorite hikers, When. I apologized for my slow speed and offered to let him pass me. He declined, telling me I was a good pace setter.

So onward and upward I went. The climb was the most difficult of the AT so far, similar to our first climb in NC. But slow and steady wins the race, and that is how I approached Albert Mountain. Climb the rocks. Climb the steps. Climb the even higher rocks. Climb a lot more steps. Rinse and repeat.

Finally, we reached the top. I cried happy tears and cheered for myself! My friend When celebrated. I celebrated. Bill was filming us, but after the camera was down we celebrated too. What a glorious moment!

We had lunch at the top of Albert Mountain, and then headed out for our last few miles to camp. I knew my second 12 mile day of the week was going to happen. My pride was visible.

Our friend, When, arrived at Rock Creek Shelter before we did, and he was settling in as we arrived. We set up camp, and I got into our tent to take care of my feet and legs. Bill and When chatted and got dinner ready. 

I arrived for dinner, and When declared that he was hiking out at first light. Bill and I decided to start late tomorrow, since temperatures were supposed to get down into the teens that night. 

We all said good night anticipating an easier day tomorrow.