Northern NC/TN (May 7-10)

May 7.  

I was tent camping in the yard at Uncle Johnny’s Hostel in Erwin, TN into this morning.  It rained at times overnight, and then loudly towards morning.  I was hoping it would pass by 0600 so that I wouldn’t have to make a tough decision to pack up and start hiking in the rain.  Fortunately, the drops were gradually subsiding as I started packing up.

It was so nice and convenient to walk into the hostel bathroom and wash my face.  I was dreading the inconvenience of hiking in rain, as the forecast predicted rainy weather for the next several days.  I decided I would stay at a hostel earlier than originally expected, if the next few days were a miserable couple of days.

The rain subsided.  I packed up my soaking wet tent and ate breakfast, waved goodbye to a hiker who offered me a pop-tart as I walked by, and started across the Nolichucky River bridge to the trail.  

The trail gradually ascended to Clyde Smith Shelter, initially crossing Jones Branch Creek several times.  The trail itself was also a small creek, given the recent rainfall.

I was glad to see the skies lighten throughout the morning.  I hiked up some steeper grades to the shelter and sat inside to eat a snack while several hikers packed their bags.  The four hikers there weren’t saying much, and I wasn’t sure what the dynamic was between them.  Maybe they were feeling down about the rain. 

I was glad I hadn’t hiked up to the shelter the evening before, as there were many tents and hammocks clustered in a small, uneven area.  I didn’t see any flat sites, which makes for a miserable night of trying to sleep while sliding.

One hiker’s dog pooped beside a small creek near the shelter, which fed into the water most hikers who camped there would draw from, and she said, “C’mon, dog” as if the dog should know better.  She did not go over and bag up the leavings.  It was annoying to see.  I was glad I didn’t need water yet, and felt ready to get out of there.

I hiked on, stopping a few miles later to attempt to dry my tent in the weak sunlight.  A hiker couple walked by as I was snacking and the wife asked me how my night had gone.  I told her “I’m okay, but my things are damp”, and she said, “So like every day?”  We laughed.  She helped me fling my tent fly up and down “like hell” as she instructed, to shake off the raindrops.  I appreciated her efforts. 

 I was pleased by sunshine in the afternoon.  The hike up Unaka Mountain was another big climb after the initial climb to get up to higher elevation after Erwin.  It was pretty up there- boreal forest.  Spruce fir forest, with moss at the bases of all the conifers.  Little evidence of rotting fallen trunks- I wondered if a fire had burned through here in the recent past, which had cleared the area.

A hiker with norovirus/stomach flu lay resting in the next shelter.  His plan seemed to be to try to ride it out there.  Another hiker rested in the shelter as well- unclear whether they both were sick, or one was caring for the other.  Hikers gave them a wide berth.  I often wonder why norovirus has been so prevalent on the trail this year.  It makes you want to avoid privies and favor the cat-hole option, in spite of the inconvenience of the hole digging.

The rest of the day was uneventful.

May 8.  

I heard coyotes howling several times in the early part of the night, howling their hearts out.  I was glad to be camping near a hiker couple.

Towards morning, a downpour hit.  It subsided by 0600- I was glad.  The rain was hard enough and my tent has been sustainedly wet enough that rain dropped from a few places overhead.  The drops on my face kept me from oversleeping.

I packed up and ate breakfast in my tent.  It was misty outside.  The couple started stirring as well.  

The weather forecast for the day was rainy thunderstorms greater than 50% at 3p, 4, 6, 8 and  through the evening.  Nice, ha.  It looked like it could be a tough day.

I chatted a bit with the couple, who, after we chatted about the weather, asked me if I hadn’t hiked this trail before…?  Implying that a person would be crazy to choose to hike this trail again.  We laughed and I told them that it hadn’t been this rainy the first time I hiked.

I started hiking.  The heavy mist started to clear.  I soon stopped for a snack and enjoyed the lightening sky.  

I could look ahead to Roan Mountain where it was very misty towards the summit.  The sky started to darken around 1100.   I stopped to eat a snack as the rain started to fall.  I had to laugh a bit to myself- there wasn’t anything to be done, I needed to eat, so I was just sitting and eating in the rain for a bit.  It was both pathetic and freeing, to make the best of it all.

Soon I started hiking.  I was thankful that the temps were warm, in the 70s.  I hiked in my shorts and a raincoat, and soon the rain fell so heavily that I was glad for the raincoat’s protection instead of just sweating under it.

The downpour was invigorating, and I think it actually made the climb up Roan Mountain easier.  The hiking turned into splashing my way up a trail that had become a 2” waterfall.  

A young hiker passed me.  I asked how she was doing and she laughed and said, “I guess I can’t complain”, as rain beat down around us. 

The rain intensified to a lightning/thunderstorm, accented by pea sized balls of hail falling for a few minutes.  I was glad they weren’t painful!

I hiked up to a man and the young hiker standing under a cluster of spruce-fir to wait out the lightning.  The man said, “You can wait here with us if you want.”  I said thanks, but I was going to keep hiking.  We were under pretty good tree cover, even if we kept moving.  They soon followed.  

Eventually I made it up to the shelter at the top of Roan Mt, after a long wet hike.  The shelter was warm and crowded with kind hikers.  I found a spot on the floor to eat, and took my time eating a long lunch, waiting for the rain and lightning to subside.  I sat for a while, along with the others, wondering how long I should wait.  I thought of how I’d been through stormy conditions the last time I hiked Roan Mt, as well.  This area!  That time I’d chosen to continue, then dramatically had to turn back as rain and hail pelted me on the open balds ahead.

I decided to start hiking down to Carvers Gap so that I’d be close to the balds ahead when the lightning subsided.  It all worked out well.  Admittedly, I felt exhilarated to set off into the rain again as everyone else stayed in the dark shelter.  It was a cold start, but as so often happens, I warmed up quickly once I started moving.  The trail continued to flow like a waterfall, and the fresh scent of pine permeated the air. 

I hiked down to the gap and was pleased that the rain was gradually subsiding.  I was crossing the road there to read some signs about the balds, when Thomas and another hiker popped out of the forest behind me.  I was surprised and happy to see Thomas- I’d imagined he might get off trail because of rain forecasts, as he’d told me that might be the case.  I said, “I’m surprised to see you!”, and he told me he’d found a note somewhere that said “Hikers hike,” and thought okay, I better keep hiking.  That made me laugh.

I kept hiking as they both adjusted their rain gear in anticipation of crossing over open Jane Bald and Round Bald.  The balds opened up with views, then mist, then views.  It was really pretty to hike over them and see the clouds and surrounding valleys.  I felt so lucky and a bit victorious to be there as the skies cleared.  It was pretty too, to look back and see Roan Mountain with the red spruce and Fraser firs.

The trail was extremely slick and muddy on the way to the next shelter.  I slid many times, and felt a little worried for two elderly hikers I passed.  

The sun came out for the first time all day and hikers were out chatting at the next shelter, milling around after having been sheltered under the roof for a bit.  I chatted for a bit, then hiked on to the Overmountain shelter area.

Thomas caught up, and I was glad.  He was fun to laugh with.  After he talked about running out of water and hiking dry for miles, I laughed and said, “Well, your backpack was probably lighter without water”, and he said dryly but not unkindly, “Yeah, I should go without water all the time.”  He said he’d run out of water 19 miles ago, yikes!  Though really, no one was drinking much on a day like this.

We had a nice peaceful evening eating, me drying my tent, camping, and talking to other hikers who showed up.  We camped by the trail instead of by the ruins of the old shelter- the iconic old red barn that used to stand there was torn down a few years ago.  I was glad I got to see it last time, and could still remember it.

May 9.

Heavy rain and a thunderstorm hit from 2345 to 0045 overnight.  Rain beat down on the tent roof and lightning flashes lit up the tent from time to time.  I moved my belongings away from the walls and hoped that the tent wouldn’t leak too badly overnight.  When the rain falls so heavily, it tends to drip in a few places, including on to my face.  It is hard to sleep through water drips to the face.

I slept until morning, when I heard Thomas starting to stir.  It was raining lightly.  I started packing up as well.  My ground sheet was heavy because mud was caked on, and clung to it even as I folded it up.  I didn’t like thinking of carrying extra heavy gear that morning, caked with mud and wet.

We both put our packs on and started hiking, with Thomas leading.  We started the day with a climb up to Little Hump Bald.  I kept looking down the mountain to Overmountain Shelter area, where I could see a few tents, and the pretty valley below.  It continued raining lightly, but was not cold.  I had my leggings on, because my thighs were so chafed from hiking in the wet yesterday.  The inner hem of my shorts tends to chafe my thighs, when wet all day.

I thought Thomas might pull ahead of me, especially as I kept stopping to look back at the mountains we were leaving behind, but then I caught up to him again.  Once we broke out of the forest into the open plains of Little Hump, we saw hiker Ruby Red ahead of us.  Thomas called out his name and he turned and waved.  He was expressive.  He had camped out in that open bald area and, “No lie, spent the night praying to Jesus to protect me in the storm”.  I could only imagine the beating his tent would have taken on that open windy bald.   

We hiked together as the weather worsened.  The views in that entire area were so pretty, as these were quite large balds, or open areas on the mountains.  We wound over Little Hump Bald, then through the forest of Little Hump Mountain and down to the gap between Little Hump and Hump Mt.  A dense rain cloud obscured the summit of Hump Mt.  Rain had intensified and pelted us as we hiked over the open balds, not quite stinging but still strong and drenching.  

I pulled over to let Thomas and Red pass me as we climbed up Hump Mt.  It was a steep climb up Hump Mt in challenging conditions, and also beautiful.  I looked back and saw a hiker struggling along the bald way below.  It was both comical and inspiring to see this hiker like me, hunched into the wind, poncho whipping around, slowly and steadily progressing along.  

Eventually I caught back up to the two ahead as we started the long descent from the open bald back into the forest.  We all hiked together quietly and slipped in mud multiple times.  Finally the rain lessened, then ceased.  I told the guys I was taking a snack break and Thomas said “okey-dokey”, and see you up the trail.

I ate a snack, drank the rest of my instant coffee and took my time.  Eventually I continued on, descending through the forest in sunshine, down to a road and then a few more miles to the Refuge Hostel, aptly named.  I had reserved a space there for that night, and was eager to rest after several rainy days.

I found the hostel to be really wonderful.  Nice views of Roan Mt and one of the balds above, neat simple design, everything rustic and wooden, creative octagonal structure, friendly hikers.

I dried my tent, ground cloth, maps and numerous other things including my pack itself in the sunshine.  What a good feeling.  

After all the comforts of a shower, meal in town, laundry, and a good sleep in a real bed, I felt I’d be ready to hike again the next day.  

May 10.  

I woke around 0600 and started packing up my things at The Refuge hostel.  A hiker started the coffee pot. I ate a pop tart, drank coffee, then said goodbye to a few hikers I had met there.  One kind hiker handed me two oranges as I turned to go.

It was really nice to start hiking in the clear morning weather, with not a raindrop in sight.  I enjoyed the ease of the day, hiking steadily through lower elevations around 3000’ and meandering through forest and meadow, by creek, waterfall, cemetery, and a church, with nothing too challenging.

The morning was so peaceful, with birds chirping, brooks gurgling, gentle breezes whispering, and blue sky overhead.  The shade from ever expanding leaves on trees was also quite appreciated.  I hadn’t used sunscreen in several days.

It rained briefly in the afternoon but thankfully passed pretty quickly.  The skies were dark and often the winds increased for minutes as if a storm was brewing, but then nothing happened.  I was so glad for the respite from rain.

Towards the end of the day, I took a quick photo at pretty Laurel Falls, then hiked a final mile to a camp site that a hiker had texted me about.  Sure enough, she and another hiker were camping there, a pretty creek side site.

The hiker waved and then hugged me and asked how my day had been, and sat with me as I ate.  We caught up on the simple events and sightings of the day.  She and the other hikers there had arrived much earlier in the day, and had already eaten.

It was a nice day all around- hiking under sunny skies in pleasant surroundings, then camping with friendly hikers at day’s end.