Hikes in the Southern Appalachians by Doris Gove Descend across the bald and turn right, leaving the cattle fence and now entering thin woods of stunted beeches. If there was ice on the trail higher up, there is probably some here as well, because this slope faces north and melts last.
Hikers pack the snow, so there is often more ice on the trail than beside it.
Hang on to the trees. After several switchbacks, the AT crosses an open field to Doll Flats at 10.2 miles, a good tent site with tall red maples. The AT swings left and then right as it meets another branch of the Shell Creek road. Tent sites at the beginning of Doll Flats are overused and trampled, but nearer this road there are grassy sites. About 0.1 mile down the road to the left is a spring.