Date: 2008-05-14
From: Winding Stairs Gap, (Franklin NC)

To: Fontana Dam Vistors Center, NC
Miles today: 56.3
Weather: overcast clouds

We beat the storm out of Franklin to the Siler Bald shelter. In fact it didn't rain until after dark. But when it did it was quite the storm. Lots of thunder & lightning. The rain just poured done in buckets for a couple hours. I was glad to be in the shelter even if it had a metal roof! The rain was blowing into the shelter, so we all moved our sleeping bags as far back as they could go. I had to break out one of my maps to keep the spray off my head. The rain was so loud on the roof that I couldn't sleep even with ear plugs!The next couple of days hiking to the Natahala Outdoor Center were nice. We had fantastic views from Wayah Bald. Could see Standing Indian and Albert mountains that we had hiked 2 & 3 days before. Stayed at Cold Spring Shelter which was abaptly named because it had a cold spring 15 ft in front of the shelter. So that night I made jello in the spring. It didn't totally set before dark, but it was close. The Cold Spring Shelter was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's. Unfortunately people were shorter then, so I kept hitting me head on one of the big logs used to support the roof!One observation is that spring comes at different times at different elevations. At 4-5000ft where I had been hiking the trees were just budding, at 3000ft the trees were starting to leaf, the dogwoods were out & there were lots of low flowering plants like trillium. Descending down to 2000 feet you would see azaleas and rhododendrons.The Natahala Outdoor Center (NOC) is focused on rafting / kayaking. They have a couple restaurants, an outfitters (where I resupplied), and several cabins with bunk rooms. I called ahead and fond out that there's no place to get shuttled off the trail prior to Clingman's Dome and though I'm ahead of schedule I can't make it there in time. So I took a zero day at the NOC. The weather that night was rough. I met a guy in the showers who had been working & living at the NOC in a tent. That night the wind was so strong that it ripped his tent to shreds.On the way up from the NOC, I had my first encounter with a snake. I was rounding the corner from a shady thicket of rhododendrons and turned the corner into the sun & stepped on it! It was scared and fled in one direction, while I was surprised and jumped in the other. I guess I'll have to pay more attention.The next night was quite cold. I was sleeping in a shelter. I was in my 15 degree sleeping bag with my long johns & ski hat on with the drawstring for my face pulled so tight you could only see my nose and mouth! That caused a late start to the day. Of course I suffered that afternoon because it was later so hot!I encountered some trail magic at just the right time. At the trailhead at Stecoah Gap, someone had left a bag of ice with a note. I took my last liter of water, a Gatorade packet & added some ice to make cold Gatorade - just the refreshing treat before hiking back up hill! I camped that night at Cody Gap, leaving a leisurely 10 miles down to Fontana Dam. The descent to Fontana Dam was long. The downhills normally take a toll on my knees, especially my left. I slipped on some rocks and pulled a muscle in my right quad. That made today's descent slow and painful. I was thankful for the warm shower that night at the Hike Inn - Jeff and Nancy are wonderful hosts, who understand hikers.