Date: 2009-06-07
From: Fontana Hilton

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: broken clouds

Beautiful morning. I snuck a dozen eggs in my pack the day before and made bagged omelets for everyone. It was a big hit. I figured we all needed a good breakfast for our climb today up into the Great Smoky Mountains. After breakfast, we all jumped into the lake. The water was a beautiful clear blue, in a little lagoon, and nice and WARM! We had fun jumping out of trees. (See video @ www.photobucket.com/erictoole as well as my other pic... when they get there, may take a few weeks...) We then all went to the Fontana Dam and signed our permits for hiking through GSMNP. We all hung out for a bit, took pictures, soaked up the grandeur of the massive dam, and had ice cream We then started our long climb from 1700ft at the Dam, to the first shelter way up at 4500ft. Everything was going great until distaster struck. Had 3 miles to go to the shelter when I realized I was missing my camera! I dropped my pack and ran back for it. Ran past most of the group that was behind me in different intervals, just yelling out that i'd forgot my camera as I ran by at full speed. I didn't realize how far back it was until I got there, and got worried if I'd made a fatal mistake in judgement. I left my pack unattended in the Smokies, which has the greatest black bear population anywhere in the U.S. It was getting close to being dark, I didn't bring water, and I risked alot by running... e.g. breaking a leg. On top of this, I was extremely tired. I left the camera 2.5 miles back, where I had stopped and went off the trail to "dig a hole" and hung the camera on a tree. Lucky is was still there. That was a relief, believe me, but I still had my pack to worry about. So, I made my best attempt to run most of the way back, even though it was mostly uphill. I was almost sure my whole pack would either be completely gone, or torn apart, shredded all over the woods as the bear went for my food. I can't explain how relieved I was when I came up that final stretch, huffing and puffing, extremely thirsty, and drained of energy; to find Mike standing there with my pack!!! He was all excited and so was I and we kind of talked over each other for a minute, when I realized what he had to say and what he was about to show me. He had just not long before I got back, took a video of a BIG black bear creeping in closer and closer, with his eyes on my pack. The bear didn't see him standing there, and when the bear got uncomfortably close, Mike barked at him which scared the bear and sent him running off in fear yelping like a seal or a wounded dog. (I can't wait to hear the audio on that video) My pack was a goner. Thanks Mike you saved my life! I owe you big time... He was just so amped up over having such an encounter with the bear. The last 3 miles to camp were the hardest three miles ever. It took every ounce of energy and willpower to take each step. That 5 mile run for the camera really took alot out of me. I got to the shelter and collapsed on the ground. Not realizing I was laying on my back in the mud. Once, I got some fluids and food in me, and massaging some icy hot into my leg muscles as well as taking some IB Profen I felt alot better incredibly fast. It wasn't long before I crawled into my sleeping bag in my little space in the shelter and fell right to sleep.