Date: 2013-03-25
From: gooch gap shelter

To: blood mountain shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Even though we woke up hoping to get out before all the other hikers, we realized that many had beaten us out. This we found to be more bothersome than the dusting of snow that had happened overnight. Either way we were determined to make our goal for the day and hopeful that there would be shelter space. We figured that most hikers would be pressing on to Neel Gap as bear canisters are required between the following two shelters and there, and most hikers we've met won't carry them due to their bulk and weight. Most hikers except us of course.As we hiked out full of optimism, warm from climbing, we came across a few other hikers. Two North Carolina firemen, and another fellow whose name I can't recall but smelled strongly of whiskey and I suspected may be an alcoholic. We all had stopped to take in a view when the alleged alcoholic confessed he had a bottle of Jim Beam which he suspected broke open in his pack. After digging around he pulled out a half empty bottle and sighed, "Anyone want some whiskey?"Most of us refused at first, but in the end we all took a swig, some of us two, figuring it would help keep us warm in the cold - or at least give the illusion of warmth. The fellow was mildly disappointed as he had not envisioned drinking the bottle that way, but we all ended up hiking on in good spirits. Though we pushed ahead of the firemen, we kept pace with the fellow with the whiskey for awhile, chatting as we hiked along.As the day progressed more and more hikers were telling us of their intentions to stay on blood mountain, which was making us angry as they were not allowed to stay without a canister. Dan and I discussed how angry we'd be if the shelter was full and we were forced to pitch our tent in the snow when we were the only ones allowed to stay there lawfully.We pressed on anyway and when we came to the shelter, a large brick structure with gaping open windows, we were shocked to find it empty. It was apparent moxt other hikers had the sense to avoid the cold atop the highest mountain in Georgia. The shelter had an eerie feeling to it, the cold blowing in through the open windows, and trash floating about. Someone had left a couple sleeping bags in the back room, and evidence of a firepit was in a corner. As we debated whether to push on to Neel Gap, a couple other hikers showed up.Now there were four of us, and we began covering one of the windows with one of the abandoned bags to block the harsh wind from entering. Dan insisted we eat food and decide afterwards what we wanted to do. I was shivering and really pushing the idea of the three mile downhill hike to Neel Gap, but Dan insisted we could set up our tent inside and block off the other window and we'd be fine.After we'd gotten everything set up and crawled into our sleeping bags which we'd zipped together a few more hikers arrived. One of which was Steve, AKA Two Pack Sherpa. Sherpa informed us that several hikers had dropped off already, and was insisting that we were going to have a bear visit. He told us to be ready because he'd be blowing the large whistle attached to his pack and we'd all need to assist him in chasing it away. The bear never came.Sherpa was an interesting dude however, apparently he wasn't through hiking, but he was hanging out at shelters collecting things hikers left behind, some of which included a police baton and a hatchet. He gave us a shadow puppet show on our tent, and boiled water for the hikers in the morning, so regardless of his eccentricities he was a good guy in my book.This had to be one of the most difficult nights we had on the trail, and the next morning wasn't a whole lot better. It was so difficult to hike down the mountain with rock covered in sheets of iceand white blazes hidden beneath the blanket of snow, but we made it down the mountain to enjoy some hotdogs, and got hero points from other hikers for staying atop blood mountain in that weather.That'll be all for now, much more later, but we've gotta get packing.Over and out.