Date: 2022-10-18
From: Russell Field Shelter Mile 182.0

To: Wolf Creek Hostel (Exit at Fontana Dam Upper Lot) Mile 167.0
Miles today: 15.0

I woke up to pee shortly after midnight and it was down to 31. Was just starting to get chilly so I added the puffy (only partially zipped), buff and gloves. Woke up again around four to pee and it was down to 25 and I was just getting a little chilly again. The fire was mostly out and the wind had shifted so it was blowing partially into the shelter. I zipped up the puffy, added rain pants and jacket, and stretched the tent out on top of me to block the wind. That helped although it took me a while to fall back asleep. As I was trying someone added more wood to the fire but during the big gusts the draft stopped working and smoke poured out the front of the chimney although was mostly blown out of the shelter. Eventually fell asleep and woke up again at eight where it is currently 23 degrees (all temperature measured on Orchid¢s thermometer), cloudy, and still windy. I got up and got going leaving all the layers on. I left my water bottles at the back of the shelter and they are very slushy but not frozen solid. I made a double cup of hot chocolate along with the oatmeal. Body was warm but hands were freezing as the gloves and rain mitts kept coming off to complete a task that was hard with gloves on. Orchid and I got going about 9. I took off the rain gear and puffy but kept everything else on. We started with a pair of 700 foot climbs to which warmed me up slightly. However I would get chilly again on the descent. We¢re noticing that the lower mountains have better color. I kept adjusting clothing to maintain body temperature. Sleeves up and buff off as I climbed and then everything back down as we descended. It was warming as the day progressed and we descended but the sun never came out and the wind continued. We got to the Shuckstack Fire Tower at 1PM and it was still only 30 degrees. We climbed up the fire tower to get some great 360 degree views of the foliage and the lake. The floor has seen better days and is a bit sketchy. The wind was really blowing once we got above the trees so we didn¢t linger. We continued our descent down to Fontana Dam. It wasn¢t until we were most of the way down that I started to warm up and the temperature crept above freezing. We¢re thinking many of the understory plants won¢t survive after they thaw out. One tree was dropping its frozen leaves if you brushed up against it as you walked past. We crossed the top of Fontana Dam which is the tallest dam east of the Mississippi. It was built in the 1940¢s to supply power to the aluminum producer as part of the war effort. We got picked up by the shuttle driver who was interested in heading to Robbinsville for lunch and we were more than willing to join him. Afterwards we stopped at Ingles for some food to eat at the hostel before he drove us back to the hostel. We found out he had killed a 520lb bear that morning, which is the largest one he and his buddies had ever gotten, and had gotten 200lb of fat off it.  The hostel is a ranch house with four bedrooms that can accommodate about 8 people. Decadent, who we passed a couple of times before, arrived shortly after us. It¢s just the three of us so we each have a private room tonight. Tomorrow brings a planned zero.Steps 32800Weather Forecast: 42/28