Date: 2017-04-11
From: Erwin TN - Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel

To: Iron Mountain Gap
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: clear sky

Well, let me explain something and maybe introduce a little controversy. Today I hiked from Iron Mountain Gap back to Erwin TN. Normally most people would not notice just by reading my journal entry. However some people are known as "purists". They have very strict rules on how a hike should be done and will try to impose them on everyone they meet. So, I left Erwin TN this morning and had a shuttle take me out to Iron Mountain Gap and then I hiked back. In addition, I did not bring my stove or my tent since I would not need them for a single day's hike. This is called "slackpacking" by the purists as they look down their nose at you. I love this. I love to hike 20 miles north to south on my northbound (NOBO) hike and watch the faces of hiker friends I meet to see their reaction. Mostly nobody cares, and it is really fun to tweak the sensitivities of the purists. On a Georgia to Maine hike almost everybody hikes a few times southbound just because things work out better that way. Doing these 20.2 miles this way allows me to carry 4 days food instead of 5 once I leave Erwin for good on my way to Dennis Cove Road where I will resupply in Hampton TN. Five days of food taxes my strength still, with all the clothes I am carrying. This is a good plan for me. The hike today was still a tough one. I was on the trail at 7:30 feeling strong. There was a climb up Little Bald Knob and Cherry Gap shelter was about 3 miles in. The two main challenges for the day are Unaka Mountain (pronounced you-nake-ah) and Beauty Spot. These are both beautiful but different. Unaka Mountain is about 5200 feet elevation and has a crown of spruce trees that are not seen again until New Hampshire. Beauty Spot is another bald mountain with spectacular views in all directions, including a look down to the town of Erwin. The climb to Unaka is tough. The spruce trees at the summit are so thick that you hike into night - very dark. It is a beautiful effect. Then a steep rocky difficult trail down again and another big climb up to Beauty Spot. These were both beautiful. All the hikers had smiles on their faces as they had just seen one or the other of these locations, or were about to climb the next one ahead for them and were hearing the excitement of other hikers who were coming down from up there. The third obstacle for today was the long hot walk back to Erwin from Beauty Spot. There is lots of difficult rocky trail, some of it severely steep down hill over loose rocks and rhododendron roots. 20.2 miles is a long way. The reward for the last few miles is to come to the Nolichucky River that I had seen on the hike into Erwin the other day. The river comes through the gorge and the Clinchfield Railroad bridge crosses the river in the gorge, all of which I had seen from above on the far side of the river as I descended into town. Today I saw all of that part of the river in the gorge, plus the railroad bridge and the river rapids right up close as I came through. I was very tired and also glad to get back because there was a cookout scheduled with hot dogs, hamburgers, salad, etc. But I was also glad to have that part done and the remaining miles in this section to go over the next 4 days. The heat this afternoon was hard to handle - one of the few hot days since I started. The last 4 to 5 miles had me concerned that my body just might not be able to handle this. Tomorrow will tell as I load up 4 days of supplies and head out. I prayed to ask God to strengthen me because the hike today seemed to tax me to the limit. Goodnight Sweetheart.