Date: 2013-04-12
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: moderate rain

At around 6:30 a.m., the storm had passed and everone startd moving about. Though the rain had passed, the clouds hung low and heavy overhead. I was in no rush to get out because I really hoped to get a view from Clingman's Dome (the highest point on the AT), especially since the view at Blood Mountain and Albert Mountain had been awash. I set off about 7:45, raingear and pack cover on, but the only water was that on the ground and that on the vegetation. The trails were flowing with water. Some times I flowed with the water, and sometimes I flowed with the water, and sometimes I flowed against it. The trail often seemed more like a stream than a walking path. My new boots (now well covered in mud) proved to be virtually waterproof. Yeah! The woods smelled so fully of balsam that it was hard to believe my nose wasn't buried in a sachet. The woods closed in around me. It was dark and "Grimm's fairytale-esque." It was fascinating. Every now and them rays of sunshine would break through, and the raindrops would sparkle on the balms like earrings from a fancy lady's earlobes. But then the clouds would darken the forest again.It was mostly an "up" morning to get to Clingmans Dome, and the closer I got to the top, the thicker the fog became. When I finally saw the tower, it was wrapped in a thick hazy blanket. Chumy and Knight Rider walked to the top with me. Water droplets clung to Chumy's eyelashes. My body temperature started dropped, and I shivered in my rainjacket. I had someone take my picture in front of the fog. Oh well. I was at Clingmans!I headed back down and followed the watery stream of a trail. The balsam filled my nostrals, and I couldn't help but smile. Fog or not, today has hands-down been my favorite day in the Park! About 30 minutes after leaving the top, the sun suddenly burned through the clouds. I turned my gaze back towards the top, and Clingmans shone as clear and perfect as you please. Oh well, I wasn't hiking back up there. I had just hit the 200 mile mark, and that was good enough.I caught up with Bitter Goat at Newfound Gap. He's always so positive and I don't think I've ever seen him without a smile on his face. I stopped in to the public restrooms to use a flushing toilet (a true novelty), but they had done away with sinks. Too bad, I was really looking forward to washing my hands I got to Icewater Spring Gap around 5:30 p.m. There were some section hikers huddled around the shelter area, while the thruzhikers were busy pitching their tents in the surrounding grass. There was a back-country Park Ranger there checking permits (we now have to buy a $20 permit to pass through the park. I don't mind paying for Park use, but I'm still pretty annoyed by the shelter use policy). His name was Steve, and he was incredibly nice and personable. He really seemed to enjoy his job, but I certainly don't envy it. I hope people treat him well. I had planned to "cowboy camp" (sleep out in the open without a shelter) to enjoy the starry night, but as soon as the sun started going down, the temperature bottomed out. I noticed frost forming on top of my bivy sack. Hmmmmm.... Perhaps I'd sleep in the shelter after all. There was still plenty of room in the shelter, so I moved my stuff in there. I chatted with the section hikers (Tim from Florida- great guy!, John- former Air Force, and two couples that were really nice, but stayed up way later talking than any of the rest of us would have liked) and was glad to have a 12 F bag.