Date: 2006-03-12
From: Almost Sassafrass Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Hilton
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: broken clouds

Be Prepared.Spring Break began this week for some colleges. This morning at Sassafrass Gap Shelter we ran into a group of 4 guys from the University of Florida out for a few days. they were walking a good ways ahead of us when we heard a scream followed by obscenity. Krispie, a wilderness first responder, ran to the scene and i followed shortly. when we got there, one of the college students was on the trail grasping his leg, one boot off. he had twisted his ankle somehow on the trail past cheoah bald.   the others were looking around trying to figure out what to do. krispie told them he was a wfr and asked if they needed any help. one spring breaker said he was a wfr too. so, as we are about to leave, thinking there is no reason to stick around, he asks krispie, "so, should i just wrap his foot in duct tape? that's what they told us in class...i'm taking the class now."so, we stopped and helped. the guy tried to put his boot back on, but his foot was too swollen and painful. when he tried, i was looking down over his shoulder and saw his foot go one way and his leg another. my first reacion was too shriek and say, "oh shit! your ankle is definitely broken! that looks terrible!" but i controlled myself, knowing it was not the best thing to do. krispie cut a sleeping pad and made a splint for his swollen foot. we told them to have one friend run down to the nearest road crossing at stocoa gap and then hitch to the NOC to bring the car around. not seeing any forest service roads on the AT map, the other 2 guys would have to help their friend down the trail. Krispie took the injured guy's almost empty pack down the mountain to stocoa gap. waiting there was the emergency rescue squad, who questioned us about the incident and made plans to go around with a 4x4 to cheoah bald. pogue and big un' had come across the college guys about 15 feet from where we had left them. it was impossible to carry their injured friend out the 5 miles to stocoa gap and their cell phone didn't have reception. big un's phone magically had reception and they called 911 (go cingular!).well, this mishap did slow us down quite a bit, so our plan for a 23 mile day to fontana dam looked a little tough. Krispie's friend Kerry was going to meet us at the dam, so we really had to go. my feeling of crawling, climbing out of hell for eternity came back. i have forgotten about forgiving mountains with a view at the top and a downhill afterward. the trail is relentless. we go up. then up again. and again. rechid trail. the top of my left foot began to ache. 7 miles short, we found a road that looked like it would take us to a bigger road and possibly a hostel. we walked about 3 miles to the hike inn. it's a very cool place owned by nancy and jeff hoch. there is a sign at the road crossing that says the hike inn is 2 miles off the trail. it's not. or it's a very long 2 miles. anyway, the hike inn offers many services. bluebird and abandon were there. we had kerry pick us up and take us to the fontana hilton, a shelter right on fontana lake that sleeps 25 comfortably. we slept outside by the fire ring. it was wonderful and very warm. we met pyro and grizzy who are students at Appalachian State. tomorrow we should start the smokies and it looks like we've got great weather for it.