Date: 2016-04-21
From: The NOC 

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: overcast clouds

4/21 - Day FifteenThe horror. Today was the day to climb out of the NOC. The climb to hell has been talked about in hushed tones ever since Blood Mountain. Evidently this was going to be a real workout. It was. I started the day easy enough in the bunk room at the NOC with Shawn, Tracie and Feel Good. Feel Good had to stay with us when at the end of the day at the river he discovered someone stole his shoes. Whatever you do, take care of your shoes! A big group of hikers were eating breakfast at the NOC restaurant. I joined them. Everyone seemed to have different plans. Hula Bear's boyfriend was coming to see her so she was zeroing. Shawn was zeroing to hang out with Alex (trail romance anyone?) and another bunch was planning on a whitewater rafting trip. So as it turns out I was hiking out alone.I ate and prepared a small package of extra weight to be shipped home .... It's amazing what gets culled. Afterwards i headed for the climb.I saw relatively few hikers on the way up. In fact I met more people coming southbound. About a mile in I met an older gentlemen who said the only water available was 2/3 up to the first shelter (4.5 miles) so I immediately went into water conservation mode. The climb to the Sassafras Gap Shelter was 7 miles and the climb was 3,000 feet. The cruel part being there was some flat sections so to make up for this some of the climbs were steep. The hike was never ending.I reached the water 2/3 up and replenished (I had not run out, but the cool spring water was refreshing). There I finally started to see other hikers.The last 2 miles or so to Sassafras Gap Shelter were a new kind hard. It seems that in this part the good folks who carved the AT into the mountain decided that switchbacks made it too easy for hikers. If this hike was on the 2nd or 3rd day from Springer, 50% of all hikers would quit before Neels Gap. As I was fighting one of the straight up-hill battles a fast moving southbounder passed me and said something like.. Be positive at least the sun is not out. I found out later that this hiker was The Real Hiking Viking and he was days away from completing the first ever winter southbound thru-hike. Supposedly he started in Maine in December.I made it to Sassafras Gap Shelter. As I got there the weather changed to windy. I was beat, but it was way early. I took all things into consideration...rain, more hard miles ahead, physical limitations and decided to hunker down here.The vibes were odd a sat first I knew none of the hikers here. I met Peril (who I saw yesterday briefly) and I met Scoutmaster. More and more hikers came in including Salami and Dirty Bowl (both who have recently completed thru-hikes on the PCT). These cats are ultra-liters and cover miles.I was glad to see Trek and Feel Good come in. They are the only two hikers of my crew that are here. Seems like everyone is very tired and it's a very quiet night at the Sassafras Gap Shelter.One cool thing I saw today was the memorial to Wade Sutton. Wade was a Forest Service Firefighter who died in the mountain on Dec 7, 1968 battling a forest fire. I stopped a minute and paid my respects. I thought a quiet moment was better than laying a coin or some other junk on the memorial like so many people did, but I guess that is how some people acknowledge sacrifice.On a sad note I just received a text from Dave The Judge. We hung out at the river yesterday. I liked Dave as we were close in age and he is a good guy. Unfortunately he got off the trail today after a brutal hike. I suggested he zero and think it over. Tomorrow I hike over Jacob's Ladder. I am told its part hiking and part rock climbing. I can't wait!As I finish this update it is 8:30 pm am some wicked shit just blew in. It's windy and raining like mad. The decision to hunker down paid off.