Date: 2006-03-15
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: clear sky

I'm writing on the morning of the 16th because for the first time, I didn't wake up to write in the middle of the night.Yesterday was a mixed bag. I had a strong start. I tented up on the cold, windy ridge at Cooper Ridge Bald. I woke to a 22 degree dawn. Watched the sunrise as I packed up. I gave the wake-up call to the Folks in the shelter and set out on the trail.Beautiful morning as the sun came up. It slowly filled teh valleys driving the shadows out. Some good bare vistas to appreciate it all. I love the mountains here. They're round and sprawling. Look in any direction and they look like waves on every horizon.I hiked alone in the quiet. The cold air and wind keep you moving. Feet and poles get into the beat. I started out with every layer on and stopped periodically to strip some off. First scarf and neck gaiter, then long john top and long pants, then mittens and 2nd shirt.Made another stop to duck behind a tree. Now I say it was comical, but not at the time. Ground was frozen and I had to do some hard chiseling to dig a cat hole. Then the wind picked up my toilet paper and spun out a 10 foot streamer over my head. It was like Leslie Caran's scarf in Singing in the Rain. The whole time, my cold ass is sticking out from behind the tree, silhouetted in the morning sun.After some good ridge hiking the morning took a turn. I crossed a logging road and missed my neat white blaze. I proceeded up a very steep old logging road. Seemed natural because the trail always goes up an often overgrown road. I'm looking down at my feet and the ground. It was a long time before I looked up and saw no white blazes. When I finally did, I kept going, thinking I'd see a blaze soon. No way was I going back down that mountain only to walk up again. After a mile or so of hiking, I turned around and hiked back down again. The real trail was at the very bottom near the road. I turned onto it uttering many explitives. The group behind me thought it was very funny.I plowed through the rest of the day's hike steaming with anger. It was a very tough route after my mistake. Steep uphills followed by a very long, steep descent into the Nantahala River Valley. Several times I came to cliffs that dropped straight down. The trail would descend to one side on vertical rock ladders. Parts of this section were poorly maintained. Erosion and mud made for slow and somewhat hazardous going.Sped through the last mile with JP and Roadrunner just behind. The trail crosses the bridge into the NOC. There's resupply, mail pickup, and an outfitter here. There were food boxes waiting. I'll have another in 3 days at Fontana Dam. Too much food. I'll forward more up the line and learn another lesson.I needed the outfitter for fuel, a knife, and a new waste belt for my pack. I've been having serious back pain that stops me in my tracks. The outfitter thought the belt was too small and ordered another one. Unfortunately I can't pick it up until Gatlinburg, about a week away. Gatlinburg's a major tourist trap and we had not planned to stop there. The pain's getting so bad though, I'll try anything.Rather than stay at the hostel here we tented on the riverbank further down the river. Huge campfire and lots of hikers. The young excitable ones, meaning all but me and Bushwhacker were pounding down beers and having a great time. I had a fine time too but without risk of a hangover for another day of hiking.I've no idea where the hiker's passion for all this cherry began, but cherry flavored treats made their way around the fire. Jolly ranchers in one direction and lollipops in the other.Raining. Running out to cover my pack.