Date: 2006-05-22
From: Day Five - Unicoi Gap to Tray Mtn Shelter

To: Day Five - Unicoi Gap to Tray Mtn Shelter 
Miles today: 5.5
Weather: overcast clouds

May 22, 2006 DAY FIVE ON THE TRAIL-Unicoi Gap to Tray Mountain ShelterDay 5. Unicoi Gap to Tray Mountain Shelter (Only 5.5 miles)One of the major advantages of having a car in the area is that we can hike two or three day segments of the Trail out of sequence. Ris« had promised Gwyn that she would drive to Chattanooga, TN this weekend. Since the Unicoi Gap to Dicks Creek Gap hike will take two or three days, we will do it now - return to the motor home on Wednesday. Then we go to Neel¢s Gap on Thursday and hike to Unicoi. We will also cover the trail from Jerrard to Neels Gap in the near future and that will provide complete trail coverage back to Dick¢s Creek Gap where we will continue our progress north.We woke around 6:45 in a soft bed. Sunday morning and last night provided much needed time to recover. Ris« fixed an incredible breakfast. We decided to drink an extra quart of Gatorade in the morning as well as the evening. We departed the motor home and stopped in Hiawassee for power bars. We settled for 2 packs of small 1 oz candy bars. I plan to eat 2 every morning and 2 every afternoon for improved energy. We arrived at the Unicoi Gap Trailhead. Then, we made final pack adjustments. (Note: Now my pack weight is just below 30 pounds and since the pack is designed to carry up to 30 pounds, it feels really good on my back.)We headed up the trail and Ris« sat in the car and watched as we walked up the trail. It is 9:50 and temperature is around 60 degrees.The first climb was Rocky Mountain ¢ a constant uphill climb of 1065 feet. I was feeling really good. Legs and back are fine. Dennie is doing well ¢ he is staying up with me. He can even talk a little while we are climbing. That¢s a good sign.Rocky Mountain had several nice vistas, but the main problem with the vistas is that there are too many trees blocking them. Dennie thought someone should carry a chainsaw and selectively remove several of them. Then we began our descent. On the descent, we crossed over numerous big steps and angled flat rock faces that were wet from the rain.We arrived at Indian Grave Gap where we had lunch. I sat cross-legged on the ground for 60 minutes while we ate. Now¢¦could I get up?   YEA!! I got up and moving and still felt great.The next major climb was Tray Mountain and it is over a 1300-foot elevation change from Indian Grave Gap. On the way up to Tray Gap Road, we passed a tile coming directly from the mountain. I stopped to filter some water coming from the tile. Then our climb continued. We slowed down a bit, but we made it in fine shape.   Dennie¢s feet are hurting, but now in different areas than earlier in the hike. Sunday, he had made a phone call to REI where he bought the shoes. They gave him some advice on his shoes. We will see if the advice helps!On top of Tray Mountain, we found a National Geographic Survey marker. The views are really incredible. I wished for a clearer day, but such is life. We had to walk on lots of angled flat rocks as we crossed over the top. I saw the first rhododendron in bloom on this trip. The blue blaze shelter trail was only 0.2 mile from the top.   We arrived early, about 4:00 pm.The shelter is in a beautiful spot on the crest of the ridge. The area is less than 100 yards wide and then it drops away on both sides of the ridge. Supposedly, there are great sunrises and sunsets.The shelter is a typical 3-sided, single story that holds up to 7 people. There is a campfire area in front of the shelter with logs for sitting.We set up our sleeping bags and then Dennie went for his water. I stayed to keep an eye on our stuff.Seth, another hiker, arrived looking beat. He had hiked 15 miles today.Dennie returned with his water. I gathered my filter, one-gallon hydration bag, my Nalgene bottle, my Katadyn filter bottle and headed down the path. Water was approximately 300 yards from the shelter DOWNHILL! The water was coming right out of the mountain. The trail maintenance folks had built a concrete cube with a pipe for the water. I sat on top of the cube and lowered my intake pre-filter into the water. I connected the first bottle and started pumping. Then I filled the hydration pack, put away the filter, filled the filter bottle and started back up the hill. The hill was a lot steeper on the way back.Back at the shelter, it was time to fix dinner. This sequence is: first unpack the food, cooking pot, alcohol for fuel and stove; then set up the stove with windscreen and primer base; then pour water into the pot; add 1.5 oz of alcohol to stove and put 7-10 drops in the primer base; light the stove carefully; place pot on stove; when water boils add Lipton pasta dinner, package of instant mashed potato mix, 6 oz of hickory smoked tuna, powdered milk and tablespoon of olive oil; stir mixture until stoves goes out; then place pot into insulated cozy; seal cozy and wait for about 15 minutes. While we were eating, Seth said that Backfire might be here later tonight. He never did show up.Then we cleaned up and hung our food bags on the bear cable system. This is a combination of cables and shields that suspend our food above the ground and between two trees. Being above the ground keeps the food away from the bears. The shields and rotating pieces of PVC pipe keep mice, squirrels and other forest critters away.I made a pillow out of my clothes bag and pack. Then I covered them with a bandana and tied the ends. I fixed my silk bag liner in the sleeping bag. The liner is a thin silk bag that fits into the sleeping bag. The liner provides 7-8 extra degrees of warmth. It also helps to prevent the sleeping bag from absorbing strong hiker body odors. If it is too warm, I can unzip the sleeping bag and the liner will still keep me warm.When we set up came each night, I always remove the headlamp from my evening supply bag and put it around my neck where it stays until morning.With everything done, we sit and talk and watch the beautiful evening sky with the setting sun. We can see the sun through the trees, but it is not an open vista worth photographing.The night is getting very cold, so I snuggle down into the sleeping bag with the top of the silk liner over my head and I quickly fall asleep.