Date: 2010-04-03
From: Double Spring Shelter

To: Newfound Gap/Gatlinburg
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: overcast clouds

What a day -- What a day!I left out at first light, hoping for the best. The trail, however, was snow covered soon after I started my hike up to Clingman's Dome -- at more than 6,000 feet, the highest point on the entire AT. The trail was clear on the sunny sides of the mountain, and snow covered on the shady sides, so there was some altering of conditions. Still, it took me over two hours to hike the 2.9 miles to the observation tower at the top of Clingman's. That was where the "fun" began.Just getting across the top of Clingman's was a challenge. The trail had 3-4 feet of snow on it. In some places, it was packed down enough by previous hikers that you could sort of walk across the top surface. In various places, however, just as you shift your weight from one foot to the other, one of those feet would sink down to the bottom of the pile. What this means is that ONE of your legs is now bent out in front of you, or behind you, and the other one is straight up and down, but buried up to your ass in the cold, hard white stuff. Your boot, meanwhile is soaking up all the water that has melted and is now down at the bottom of the snow on the surface of the trail. This is not a comfortable position. Nor is it a very comforting one, in terms of whether or not you may be able to extract the sunken leg anytime before the eventual spring melt. The EFFORT needed to free that sunken leg adds to the sense of frustration, not to mention the growing fatigue, as it is rather more difficult than simply moving one's legs along the surface of the trail as if one were actually HIKING. To make matters worse, just after crossing the summit, I managed to get off the trail, following other unlucky hiker down the hill and into even deeper snow drifts. As I struggled to free myself, I heard another hiker coming, who turned out to be EZ and Trail Trash. They helped me get back on the trail, with EZ even stomping out a path for me to follow from where I'd gotten myself well and firmly planted in the snow, and I then followed them as we set off down the mountain. Not long after, Joe passed me, muttering some of the same words I had used to describe the hiking conditions. For the best part of the next two hours, we struggled our way down Clingmans toward the next gap. The only thing I had going for me was gravity. As we were going down hill, I at least did not have to struggle though those drifts going UP HILL, which I wasn't sure, at that point, I'd have the energy to do. Unfortunately, I knew from last year that there Mount Collins awaited us when we reached the gap. And I knew that ol' Private 2nd Class Walter M. (for Mitty) Longhaul was going to need a new plan.Fortunately for me, EZ slowed his pace to be sure I was doing ok -- for which I shall forever be grateful. It's not safe for anyone to be out hiking alone in those conditions, as it's just all too easy to break something and be stuck out there in the snow, but I still felt badly that I was slowing him up. After a couple of hours, I was in need of a break, and just then came upon Joe and EZ in a small clearing sitting on a fallen log. They pointed to the right, where I say, to my relief, the cleared asphalt surface of the service road that runs from the top of Clingman's down to the Gap. Salvation! To make a long story short, I used that ribbon of yellow stipped surface to get my butt the rest of the way to Newfound Gap, and made no apologies to anyone for having taken an alternative trail out of the wilderness. It's important to recognize what is safe and sensible hiking, and what is not. That was most assuredly NOT. At least not for ME. My one regret was that I was then forced to miss out meeting up with two dear friends from last year's hike, the twins (Newt and Ms. Scarlett) and their incredible Mom, who were planning to be out doing maintenance on the section of the AT they have adopted between Mount Collins and the GAP. They had promised me trail magic, and I was looking forward to that, but mostly just to seeing my friends again. To make a long story short, I hiked the service road down to the GAP where I met up with Loose, Christine and John. We took separate hitches into Gatlinburg where I was more than happy to become ensconced in the Grand Prix Motel once again. A hot shower, laundry, and a great dinner at my favorite local steak house (with a fabulous salad bar), and all was well. To top off the day, Newt and Ms. Scarlet and their Mom came by the restaurant for hugs and a quick reunion. It was SO good to see them. And my friends were grateful for the trail magic they got, so it all worked out really well.Alls well that ends well, as they say. Unfortunately, the story isn't over. I'm planning a zero day tomorrow, to recover from the beating I took at the hands of the trail today. After that, however, it's back up to the GAP and we head north. I understand there is snow north bound from the GAP as well, but can't get an accurate picture of what to expect. Almost everyone here is going north, like me. Oh well. I'll come up with a plan. I don't know what, exactly, but it will be sensible. For me.