Date: 2008-01-13
From: North of Wayah Bald, NC

To: North of Wesser Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: light rain

I woke up about 7am and took a little while before I started my coffee, but I did brew 24 ounces of delicious Starbucks. :-)It was a foggy morning, so I was hoping to wait long enough for the sun to come out and dry the tent some.I had four mini powdered mini donuts and ten chocolate mini donuts for breakfast.I was still trying to wait out the fog, so I read a few chapters in the book I'm carrying.I finally gave up on the fog leaving and packed my stuff and started walking at 9:55am.I got to the new Wayah Shelter at 10:05am and was hoping to sign the register, but there wasn't one, so I took a picture of the shelter and walked on.I was thinking that this was probably the first time I've gone over Wayah Bald without some comment from someone about why-ya bald?....Well, someone couldn't resist and wrote it in my guestbook today. :-)I descended off Wayah Bald and it was very easy walking this morning like a stroll in the park.I passed by Licklog Gap, and then climbed 3 or 400 feet before descending to Burningtown Gap.On the ridge between the two gaps were a few places I could see where people walked out to the edge for the view, but my views this morning was nothing but fog...but nothing wrong with that because I love walking through the woods in fog. It gives it a very different feel.I climbed about 700 feet out of Burningtown Gap and eventually got to Cold Spring Shelter.I stopped there for lunch and to sign the register.I had chicken salad and crackers, Fritos, diced peaches in light syrup, cashews and some beef jerky. I also drank a liter of lemonade I made from the cold spring. :-)I finished climbing the hill to Copper Ridge Bald and walked mostly along a ridge to Rocky Bald.I was glad I still had some climbing after lunch because I got chilled from that lemonade and the wind on this cool, damp day. It took that climb to warm me up.There are also rain clouds off to my left.I descended to Tellico Gap, and then started climbing my last climb of the day.I stopped about 1/3rd of the way up at a small stream and got water for the night and tomorrow morning.It was about an 800 foot climb and just before I got to the summit, I started seeing snow flurries.I was really glad it was snow because with the 35 degree temperature, it could have been a very cold rain.I climbed the Wesser Tower and took some pictures, then set up to eat dinner.I made a green onion and noodle soup, and then made a cup of chamomile tea.The snow flurries changed to snow pellets.I had really wanted to sleep on the tower tonight, but with the wind picking up, I decided to walk on for a while and save the tower for another night.I checked out around the tower for a nice flat spot. I could have set up there, but after sleeping on a slope last night, I decided to walk on and find a nice flat spot.I got to Wesser Bald Shelter and stopped long enough to sign the register, and then I walked on.It was mostly ridge walking after the shelter. I found a nice flat spot off to the side of the ridge about 15 minutes later.It was only 15 feet off the Trail, but I took it. :-)I set up my tent, blew up my air mat and crawled in for the night.It was still light out. I started writing my journal when I heard footsteps. It was a backpacker!! First one I've seen in 4 days on the Trail.It was a young guy and I'm guessing he was heading for the shelter. I said ¢Hi¢ as he passed and he said ¢Hi¢ back, and then he was gone.A real, honest to goodness backpacker!! Wow!! :-)Lucky for him we didn't meet while I was walking because I would have talked to him. Ha!! ;-)I'm snug and warm in my tent and it's now dark out. It was a good choice to walk on from the tower because I'm kind of protected from the wind, even though I'm on a ridge. There are rhododendrons all around me and they do a pretty good wind blocking job.I am going to talk about my sleeping mat....my winter sleeping mat.I have always carried two mats in the winter and even with the two mats, it was still chilly sometimes and harder than I liked....so, I had a little time and did some research on winter sleeping mats.I came up with the Big Agnes, but it stated that it was only good down to 15 degrees.I then came across an Exped 3 1/2 inch down airmat and the reviews said you could sleep on ice and stay warm.I ordered one and after I got used to inflating it with a stuff sack (so you don't blow moist air from your lungs into the mat and get the down wet), I decided I really like it....REALLY like it.Once your body warms it up, it almost feels like a heating pad.....and its 3 1/2 inches of goose down air you're sleeping on.It does weigh in at 2 pounds 1 ounce and then you have to add another 4 ounces for the stuff sack, but it's worth its weight in gold when you can sleep warm on these chilly nights.OK, that's one piece of winter gear....I'll pick another piece in a day or two. :-)Another great day on the Appalachian Trail!! :-)