Date: 2009-05-08
From: Ash Gap

To: Damascus
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up dry and rested at Ash Gap. Pretty red mountain sunrise to gaze at while packing up. Started our climb with enthusiasm and energy, quickly turned to sweat and burning muscles. It was a rough, steep climb for mile or so, but we took our time and topped it. Came out on a bald, by the foundation of an old turn-of-the-last-century resort hotel. Famous for the Tenn/NC state line that ran right through the hotel, right down the banquet table. They say there was usually a deputy present to fine those that wandered into Tenn with a drink. We found a nice little bunker with a stone wall and fixed tea with lots of honey. As we were enjoying the morning, the sky turned angry, and rain began to fall again. My socks had been almost dry all morning, but not any more! Passed an old stone chimney still standing on the way down into the saddle between peaks, then another that had fallen about 1/2 mile later. Would like to have talked to the folks hardy enough to live on top of that mountain. Started our climb back up to Roan High Knob, and it was steep, with ankle twisting golfball sized rocks. Finally came to the turnoff to the shelter, and climbed the 1/10 up to it. Turns out it is a really nice 2 story shelter with a rare fourth wall, so you can get completely out of the weather. There are nice camping spots above the shelter, up by the foundation of an old firetower. We climbed a huge rock at the very pinacle, and shook hands and hollered. Little did we know, Roan wasn't finished with us yet. As we descended, the sun eventually came out, and we could see two high balds ahead of us, Round Bald and Jane Bald. They looked mild and beautiful in the sparkling sunlight, and you could make out the trail and tiny hikers going up them. As we neared the foot of the balds at Carver's Gap, it started to rain again. As we crossed the road, the rain became a torrent and the thunder started. I couldn't see any lightning, but I was worried about getting caught on the balds in the storm. We suddenly saw another hiker, Tweak, who pointed to public toilets back across the road. But he said he was going for it. I said good luck. He said "We're going to need it!" as he cranked up his I-pod and disapeared into the storm. We ran back across the road and ducked into the outhouse, Billy the mens and me the womens. No comments please. Eventually we stood under the overhang, and talked over what to do. I was against starting across until the thunder quit. The rain showed no signs of quitting. The wind just seemed to be getting worse. I put on my poncho and wrapped my belt around it, Billy pinned his at the sides, and we ventured out into the storm. The thunder had finally eased up, but the wind had turned into a roar and the rain was coming sideways. As we ran out onto the road, two other hikers Budz and Bear emerged from the woods and we pointed out the outhouse to them. We ran through the icy rain until we came to the last small stand of trees. I told Billy I thought it was only a mile across both balds, and I didn't plan to stop no matter how steep it was. He said "OK let's go!" and we hit it. Billy immediately dissapeared behind me, and the icy wind and freezing rain numbed my right side and blew my poncho out to my left like a sail. I couldn't see because of the hood blowing in front of my face, but visibility was probably 10 - 15 feet anyway. The trail was very well marked with a little gravel path, but after 2 minutes I seriously thought about turning back. With the wind gusting 40 or 50 mph, I began to wonder if we would survive. But really, where was there to go back to? The outhouse? I gritted my teeth and put one foot in front of the other as fast as I could. The wind howled and blew my hiking sticks out away from me when I lifted them up. It started sleeting and my legs and feet began to freeze. At one point my legs started to feel warm, which scared me, so I started climbing even faster. At one point the trail made a sharp left hand turn behind a small tree, and I was afraid Billy would miss it. So I turned my back to the wind, and stood there, about 1/2 of forever, until he took shape on the trail. He saw me and veered off towards me. Here the trail became much steeper, and ran in a deep narrow rut full of rushing water and mud. Eventually it turned to a rock scramble before turning downhill and entering the trees again. As I entered the woods, I again stood and waited, and eventually Billy's form materialized out of the white-out, poncho billowing out behind him like superman's cape. Not 15 minutes down into the woods, the sun came out and the wind died, but we were still shivering and freezing. Billy whipped out his jetboil, and we made much needed cup of tea.We went down and down and up and down and came to Stan Murray shelter. Everyone was talking about the vicious weather on the bald. Just as we were leaving, a dude came walking through and said he crossed it 40 minutes after us and it wasn't bad at all.After lunch at Stan Murray shelter, we went down and down and finally arrived at Yellow Gap. We met three turkey hunters coming off the ridge and talked for a few. Then we got sidetracked on the Overmountain Trail and ended up having to backtrack for awhile. Finally made it to Overmountain Shelter, the most famous AT shelter, which is an old red barn overlooking a beautiful green valley. Unbelievably beautiful, we stayed a long time taking pictures and wondering about the people who must have lived in the beautiful place. Bear and Budz were here, the two hikers that we directed to the outhouse at Carver's Gap. So was Tweak. He told me he was pretty sure he was going to die in the storm on the balds. It was too early to stop for the night, so we headed up to climb Little Hump Mtn, hoping to camp at Bradly Gap before the next climb, Big Hump. It was a grueling climb up Little Hump, as we had already had a hell of a day. The bald was beautiful, though, and we took lots of pictures. We eyed Big Bald, so close it filled up the whole sky to the northwest. We gratefully descended Little Bald, hoping to camp soon. But when we got to the bottom, Bradley Gap offered nothing but a sign. No water, no cover, nothing but a bald slope. We had to climb Big Bald. And up we went. Slowly. Painfully. At least it wasn't raining. But the wind was howling. At one point I looked at Billy - his color was bad and he had a funny look on his face. "Got a burning in my chest, man." Oh sh!t. We stopped at the first rock, and I dug out my Rolaids. It's all I had. Hoping it was heartburn from the Motrin. Then he mentioned he had cooked Carol's Trail Magic Heartattack Chili for lunch. We might make it, after all.Got to the top, and durn if there wasn't a herd of Longhorn cattle at the summit, of all things. Took a few quick pictures, then down the other side. Next campsite by the map was Doll Flats, 2 1/2 miles down the mountain. Sounds easy, huh? At this point, Roan decided to show us a new one, basketball sized rocks, loosely stacked, nicely slickened with rain. You ain't going over them quick. 'Course they only lasted a mile or two. Then we got to the narrow trail, 'steep up on one side and steep down on the other' section, where there was not even room to hang a hammock, let alone a tent. We just kept trudging down, down, down. About 7:30 we spotted a farm house below us, and eventually came out on Doll Flats, and set up camp as the sun set.