Date: 2012-10-27
From: Lance Creek Restoration Project

To: Wolf Laurel Top
Miles today: 11.0

AT day 4: Lance Creek to Wolf Laural Top 11 miles. Well today was a big day in that I climbed Blood Mountain. It's one of those specatular climbs on this section of the AT. The name comes from an account of a battle between Cherokee and Creek indians during the late 17th century near slaugter gap just west of the mountain. I met a group of about 10 older hikers affiliated with the Sierra Club near Jarrard Gap. They were day hiking, but I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I had a hard time keeping ahead of them, but I did. I also passed up a father and son pair near the Freeman Trail access who were headed to Neals Gap on a day hike. We all took a small break near Slaugter Creek access trail before heading on up the steep incline to the top. Once on top, around noon, I joined about 20-30 day hikers who had accended the mountain from the north (actually east, but trail speak talks of north or south as you walk the trail from springer mt to katahdin) or Neels Gap. Two youngsters were enjoying the sun by sharing space in a hammock they'd strung up near the shelter. I joined the unusually large crowd of hikers on the top of a large bolder near the shelter and ate my lunch. There was an annoying individual who we all laughed at who just couldn't keep quiet. He was one of those 'one upers', always able to out do the other guy. He said something about how someone had to drag him up the mountain because he really didn't want to climb it or something. I thought and someone is about to throw you done it if you don't shut up. Blood Mountain Shelter is right on top, unlike any of the other shelters I've seen. It is definitely dated and built of stone. The hike down was long and steep with lots of stones to step down from. I passed about 15 more hikers coming up, but with the time passed noon, most had already made there way to the top. I made it to Neels Gap about 3:00 pm. I wanted to try and ship a few items home that I'd decided I didn't need and definitely didn't want to carry anymore. Neels Gap has a nice outfitter store and a hiker area for showers and possibly beds. I only checked out the outfitter store. They were nice enough to find me a box and I managed to mail home 10 lbs worth of stuff! Wow! 10 lbs combined with the estimated 5 lbs I left at Springer Mt shelter. Wow 15 lbs lighter...When I got to Neels Gap an employee in a safety jacket, directing traffic - due to small parking lot, directed me to where to mail stuff home, later I spoke with him as I was leaving, he'd hike the AT complete twice. As a matter of fact, he said, you had to hike the whole AT to be an employee. One employee had hiked it 10 times! Any who, he suggested I try to get to Wolf Laural Top and camp for the nice. He said it had a great view! and he was right. Another 3 or 4 miles of hiking and I arrived at the site around 5 pm. I contempated going on but decided not to. Oh, a man and his dog passed me on this section. I had seen him and another person and dog on the way down Blood Mt. Anyway, 5 pm or not, even considering another possible few miles before dark, I decided to stay and enjoy the bueaty of the site. Afterall, that's part of why I decided to come out here. I set up camp, ate dinner and began checking my phone for text messages from home. Everyone was concerned about the weather? Last I'd checked it was good for at least another 3 days. Wife was talking about snow, my brother in law mentioned hurricane weather. What?? Hurricane. Sandy Who? Temperatures dropping? And then it hit. Withing 30 minutes of eating my dinner in a clear blue setting sun sort of picture, I could hear the wind climbing up the mountains and could see the fog rolling in as well. I barely had time to hang my food bag / backpack and get into the tent before 40-50 mile per hour gust and sleet started pounding my tent. I did decided it would be a good idea to take my rain gear into the tent with me for the night, instead of trying to get them in the morning from by bag. I couldn't find my felt hat and gloves. Tired as I was it didn't take long to fall asleep. I imagined the employee in the Neels Gap parking lot laughing at the greenhorn purched on the top of the mountain about to be blown off!