Date: 2013-03-24
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: overcast clouds

(In which I leave the Smokies with a big but unrushed day)The forecast rains hit and they hit hard overnight. I don't bother to check what time it is when the rain begins. Some folks push out early into the rain, but eventually the group boils down to four. I get everything possible packed up except for changing out of my camp clothes. It is hard to get moving when it is supposed to rain all day, but if I want to reach Davenport Gap today and get to the dance tomorrow I have to get moving. I get changed into my hiking clothes and move out at 1000.At this point the rain has slowed to a drizzle. The shelter site is largely underwater, with new streams flowing down the hillside and across the trail to the bear cables and the privy. I fill my water from one of these streams and head back to the Trail. It begins with a climb toward Mt. Guyot. The morning's rain is still in the process of draining from the highest points. Water control features of the trail - mostly logs angled across the Trail to direct water away - are overwhelmed. I last just over an hour trying to keep my feet from getting wetter before I fail in that gamble. I stumble while crossing a log and the contents of a small waterfall dump into one shoe. Now that I got that first dunking over with, I continue unperturbed up the middle of the stream that is also the Appalachian Trail.The descent from Mt. Guyot, benefiting from more shade than the other side of the mountain, is less of a stream but just as much water. There is plenty of ice and snow here, and it is slow going downhill. The majority of the remaining frozen precipitation is the compacted snow or ice in the middle of the Trail, and sometimes there is very limited space to work around this on the mountainside. I reach a point where the guidebook indicates there is plane wreckage, as evidenced by a couple small twisted bits of metal right next to the Trail. I climb downhill looking for more, but there is nothing too substantial. I never stop eating my crumbled Pop Tarts through the process of finding the wreckage, examining it, and departing the scene.The Trail descends to Camel Gap, bringing me below 5000 feet for the first time in a while. I climb briefly before reaching Cosby Knob Shelter on the descent into Low Gap. Blue Moon is resting here - he had spent last night sleeping next to someone that was snoring terribly. I had the privilege of being on the other side of that individual, and it had been quite bad. Blue Moon had provided some of the rare breaks in the snoring by occasionally elbowing the guy. He moves on as I sit on the table airing out my feet. In spite of all they have been through, they still look healthy. Additionally, the weather has gradually cleared through the early afternoon and I am now under a cloudy blue sky.Before leaving the shelter I take time to check the register. I was hoping it would be full of Bill Cosby quotes, but sadly that is not the case. After I shoulder my pack it doesn't sit right on my left shoulder. The left load lifter has broken, with the plastic tensioner cracked. I perform a quick fix with the carabinier I use to hold my camera to my pack and move on. It is after 1400 and I still have over 10 miles until I reach the hostel in Davenport Gap. After Low Gap there is one last climb, up Mt. Cammerer and to its lookout tower.Mt. Cammerer detourIt is a long and gradual climb, and I do not reach a tower but a trailhead. I had glossed over the detail in the guidebook and forgot about the 0.6-mile side trail that leads to the lookout tower. I really shouldn't add more walking to the rest of my day. However, the weather is clear, and I was told this was a great spot. I choose to take the side trail to Mt. Cammerer. It is mostly gentle, with a couple sharp switchbacks near the end. There is an area to leave horses and continue on food - I don't have a horse but I leave my backpack here and continue with just my camera.The Trail breaks of the trees and into lower vegetation on the final approach to the lookout tower. There is a bit of a scramble before the tower itself. I am immediately pleased I took this detour. The tower is an octagonal two-story structure built of locally-quarried stone in 1939. It has been restored but looks like it needs some work - the door to the lower level has been broken open. The visibility from this point extends to the horizon in most directions with great cloudy skies. I explore the place with my camera for a little while before heading back to my backpack and returning to the AT.Descent into Davenport GapIt is after 1600 now and I still have to walk eight miles. It is mostly gentle downhill walking, and I put on fast-paced contra dance music to let the miles fly by. Some parts are muddy and possibly slick, and these areas I slow down for and carefully pick my way through. The rest of the time I am moving smoothly and swiftly. I check my progress when I pass the Chestnut Branch Trail and find I am holding over three miles per hour. I hold a rapid, steady pace until I spot Davenport Gap Shelter below me. There is a little hesitation here as I consider pulling into the shelter to see who is there. I choose not to stop here for even a moment, and continue downhill.I soon reach the beginning of North Carolina Route 284 and the end of Tennessee Route 32. This is the northern border of the Smokies, through which I have passed in less than five full days' travel. Here Fresh Ground has posted a sign notifying hikers of his third trail magic setup at the next road, less than two miles away. I am not sure if he will still be there but the prospect of encountering him again is motivation nonetheless. I climb away from this road briefly before the Trail descends sharply and follows a stream down to the next road crossing. It crosses the stream several times, but I simply walk through the stream and replace the warm, stagnant water in my shoes with cool, fresh water.Fresh Ground is still set up, but I am definitely the last hiker he will see today. He is beginning to pack for the impending weather but insists on cooking some hot dogs and making sure I take some food away for later. Last time he was set up, Fresh Ground said this would be his last setup before starting his section hike in Virginia. This time he says he will continue following this group northbound until he runs out of funding - hikers have been donating plenty to his cause, and he plans to use that on continued trail magic while following the early hikers north. A couple locals pull up to chat and to offer a contribution to his cause, and I linger a bit to chat with them until heading up to the hostel.The Trail follows a road across I-40 before climbing steeply up a hillside. It passes through an area that has burned very recently - the first burned area I have passed through. This provides some open, bleak scenery for a moment before the Trail returns to relatively healthy forest and descending from the same hillside back to the same road. The Trail parallels the road with a stream in between the two for a little while before crossing the stream. I am surprised to find Green Sleeve, the dog, and his owners camped out here. The stream crossing is a little tricky since the water is much deeper than I would like to walk through, but I get across relatively dry.Standing Bear Farm is the hostel just uphill of the road crossing. I walk up the hill thinking about a hot shower and clean clothes. When I get here I find plenty of other hikers. Slapp, a friend of a friend who started on the same day as me, is here with his hiking partner. I have not seen them since weeks ago at Woody Gap. Snow Frog is here, having made the same long hike as me. I ran into AJ - short for Appalachian Journey - once before this time. I meet Shutterbug, the first other hiker I have seen with a DSLR - a Canon T3i. I catch up to Moxie and a couple other folks I have not seen before.There is some room in the bunkhouse but I opt for the slightly more expensive cabin. Snow Frog is the only one in there, and I know he doesn't snore. I stay up writing as late as I can manage before retiring to sleep. The rain that has held off for the afternoon is now coming down hard, and I am glad it waited for me to finish walking.Peace,