Date: 2007-12-23
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: light rain

mi. 20.3sleep shelterdest. Icewater Spring Shelter day 163 Last night was nuts. The shelters in the smokies have 2 tiers on the sleeping levels. I was on the top one last night next to Oblivious and Deluxe. I woke up last night to a crazy rain storm. It was pouring. Hopefully that will help the water situation. Rumor has it the last 23 of the Smokies is dry. Hopefully not now. I also woke up a few times to crashes of something hitting the roof of the shelter, which was only 3 feet or so over head. Crazy loud. It was still raining this morning when we usually get up. So it was more sleep. There is a good number of shelters in the smokies. Something like 16 over the 70 something of the park. So changing the plans would not be a big deal. The rain finally let up and we packed up. The plan was to do a 20 hard. The trail has been really chill lately and the thinking was it would keep up through the park. So at 8:45 I got started. Oblivious and Deluxe left just in front of me. At my pace I did not see them until that evening at the shelter. Luckily the rain only kept up for a few minutes. After an hour the skys cleared. I was sweating like crazy in my rain gear. I didn't want to get my clothes soaked. The temp is supposed to drop into the 20's tonight and I don't think I can dry them out in time. I didn't get a picture of it but I saw something very strange and cool just off the trail today. About 5 feet off the trail just south of Tri-corner knob shelter I saw a few pieces of either a helocopter or plane. Not a lot. Just a couple small pieces. But 1 definitly looked like part of a door from a heliocopter. I walked off the trail a little and lookes around and only saw a few pieces. It was still raining a little at this point, so no pics. Difinitly a cool little surprise for the day. There was tons of water to be had today. About half of the walking seemd to be in a stream. Fun walking up and down it. I was told the trail follows the ridge. Most of the time it is just below and to the side. Which means the water from up above flows down to the trail. I can't say I have seen waterbars work any better in the whole trail. The trail looks to have a lot of water erosien. But there is only so much that can be done. It was fun to drink water striaght off the moss it was dripping off of on top. I treat almost all of my water. But I tend not to on the ridgelines. Nothing above it to contamainate it. Around noon I came to an awesome overlook. I sat there and could see the clouds blowing in from both sides. They would mix with each other. Sometimes I could feel the warm air and the sun come through. Get this eariler today my hands were freezing. I had to stop and put the gloves on. With the sun it was warm enough for me to take a break with my shirt off. Funny how 50 degrees can feel warm. Today I also came across another spot I was told to check out in the park. An exposed rock peak/out cropping called Charlies Bunon. It had one of those warning signs saying to stay on the trail and watch your children. So of course I wasn't going to miss it. Plus it was only 40 yards or so off the trail. I took the first trail I came across right past a warning sign. It was a little sketch. Nothing like walking across a narrow rock trail with some ice on it. I followed it around the rocks. I noticed a place to climb up the rocks to the top. Nothing too bad. Nothing that I hadn't climbed up while on the AT up north. So of course I wanted to check it out. I dropped the pack and climbed up. I got to the top and what did I find but a trail leading up it from the other side. Originally I was planning on hanging out here and watching the sunset. But I think they are better when you are on the highest point. If not the sun goes behind the mountain. I like it better when I can see the sun go below the horizon. I got to the shelter to find Deluxe and Oblivious there, along with 5 other guys. The shelter hold 12 or so, so no big deal. But they said 5 more may be on the way. So I quickly setup and got a stop on the top tier. It was fun to sit up with a group of people talking. I ended up getting into the bag early though. My feet were freezing. Two guys from Ireland came in well after park. They proceeded to drink a Heinkin mini keg in 20 minutes. It was a small party. A good time though. Tomorrow 3 miles to Newfound Gap and Gattlenburg.