Date: 2018-03-22
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Newfound Gap - Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: broken clouds

WOWSA!!!! So as most of you know, we were hit with Winter Storm Toby. I am hoping that neither of my kids decides to name any of our grandchildren Toby, because it will be awhile before I can look on that name with anything but disdain! It is a scary feeling when you are in a shelter and have just spent the last day hiking thru a snow storm and you know the only way off the mountain is to keep hiking thru the snow! The group of 17 collectively decided that we were all hiking the 10.5 miles off the mountain today. Next Step had indicated that we REALLY needed to get going by 8AM in order to make sure we were out by dark. It was taking us about an hour per mile yesterday with all the drifts and we knew today would be even worse with the higher elevations. Also, one good thing about yesterday was that, for the most part, we were able to follow a previous hiker¢s tracks, but today, whoever left first would be paving the way for the rest of the group. And who do you think that would be??? Next Step!!! He was truly a beast!!! The first half mile was not bad and we were thinking that we would make really good time but then we hit the uphill climb to Clingman¢s Dome (elevation 6,658 feet), which is the highest point on the AT. We were literally plowing through thigh high drifts (which for me were up to my waist) for a good part of the day. I was following in Next Step¢s footprints just to be able to keep up. It was completely exhausting and I can¢t even imagine how it would have been if he had not been in front of me! The group of college girls caught up to us just before we summited Clingman¢s Dome. They were full of joy and just a blessing to be around. They were announcing each ¢branch¢, ¢step¢, ¢slippery spot¢, to the person behind them so as to keep it as safe as possible. They were singing and just keeping all of us motivated. Soon after our summit we parted ways. Tom and his two boys caught up with us at that point and the older son wanted to blaze the trail for a bit. GLADLY!!! It was mostly downhill at that point. It was more like going down a ski slope with hiking shoes on! Of course with the snow, it was impossible to see the wooden steps, rocks, etc. until you slid down them. We had several falls, but thankfully we had the soft snow to catch us. Today, the down hills were definitely MUCH easier than the uphills! We never saw the rest of our group of ¢17¢, but we had to meet up later with one of the sister thru hikers, Popcorn. Next Step had handed me ¢my¢ hiking poles this morning (in the dark). You think I might have questioned him when I picked them up and realized that one of the poles was about 2 inches shorter than the other. Had did that happen?!? About 2 miles down the trail, I realized that one pole (my pole) had a cork handle and the other one did not. Hmmm?!?! And they both were showing an ¢L¢ indicating I had two left poles!!!!! Ok, Which Way, Which Pole, Two Left Poles, so many trail names to choose from at this point!! Next Step sent a text back to the group that had not yet left the shelter, to let them know I had someone¢s pole. Heartburn texted back that it was Popcorn¢s and that she had our phone number and we would make the exchange later. Whew!! Finally around 2:30 Next Step made a phone call to our trail angels, Susie and Al, to see if they had gotten the road open where they were planning to pick us up. They were on their way and were going to stop at the Visitor¢s Center to make sure they could get to Newfound Gap. We lost the signal and just kept hiking, praying that the road would be open. When we finally were able to get them back on the phone and I heard Al say that they were there, I literally started crying! I had been using all of my mental and physical energy to get myself through the snow and off the mountain, and just to know that we were about 15 minutes from safety, was just such a relief, I couldn¢t help myself. Next Step told him that we were beyond hungry. We had just eaten power bars for breakfast so that we could get right out this morning and then our tuna had actually frozen so we just ate a Cliff Bar, some trail mix and a couple of small Snicker bars on the whole ten mile hike. We already knew that there was a Mellow Mushroom in Gatlinburg, so we asked if we could go straight there, even before our showers!! Desperate times call for desperate measures!! When we saw them in the parking lot, I took off in a sprint to hug Susie and Al! Just as we were getting ready to head out, we saw Spirit Man and asked if he needed a ride into Gatlinburg. ¢You betcha!,¢ came the reply. And would he like to go to Mellow Mushroom with us? ¢YOU BETCHA!!!¢ We all crammed into the backseat and were sitting in the restaurant within minutes. When I stopped by the restroom before getting to our seats, I almost cried again just to have hot running water and all the hand soap I wanted!!! I love how the trail is changing how I see things. I just hope I keep this level of gratefulness after the hike.We are now in the motel and are watching basketball (GO BIG BLUE) and getting ready to have our cookies and milk, and Susie and I are listening to Al and Next Step banter back and forth. I¢ve talked to my kiddos and my parents. I¢m just so thankful for so many things right now, and even for what we just made it through the last few days. You just really don¢t realize what you can do, until you HAVE to do it! God is good and all is right with my world.¢Which Way Elevation Data:Ascent ~ 2,240Descent ~ 2,860Grade ¢ 9.5 Weather:Day ¢ 35 degrees / BreezyNight ¢ 28 degrees / Clear  Over the Horizon: Max Patch