Date: 2016-03-14
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

Magic and I set our alarms for 7 am, but for the first time it was dark out when I woke. I dozed a bit and then began to pack up and went up the bathroom building. I was ready a little before Magic was and decided to head out and just leave him the keycard. I believe I was the first one out of the NOC, as I had cobwebs over my face as I walked. The trail was just consistently up for about 7 miles. Nothing terribly challenging, and no real reasons to stop. It just took quite a while. I passed Casey Jones and The Brit, some hikers who camped up a bit out from the NOC last night. There were a few nice views down again into the valley on the way up. I was moving quickly, trying to not get rained on at all. I grabbed some water at Sassafrass Gap Shelter before making the final ascent up Cheoah Bald. The view from the top was spectacular. I've never encountered Balds before, but they really fascinate me. Instead of a rocky outcropping or split in the trees, there is just an area of short grass on top, like a field but more Ill-kept looking. The really wide balds are ahead of me, and I can't wait to see more of them. The weather had been clear and sunny all morning, and it stayed that way as I ate lunch at Locust Cove Gap. But when I finished up, the weather had turned. It was overcast and windy, and I pushed myself on, willing myself to beat the rain. I got sprinkled on at Simp Gap and then again right after Stecoah Gap, but nothing serious. At Stecoah Gap, two former thru hikers began to set up trail magic just as I arrived. Being the first hiker they had seen, they quickly handed me a Coke and two chocolate chip creme pies. They apparently set up for hot dogs, but I left before they could give me one. The section of trail from Stecoah to Sweetwater Gap is about the nicest cut and constructed trail I've ever seen. But as soon as I passed Sweetwater Gap, the trail just began climbing steeply. This was Jacob's Ladder, one of the most notorious climbs in the South. It wasn't anything special, it just went on being steep longer than almost any climb so far. I passed three older gentlemen on the way up. As I topped out from Jacobs Ladder, there was a serious short spurt of rain that made me get out my coat, but it wasn't long for this world. I quickly made my way down to Brown Fork Gap shelter, and who should be there but Lassie, whom I talked and ate dinner with my first night at NOC. He has been taking shorter days since he sprained his ankle. The three older gentlemen showed up momentarily. They are Journeyman and his friend Pete (who just joined at NOC) and Sojo, whom I soon figured out was a fellow Yalie. We talked for quite a while about Yale and the English Major. Sojo has a cute golden retriever named Theo. Soon the rain got bad, and the shelter was almost filled. Next to arrive was Mantis, whom i'd seen but not talked to at NOC. he's a native of Fairfield CT and a UVA graduate, and is planning to attend Yale's SOM in the fall. Honeybuns showed up briefly but decided to move on 5 miles to the next shelter. Then the rain got BAD. White Rabbit showed up next and claimed the last spot in the shelter. Then Magic and Greyhound showed up and unfortunately we had to turn them away. They are camped out in a gully next to the shelter. We ate dinner and the weather cleared and became sunny again. Large showed up and was greeted with White Rabbit making him dinner. But no shelter spot. The rest of the evening was spent sitting and journaling and also reading the Gospel according to John (someone left a pocket New Testament here that I have half a mind to take). Still not accustomed to the time change, we al headed to bed with it still light out.