Date: 2006-01-14
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Blue Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Blue Mtn Shelter cold, Windy, Snow Woke up early this morning felt the cold on my nose and thought another half hour in the sleeping bag would be good - a while later I and my "strong character" finally managed to get the head out from all the strings that tightens the draft tube, neck, and hood of the sleeping bag - it makes me wonder if anyone ever has gotten strangled in their sleeping bag? Wow! It was not just a cold fog that had tickled my nose - I found myself covered with snow. It is a BRAND NEW WORLD OUT THERE Got up in a rush, packed up, and ate two heaping spoonfulls of peanut butter and a granola bar - coudn't wait around to make scrambled eggs with bacon and pancakes!!! Instead I heated a quart of hot chocolate and off in the exciting white covered wood I went - that lasted for ten minutes! - Then I had to stop to take off my outer fleece pants, remove the liners in my mittens, and take off that heavy expedition 300-weight fleece jacket (I have always wondered what that meant - 300 what? as my chem. teacher always would say when no units were behind) Then I happily went off once again. Everything was white, black, and very cold. My camelbak froze within 20 minutes. Icesicles hung rocks and trees and my nose ran as if it had seen a bear. I played with the idea of going all the way to Tray Mtn but that only lasted til the second I saw Blue Mtn shelter. It was already 13:15 and I did not have enough entertaining thoughts or energy to make it for yet another 7.7 miles over two tough hills - Blue Mtn sounded really good.Another hiker was already there (Chris) and we did the ususall formal greeting while feeling each other out - is that guy a long distance "professional" hiker or a weekend hiker, is he weird, or is it just those clean clothes? Fried up yet another one of my favorite bagels that ought to be begging every mouse in the forrest to come. Meanwhile, a group of boy scouts stopped by to eat a little lunch. I know I ain't from around here ya'll - but aren't them kind o' boy s'posed to be prepared? Well, these poor boys were wearing jeans, ankle socks, tennis shoes, and Micky Mouse gloves - no offense Micky but aren't you from the southern end of this country where it never gets really cold? The boys were completely unprepared for this kind of weather, and I am sure none of them had adequate sleeping bags - by now it was already down to 20F and them boys were shivering. After eating their cold sandwiches they went further into the woods - planned on spending the night down in the gap (great place for stronger winds!) Chris and I just looked at each other and started cooking up our warm meals. Chris was in from Atlanta on his first winter hike - turned out to be a really good guy - as 99% of all the other hikers I have met - just kind of have to be a little suspcious when you meet someone whom smells like laundry detergent, while I probably looked like a week-old dirty dish rag.It started getting colder and colder and the wind picked up a little so we decided to bring his tent up from the ground into the shelter and share the space - to help warm his 20F sleeping bag while I was toasty in my own 0F bag and my down booties - I am ready to set them on a pedestal after this hike as they are the best thing ever made (right after peanut butter, pizza, and ... well you get the picture) Before I fell asleep I saw the beautiful full moon and if it hadn't been because I was burried so deep in my sleeping bag I might just have howled a little.