Date: 2006-04-16
From: Fontana Dam

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter (GSMNP)
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up a little early this morning trying to catch up on a few journal entries before check out time. I could only do so much though. I have found it very difficult to keep up with the typed journal entries as I had planned to do. Even thought I can¢t type them as often as planned I still keep a written journal every day tracking my progress. I will continue to type and post my entries as often as possible, but as of now there are going to be huge gaps between posted entries. I have a feeling this rhythm will continue while hiking and I will have some major work to do when I get home. Around midmorning I decided to gather the rest of my gear and head back up to the trail. Mom, Dad, and I checked out of Fontana Village around 11:00am and drove back to the dam. We sat on a sheet in the sun for a while and chatted with a few other hikers that were heading off into the Smokies just ahead of me. We greeted them with Easter Candy since today is Easter Sunday and enjoyed the day being in the great outdoors. While sitting there Tipper came by and hitched a ride to the Village for he night. He was greatly appreciative of the marshmallow peeps that we passed on to him but even more so appreciative of the ice cold Heineken. Grits caught a ride out of the Village and over to the dam just after we arrived. When she got to the trail she realized that she had left her trekking poles in the shuttle van and it had already gone back to the village. Mom and Dad were about to leave so they gave her a lift back to the village to retrieve them and I departed started the long ascend into The Great Smokey Mountains National Park. After crossing Fontana Dam and taking a picture with the GSMNP sign I disappeared for another long stretch into the woods. It was now around 3:00pm and to this point my pack is the heaviest since starting the trail. My goal was to catch back up with the crew by dark tonight, but it was a huge challenge because everyone else got started early this morning and I am getting a late afternoon start. On my way up the mountain I stopped to visit Shuckstack Fire Tower just off the trail. It got is name from the mountain on which it sits and can be seen from Fontana Dam and Thunderhead Mountain further into the Smokies. Shuckstack is the term that refers to a standing bundle of corn. Word has it that from a distance the mountain looks like a cornfield planted in rows. Around 6:00pm I reached Birch Spring Tenting area and decided to push on a little further attempting to reach Mollies Ridge Shelter by dark. It was a good decision because the ridge at sunset was beautiful. Off in the valley below was Cades Cove and the sun was setting just on the other side of the valley. This was a great treat because for years I have visited the Cove area and had many dreams of standing on this ridge on my attempt of a thru hike. Just after dark I made it to the shelter at Mollies Ridge and called it home for the night. My group of fiends wasn¢t there but after covering just over 10 miles in less than 4 hours they can¢t be too far ahead. I had supper with Leaves No Trace and two other section hikers before heading to bed. Tonight was going to be my first night to stay in a shelter while on the trail and had mixed emotions about that. I had much rather stay in my tent every night but the rules are within the park if there is space inside the shelter you must use it. It ended up being a rather cool windy night on the ridge. That explains the old brown tarp that was strung up across the open side of the shelter. Although it did help shield us from the wind the sound of a large plastic tarp blowing in the wind all night is not the most peaceful sound in the wilderness. Tonight at Mollies Ridge Shelter: Leaves No Trace, Robert and John (2 section hikers), and I