Date: 2013-04-25
From: Birch Spring Gap

To: Silers Bald Shelter, NC-TN
Miles today: 22.6

After packing up camp and heading down the hill to the main path leading into the Birch Spring camp site, I met an older man named Shaggy. He asked if I minded if he join me on my hike north. I said, "of course not!" Shaggy hiked perhaps a mile north of camp, before deciding my pace was too aggressive. He fell back, only to catch up, where I decided to stop for a rest. We yo-yo'd for a couple hours, until I finally committed to hiking a steady pace without a break. hiked solo for the remainder of the morning, enjoying the warm sun, cool air, and panoramic vistas of the characteristically sharp ridges in the Smokies. At Doe Knob, the first summit above Birch Spring Gap, the AT began to straddle the NC-TN border (mi 174 and northward). this would be the case for more than 200 miles to the north as I mentioned earlier. By early noon, I had sat down in the clumpy, frost bitten grass off the AT a short distance after the Spence Field Shelter, when I heard two voices. Dr. Spice and Genie appeared around the corner. They apparently were eating all their food that they replenished in Fontana with a change of plan to visit the notorious Las Vegas-like town of Gatlinburg, TN. They had at least 3/4 of a day's lead on me, but were likely taking their time strolling through the Smokies, as most people not on a schedule should. As I squeezed some peanut butter from a food tube, on a handful of granola, Genie had asked where I had gotten the food tube. I told her "any outfitter, like REI". I told her I had a spare, and within a minute, I dug it out of my pack and handed it to her. Genie and Spice headed up the trail as I finished lunch. I caught up to them a mile ahead, just before reaching the summit of Rocky Top, a broad rounded peak, with random blocks of rock, and spectacular vistas. After taking a few photos, we hiked together, over Thunderhead Mountain (EL 5,527-ft) by early noon, soaking in the sun and lofty views. A short distance off the top of Thunderhead, I looked back to notice the big white numbers "2000" painted on a flat vertical face of a rock step in the trail. I waited a moment for Spice and Genie to catch up and pointed it out to them. We all rejoiced that we had only 2,000 miles to hike from this point north. For the south bound hiker, they could be potentially finished at Springers in under two weeks. South of Derrick Knob Shelter, on an off-shoot of the AT which departed at the top of a steep block with roots, we caught up to Little Spoon and Chuckles, resting on the trail side. I had learned that we had deviated from the AT ever so slightly, where the AT climbed a vertical outcrop of rock, surrounded by mud and tree roots. At the top of this precariously dangerous segment, the actual AT went to the right, but I hung a left, distracted by the necessity to focus on making the ascent carefully. The lack of white blazes on the trees or rocks was the first sign that I had taken the wrong turn. As I continued down hill, I did so with hesitation, thinking this would not be pleasant having to back track in the diminishing light of the late afternoon. They had all planned to stay at Derrick Knob Shelter. I did not want to commit to this shelter, if there was still day light left to hike. I ended up moving on past the crowded Derrick Knob Shelter and making it to the Silers Bald Shelter by dusk, where Black Foot and his dad were staying the night.