Date: 2018-03-13
From: Teleco Gap 

To: The Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 8.2

The day started with seven hungry hikers packed around a tiny dining table. It was time for Maggie¢s Deluxe Breakfast¢a small slice of breakfast casserole (quite yummy), one silver dollar pancake, four tater tots, 1.5 cups of coffee, and all you can drink tap water. Uhh, did we somehow get confused with a Girl Scout Troop? In less than three minutes all seven plates were licked clean and six of the seven (still hungry) hikers were scurrying out the lodge door, where two vehicles were waiting to shuttle hikers to various drop off points. The other thru hiker in the group, Slosh, was taking a zero. K2 and Hiker Doo, the couple from Austin, were shuttled to Burningstown Gap (5 AT miles south of Tellico Gap.) in the second vehicle. Riding with us to Tellico Gap were Jingle and Bells, two section hikers from Georgia. From Tellico Gap they headed south on the AT for a 3-day trek. The friendly gals would launch out in different directions for a few days at a time, using the lodge as a base camp. Wiggly easily navigated the mountain roads to Tellico Gap. It was 9:00 and a crisp 24 degrees when he dropped us off. We started our hike with a moderate climb up Wesser Bald. The day was sunny, cold, and a bit breezy. The frozen tundra under our feet was a nice substitute for the mucky stuff we had been hiking in for the last few days. At the top of Wesser stood a fire tower. We dropped our packs and climbed 44 steps to the top, where we were rewarded with an amazing panoramic view. Gazing north we could make out Fontana Lake and the Great Smoky Mountains. Invigorated, we scampered down the tower stairs, did our morning stretches (with muscles warm from the hike up Wesser), shared some pita and hummus, and continued our hike. For the next couple of miles the trail primarily followed a ridge line, traversing several large ravines where the fire of 2016 did extensive damage. The black scars that marked several mountainsides resembled huge swaths of cloud born shadows. Eventually, we came to a rock outcropping, listed as the ¢Jump Off Point¢ in AWOLs AT Guidebook. A day hiker offered to snap a picture of us. This spot on the trail marked the beginning of the 4.5 mile descent to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC). Over the years I have read accounts of other hikers making the 4.5 miles descent to the iconic NOC. Long envisioning myself making that same trek, today I was alive in my dream. Before we started our hike down we fixed up a couple of P&J wraps (thanks for the J Maggie) and I convinced Which Way into shifting some of her gear to my pack. She also popped an 800mg Motrin in an effort to stay ahead of the pending knee pain. She then diligently employed a downhill hiking technique that Hiker Doo shared the night before¢center of gravity awareness, using full foot arch, a short gate, and traversing the trail (vs walking the center line). The first 1/2 mile or so from the top was quite steep and included some sizable step downs. This section of the trail hugged a narrow spine with significant drops on either side. But after the initial challenge, the trail essentially switch-backed its way down the remaining four miles. There were even some small inclines and flats thrown in along the way, offering brief respites from the steady decline. The bright sun began to warm the air around us and the ground softened. Our fingers finally thawed too and we eventually removed our jackets. Halfway down, still no knee pain for WW...three quarters, no pain. A mile out, the excitement builds, and she begins picking up the pace, so I reminded her, ¢don¢t break form...¢ Now we could hear the roar of the Nantahala River, then cars traveling along the paved road now in sight, still no pain. We could now see the NOC below through the winter forest. One final switchback, still no pain. We crossed the two lane highway and dropped our packs at the General Store. No pain! Another milestone reached and a victory on many levels.The NOC is a commercial outdoor guide service and retail store. It operates whitewater rafting trips on several nearby rivers and teaches people to paddle in its canoe and kayak paddling school. The NOC also offers mountain bike rentals, group programs, outdoor retail, restaurants, ropes courses, kayak touring, fly fishing and hiking. It is an outdoor-enthusiast¢s haven. We had reserved a private room in the bunkhouse. Our first stop was the General Store where we registered for our stay. It was around 2PM and check-in was not until 3 o¢clock. Nonetheless, the gentleman behind the counter handed us our key cards and two towels. We promised we would wait until 3 to head up to the bunkhouse. We then went to the NOC outfitter and retrieved our bounce box with meds and supplies. No charge, no hassle. A coin laundry was attached to the General Store so we started a load. Hmm, what to do while we wait??? Eat! A stone¢s throw from the General Store and Outfitter sat the Riverside Restaurant, where we grabbed a second lunch (Greek Salad and Chicken Chili), took what we needed from our re-supply box, and did a little planning for the days ahead.When our laundry was done, we resealed our bounce box and had it shipped (bounced it) to Gatlinburg. We then gathered our packs and headed to the bunkhouse. The A.T. passes directly through the heart of the NOC, crossing the Nantahala River on a bridge next to the outfitter. Another 1/4 mile up a hill sits a cluster of small cabins and bunkhouses. Just as we were getting settled, I got a phone call from K2. He and Hiker Doo had just completed their 13+ mile day hike, finishing at the NOC. So, WW and I scuttled back down the hill and across the footbridge, returning to the Riverside Restaurant for dinner. We had the same waitress, who had this look like, ¢Hey, weren¢t you just in here?¢ We had the pizza this time. While we were eating, a section hiker who we had bumped into on the trail a couple of times came over to our table and asked for our Trail Journal URL. We also provided the URL to a retired Methodist Minister, who had the look in his eye of someone longing for the AT.Today was a good day. Not only did we achieve another milestone, but WW felt great on the biggest descent to date. Tomorrow we climb out of the NOC, as a law of nature on the AT, what comes down, must go up!¢Next Step Elevation Data:Ascent ~ 1,160Descent ~ 3,350Grade ¢ 10.5 Weather:Day ¢ 38 degrees / SunnyNight ¢ 18 degrees / Clear  Over the Horizon - Fontana DamAnything worth doing, is better done TOGETHER--Which Way and Next Step!