Date: 2005-04-21
From: Lewis Mountain Campgrounds

To: Rock Spring Hut
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: moderate rain

(A continuation of the record of my AT section hike in the SNP in August, 2003.)Day Five was a relatively easy 11.2 miles. After my 12 hour, 20 mile hike the day before, I really needed a shorter day. In addition, the trail from Lewis Mountain Campgrounds to Rock Spring Hut was by far the easiest of the SNP so far. There were relatively few significant climbs and the treadway was generally tame (mostly level and with not too many rocks). As beat up as I was, this seemed to me a major blessing and I was definitely into counting my blessings. I was also into counting bears! If forgot to mention that I had encountered at least three bear cubs during my 20 mile hike, and each time they seemed as startled to see me as I was to see them. In each case they immediately turned tail and ran, as quickly as they could, in the opposite direction. Much too fast for me to even think about getting my camera out. It was kind of cool, but at the same time, a reminder that the SNP has one of the largest bear populations on the east coast - with the other major concentration being in the Great Smokey Mountains. I had also seen increasing evidence of the bear population in the form of piles of bear "scat" on the trail. As I approched the campgounds at Big Meadows, I encountered my first adult bear. I was coming around a corner on the trail, heard a noise up ahead, and looked up just in time to see a rather large bear climbing down from a tree. I stopped dead in my tracks, at first just surprised to see one up close. My brain then started to work, and suggested that perhaps I might want to just back up a bit to let the bear know that I was not a threat, and to give him/her plenty of space to get down from the tree and go in whatever direction he/she might want to go.I did have the presence of mind to go for my camera, but as luck would have it, my camera battery chose that precise moment in time to run out of juice. While the bear is making it's retreat, I'm trying desperatly to get the lens to open up so I can take a picture. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, I manged to get off a quick shot. It turned out to be wasted, however, as the bear had by then retreated too far down the hill and through the foliage to be discernible in the photograph. Bummer! Still, it was an awesome experience. I was relieved, obviousy, that he/she had followed the approved script and demonstrated a sufficient fear of humans to go the other way - when, quite obviously, I would have been no match for his/her size and weight. On the other hand, it struck me that, unlike the cubs, this bear was in no great rush to escape from my sight, almost as if to let me know that it really didn't HAVE to depart, but was -- somewhat gudgingly -- willing to play by the rules and let me have the trail to myself. I got to the shelter relatively early that day, and found it occupied already by two high school kids doing a three day hike. They were nice guys, and we took each others pictures, and chatted while we made dinner. They did not have a tent, so they put their sleeping bags in the upper section of the shelter, while I set my tent up in the bottom section. Once again, it rained overnight. I'd have loved to have a campfire, but the wood was all simply too wet to burn so I contented myself with a good dinner and the thought that I had had a short day. stay tuned,Longhaul