Date: 2009-05-06
From: Deep Gap

To: Damascus
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: moderate rain

Woke up at first light, rolled out of the hammock and went over and lowered our food bags. I dropped Billy's off by his tent, and quietly spoke to him. As I was packing up I heard him moving around, and we proceeded to break camp. The night was dry, and we had the distinct pleasure of changing out of our warm,dry camp clothes into our stinky, wet, cold hiking clothes from the day before. We glanced at the map before leaving camp, and noticed we had a small hump to climb up and over before Deep Gap, then the big climb of the day, Unaka Mountain, a steep two mile grind. We started up out of camp, and went up. Then we went up some more. Then the switchbacks started. Then we went up. After about an hour or so of up, I told Billy I thought we must be on Unaka somehow, this hump is not ending! But I couldn't see how that was possible. As we were sitting on the side of the trail trying to figure it out, here comes two southbounders, Nikki and Carol. Billy asked Nikki "Where the hell are we?" and she said "Unaka Mountain, and almost to the top, at that!" To top off the good news, Carol gave Billy a pack of heart attack chili and a foil pack of meat. First trail magic!! Evidently, the night before we had hiked right past Beauty Spot Gap(our intended first night's camp)in the rain, hiked over the hump and set up camp in Deep Gap, thinking we were in Beauty Spot Gap. Some navigator I am! WE soon reached the summit of Unaka Mtn in a deep Red Spruce forest, the trail carpeted with needles and the forest very aromatic and quiet. I could imagine an elk off in the trees. We both loved the place, and wished we could camp. But it was way too early, so, after lingering as long as possible, we made our way down the other side. We passed a hiker taking a break on the mountain, Mr. Parkay, a former thruhiker doing a section. Eventually the rain started falling, growing stronger as the day progressed. When we reached Cherry Gap Shelter, we quickly jumped inside with several other hikers. Bronco was there, who I had met on WhiteBlaze, and Greenlight, and Blue Sky came hurtling in out of the rain soon after us. There were two section hikers in the back of the shelter who managed to explode their stove, nearly setting the shelter on fire, and providing nice entertainment value. Mr Parkay made several attempts to go behind the shelter and get water, but the rain and wind drove him back each time. I just filled my water bottle from the gutter which was overflowing right in front of where I was sitting. Figgured it had to be at least as pure as the spring, as hard as it was raining. As new hikers came in, they each passed a message to Bronco that one of his hiking partners had been injured, and was trying to get off the trail. He decided to get off at the next road and go find them. Supposedly, Miss Janet was picking them up back at Beauty Spot. After lunch at the shelter, we made our way back to the trail, and did the steep ups and muddy downs until Weedy Gap, where there was an old overgrown apple orchard. Weedy Gap held a nice campsite with a nice spring, and we talked of stopping for the night. It was only about 330 though, and just too early to stop. We decided to hike on to Piney Bald Mountain, in hopes it would look like Unaka, with thick pine needles to sleep on. Alas, when we reached the summit, it was only small hardwoods, but there was a nice flat spot on top, and we set up camp and ate before night fell. The wind was bad on the summit, but seemed to be dying as the evening wore on, and I had high hopes of another dry night.