Date: 2013-04-06
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: clear sky

When we woke up there was still snow on the ground but it felt much warmer than the night before. When I left Clyde Smith shelter I could see deer tracks along the trail. My favorite thing about the snow is how easy it makes tracking things. As we climbed Roan Mountain the sunlight began to melt the ice covering everything and it dripped on us in a steady rate. There is not much difference between freezing rain and ice melt off the trees. It was so foggy you could barely see 15 yards ahead. At a false summit the sun finally broke through the clouds and everything cleared up instantly. Immediately I reached the summit amid a thick forest of spruce trees and was treated to a beautiful view of mountains covered in rivers of clouds, some moving through the rounded peaks as though by the current and others splashing up and dissipating in the sunlight. The ice started right after this. It wasnt as bad as after Clingman's Dome but it was close. I stopped in the highest shelter on the AT for lunch. This shelter on top of Roan has four walls and a door, windows, and a loft. It was very nice. I was treated to a sobering piece of graffiti inside: "Firehands 2012." Firehands had broken his foot coming off roan last year. This may have been the last shelter he stayed in. A reminder that every step might be your last on this trip... I'd be taking my time the rest of the day. I was just finishing lunch when Moxie showed up and silhouetted herself in the doorway of the cabin, scaring me pretty good. I moved on shortly after and made a long descent to Carvers Gap. From there I climbed several big balds with breath taking views. A day hiker on the first bald asked me if I had any fresh fruit. "Uhh not on me....""Want a couple apples? I brought too many."I can't explain the joy or pride associated with getting food like this midhike. It's always a surprise and an extreme morale boost. The day hikers pointed out where my camp for the night was, "See that meadow? There's an old barn just under it. That's where you're heading. You better get going." It looked pretty far away so I took his advice. The rest of the day was like walking on shaved coconut as the ice cracked and fell off the trees in small sheets. It formed a nice deep mud which made the trail as treacherous as when covered in ice. A short time later I came to a junction of two trails. A sign explained that this was Bright's Trace, a trail used by revolutionary soldiers called the over mountain men on their way to King's Mountain where they defeated the British. I followed the trace to the over mountain shelter, a red barn in a picturesque meadow with amazing views. I got water on the way in and ran and played with Cricket's coon hound Roscoe on the way to the barn. Amazing what changes happen in a month. I had hiked 14.7 miles over a mountain and several big balds that day and still had energy to run and play... All with a 30 lb pack on. Dragon and Cricket had already gotten firewood and I made myself at home in the loft. I met a thru hiker named blast hiking with an 11 year old golden retriever... The dog puked in the night....