Date: 2013-04-12
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

After a stormy night at Groundhog Creek, complete with thunder and flashing lightning, on Friday morning (April 12, 2013) I considered using further incipient rain as an excuse to arise late, but nixed that. I arose at 6 and hit the AT at 8:15 AM. I looked around for Tracy¢s tent, but didn¢t see it; maybe she left earlier. If not, I figured she¢d soon be passing me. The morning was very humid and misty, and cool enough that I wore mittens. The trail, though ascending, was quite pleasant, maybe 212¢ wide with few roots and rocks. But there was light moisture ¢ at first, I thought simply wind blowing water off trees; then I though light rain, eventually realizing it was sleet! It was not enough to justify rain gear ¢ body heat, I guess, dried it on my clothes ¢ but it was a bit irritating. At 9:49 AM I came to Rube Rock Trail, and was enjoying the smooth, padded dirt path when I came to Trail Magic at Brown Gap (10:10 to 10:27)! Apple has been here 4 days; he does this full-time, covering four trails: the AT, Florida, Continental Divide, and ¢¦ I forget the fourth. My photo was taken with him; he said he¢d heard earlier arrivals talking about Werdigo.        It was a long climb out of Brown Gap, though nothing like yesterday¢s climb. The trail again traversed the east side of a ridge, smooth and pleasant, reminding me of fond memories in the Vermont woods 55 years ago, and of my solo bicycle camping trip to the Adirondacks¢ T Lake Falls in 1963. At 12:12 I crossed Max Patch Road and began a series of stair climbs up to the bald, grassy summit. The mist was so thick one could hardly see the next trail-marking post, but I reached the summit at 12:42 PM, sending my family a SPOT message. After asking a fellow hiker to snap my photo, like others I scrapped my plan for a summit lunch. I¢m told that Max Patch Bald views are wonderful ¢ but not today! I high-tailed it down out of the cold wind and mist, welcoming a forest path again.        It had stopped raining or sleeting, and the sun made a brief appearance, so the northbound path on the east side of a ridge was relatively nice. About 1:45 I dropped down to the Roaring Fork Shelter for lunch. A group of perhaps eight 20-somethings was there. I was back on the AT at 2:05 PM, facing 4.9 miles to the Walnut Mountain Shelter. But the sun came out in full, the trail was nice, temperature cool... I was enjoying the North Carolina woods.        The trail was padded, 212¢ or 3¢ wide, gentle descents or ascents ¢ very nice! At 4:03 I reached Lemon Gap, where a University of Florida van was dislodging a group of perhaps 8 apparently beginning backpackers, headed for Max Patch with their brand-new gear. At another vehicle, though, some thru-hikers offered modest trail magic; I had a Gatorade and a hamburger roll! Onward and upward... I arrived at the Walnut Mountain Shelter at 4:58 PM and erected my tarp on a nearby level ridge.        The fellows at the shelter asked if I knew what a ¢safety meeting¢ was, or a ¢fire drill.¢ These were apparently code words for a marijuana-smoking event. They invited me to join; I declined, but urged them to go ahead. Unfortunately I had called the wind direction wrong, and suffered a windy and chilly night, though it was free of precipitation and clear and starry. It was nice to meet Moonshiner, who I¢d last seen weeks ago worried about boot problems near Georgia¢s Deep Gap Shelter. He was surprised that I remembered that! He¢d gone into Hiawassee, REI had overnighted him new boots, and he¢d moved along ever since! He was going the 13 miles into Hot Springs tomorrow.