Date: 2004-04-12
From: A. Rufus Morgan Shelter

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: moderate rain

Woke up to the gray sky, and some shower. When I hiked, the shower stopped. So, I departed for Nantahala River and Nantahala Outdoor Center.   When I descenting the mountain toward NOC, the downhill was pretty tough and stressful. I made it to NOC and was thrilled to learn that they have Internet. I went up to try to use internet paystation but discovered that they had it under strictly firewall. I couldn't get to several websites. I was very upset and realized that NOC staff was not friendly to hikers. They just don't care how important the internet is to hikers.   One of the hikers, told me that a hiker tried to use internet there to register for her college classes. She cannot get in those sites. It frustrate her the same way as it does to me.   NOC staff can do nothing and wouldn't even try to help me in any way to use their computer. I realized that their business are probably all about money.I became very frustrated, but went to restaurant to have a good meal, then hitch hiked to Bryson City, NC. It was extreme easy to get hitched. I don't have to wait more than 10 minutes to get a ride. A driver dropped me off on a road leading to Bryson City as he was going different direction but while I was walking, another car passing me, knew that I was trying to get to Bryson City, he stopped himself even though I didn't try to hitchhike. So, I jumped in and he took me to library where I can check the internet. After library, I have to get to NOC again, which is about 14 miles from Bryson City. I then got a hitched easily. Those two young women, who gave me a ride, were very nice and asked me some questions about my backpacking, Appalachian Trail, etc. So, they dropped me off at NOC. I saw One Leg there. I came and hugged him and asked how he was doing. He told me he had to get off the trail for two days because of the blister developing on his hands resulted from downhill to NOC. After he left, I decided to continue hiking from NOC to Sassafras Gap Shelter. I guessed that I could make it to the shelter before dark. I left NOC at 4pm to do a 6.9 miles hike to the shelter. I guessed wrong, I arrived the shelter at 8:45pm. It was so dark. I realized that I shouldn't gamble the elevation of 1,740 feet from NOC to 4,330 feet Sassafras Gap Shelter. It was a tough uphill climb. I had to use night headlamp. The headlamp wasn't very good during heavily fog night. I can only see the trail underneath me. I can't see anything else. I have to rely my eyes. When I got closer to the shelter, I saw a campfire. I become very relieved that I arrived at the shelter. The shelter is large enough to hold 16 hikers. There were three available spaces, and I was relieved to get a space in the shelter. I saw three kids and two adules on the bottom floor and I become suspicious that they are the Garland 5, a family of five hikers, two adults and three children. I had seen their name on many registation books at previous shelters.   I fell asleep, thanking God for the safe trip from NOC to the Sassafras Gap Shelter after a tough night full of fog and extreme tough climb.