Date: 2005-03-28
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: snow

Well, we did it, we camped out last night. A few words of advice to any potentialthru-hikers out there: When it's 5:00 and thunderstorming and raining, and theweather says that there are going to be "Severe Thunderstorms" later in the night,tenting might not be the best idea. At various points in the night last night, all of the following events occured: Iwoke up in the downhill corner of the tent against the ventilation and beingsplashed by the rain; I extended my legs to the full length of my sleeping bag andher a splash as the ice cold water penetrated the bottom of my bag; Both Bubbletoesand I became so warm that we tried to shed layers, two people, in a small shelter,at the same time; I woke up being spritzed by water in middle of the night as thelarge heavy raindrops hit the tent and knocked of the condensation. That prettymuch describes the night that I had last night, but overall, I suppose things wentOK, I wasn't frozen, and none of my stuff was ruined, although my tent (note: Islept in Amanda's tent, the gear was in my tent) did collapse in the middle of thenight, due to my trekking pole not extending the whole way. I really should find away to fix/replace my trekking pole. There was one positive side to where we camped, it was only a 100 yard walk to theNOC and some actual breakfast. Now breakfast foods are definitely my favorite typesof food, although I'm rarely awake in time to eat breakfast, so when I get theopportunity to, I go to town on some breakfast foods. Today was no exception tothis rule, it was french toast with bacon and a side of sausage gravy over biscuits,and I do have to say that the River's End restaurant at NOC prepared some meanbreakfast. Conversation was good too. James, Bubbletoes, Freeze Dried, Longhaul,Vision Quest, and Lion King were all there at one point in time, it was a goodbreakfast. James had some sort of crazy hankering to get out of the NOC prettyearly and do the 7 miles up to the first shelter, so there wasn't much time to killafter breakfast, we tore down camp, and I headed to the outfitters to restock onbeef jerky and to wrap my duct tape around my poles and by the time I was out,James, Bubbletoes and Freeze Dried were gone, so up the trail I went.You may have noticed by now that I've said "up" twice when referring to thedirection of the trail, that's mainly because there's a 3,000+ foot climb out of theNOC before you get to the first shelter. Today's hiking...sucked.As if the 6 miles of nothing but uphill didn't suck enough, the weather made thingsworse, 40 degrees, rain, and fog; AKA Hypothermia Weather. The fog just madeeverything a cruel joke. After hours of hiking thinking you've got to be near thetop the ground would level out and you'd get all excited thinking you were almost atthe top and...another uphill would come out of the fog. I was floored by the time Ifinally made it out of the fog and into the shelter. Waiting for me in the shelterwere Skylark, Newbie, James, Freeze Dried and Bubbletoes,all freezing. Since I wasalso freezing, I thought I'd join the fun. Since I've arrived, Red has showed up, and there's word that Lion King is on his waytoo, although he's going real slow because of his sprained ankle. Tonight is goingto be a COLD night in the shelter, I'm not looking forward to it.