Date: 2003-06-18
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

After my first experience on the AT, I waited a four or five days and prepared for the next hike. I dropped my pack weight from 50 odd pounds to 38 pounds. I bought a new pack (TNF badlands) and a new tent (Sierra Designs Cliplight flashlight). I got rid of the lanterns I never used, and other a sundry things. I was ready for my next hike.Leaving Hot Springs is a beautiful walk. You go right by the river, which was very high and turbulent from all the rain of the past week. You ascend to lover's leap, which has a great view of the river. Later in the day, I reached this beautiful pond, which the AT passes by. I could hear the water running over the dam that was built as a spill over. There is a bench looking out over the pond. A great place for a snack break! I tented that night at the Springer Mt. Shelter.The next day consisted of several major climbs. One climb being to Camp Creek Bald Fire Tower. On the hike up camp creek bald, I stopped at a shelter, about half way up. I was pretty tired, and I had been listening to thunder all the way up. As I was laying down on the shelter floor, this group of people came up to me. They worked for the forestry service, and were "baiting bears". This consisted of hanging partially opened sardine cans from trees. The bears climb the tree to get to the sardines, and in the process leave claw marks. The forestry personel then examine the marks, and keep track of the bear population. At this point I'm thinking....Oh my God! Are these people going to get me eaten by a bear? They laughed and said that they tried to not get "too" close to a shelter. After they left, I ended up meeting some hikers from Texas, and we leap frogged each other on and off for the rest of the hike. That night I camped at Jerry Cabin Shelter.I decided to actually sleep in the shelter, this was my first night in the shelter. On the way there, there was a relocation, and the path didn't follow the current guide book. Another storm was brewing, and the sky was getting dark. I thought I had hiked far enough to reach the shelter, but nothing was familiar, except for the white blazes. The wind was blowing hard and leaves from trail maintainers were all over the ground. I was getting pretty nervous. Finally I arrived at the shelter. There was only one other person there. I set up my sleeping bag and then cooked dinner. Eventually the shelter filled up...so much that there were people on the ground. Later that evening,after dark, this guy on the other end of the shelter lights a little tea light, and starts smoking dope. Fortunately, the wind was blowing away from me, and only could lightly smell it. But this began a process for several hours....smoke....munchies, smoke, munchies. Now, I don't mind him doing dope, that's his choice, but that tea light kept me up for hours. It was a very strange experience. The next day was a good hike, the climbs weren't as bad as the trail profile said it was, and even though I was tired, I was feeling pretty good. I camped at Hog Back Ridge Shelter. There, a guy taught me how to play poker (he wanted me to bet my gear...no way!) and I listened to him complain that he was about to die from a heart attack. He was completely worn out from his hike and was wishing a helicopter would pick him up. I asked him where he had put in (it was the first day of his hike). He told me Sam's Gap...the AT Databook said this was only 2.4 miles away. I decided I wouldn't tell him that. The next morning was very misty...it was like walking through fog. I hiked out to Sam's Gap where my jeep was waiting for me. It was strange coming around bends in the trail and hearing the road (civilization). I missed the quietness of the trail, but was ready for some real food. Losing 12 pounds and having a better pack made a huge difference.