Date: 2012-04-25
From: VA 600, Elk Gardens

To: Hurricane Mountain Shelter - Tented
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 31 - Wednesday, April 25thHiking Days 24 / Nero Days 5 /  Zero Days 2Start Location: VA 600, Elk GardensMile Marker: 490.6Ending Location: Hurricane Mountain Shelter - TentedMile Marker: 510.9Time: 10h 14minMiles: 20.3Weather: very cold below freezing with a breeze -windchill estimated about 15.  Woke up to snow.  Top of Mt. Rogers 4" of new snow, branches frozen over, slush.  Wind on top of Grayson Highkands was not nearly as bad as it could have been.  15-20 mph.  After GH was done skies turned partly sunny and warm near 65 or so.  Cooling in the evening but not as cold - yet. Night was fun.  As it turned out I decided to pitch me tent to block the wind.  This however is no good if it rains.  But since the wind is very cold and there is minimal chance if rain I pitched it low.  That was of course until ... Yep ... rain at 11:10.  Once it started I knew I had to get up and re-pitch it, so I did.  Not a big deal except it was very cold and I had to leave my sleeping bag.  Of course since I already made the effort to get out, I emptied my bladder.  The rain started as a light sprinkle, then heavier, then it changed to sleet then to snow.  By 7:00 I could see the weight of the snow pushing down on the top.  I got up several times during the night and made sure everything inside was dry.  However since I re-pitched my tent, the breeze/wind was now blowing in and was extreamly cold.  I had every piece of clothing I have on except my rain pants.  I was using that as my pillow.  At below freezing temps, I was definitely at my maximum cold point.  But still not shivering .. Yet.  I put my feet into my pack to help block the breeze from chilling my feet.  It seems to work out ok. Once actially up, I packed everything as quickly as I could in between trying to warm my hands.  Since everything including my pack was in my tent it was easy and somewhat quick.  With my pack complete I made a trip to the privy by the parking lot.  I also found a garbage can and used it as well.  Then back to finish breaking down my tent.  With the amount of ice and slush on it, I knew it would be very unpleasant taking it down and stuffing it in the tiny sack.  It proved to be as bothersome as  I thought it would be. First one out on trail at 7:30Not bad at first. The higher in elevstion i got, the colder it became.  From the very first fre steps of my morning, I was climbing Mt. Rogers.  The amount of snow accumulation increased as I gained altitude.  My feet are cold and wet.  The trail is really just one long slush path.  My left foot is frozen.  As it warms up the next series of slush paths come up.  You simply cannot avoid them.  As I continued to climb, the bushes and evergreens were hanging over the trail everywhere.  Their branches were just too heavy to hold them up with the thick layers of snow and ice crusted on them.  As I would hit one, the snow would just pile on top of me.  The hiking became very hard. Thie conditions continued to worsen as I went on.  It was clear there was a layer of several inches of new snow on everything.  The snow was becoming so thick that it was hard to tell the spacing between the rocks.  To say it was treacherous was an understatement.  And being the first on the trail it was often difficult to determine where the trail went. It took over two hours for me to go just over four miles to the Thomas Knob Shelter.  The wind was blowing, there was 4-6 inches of new snow over an existing s is base and it was cold and foggy.  In other words, what a perfect day to go over the Grayson Highlands.  There were three sections hikers still in the shelter.  I think they were hesitant on leaving.  While in the shelter I decided to cook, what else, ramen and hot chocolate.  It was nice.  In the meantime, Steve-O had arrived at the shelter, wrote in the register and moved on.  His goal was to do a big day to get I to Atkins the following day to meet his mother.  With him in the lead, now I could follow his footsteps.   It turned out that the rest of the Grayson Higands was covered in snow.  Although the wind was blowing, it could have been much worse.  Went through the fat man's squeeze, a rock formation that createda type of a cave walk.  Then continued to get off that F'in exposed hill.   On the way down I met a couple that was at the Hikers Inn in Damascus when I was there.  Talked for a bit and said goodbye.  They were doing a day hike to the Mt. Rogers summit.  A day hike may have been ok but I wasn't sure if they knew how bad it was on top.  Right then the ponies made themselves appear out from behind the brush.  One came right up to me.  As a turned to walk away it tried to grab my water bottle from my pack.  Got some great pictures I hope to pat soon of the mornings experiences. By the time I got off the hill, the weather had changed dramatically.  Much warmer, even nice in the valley.  Shortly, the sun even made an appearance.  Boy the difference just a few miles and several thousand feet made.  The nice weather continued for the rest of the afternoon. In two more shelters I met up with Master Splinter, Hillbilly and company.  It's funny how you never see these guys hiking and yet they are always in the shelter early in the day ahead of you.  I think Master Splinters code name for yellow blazing is called night hiking.   When I got to the final Shelter I was beat.  Simply the hardest hiking day I think I ever put in.  Only 20 miles but a grueling 20 it was.  At the shelter there were 6 hikers all spread out in a shelter for six.  I asked who was going to move over and there was reluctance to do so. I hate that.  So I asked if there were any snorers in the group. One said they did.  And with that I said don't worry about moving over ... That I will take a pads since I need a good nights sleep.  I took my pack and went down to the tenting area.  I sure this shocked and may have even pissed them off.  I did not really care.  When there is a shelter for 8 and only 6 are in it when a hiker comes in the correct thing to do is to ask if they want a space.  Not space themselves as to make the shelter full.  This is typical crap of section hikers who do shitty miles, short days, arrive at the shelters early to plop their lazy asses in the shelter and snore all night.  Bullshit.  You carry the big heavy tent ... try using it already.  Time to get the mothballs out of it. As it turns out, Doc and Dundee both made it.  Dundee tented with me, wildflower and Jersey.  It was supposed to storm around 2:00am.  As it turned out, wet night #2 started earlier then that. A hard day on the AT today.  One that I will remember forever.  But that is what the trail does.  It makes one-of-a-kind memories that last a lifetime.  Life is good ... Trail life is better.