Date: 2013-03-15
From: Wayah Bald Shelter

To: A. Rufus Morgan Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: clear sky

(In which I descend toward the Nantahala Outdoor Center)The freezing rain never comes, though the night is cold. My setup words well, and I sleep better than I have any other night out of civilization on this trip. The only part of me that is cold is a narrow line on the back of my legs where the emergency blanket does not wrap all the way around. The morning is not terribly cold when it arrives, maybe the warmest I have woken up to yet on the Trail. I am able to get packed and eat breakfast without losing feeling in my fingers - definitely a first. I am fourth out of camp behind Blue Moon, Trail Movin', and Ayce. I do not move fast in the morning, stopping in the sun on a ridge to do some writing.The Trail passes through a six-way intersection of side trails and an old road before descending into Burningtown Gap and crossing a real road. Cold Spring Shelter is right on the Trail as it climbs out of the gap, and it is instantly my favourite shelter. It is zero feet from the Trail, and from the back appears to be a tiny log cabin stuck into a hillside. It is the smallest shelter yet, with a stated capacity of six. It also has the closest water source I have yet seen - if I stayed here it would be no farther from bed to water than at my own house. Someone I saw earlier this morning is resting here, and as I check the place out Chris and Cassandra arrive. I decide it is too early for lunch, and decide to have lunch when I reach nearby Copper Ridge Bald.I suppose I was spoiled by Siler Bald and Wayah Bald yesterday, and Copper Ridge Bald turns out to be a disappointment. There are a couple views on short side trails, but there is no bald patch of mountain like there was yesterday. Instead of stopping for lunch here I move on, selecting Rocky Bald as my next potential lunch break. Rocky Bald is off on a short side trail, so I park one trekking pole at the bottom of the side trail and head up to check it out. It is the most rewarding side trail yet, climbing over exposed patches of rusty bedrock to the peak. The views are great but the sun is strong. After shooting some photos I head back down to the AT to eat in the shade.It is interesting to see how folks can be unwilling to take a short side trail for a great view. Two folks passing by while I am eating move right on by when I inform them of the great view. Roosta and another hiker check it out though, and confirm that it is a nice spot. I have finished eating when they come down the side trail, and I follow Roosta down toward Tellico Gap. Roosta moves surprisingly fast downhill, even compared to my pace. In short order we reach the gap. There is one more climb today, up to Wesser Bald and its observation tower.I begin climbing ahead of Robbie and Roosta, but let Roosta pass me soon after starting the climb. Roosta is a fast hiker, and I enjoy challenging myself to hold his pace. If I were not following him, I would have stopped at least a few times for breaks. As it is we only stop for one short break near the peak, and then stop at the peak itself. Chris and Cassandra must have passed me while I was on the side trail to Rocky Bald, as they are also here. I climb the observation tower and enjoy both the views and the strong, unhindered wind. The day is one of the warmest so far, and getting out of the trees and into the breeze is great. After spending a while up here, I shoulder my pack for the long descent toward the Nantahala Outdoor Center. It looks like an easy hike - descending almost 3000 feet over six miles.It turns out this is not an easy, gradual descent. The Trail is often too steep to walk down without using my trekking poles. Gravity is trying to pull me downhill at a rate that is much too fast, and the best way for me to descend is to jam my trekking poles into the ground ahead of me every few steps, letting them slow me down instead of absorbing all that energy with my knees. The Trail also doesn't commit to going downhill. After the initial descent from Wesser Bald, the Trail launches into a series of small but steep ups and downs. It sticks to the top of the ridge for as long as possible before descending sharply. The steepest downhill bits are still not as steep as the climb up Albert Mountain a few days ago, but lowering myself down is more time-consuming and tiring than scrambling uphill. I pass Robbie and Kenzie resting their knees - I knew they had been having trouble and going slow downhill and this long drop must be tortuous. The air warms as the elevation drops, and in the still air I am sweating for the first time on a descent.Eventually I reach the A. Rufus Morgan Shelter a mile outside of the NOC. It is recommended that one makes reservations to stay at the NOC, but all of us are staying here instead of pressing on the last mile. It is a good day to camp, too. Here we have Trail Movin' set up down by the stream. Blue Moon is setting up his hammock trailside, and Roosta has pitched his hammock right across the Trail! Chris and Cassandra, Kyle, Ben, and Ayce are tenting too. I get ready to set up my hammock near Blue Moon but I cannot find my straps and stakes. They did not go back into my pack when I broke out my food bag for lunch. I am frustrated, but at least we are a mile from an outfitter and it is a nice night. I set up my hammock and rain fly as a ground cloth on a flat area near the stream. Tonight will be a fine night to sleep under the stars.Peace,