1981 Appalachian Trail Through Hike Journal

WEEK 3 - April 6 to April 12, 1981

April 6, 1981

The rain associated with the front arrived with a vengeance about 3 a.m., April 5. We were staying in the Wyah Bald observation tower but the high wind was straight in the doorway bringing the rain with it. We were getting wet and water was beginning to accumulate in puddles on the floor. At 4 a.m., we finally gave up hope of any more rest and packed our gear. Connie was getting severely chilled so we crawled into my tube tent and I lit my stove to provide some warmth for us. At the first sign of daylight we set off in the rain hiking six miles to Cold Spring Shelter where we cooked a big brunch. At 10 a.m. we set off for the (nonexistent, it turns out) Wesser Creek Shelter. We arrived at the top of Wesser Bald in good time and stopped for a snack. En route to Wesser I took a picture of some flowers that I didn't recognize. Dogwood, forsythia, and cinquefoil are now in bloom. After a 15 mile day already, we discovered that the trail has been rerouted away from Wesser Creek and we had to hike an extra three to four miles into Wesser. Wesser is a small town on the Nantahala River catering mostly to kayakers, rafters, and canoeists, but also hikers and climbers. Here we caught up with Tom, Emily, Dave and a few others who have been ahead of us, including the "Famous Houston Brothers", Will and Rick, twins. The mileage for the day was close to twenty; my ankle was sore and so were Connie's feet so we decided to take a full day's rest. The store in Wesser has a fair supply of hiking goods and we replenished our supplies for the upcoming three to four day trek through the Stekoahs. Meanwhile, Liz, Davis, and Dennis showed up! In order to not lose time, after resting for 4-5 days, they skipped about 50 miles of trail south of Wesser and are continuing on to Maine. We stayed last night at a campground with hot showers and laundry. We are sharing a motel room with a number of the other hikers tonight. I lazed around most of today chatting with the other hikers and repacking for the continuation of the trip tomorrow.

April 9, 1981

From Wesser I struck out for Sassafras Gap lean-to after telling Connie that if I got there before noon I intended to continue. In fact, almost everyone who left Wesser that morning (except Bill, from N.H.??) got to Sassafras Gap before noon. I was the earliest at just about 11 a.m. I had packed up potatoes and butter for Connie to have baked potatoes. I left them there as she said she would go no further that day. In fact, arriving before noon, she pressed on to Sweetwater Gap. Meanwhile I overtook and hiked with the Famous Houston Brothers to Cody Gap, where along with P. J., we spent the night. Everyone else except Bill, including three guys who thought they would get at least to Cable Gap, if not Fontana Dam., camped somewhere between us and Connie. That day was the worst of the infamous Stekoahs although I agree with Connie that the Mahoosics in ME are harder - no contest. Everyone except Bill arrived at Fontana Dam or Fontana Village the next day. The only things of note in the two day trek were red trillium in bloom and I spotted some wood thrushes. I caught up once again to Tom and Emily when I went into Fontana for my mail. I sent home my winter clothes, dropping about seven pounds from my pack weight. I made it up again by being overstocked with food but that just means that I'll eat well for a few days (unless the bears in the Smokies steal it!). Rob, a fellow headed just to Harper's Ferry, and I were the only ones today to get a "morning" permit for the Smokies. The park rangers have arranged two schedules depending on whether you start in the morning or afternoon. They have arranged to reserve four spaces in each shelter for through- hikers. The schedules take six days to cover the 70 miles rather than our originally planned five days but one day should be easy to make up later. Connie has now dropped back and may meet me on the other end of the Smokies (dogs are not allowed in the park). It rained all morning until I reached Birch Spring where I finally had breakfast. I arrived at Mollies Ridge sometime early in the afternoon and Rob showed up a couple hours later. The shelters in the park are dirt floor, stone walls, a metal roof, and have wire bunks. In general they and the area around them is littered. The spring at Mollies Ridge is definitely undrinkable unless the water is treated. The guidebook claims a latrine but I was unable to locate it. I saw a flower that is new to me - green "petals" with red tips. Conditions were too dismal to take a picture of it. At one time along the trail, which follows the NC/TN border, it was foggy (cloudy) in NC and clear in TN.

April 10, 1981

Set out relatively early in the morning on the 11+ mile hike to Derrick Knob shelter. (Derrick is much cleaner that the other shelters I've seen so far but still no latrine.) The day was sunny (Rob thought it was too warm) but the haze never cleared from the valleys. When I arrived at Russell Field shelter, there was a doe and two one to two year old deer grazing behind the shelter. There were four section hikers in the shelter who did not realize that the deer were there. I put down my pack and "stalked" them, getting two pictures. We have been joined this evening by two hikers from Ohio who had started out to do Georgia to Maine but got bogged down and missed part of the Nantahalas . They now plan to quit at Newfound Gap, go back and do the part that they missed, and complete the rest of the trail next year.

April 11, 1981

A short and easy day. Have seen a half dozen more deer in three separate locations last night and today. Took two more pictures. The early morning alternated between overcast and very overcast but it did not rain. (We had a sprinkle last night.) By mid-morning the sun was consistently breaking through the clouds. I reached my appointed shelter, Double Springs, before mid-day.

April 12, 1981

Another easy day. Even though it was thirteen miles we easily could have done yesterday's and today's mileage together in one day. Both Rob and I missed Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the AT! We figured out later where it must have been. It was overcast all day but I took a picture anyway of the NC side of the ridge just SW of Clingman's. Also enticed a junco at Icewater shelter with some grain and took it's picture. There have been bold juncos at all the shelters. The Forest Service schedule that we have been following is ridiculously easy. We arrive at Icewater shelter today at 1:15 p.m.! Finally noted a genuine "mountain" bird today - a pine siskin. Have mostly been hearing robins, towhees, black throated blue warblers, nuthatches, and today, chickadees. Also heard the "longwinded" bird that I can never remember the name of.