On the Appalachian Trail: Hot Springs, NC to Sam's Gap

Day One: Hot Springs - Spring Mountain Shelter 11 miles (Total miles: 289)
Day Two: Spring Mountain Shelter - Jerry Cabin Shelter 15 miles (Total miles: 300)
Day Three: Jerry Cabin Shelter - Hogback Ridge Shelter 15 miles (Total miles: 315)

Day Four: Hogback Ridge Shelter - Sam's Gap 3 miles (Total miles: 318)

Generally, after one of our section hikes on the AT, I use the kids' journals to give a daily rundown of our trip. Putting it on the blog helps create a permanent (hopefully) record of our attempt to hike from Georgia to Maine. However, this time I'm going to forgo the daily log for a single story...

Our last morning on the trail was a chilly and wet one. We had hiked quickly the day before so we could reach Hogback Ridge Shelter ahead of everyone else. There was a cold front and rain storm moving in and we wanted to secure one of the six spots in the shelter so we could avoid setting up our tent in the rain and then having to pack it back up the next morning. After fifteen miles of climbing up and down mountains in a cool drizzle, we made it to the shelter and grabbed the last three spots on the wooden platform just six or seven minutes ahead of a group of thru-hikers who arrived right after us.

So our last morning found us dry and cozy in the three-sided structure with only two-and-a-half miles to hike before meeting our shuttle in Sam's Gap at 1:00. In no hurry to get started, we spent a few hours lying around in our sleeping bags and eating all the food we had left in our packs. Most the others hikers were up and out by 8:30 or so but two other guys were hanging around in the shelter putting off what was to be a day of walking in sleet and then snow. The five of us spent a few hours sharing stories, tips, and laughs. Around 9:00 or so a college-aged girl, who went by the trail name Alaska, came into the shelter and asked if we could make space for her so she could sit and put on her boots while staying out of the rain. As she sat one of the other guys, Uncle Tom, asked how late she and her partner had arrived the night before. She explained they had gotten in around 9:30 and set up their tent in the dark.

"I heard you come in but thought it was after midnight," Uncle Tom explained.

"No," said Alaska. "It was before ten. We didn't mean to hike in the dark but we reached the last shelter eight miles back and it was only 5:30 so we decided to hike on."

"How many miles did you wind up doing?"

"We hiked 30 miles yesterday. We might do another 26 today to get into Erwin."

At this point we all dropped our jaws. A thirty mile day of walking in the mountains with a heavy pack on your back is quite an accomplishment (though one many would choose to avoid). But to follow this with a twenty-six mile day is even crazier - especially this early in the trail. The other thru-hiker in the shelter, Naked Ninja, questioned her about this.

"Why are you doing such huge miles?" he asked. "It's my experience that people who push that hard get burned out and wind up off the trail."

"Well," Alaska explained, "my friend and I have deadlines to finish the trail. I came out with her to do a week and then loved it so much I decided to do another week. Then I loved that week so much I decided to go ahead and walk all the way to Maine with her. But we have to finish kind of quickly."

"How quickly?" Uncle Tom asked.

"Well, she's hiked part of the trail already and has a summer camp job that starts in June. She'll be back on the trail in August and finish it then. My sister is getting married in the middle of July so I need to be done by early July."

"Early July!" Naked Ninja smarted. "That's four months. Those are some big miles. I really think you'd be better taking your time and enjoying yourself. If you don't make it at least you'll feel good enough about your hike to come back next year and do the rest of the trail. If you make yourself miserable you'll wind up quitting and hating the whole experience."

"No, we're okay," Alaska promised.

A little later she headed off to the privy and her hiking partner came over.

"Did she give you all any indication what our plan is for today?" she asked.

"No," I said. "But she did mention maybe trying to do the 26 miles to Erwin."

"Ugh, " she said. "WE ARE ON A DEATHMARCH UP THE EAST COAST!"

"Wait," I said. "She said you had a deadline She said you had to walk big miles because you have a job to get to."

"No, no, no" she exclaimed. "That's her deadline. I just came out to walk. She's CRAZY."

We all started to laugh.

"No really," she explained. "We're college roommates and she decided to come out and hike with me for a week. Now she's hellbent on walking us to our deaths."

Around this time Alaska returned from the privy and the two of them packed up and headed out together. I don't know how far they wound up walking but, having luckily gotten off the trail at 1:00, I know the rest of the day was frigid and wet. The sleet that began around 12:00 soon turned to snow and the temps eventually dropped below freezing.

You meet all sorts of people on the trail. Many have funny trail names and even more have funny stories. That's part of the joy of being out there. To just walk fifteen miles and sleep in a tent every night would be okay. But to come across a cross section of people from all over the country and the globe is a bonus well worth every step.