Thursday 4/14/05
Start -Cold Spring Shelter
Stop - A. Rufus Morgan Shelter
Miles traveled 10.7
I am writing this at 9:50, late and way beyond my regular bedtime but I didn't arrive till after 9.
I don't know whether I'm not eating enough, or the 2nd double-digit day in a row, or the events of last night, but I didn't seem to have any energy today.
When I closed last night, it was raining and I was going to tarp. Well the tarp worked great. Everything under it stayed dry. The main problem I had was that I couldn't manage to stay under it. Flat is a relative term and I was on the flattest spot I could find. It still was on a slight slope and I kept sliding out from under the tarp and into the rain.
The main feature of today's hike was the descent into Nantahala Gorge, a descent of 2,300 ft over 4 miles. It took me more than 5 hours. I don't have any idea how I could possibly have made it last time out. There was one point that I was ready to throw in the towel and walk back to Georgia. A landslide wiped out a 10-14 ft section of trail and I had to transverse the steep slope across a layer of slippery mud. I just knew I couldn't cross that section and stood there surveying the situation for more than a half hour. I finally reasoned that it wasn't as bad as it looked since at least 2-dozen people crossed the area today. So, after taking a couple of deep breaths I crossed the area.
Arrived at the shelter to find Caroline and Brewmaster to be the only occupants.
Posted by at April 14, 2005 01:09 AM