Day 149, 18.1 miles
Standing Bear Farm/SOBO mile 1956.7 to Tri-Corner Knob Shelter/SOBO mile 1974.8 (Smoky Mountains NP)
Entered the Smokies today!
Left Standing Bear Hostel by 5:30am. Had a big day and wanted to get going as soon as possible. Almost 7000 feet of elevation gain was on the menu!
Broke all that elevation into small chunks and tackled each bit in steps. Had a few views here and there. Patches of snow and ice on the trail above 6000 feet! Saw the site of a 1980s small plane crash (the two people did not survive) and an old helicopter landing pad.
Am now at Tri-Corner Knob Shelter in the Smokies at 5887 feet. I thought the shelter was full when I arrived since some guys were in there with their stuff already out and all over the place, so I pitched my tent nearby. In the Smokies, you have to stay in the shelter unless it is full. If it’s full then you can camp in the immediate vicinity.
I am on a very slanted spot. Every time I lay down I slide into the corner of my tent. Hope I can sleep.
Weatherman and two hikers that were at Standing Bear never showed up; I think Weatherman said he was going to continue to the next shelter today. They never passed me on the trail though. Maybe they decided to do fewer miles instead.
Tomorrow will be a bit easier in terms of miles and elevation gain. Will reach Newfound Gap and head into Gatlinburg to resupply.
Day 150, 15.7 miles
Tri-Corner Knob Shelter/SOBO mile 1974.8 (Smoky Mountains NP) to Newfound Gap/SOBO Mile 1990.5
Didn’t sleep that well since my tent was pitched on a slope and I ended up smushed against the tent wall. I did get SOME sleep, though. Also, I was pretty warm in spite of the cold temps, and I was grateful for that.
Decided I may as well get up for good around 4am after waking up every other hour. Packed up and set off in the dark. Loved the predawn hiking way up over 5500 feet in the mist. Seriously, it was magical.
Felt pretty tired because of the lack of sleep and yesterday’s big elevation gain. Glad the day was enjoyable. Ridge walks and views here and there after the fog dissipated.
Came to Charlie’s Bunion, a rocky outcropping that is popular with day hikers, and began seeing a gazillion people. Up until now in the Smokies, I’d only seen a handful of backpackers. Now there were so very many people within four miles of Newfound Gap. Shouldn’t be surprising, I guess. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Got a shuttle driver to take me into Gatlinburg for resupply and a hotel stay. Gatlinburg is super touristy; I got my resupply at a nearby Walgreens and headed straight back to my room. Problem is though, of course, that I bought way too much food. I have a huge, difficult day tomorrow, and now I have extra weight to carry. I can’t eat a ton of it before the morning, even with hiker hunger, because I bought a ton to eat for dinner too. Arg.
The temps are going to plunge well below freezing in two days and it is supposed to snow, and I don’t want to be in the Smokies when that happens. Have to do 20-22 miles tomorrow with close to 7000 feet of elevation gain and then 20-22 the day after in order to get through the Smokies before that weather hits. Or 18 miles the first day and then 23.5 the next. Have to camp at shelters, can’t just camp anywhere in the Smokies. I am nervous about this and not looking forward to doing that many miles…and now with excess food. I’ll be very happy when I am done with the Smokies. The mountains are beautiful, but this is going to be a very tough two days.
Day 151, 17.9 miles
Newfound Gap/SOBO Mile 1990.5 to Derrick Knob Shelter/SOBO Mile 2008.4
Broke my little toe this morning! Hit it on the corner of the bed in my hotel room right before I left. Heard the snap, felt the incredible pain, and became extremely angry. Same foot as my screwed up ankle. I don’t have time for this! A storm is coming and I must finish the Smokies within two days or I will miss the weather window! Sucked it up, gritted my teeth through the pain, popped the most Tylenol I could without overdosing, and hiked 18 miles to Derrick Knob Shelter.
Mostly in the trees with nice views here and there. I skipped the side trip to Kuwohi’s platform since I have been there/done that with the kids. Also, I didn’t want to take any additional steps with my toe.
Took off my Darn Toughs and compressions stockings at the shelter tonight, and wow! Toe is purple and swollen. [Edit, days later: I did not get a photo and I really wish I had because the sight was quite impressive.]
I have to hike 23.5 miles to Fontana Dam tomorrow with my toe like this before a winter storm hits the Smokies in the evening and dumps 1-2 feet of snow. Temps are going to plummet to the single digits. Gotta get out of here, no choice. Thank goodness I have Tylenol with me. It’s gonna be a rough day.
I want to be up and out by 4am tomorrow to give myself plenty of time to hike out. There are four guys tenting nearby, so glad they will not be in the shelter so I don’t have to worry about waking anyone up tomorrow.
I am exhausted and need to get to sleep soon. Will be relieved when I am safely in the shuttle driver’s car tomorrow at the end of my hiking day.
I’m stubborn as hell, I can do this.
Day 152, 23.6 miles
Derrick Knob Shelter/SOBO Mile 2008.4 to Fontana Dam (NC)/SOBO mile 2032
Woke up at 3am and was hiking by 4. Glad no one else was in the shelter so I could pack up without waking anyone. Wanted to give myself plenty of time to hike out of the Smokies and get to Fontana Dam by 6pm, which is when Bookie from Rambling Roots Hostel was picking me up. Also wanted to beat the incoming cold weather. Didn’t know how long I would take given my broken toe. I can ignore it successfully enough with Tylenol and stubbornness, but my entire left foot is now truly FUBAR.
Early morning hiking is always enjoyable to me. Caught a pair of eyes with my headlamp at one point. I said hello to whatever it was (fox maybe? Don’t think it was a bear) and continued on my way.
After sunrise, I was mostly in the clouds until I got within a few miles of Fontana Dam. I could then see views of Little Tennessee River through the trees. Saw day hikers here too since there is a fire tower locals like to visit.
The cool breeze turned frigid about two miles from the dam. It was sudden. I stopped and layered up quickly. It was like someone opened a freezer door and all the cold rushed out.
I am grateful I made it out of the Smokies before the temps dropped. Still managed good time and got to the dam – which is gorgeous – two hours early. Am at the dam now. Texted Bookie and she can get here by 5, so I don’t have to wait too long. My left foot is in a lot of pain, both the ankle and the toe. I have a cold now too and am blowing lots of snot rockets.
Very glad to be through the Smokies. Am taking a zero tomorrow to recover and assess my toe.
I can stay inside every night from here on out if I want to do so. Might just do that. It is supposed to be in the single digits tonight. I feel injured and exhausted. I do love sleeping in my tent, but given the circumstances it might be a good idea to have a safety net each evening.
Went into the Fontana Dam Visitor Center to buy a snack while waiting for Bookie. The lady was so kind. She gave me free hot tea.
Later – Got to Rambling Roots Hostel and…Neon, Shadow, Mosey, and Notta are here! Haven’t seen them since NH and Maine. Neon is back on trail after healing from his sternum fracture. So good to see all of them again. Ark is here too, nice to see him again as well.
Just checked the forecast for the Smokies. The area I stayed in last night will have 12-26 inches of snow within two days. So glad I pushed through and am now at a warm and cozy hostel!
Time to stare at my swollen foot before falling asleep.
Days 153 and 154, Zero days at Rambling Roots Hostel.
Day 153: I feel more exhausted than I have ever felt in my entire life. My entire left foot hurts like hell. I bumble my way through the day, being driven to CVS to pick up a prescription and then to Walmart for resupply. I get deodorant for the first time in over four months (it now won’t immediately sweat off me) and hand lotion, but I forget to get any hiking food. I do bring back take-out. I eat it at the hostel and then go downstairs to my room. I notice my ankle is very swollen and there’s a small bruise on the top of my foot near my middle toe in addition to the little broken toe situation. I briefly wonder what an MRI and/or X-Ray will eventually reveal, then I pass out for the evening.
Day 154: I slept a ton last night. Ankle not nearly as swollen now and it is much easier to walk. Toe is still broken of course, and that is not going to change, especially since I have ten more hiking days left. I eat pizza and drink water and Gatorade all day. One of the hostel cats comes and sits on me for a while, and that of course makes everything feel better. Said goodbye to Ark who heads out today and will likely stay ahead of me from here on out. He’s a great guy, and I wish him well.
Tomorrow I am slackpacking. Hopefully most if not all of the snow will be gone by the time I get out there. It is going to warm up considerably over the coming week, so if I can make it through tomorrow without damaging anything further then I should still be able to make it to Springer before Thanksgiving.
