So good! Happy to see you back out there, happy trails!
Sounds like you are really enjoying it all. Stay safe and keep on rolling.
1468 miles done, 730 miles to Springer Mountain. Hiked into George Washington National Forest and later Jefferson National Forest. Stayed at Devils Backbone Brewery. They used to offer a shuttle but now it’s all hitch in and back but still worth it as you can camp for free by their bath house and walk over to the brewpub. Glad several NOBOs mentioned it to me or I otherwise might have skipped it. A rainy misty day when I made it up to Priest shelter and confessed. I missed out on the view from Spy Rock but the last few days the weather has been terrific and I’ve gotten lots of nice views. Trash cans at some of the lookouts when you cross the Blue Ridge Parkway are oddly extra satisfying to me. Checked out Buena Vista, VA but I did 20 miles the day I went into town and 20 miles the day I left so not a long rest. Lucked into some trail magic from Fresh Ground’s Leapfrog Cafe and I have the sticker to prove it proudly on my Smartwater bottle. Stayed last night at Beech Hill B&B and hostel in Troutville and then hiked just 1 mile today to the Super8 in Daleville. So not technically a zero day but doing my whiteblaze update anyway. The B&B was nice but I just figured might as well be walking distance to the grocery store and have one less mile to hike tomorrow. I’ve been hiking mostly with Harpers Ferry flip-floppers like myself but we have one SOBO with us. She’s still the only one I’ve met! Happy hiking all.
AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com
Had a wedding to go to over the weekend and did a nice long run over Mt Rogers/Grayson Highlands. Admittedly I didn’t yell your name in search of you but did wonder where you were!! Great time to be out there, ain’t it
Thats the next thing (Grayson Highlands) I’m really looking forward to!Originally Posted by chknfngrs
AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com
1573 miles done, 625 miles to Springer Mountain in Georgia. Left Daleville, VA and hiked 15 miles past Tinker cliffs and slept in my tent near Campbell shelter. There was a bear that definitely wasn’t very scared of us that kept getting close to the shelter but eventually our group got him to move away. The next morning we got up before sunrise so we could watch the sunrise from McAfee Knob. Scored some excellent photos and later in the day completed the VA triple crown by visiting Dragon’s Tooth. For the next few days hiked mostly in Jefferson National Forest and would get an occasional view point or pretty mountain top meadow. Fortunate to see Fresh Ground several more times and also fortunate that this recent cold weather snap lined up with the trifecta of VA hostels Angels Rest, Woods Hole and tomorrow Weary Feet!
AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com
Somers515, It's so awesome to read your updates! You're making great progress! Thanks so much for taking time to post here. Are you seeing much fall foliage? There's been a drought in much of the Virginia mountains this year so I hope that hasn't impacted the colors for you too much. I'm curious how water has been for you as well?
You have been very well-prepared but quite a few sobos and flip floppers have underestimated the cold they'll encounter with the increasingly higher elevations as they go south (counterintuitive) while getting closer to winter. Not that you'd get into trouble, it's just nice to be warm at night! Mt. Rogers' highest point on the A.T. is about 5500', and in Grayson Highlands the terrain is mostly treeless so it can be very windy; I've heard a lot of hikers say they had their coldest night of the entire trail at Thomas Knob Shelter because of that combination. Also in the Smokies you stay at elevations above 5,000 and 6,000' for multiple days. In November the verage high on Clingmans Dome is 42 and average low 28; add in wind chill and then maybe a cold snap and it could be feeling like the teens easily. For fun, check at the temperatures of Icewater Springs Shelter in the Smokies or Roan High Knob Shelter in the Roan Highlands in TN north of the Smokies (highest-elevation shelter on the A.T.) at www.atweather.org. Right now the temps upcoming are colder there than at the lowest-elevation shelters in Maine.
Keep enjoying the journey. Happy Trails!
Thanks LaurieP! I think perhaps the drought has made the colors coming a little early as we are just now starting to see some colors. The drought conditions has meant a lot of water sources are dry. Luckily some well placed water jugs and double checking water sources by looking for recent comments on FarOut has been working.
As for the cold so far so good but forecast is for it to remain chilly and chance of rain for several days so I’m a little worried about staying warm as we go over Grayson Highlands. I’ll do my best! I have a sleeping bag liner that should take my bag from 30 degrees down under 20 degrees. The rest of my cold weather gear should arrive before the Smokies but I’ll have to make do for the Grayson Highlands and run for a hostel if I need to. Thank you for the advice and tips!
AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com
You’ve got your…. details …. or dare we say, LOGISTICS, in order!
Love your posts. Hot water bottles work great. Stick it in a sock. If worried, put a ziplock around it.
Sounds like you are doing great, Somers515, adapting to conditions the Trail throws at you!
Ha, thanks chknfngrs!
AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com
Im contemplating adding the hot water bottle trick to my arsenal. I’ve used it before on shorter trips but currently my trick to stay warm in the AT has been staying in hostels. Lol. I think for the Smokies I will carry a Nalgene so I can do that. Thank you for reminding me! :-)
AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com
Im trying! Thank you!
AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com
1749 miles down, 449 miles to Springer Mountain. After Weary Feet there was a long 25 mile hiking day that really didn’t have much in views (except oddly the road walk over Interstate 77 was actually kinda nice) but it was still a nice Fall weather walk. The next day the highlight for me was Burke’s Garden and my little tramily stayed inside of Chestnut Knob shelter (I tented nearby) and the views from just outside the shelter were incredible and I enjoyed both a beautiful sunset and sunrise there. Next day another long hiking day this time to the Long Neck Lair Alpaca farm. I got to pet and feed the alpacas and round up some chickens to their coop. So fun, but I resisted the urge to quit my hike and become a farmhand. :-) The next really amazing part of the trail for me was Grayson Highlands and all the wild ponies. After that I did the side trail to Mount Rogers to bag the highest peak in Virginia. No views but there was so much snow on the evergreens it looked like Christmas! That night I was kinda chilly but ok sleeping in my tent next to Saunders shelter. Then it was into Damascus, trail town USA. I stayed at the Dancing Bear and socialized with friends at the Broken Fiddle hostel. I am now finished with Virginia and into Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee. Zeroing at Boots Off hostel in one of their tiny cabins to escape this rainy day and thunderstorms and will resume tomorrow. Happy hiking all!
AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com
Hope you’re done before it gets too miserably cold out! Three ish weeks or so?
Yes we’ve gotten a few really cold nights, including today which I believe may be record breaking or close to it for this part of NC for November 1st. Luckily my name is Logistics and so I’ve been keeping an eye on the weather and change my pace or plan to try to get to a hostel if it’s going to be super cold. The good news is I met up with Mrs. Logistics recently and so I have my colder weather gear now (20 degree bag instead of 30 degree bag, real winter mittens instead of my thin gloves and rain mitts combo and now I have my balaclava and Nalgene for the hot water bottle trick). More good news is that forecast shows the weather returning to normal soon and just in time for me to hit the Smokies so I’m feeling good. :-)
AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com
1943 miles down, 255 miles to Springer. After Boots Off, I spent one night dispersed camping (again a cold night) and then made it to Mountain Harbour. What a neat place! Everyone talks about the breakfast (which indeed was stellar) but I also enjoyed just hanging out at the outdoor bar/patio and they have a food truck right there. After that we made the long climb up to the Roan Highlands and it was fantastic weather for it and outstanding views almost all day. Then the next day Beauty Spot was true to its name before descending down to Uncle Johnny’s and Erwin, TN. My wife met up with me here and for the next couple of days she slacked me for a half a day so I could get some miles in and still have half the day and evenings to spend with her. Besides spending time with my wife, of course, Big Bald was the highlight for me during this section. My wife also provided some trail magic one day when my tramily was passing thru Spivey Gap/US 19W. After she had to head back home I picked up my miles covering about 44 miles in 28 hours (including 3 hours of night hiking) so I could reach Hot Springs, NC to catch back up with my tramily and also avoid some rain and cold weather. Even though I was doing lots of miles I still went to the Rich Mountain Lookout Tower and strongly recommend it as a worthy side trail. In Hot Springs I initially stayed at Elmer’s Sunnybank Inn (where Earl Shaffer stayed during his thru hikes including the first thru hike in 1948). Yesterday I slacked about 20 miles from very close to Max Patch back to Hot Springs so I could zero at Laughing Heart hostel and lodge to avoid the very cold weather forecast for tonight. Looking forward to seeing Max Patch tomorrow and heading into the Smokies soon!
AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com
Onward!!! You’re doing great and that positive mental attitude is worth it’s weight!
Good decision. ATweather.org shelter forecasts indicates 20 - 25F lows for high and low elevations tonight (Wednesday) with 5-10 mph steady winds up to 10-20 mph with 25mph gusts at higher elevations (above ~5000ft) from Hot Springs to Springer. With that wind it would be heavy puffy hiking weather at the higher elevations. Winds subside to 5 mph by tomorrow with warmer days. Lows are up 5-7F Thurs night and up a total of 10-12F Friday.
Time to get Rocky Top and Georgia on my Mind stuck in your head.
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