Location:Fontana Dam, NC
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Smokies here we come!
Day 19 started with the shaking of ice off our tent's rain fly. We had breakfast in the tent due to the cold. It was a nice morning hike into Fontana Dam. We actually saw the sun! Checked in and got our resupply boxes. Thanks so much Mom and Dad! We shipped some North of the Smokies to a place called Standing Bear Farm. Met up with California and Flute for a nice dinner and can't wait for the breakfast buffet in the morning before we head back into the mtns. We leave tomorrow for the Smokies. Back to the place where it all began 35 years ago on a backing trip BJ took with his cousin Jimmy. Molly's Ridge is our first stop. For those of you who don't know how the park works, here's the low down. Any over night hikers in the park must make reservations and stay in a shelter. 4 slots per shelter per day are reserved for thru hikers. Once the 4 slots are filled, only thru hikers can pitch a tent by the shelter. With all that said, it could be dark before a thru hiker knows if he can sleep in the shelter or pitch a tent... Yuck! We plan to make it through the park in 6 1/2 days (70 miles). Our fingers are crossed for good wx. By the way, we had plan to be in touch with family and friends before the park, but Fontana has no cell signal. The Fontana Village is a great laid back place for a weekend in the Smokies versus Gatlinburg. Looks like tomorrow and Sunday will be nice weather with storms coming through Monday night. Hoping for some great views.
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2 comments:
Hate to tell you this but hiking in the GSMNP is like hiking in a long green tunnel. The only good views you'll see are at Shuckstack, Rocky Top, Clingmans, Charlies B. and Cammerer tower. That's not many views for 70 miles of hiking! After the park, you'll see great views at Max patch and Roan MTN. Hang in there!!!!...DZ
Been to Clingman's Dome, Charlie's Bunion, and the fire tower on Mt. Cammerer. The view from the tower is awesome when the weather is nice......I did not hike anywhere close to the miles you two have traveled to get there though!
Tim
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