Winds Blow us Off The Trail

Day 27- 12.1 Miles today from Molly’s ridge shelter to Derek knob shelter, 3.478 Feet Up, 3,186 Feet down, Total 265 AT miles

Back To Back Rough Climbs

Yesterday was a very rough day climbing up to Shuckstack to start the day and then continuous smaller climbs all the way to Molly’s ridge shelter. Today was also a rough day with lots of climbs but nothing like the first climb coming out of Fontana.

Yesterday we thought about going on to Russell field shelter which would add another three miles but leave us with a 9-mile day today rather than the over 12 miles that were faced with today. But I listened to my our bodies and decided it was wiser for us to go ahead and spend the night at Mollies after that brutal climb out of Fontanna.

A Small Tramily Forms

There were about six of us in the shelter last night including three or four other thru hikers and one lash hiker. Several of the thru hikers ended up traveling with us for the next couple days.

One of the thru likers was Dreads who told us there is indeed a bubble. There was a large tramily of about eight people that was traveling at same pace as about 20 people. Apparently we missed them on our last hike from Wayah when they were behind us. When we went off trial for a couple of days before climbing out of Fontana apparently they came through Fontana. So I guess that bubble is ahead of us.

55 mph winds!

Last night was super windy so it was nice being in the shelter while the wind howled outside. The shelters in the Smokies have bear hangs which is a relief so I don’t have to add a bear hang to our nightly duties. No privy though because the shelter was on the Tennessee side.

Molly’s ridge looked down on the monster glow of bright lights of Gatlinburg on one side of the ridge. On the other side of the ridge looked off into the Smokies with no artificial lights which was a vast contrast.

We climbed into bed at hiker midnight 7:00 p.m and slept really well last night.

Another day of hard climbs

Today has possible rain and our hike started out a little chilly probably in the 40s. A wind with gusts of up to 55mph has been blowing pretty steadily which makes it cold up on the ridges.

We stopped on the way down to Russell field shelter on the back side of the mountain out of the wind to take a breakfast break. After that was more downhill and then we had a gradual climb up to Russell field shelter.

I expected that we will be at Spence field by at least noon which would give us about 6 more miles today after that. That would include a climb up to Thunderhead mountain which is supposed to be rather rough.

Melancholy to clear the mind.

Both knockers and I felt kind of melancholy yesterday and not in a good headspace. We both don’t know why. It may be that we just need to desensitize from civilized world and enter back into the woods world. So far today we both feel great and refreshed and excited about hiking on.

We stopped at Russell field shelter for a break and met up with three other hikers traveling at a similar pace as us Cayote, Good News and Maria.

After that was a beautiful windy climb up the first climb heading towards Rocky Top. After Rocky top was a descent into a small gap and then a last climb which was 400 ft in 3/10 of a mile. That slope is about 1400 ft per mile! It was rough for us.

At the top of Rocky top the wind was blowing us off the trail but the views were amazing. From there the trail meanders along a very narrow ridge before it climbs again to the top of Thunderhead mountain. The views were shrouded by laurels.

Final push

With nothing easy to grab I wrapped my Marino wool sweater on my head because it was so chilly on the mountain top.

Past thunderhead I stopped at the next water to catch our last little bit of water needed until we get to the shelter. I’m trying real hard not to carry extra water a mistake I’ve made quite a bit on my hikes so far. Also trying to avoid places where it’s a challenge either a steep drop off or a distance from the trail to get a water grab.

After that water grab I thought it was going to be a nice cruisy up until the last little piece before the shelter but ran into a couple of pretty steep but short climbs.

Final climb up to the shelter was a very steep and we were glad that we were done for the day.

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