Day 2 SASH #10: Springer Mountain Shelter to Hawk Mountain Shelter, GA

“Green are the leaves I leave in Mirkwood.” Legolas― Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

30 March – The alarm on my recently added piece of gear, a Casio Twin Sensor Watch, went off at 6am as set; however, since I had tossed and turned a lot over the night, I felt like I could use some extra time in the rack. About 7am, I heard the Georgia Bulldogs outing group camping nearby start to stir; so, I figured I might as well get my day underway as well. It was very foggy and a bit chilly this morning; so, foggy, in fact, that I could barely see 10 feet. I found my way to the shelter, hoping I could remember which direction stood the privy. However, the fog and mist made finding the privy – a rather important need in a very quick way – a challenge. I walked down the first track I saw, but this was to the bear box; back-track to the shelter and take the next track. Fortunately, this track was the correct path and a small situation was averted. Picking up my food bag from the bear box and finding my way back to my tent, I decided to skip making any breakfast in camp and try to get on trail before the college kids. But first I needed some water. The spring for Springer Mountain Shelter is a good .25 miles downhill from the shelter and flows decently enough. However, my Sawyer filter was a bit clogged; I hadn’t tested it before leaving home like I should have and it barely trickled no matter how hard I squeezed my CNOC dirty water bag. Tried my sport water bottle cap to back-flush; tried blowing hard into the filter, tried knocking it on a log. Still only a trickle; so, getting my water bottles filled was a chore. (Note to self: Self, you know better; check all your gear before leaving home!) Fortunately, I knew I only had to deal with this a couple days; I texted Nightingale to see if she could find REI in Atlanta and get me a new filter to drop off with my resupply in a couple days. Amazing; REI was right across the road from her hotel!

Of course, my tent was wet from rain the night before, but otherwise, packing up went without further situations. I did not manage to get out before the Georgia Bulldogs, but I did make it on trail before a similar group from Georgia Tech! It was definitely a packed house at Springer Mountain. Regardless, as I headed north from Springer Mountain, I did not see any other hikers for a while. The trail was quite rocky, and of course the rocks were slippery, but I still decided to eat a breakfast Clif Bar while hiking down the mountain. A haiku came to mind: wet rocks – eating while hiking – risky business. It threatened rain off and on and the forest was misty; but this forest atmosphere made my mood more introspective today than it had been yesterday on the Approach Trail. I didn’t mind the rocks so much since it was easy to step around or between them rather than directly on the slick granite surfaces. I thought about how the rocks are much more difficult up north in Virginia and Pennsylvania where I had already hiked. It wasn’t long before I was down the mountain to the Springer Mountain trailhead. There, I met Mountain Squid, the legendary GATC Trail Ambassador, who offered some trail magic in the form of a Capri Sun and Little Debbie Swiss Rolls; second breakfast! We had a short chat about the weather and I was back on the trail.

And here, the trail turned into the famed green tunnel. Loblolly pine, rhododendron and mountain laurel hung over the trail; damp green moss and misty fog filling the spaces between. The rushing water of Stover Creek, hidden in a hollow behind the greenery, provided the appropriate background music. Here, in the misty evergreens beside a mountain stream, was the mystical, legendary place I imagined in my dreams of the Appalachian Trail. I slowed my pace deliberately to listen to the water; I breathed deeply to try and smell the trees. Unfortunately, the rhododendrons were not yet in bloom. I paused on a wooden footbridge over the creek, a moment of shinrin yoku – remembering this is why I hike. I wished there had been space to sit for a while; however, the evergreens guarded the stream right to its edge and even hung over its ripples. So, I continued on and at about 10am, I came to Stover Creek Shelter, which sits almost on the trail itself with no pesky blue blaze trail. The shelter was empty; so, I decided this was the perfect time to stop and make some coffee – elevenses and early lunch!

Stover Creek Shelter appeared much nicer than Springer Mountain Shelter; at least, here the picnic table was under an overhang and was dry. The threat of rain also seemed to have passed for now; so, I took the opportunity to hang out my tent’s rain-fly, hoping it would dry some. As I pulled out my stove, firing it up for a cup of Kopiko Cappuccino, a young couple stopped by the shelter for a break. Lauren and Jeremiah both are from New England via Colorado and I could tell immediately they had an air of excitement and adventure. Introductions and initial chit-chat out of the way, the three of us were joined by a grizzled old fellow – someone I actually had passed earlier in the green tunnel. We exchanged a few words on the trail; enough to know that we both had prior military, and in his case, government service. But I was too wrapped up in the greenery of the trail to talk too much when I first met him; although, he seemed to want to impress me with his professional accolades. As I was busy with my stove and opening some beef sticks for lunch, the old man turned his attention to the couple. He seemed quite surprised that they easily shared that they quit their engineering jobs to hike the trail. This, strangely enough or not, motivated him to start lecturing them about how life is not a joke and how the current regime is going to save us all from ruin. I listened quietly (afterall, I am Quiet Man) for a good five minutes as he spewed regime propaganda and misinformation. The couple listened without saying a word, but I could tell they were uncomfortable. Then, I broke my silence telling him, after a 30 year Army career and being a Republican who voted for Kamala Harris in the last election and wrote-in Teddy Roosevelt in the two prior elections, that I did not agree with a single thing he had said and that the current regime did not care about him or anyone else for that matter. Of course, he attempted to challenge my “blasphemy,” to which I stopped him by saying we come to the trail for a lot of personal reasons, mine being to seek quiet and peace of mind, and we should be respectful enough to leave controversy at the trailhead. This quieted him for the most part; that, and the young couple took the opportunity to depart, leaving him with no audience. He and I did not say much more to each other. I finished lunch, said my farewell, and never saw the man again.

I was thankful the green tunnel continued after Stover Creek Shelter; my mind drifted back to calm. The hiking so far this day had been easy; my usual aches were fine and I was now feeling good about this section hike after what seemed like an ambivalent start the day before at Amicalola Falls. In a few miles, I came to a larger bridge over a larger creek; Three Forks – the confluence of Stover, Chester and Long Creeks. I paused on the bridge to take a photo and then heard, “Quiet Man!” After the bridge, the trail crosses a forest service road; there sat Lauren, Jeremiah, and a few other thru hikers and some day hikers. Lauren called my name as I approached the group. After a few introductions, Lauren told everyone the story about the grizzled old man at Stover Creek Shelter. I appreciated that she thanked me for speaking out to the grizzled one; after a few laughs with a couple other hikers, I knew I needed to keep up my momentum and headed up the trail. Across the forest service road, the trail is guarded by six evenly spaced short wood stumps. Strange; like some form of ancient gateway. I searched my mind for a Tolkien reference: the Forest Gate to Mirkwood. Then I heard a Merry Company coming up from behind; Lauren, Jeremiah and a few others. A fast company, they passed me easily; a company of travelers with whom I would become more acquainted by night’s fall.

I caught the merry company at the Blue Blaze Trail at Long Creek Falls. They were just coming back from the falls and extolled its beauty. I explained I rarely take Blue Blazes to sights and there are plenty of other waterfalls; plus, it was starting to rain again. Lauren looked like Mary Poppins with her trail umbrella; but that trail name implication rolled off like the raindrops off her umbrella. The Merry Company was rapidly on their way, leaving me to my thoughts and the raindrops. It never rained hard, just enough to keep me guessing about in or out of rain gear. I know enough that rain jackets will not keep you dry, but I kept it on anyway for a wind break. My new rain hat, a Columbia boonie cap, is a great improvement over my past Asics running hat.

I reached my destination for the day, Hawk Mountain Shelter, by about 4pm. For me, this is the perfect time to arrive at camp. Usually, early enough to beat any potential crowd and with plenty of time to relax. But this is the bubble. The shelter itself was almost full and there were a few tents already pitched nearby. I prefer to use my tent, except when rain is in the forecast and rain was in the forecast for tonight. There was one space left on the first deck. The Merry Company occupied many of the shelter spots; so, I thought this would be a good chance to get to know the Merry Company, along with a few new characters. Even Edna and Axel, the Berliners, walked into camp not long after. The rain was off and on until dusk, giving everyone a chance to eat dinner and get to know each other. So, now I met other members of the Merry Company: Smokie, Pumbaa, Tree, and Iceberg. New characters: James, Henry, and a couple others whose names I now forget. Also, “Jello legs” from the first day was here – trail name really Bitcoin. Many of the laughs revolved around trying to give Lauren a trail name – turns out she is quite particular. I suggested Curry Wurst and Pommes for Axel and Edna; while they found it amusing, they were not convinced. Certainly, a classic evening on the trail getting to know other travelers and hearing about their journeys.

The Merry Company at Hawk Mountain Shelter (left to right): Jeremiah, Edna, Axel, Henry, James, Tree, Pumbaa, Unknown Hiker. via Lauren Mullen

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