Packed up from our stealth mid mountain camp site, both
fired up our jet boil mini stoves and eat our first oatmeal/raisin mix and were
off continuing up the AT assent up the southern terminus of the Smokey's from
Fontana lake. Initially it was breathtaking until we quickly hiked up into fog/
low hanging clouds which closed in all and made for a surreal and very wet,
day, very mystic and super quiet- into a new and unknown adventure. We climbed
up to 4400 ft. with our first waypoint being the historic Shuck stack fire tower
however we missed the diverter path in the fog. Bummed but wouldn't have had a
view much over 50 ft. anyway. On we went.
Going through the Smokey's the AT foot path runs the top of
the mountain ridge line forming the North Carolina/Tennessee border. It is the
divide with the mountains falling off to our right and left. Although web are
only exploring the southern half on this trip this pattern of the trail on the
knife edge continues all the way through the Smokey's. Up and down it goes over
a peek of outcropped stone then back down into a saddle. But no views today.
Met some section hikers but no through hikers today (Springer Mountain to
Maine).
We took a midday break for Ramon Noodles and Tuna and then
on to 5:30pm when we finally arrived at the Russell Field shelter (15 miles in)
This shelter like all in the Smokey's is a 3 sided stone structure with tarp
across front in winter. Inside the back wall is split horizontally down
the middle to make two rough wooden bunk shelves. They said this one was
capable of sleeping 15 to 20 people. Even with the rain this sleeping
option looked like a nasty choice but it was booked with ATers for tonight and
as we lingered there with the Gestapo (explanation below) more soaked AT guys
were trudging in. A whole bunch of wet soggy hikers like us all lined up in
soggy gear....... Well we decided right away we'd much rather continue camping
in the woods or so we thought....
Funnies/ Interesting
Upon peeking into this shelter we ran into the Park
volunteer Gestapo armed with a radio to the Fed's the Park Rangers. He informed
us in no uncertain terms that we were not going to camp outside or anywhere in
this park without a permit to which we told him we were looking to buy. At
first he sounded like he was going to sell us one but as he went on his rant he
also sounded like he was going to notify the authorities. How in the world did
we get here? Did we have any idea what kind of fines we could face? what were
we thinking? and what was he going to do with us? On and on he went working up
a real frenzy. Well we had heard enough to skedaddle fast. So off we went
5.5/miles down off the mountain toward Cades Cove to buy permits the following
morning. But be forewarned he said as we left your going to have to
get out of the park to camp tonight or you will be fined if caught! So with and
his attitude and radio in mind we again stealth camped on the mountain just
above Cades Cove. Glad to be "outlaws" again.
As we hiked down off the top and followed water trickles
which were marrying up with many others to eventually become rushing rivers we
realized that getting sidetracked by our volunteer commando was going to allow
us to really experience the mountains through the week rather than only the top
ridge. So we started thinking about up and down routes which would eventually
still take us up and over the highest point but also allow us to explore the
whole range on our loop the "Motz" way.
headed up into the clouds on AT
first bear alert
natural rain shelter (birch)
Russell Field Shelter (3 sided/w winter tarp)
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