[at-l] March Forth Trip report, Day One

[orangebug74@yahoo.com (Orange Bug)]

Recall, the plan for this hike was NFG to Sam's Gap, and possible
Erwin, Tn (if I could manage 15 mile days). The following is a trip
report/journal dealing with how Plan A changes to Plan B to Plan C to
...

Sunday March 4, 2001

Newfound Gap to Peck's Corner

The Wilderness Medical Society conference was excellent with quite a
variety of attendees from med students, EMT's, man hunters, and bunches
of medical specialties. I travelled all over East Tennessee yesterday
to meet DaRedhead and her friend Karen. We drove back through
Gatlinburg to the Happy Hiker. The news is there is to be a Nor'easter
brewing for Mid Atlantic states and a storm off the Carolina coast with
a big snow possible in the Appalachians. The Park Ranger tells me to
get crampons but that he thinks the storm will be further north and
east. 

Given the cold, I question my 3/4 Guidelite. I bought Crampons (+$20
more than Campmor) and an Ultra RidgeRest. I put hands on snow shoes,
but they are expensive and I'd never need them again. I bought a bit of
extra food, cheese and flour tortilla wraps.

I campaigned for an early out of the conference to the Gap. My planned
ride is an instructor - Jim with the Special Forces down in
Fayetteville, NC. He is teaching survival skills. This include a review
of how to consider first aid and emergency kits with smaller items worn
on clothing, hence always having some gear in case of loss of outer
garmets or packs.

The course on First Aid in the Backcountry was helpful. My pack was
used as example of orthopedic tools before going into the pack. My
Leki's are adjustable splints and closed cell matress excellent splint
padding. All agreed my first aid kit was excessive regarding wound
care. I might tell AT-L about how to deal with compound fractures, but
I might sicken the few friends I have. 

Michael, an OB-GYN from Greenville, SC drove me up to NFG and dropped
me in the rain to start at 12:15 PM. There is blustery rain and drizzle
for the afternoon, much as I left the trail here last Spring. I stopped
briefly at IceWater Springs Shelter and met a NOBO (North Bound hiker)
with 3 friends, who have joined him for this section. The were quitting
for the day (about 2PM). They report poor firewood @ Mt. Collin's
Shelter. Icewater Shelter is open to the East. I've warned them of the
weather report, and my desire to move on to Peck's Corner Shelter. The
NOBO comments on the problems of hiking on a schedule rather than
adjusting to the conditions. I gave him half of the big lunch Tremont
staff sent me with, cutting my weight by a couple of pounds.

I mushed on to Pecks, finally arriving about 7:15PM, well after dark.
"Wintry mix" was starting. It was a bit hard to see through the
precipitation as the Petzl Tekki makes a blue-ish column. 

I meet an ATC (Applachian Trail Conference) trainer and 4 Ridgerunner
trainees. One is to caretake at Springer and another at Fontana, with
the other two working the Smokies. I had little appetitie after the
walk of 11 miles. I am much wetter than I had appreciated while
walking. The Privy was hidden in the dark, the water too far down a
steep hill, and the wind quite chilling. I ate a little, bagged my
food, and hung it up. I quickly worked to get out of my wet cold
clothes to help prevent their second rescue/extraction in 24 hours of
someone with mild to moderate hypothermia. I listened to their ethics
exercise - comparing the impact of cellphone vs. the wanton destruction
of archiological treasure, for instance. I heard the rain turn to ice
and then I turned to ZZZZZZ's.

OrangeBug

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