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[at-l] 12/27/02 Standing Indian Shelter
78 days after completing the PCT, Ready and I are back on the trail again. =
This time it's just a short jaunt, about 56 miles along the AT in NC.
Our goal is to hike from Deep Gap, NC north to the Nantahala River, picking=
up a section that Ready has yet to cover. Back in April we walked the 82 m=
iles from Springer Mtn to Deep Gap as a warmup for the PCT. Last fall after=
our long AT hike we started at the Nantahala River intending to hike the S=
mokies, though Ready fell ill and returned home from Stecoah Gap after only=
14 miles. I went on alone and saw the fall color of the Smokies for the fi=
rst time.
Perhaps in the spring we'll hit the trail again at Stecoah Gap and finish t=
he 700 miles from there to Waynesboro, VA, the only remaining section Ready=
has yet to walk to complete the entire 2168 miles of the AT.
Today we make a leisurely start from home, stopping at Mtn Ventures, a loca=
l outfitter in the Little 5 Points neighborhood of Atlanta. After picking u=
p a canister of stove fuel and a trail map we drive 2-1/2 hours to Franklin=
, NC where we find our way to the parking lot at Rock Gap Shelter on the AT=
.
A man and his young son drive up just after us and begin getting ready to p=
ack out a couple miles up the trail for an overnight camp. A few minutes la=
ter 3 northbound AT hikers pause to chat as they pass by.
I tell all 5 about the trail
which leads from here to the Wasilik Poplar, at 26 feet in circumference th=
ought to be the world's 2nd largest poplar tree. To my surprise all 5 decid=
e to make the pleasant one-mile roundtrip walk to see this magnificent spec=
imen.
With our late start however, we leave our car here and start walking the ro=
ad down through Standing Indian Campground where we pick up the Kimsey Cree=
k Trail around 3 PM. The weather today is gorgeous, crisp and clear with ma=
ybe an inch of snow on the ground which adds an extra dose of visual deligh=
t.
We're taking this route to the AT because the AT forms almost a loop around=
this area. The Kimsey Creek Trail runs about 5 miles from near where we pa=
rked to Deep Gap, then the AT climbs Standing Indian Mtn and Albert Mtn bef=
ore looping back around to Rock Gap, completing a 26 mile loop.
We'll stop at the car on the way back and resupply from food we've left the=
re (assuming no bears break in while we're gone), then continue 31 more mil=
es on foot to Nantahala. We have a ride arranged to get us back to the car =
on Dec. 31. We'll drive from there to Springer Mtn where we'll celebrate th=
e arrival of 2003 on Springer's summit with other hikers who'll be gatherin=
g there. Hopefully the weather will be milder than last year on New Years E=
ve, when it got down to 7 degrees overnight.
The Kimsey Creek Trail is a delightful little path. Ready and I discovered =
it in April as we hiked it to rendezvous with our ride as we finished our P=
CT warmup. Then it was spring and wildflowers were in abundance along the m=
elodic streambed which the trail parallels.
Today winter's golden brown leaves scattered amidst snow and ice enhance th=
e viewscape as we step along, careful not to slip where the trail is iced o=
ver. After a long drought the SE has been blessed with heavy rainfall this =
month and the creek must have spilled over its banks leaving frozen puddles=
in places where the trail runs.
We encounter a family on an outing, first mom with 2 kids, then dad. Mom sa=
ys not to tell her husband we're out for 5 days, or else he'll be jealous. =
When we see dad he says he's already jealous without having to hear anymore=
. He knows about the PCT, and when I jokingly say he should quit his job an=
d take the family on the trail, he says he might just do that.
The trail crosses the creek several times on simple one-log bridges, some o=
f which are icy and snow-covered. The creek itself is a spectacle, running =
cold and full over icy rocks and under icicle-laden blowdowns which lie acr=
oss its banks.
Around 4:30 we climb away from the water and ascend a virgin snowy path
to Deep Gap. 5 vehicles are parked here including a 15-passenger church van=
. We'll not be the only winter pilgrims along this section of trail this we=
ek.
The last mile of the day is a pleasant traverse which winds up towards the =
foot of Standing Indian Mtn. With plenty of daylight left we arrive at Stan=
ding Indian Shelter and find we have it all to ourselves.
Ready starts supper in the shelter while I pitch our tent and hang a bearba=
g rope. Reasonable bears would be off in a cave busy hibernating about now,=
but signs posted nearby say they're out rustling hikers backpacks and food=
bags.
We have our hot noodles, cocoa and cider and are inside the tent by 6:30 PM=
. By now it's dark and about 28 degrees out. We bundle ourselves into our z=
ipped-together sleeping bags and journal awhile as we watch our frosty brea=
th condense and freeze on the walls of our Wanderlust Nomad tent. We'll be =
asleep well before 8 PM tonight.
- Spur
http://www.spursjournal.com
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