[at-l] Hiking on the AT

[jfitz@xxxxxxx (James)]

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Evening,

I went for a practice hike today on the AT in SNP.  I hiked from Pocosin Ca=
bin to Lewis Mtn. Campground and looped back on Skyline Drive.  I took the =
side trail to the top of Lewis Mountain.

Temperature: 20 degrees
Clear skies and windy
3 - 5 inches of snow covering most of the trail
Hiked 5.64 miles
Max elevation 3599 feet
Min elevation 3073 feet
Up 926 feet
Down 1008 feet
Time: 3 hours
Sunset 1715
Pocosin Cabin at AT: UTM 17S 0719265
                                              4254670
                                Elevation 3171 ft

Lewis Mountain side trail overview: UTM 17S 0720606
                                                               4256669
                                                 Elevation 3563 ft

I uploaded some pictures from today's hike.  Check out the frozen Platypus =
tube!  Also a beautiful sunset over Shenandoah Valley. The pictures are in =
my Appalachian Trail folder at: http://community.webshots.com/user/vajfitz

Impressions from today's hike:

It's hard to suck water out of a frozen Platypus!
Crunching snow under foot.
Animal tracks everywhere in the snow.
Lots of blow downs
Two Leki Hiking poles are great in 4 - 5 inches of snow.
Keep moving and stay warm!
Keep those fingers covered, they get cold fast out of the gloves.  I need t=
o practice doing things with my gloves on.
Wind roaring through the bare trees and over the mountains.
Eastern hemlocks, pines, and mountain laurel; evergreens against the snow.
Man it gets colder when the sun goes down!
I like the Moutain Smith Ghost  pack so far.

Regards,

Diamond Jim