[at-l] Spur hikes to the GA Ruck, 1/15

[spurhiker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (spurhiker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)]

1/15/03: Rocky Mtn to Neel's Gap

Last night I had to really scrunch up in my 20 degree sleeping bag to stay =
warm. It was windy all night long, and the temperature outside got down in =
the low teens.

I'm awake this morning at 6 AM and pull my shoes and water bottle inside th=
e sleeping bag to thaw out some. I start packing up around 6:30 while it's =
still dark, then take off downhill towards Unicoi Gap around 7 just as it s=
tarts getting light. The entire eastern horizon glows pink as the sun begin=
s to rise.

In less than a mile I cross a small stream and stop to mix up a breakfast d=
rink, then push on across GA 75 in Unicoi Gap and head up Blue Mtn on the o=
ther side.

Shivering turns to sweating on the rocky ascent, but after reaching the win=
dy ridgecrest the chill takes ahold again. As I'm walking along in sunshine=
 at 9:30 AM I check my thermometer and see that it's still only 18 degrees!=
 No wonder I'm cold.

I pass through Chattahoochee Gap, a stone's throw from the little spring wh=
ich forms the headwaters of the mighty river which flows through Atlanta on=
 its way to the Gulf of Mexico. As I walk along the ridge which divides the=
 Chattahoochee and Tennessee River watersheds, the southern horizon is domi=
nated by the sensuous convex/concave silhouette of what I think is Columbin=
e Mtn.

At Cold Springs Gap the trail turns onto an abandoned old forest road which=
 for the next 4 miles provides some of the smoothest walking on the entire =
GA AT as it traverses around Horsetrough Mtn on its way to Low Gap. CCCesqu=
e stacked-stone retaining walls cradle small creeks where the trail crosses=
 creases in the ridge. It's a section of trail I love to walk.

Making it all the more beautiful today are huge icicle formations descendin=
g from the mtnside where abundant springs drip year-round. I stop to photog=
raph them, but my camera's drained and frozen batteries will allow only a s=
hot or two at a time, then I must switch to a warmer set.

On this stretch I see my first wildlife of the hike so far, a grouse fleein=
g the trail ahead of me as I approach.

Around 12:30 I climb to the summit of Sheep Rock Top and stop for lunch at =
the small campsite where I spent my 5th night on the trail during my first =
thruhike back in 99. I've come 11 miles since morning, and now have a good =
shot at reaching Neels Gap before dark.

What's more, I'm now almost halfway to Amicalola Falls from where I started=
 Monday morning. I should make it there by late Friday or early Saturday.

I haul my way up Poor Mtn, then tread more easy trail down to Hogpen Gap wh=
ere GA 348 crosses. Up over Wildcat Mtn I climb, then descend sharply into =
Tesnatee Gap, thought to be the spot where John Muir crossed during his tho=
usand-mile walk to the sea in the 1800s.

My legs are growing weary on the steep climb up Cowrock Mtn but now only 2 =
gravitational challenges separate me from Neels Gap. My afternoon hiking le=
gs kick in as I cross Wolf Laurel Top, then work my way up Levelland Mtn's =
rocky tread.

The sun is sinking low next to Blood Mtn's hulk which rises dramatically to=
 the SE. From here it's all downhill to Neels Gap where I arrive just befor=
e 6 PM. The store is already closed here this early in the hiker season, bu=
t I knock at the door of Winton and Margie Porter's onsite residence and Wi=
nton escorts me downstairs to the hiker hostel, which I'll have all to myse=
lf tonight.

Later he comes down the back stairs with a bowl of turkey chili for me whic=
h he and Margie had leftover from tonight's supper.

This is a great little space, and the outfitter store they operate upstairs=
 renders a tremendous service to thruhikers just starting their epic journe=
ys north each spring.

I clean up and organize my gear, send off journal entries via email, check =
in with Ready by phone, write today's entry, then sit back and relax in com=
fortable circumstanes after a long cold 21 mile day. Life is good.

Hey, drop what you're doing and come to the GA Ruck at Amicalola Falls this=
 weekend! See you there.

--Spur
http://www.spursjournal.com

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