April 19, 2017trekwithpat

April 18,19: We were out of cell range for a while. The 17th and 18th were hiked hiked in the rain. It is not fun to pitch a tent in the rain. We hike 16 brutal miles in the rain including the infamous Jacobs Ladder, a 700 foot climb straight up in less than a half mile. It was definitely the toughest day to date. After breaking camp in the rain, we hiked 6 miles in the rain to Fontana dam. Pictured are wet and weary hikers piling into the Fontana resort for some much needed r&r. This morning we leave out for the 70 miles through the great smoky national park.

April 17, 2017trekwithpat

April 16: We hiked 9 miles straight up a mountain from Rufus Morgan Shelter to the top Cheotah Bald. Seven of us are stealth camping at the top of the mountain– very cool. The top is only about 100 feet across. You can see 180 degrees on one side and walk twenty steps and see the other 180 degrees in the other side. The mountains across the horizon are dark accept a half dozen camp fires scattered across twenty visible miuntain tops. The sunset was amazing, can’t wait for the sunrise on the other side.