| May 11, 2005 |
Leaving
Clyde Smith Shelter climbing up High Rocks Knob. Back into the
big
boulders again on top of High Rocks Knob and able to look over the
green valley with a lot of green pasture fields. I can see why
they call this High Rocky Knob because there's a big protruding rock
above my head and guess where I'm going right on top of those rocks.
That was a hard climb up with huge rocks. I'm standing on top
of High Rocks Knob over looking the valley, it is so beautiful that
the camera can't really get what it's looks like. Simon want to go
out to the point of these rocks and stand out, I have to keep on
calling him back |
| It always amazes me
how many paper birches I see on top of high mountains. The
path coming down is smooth packed dirt lined with rhododendron and
beautiful sunshine. |
| I just met an
interesting person from TN Eastman AT Association. He is
maintainer that is painting blazes back to Clyde Smith. Talked
to me a good bit about how hard it has been to keep trail clear
since the hurricane, if there to many or to big the forest service
will come in and cut them out. |
| I just crossed
the road at Hughes Gap elevation 4,400', and I'm on my way to Roan
Pine Knob which is 3.4 miles straight up hill and 370.4 miles from
Springer Mountain. Carvers Gap is 4. 8 miles and hopefully
I'll get to Stan Murray Shelter 8.1 miles tonight or the
Overmountain Shelter. The climb has been very rough straight
up the hill, but the pathway has been good hiking pathway, just very
steep. I getting into boulders again so I must be pretty close
to the top of this knob. |
| I'm
standing on a big rock next to big old tree that's been here for
years and looking into the NC side for about 20 to 25 miles away.
I'm still not at the top and I've been hiking a good hour or more
and still haven't gone the 3 miles yet. |
| I am
definitely on the ridge top looking out over the mountain tops.
I just came through some huge big boulders and hiked through the
middle of them and of course had some big rocky steps and some
gigantic root steps. |
| I just stopped
coming off the top of the hill in a little green area the is covered
with spring beauties that look like a blanket. Had some lunch
and now looking for some water and going to tackle the big mountain.
I found water at 1,200' at Allen Gap and there was barely a trickle,
so I had to dip me out a place and let run clear to try to collect a
little bit of water, but it wasn't very good source. |
| Anyway I'm
climbing Roam Mountain now, on a trail that is very rocky and rooty.
I've got about a mile to go and then I'll be at the top and then
I'll be able to get some good clear clean water.
NOTE: This the last time the AT
climbs over 6,000' until Mt. Washington in NH. |
There is a big rock boulder right in the pathway, we had to climb up
the steps and go in between the two rock boulders. This is the
first boulder that Simon wasn't able to go through with his back
pack. I tried to coax him up through, but he just couldn't do
it - the back pack was just to fat, so I loosened the bottom and
lolled the packs up on top of his back and held then and finally I
got him to jump up on there and go on through. |
| Upon reaching
the top of the there's a clearing and the foundation of Cloudland
Hotel (late 1800's early 1900's). The TN - NC state line ran
through the center of the hotel's ballroom. I just came by an
old fireplace and chimney that must be part of the hotel still in
tack. A piece of foundation left. |
I went into Roan Mountain shelter and checked it out. It's an
old forest fire rangers
and cabin. I signed the registration book. Coming on off the
trail from Roan Mt shelter I ran into couple younger people and she
stayed in Johnson city and just graduated with a PHD in story
telling. |
I
just came out on the road at Carver's Gap 5,512 feet. The area
is bald with a few trees scattered here and there. I can way
of in the distance one mountain after another. The big on
right in front is the one I just came off of. It's starting to
get a little cloudy looking a possible thunder storm. I still
have 3 miles to go, I better get to hiking it's already 7:40pm.
It'll probably dark before getting into the shelter. |
| Sandy's at the
Stan Murray Shelter and I being serenaded on tape (Kathy) with guitar and
singing music of from other hikers staying at the shelter. The
music I just head was T-Bird playing her small guitar sitting around
a camp fire. (back with Sandy) T-Bird was there, Roody, Grumble, two people from
the NH area that I didn't know and Don't Stop. Everyone else
tented and I was the only one sleeping in the shelter. |
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