That was from last night.
We didn't have service.
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Friday, March 22, 2013
Brrrr.
The 5 of us staying at the shelter last night woke up almost simultaneously when small snow flakes started hitting our faces.
A bowl of grits and a cup of hot instant carnation breakfast provided us with the energy to face the cold.
(Crazy that this was us on Tuesday, with our jackets strapped to our packs.)
We slept with our purified water in between us but as we were hiking our bite valves and tubes froze.
Our attire for the day consisted of a short sleeve shirt, a long sleeve shirt, a fleece jacket, a down jacket, our wind breaker, hat, gloves and a buff over our mouths. It's now 8pm and we are still wearing what we started the day in.
We hiked 5 miles and decided to stay at the next shelter. The temperature only moved up about 5 degrees during the day but felt the same due to the windshield and altitude.
About an hour after we arrived more hikers started pouring in and gathering around the campfire.
With hot vegetable soup warming our insides we still have the shivers and drippy noses. Tonight's a cold one!
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A bowl of grits and a cup of hot instant carnation breakfast provided us with the energy to face the cold.
(Crazy that this was us on Tuesday, with our jackets strapped to our packs.)
We slept with our purified water in between us but as we were hiking our bite valves and tubes froze.
Our attire for the day consisted of a short sleeve shirt, a long sleeve shirt, a fleece jacket, a down jacket, our wind breaker, hat, gloves and a buff over our mouths. It's now 8pm and we are still wearing what we started the day in.
We hiked 5 miles and decided to stay at the next shelter. The temperature only moved up about 5 degrees during the day but felt the same due to the windshield and altitude.
About an hour after we arrived more hikers started pouring in and gathering around the campfire.
With hot vegetable soup warming our insides we still have the shivers and drippy noses. Tonight's a cold one!
Posted using BlogPress from my Phone
Location:Low Gap Shelter, GA
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Wednesday
Here's a re-cap from Wednesday since we were so focused on staying warm.
It was quite a chilly morning and packing up camp seemed to take forever. Our hands felt the cold the most as we rolled our sleeping pads and tent.
We started immediately up Blood Mountain into bear country. It was a nice 2.5 mile climb up but the 2.5 miles downhill was brutal with lots of rocks. We gained a greater appreciation for our trekking poles after that.
There is a great shelter at the top but due to the regulations set by the Chattahoochee National Forest, a hard- shell bear canister is required.
The ground has been frozen over along with the mountainside streams.
5 miles into our day we passed through Neel Gap where Mountain Crossing, an outfitter's store is fully equipped with hiking gear and a hostel.
We were pretty well prepared so we purchased a hot shower for $3.50 and kept on hiking for another 7.9 miles.
We were happy to have a spot at the shelter that night since many other hikers stayed at the Neel Gap Hostel.
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It was quite a chilly morning and packing up camp seemed to take forever. Our hands felt the cold the most as we rolled our sleeping pads and tent.
We started immediately up Blood Mountain into bear country. It was a nice 2.5 mile climb up but the 2.5 miles downhill was brutal with lots of rocks. We gained a greater appreciation for our trekking poles after that.
There is a great shelter at the top but due to the regulations set by the Chattahoochee National Forest, a hard- shell bear canister is required.
The ground has been frozen over along with the mountainside streams.
5 miles into our day we passed through Neel Gap where Mountain Crossing, an outfitter's store is fully equipped with hiking gear and a hostel.
We were pretty well prepared so we purchased a hot shower for $3.50 and kept on hiking for another 7.9 miles.
We were happy to have a spot at the shelter that night since many other hikers stayed at the Neel Gap Hostel.
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Location:Crossing Blood Mountain
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
hiking the ridge line.
Monday morning we woke up to raindrops speckled on the outer lining of our tent. We were expecting rain from the forecast but we were in for quite a surprise.
Because of the weather we decided to pack up camp and wait to eat breakfast, that way we could get our blood pumping.
It rained all day as we hiked through the misty woods. After 7.7 miles we stopped to finally eat.
By then we were worn out so we pitched our tent at Gooch Mountain Shelter. The two story shelter was packed and tent city emerged as wet hikers flooded in.
People gathered inside the 3 wall framed structure to cook and try and stay warm. Just as we thought it had cleared up we went to filter our water from the spring nearby and a downpour hit.
It was a long, cold, wet night but the sun came out this morning and cheered us up.
The views were spectacular today! Most of the day we hiked along a winding ridge line with bare trees and springs to the right and steep descents to the left.
Tonight the temperature is dropping rapidly and is supposed to hit 20 degrees. Bundled up in our sleeping bags with hats and gloves we are happy it's not raining.
Tomorrow we face Blood Mountain, the tallest mountain that we have yet to climb.
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Because of the weather we decided to pack up camp and wait to eat breakfast, that way we could get our blood pumping.
It rained all day as we hiked through the misty woods. After 7.7 miles we stopped to finally eat.
By then we were worn out so we pitched our tent at Gooch Mountain Shelter. The two story shelter was packed and tent city emerged as wet hikers flooded in.
People gathered inside the 3 wall framed structure to cook and try and stay warm. Just as we thought it had cleared up we went to filter our water from the spring nearby and a downpour hit.
It was a long, cold, wet night but the sun came out this morning and cheered us up.
The views were spectacular today! Most of the day we hiked along a winding ridge line with bare trees and springs to the right and steep descents to the left.
Tonight the temperature is dropping rapidly and is supposed to hit 20 degrees. Bundled up in our sleeping bags with hats and gloves we are happy it's not raining.
Tomorrow we face Blood Mountain, the tallest mountain that we have yet to climb.
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Location:Jarrard Gap, GA
Sunday, March 17, 2013
living our dream.
Today was most definitely a mountain top moment for the two of us. Springer Mountain cleared up right as we found the plaque stating we were officially on the AT.
The first 4 miles after we had summited Springer we were greeted by Boy Scouts and what appeared to be a church youth group heading back south after an overnight hike.
It was an easy, breezy, beautiful 2 hours downhill as we hiked through our first glimpse of "the green tunnel".
Crossing over several streams, the terrain was covered in lush greenery with Long Creek Falls singing all around us.
We tested out our dehydrated beans and vegetables with a tasty soup for dinner.
With our camp chores complete (receiving the same instant gratification as we would at home with a clean house) we are settled for the evening with a campfire, mandolin music and mugs of hot cocoa.
9.5 miles hiked today - we should sleep well tonight.
{happy st. patrick's day!}
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The first 4 miles after we had summited Springer we were greeted by Boy Scouts and what appeared to be a church youth group heading back south after an overnight hike.
It was an easy, breezy, beautiful 2 hours downhill as we hiked through our first glimpse of "the green tunnel".
Crossing over several streams, the terrain was covered in lush greenery with Long Creek Falls singing all around us.
We tested out our dehydrated beans and vegetables with a tasty soup for dinner.
With our camp chores complete (receiving the same instant gratification as we would at home with a clean house) we are settled for the evening with a campfire, mandolin music and mugs of hot cocoa.
9.5 miles hiked today - we should sleep well tonight.
{happy st. patrick's day!}
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Location:Hawk Mountain Shelter, GA
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