AT Hike - Winding Stair Gap to Clingmans Dome

“http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.5048703/k.5C3D/Be_on_the_Look_Out_for_Steven_Taylor.htm

watchout for this guy!!”

“Good Luck guy's! I'm hiking from Sam's gap to 321 that same week.”

“I wish I could call in sick, but I am the only employee. My boss has a few special projects going on at this time and he told me about a month ago I need to be there. I am already taking time off for Trail Days, so I don't need to push my luck. It all depends on the timing and how fast everything goes.”

“Anybody else chomping at the bit to get on the trail?????

So far we have 32oz, Nemster, Lightfoot, Angie (the new girl...be nice you guys) and me going all the way.

Mocs is going to wuss out at Fontana Dam.

Bill & Hyway. Have you guys decided what you are going to do?”

“http://www.accuweather.com/us/nc/franklin/28734/forecast-15day.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=1&zipchg=1&metric=0

The weather looks amaaaaaaazing. Subtract about 10 degrees.

shhhh...don't tell the weather gods I was peeking.
last edited: 3/31/09 5:32:22 AM”

“The only thing better then a 90 mile hike is a 90 mile hike in awesome weather!!!!!!!!!!!!!

76 hours until spring break!!!!!!!

'32oz”

“This is just great. The weather gods just suk. Now they are predicting a massive blizzard in this area. We may just have to cancel the whole trip. :(”

“OH CRAP.. Unbelievable...

THIS SUCKS...

UH UM can we just move the trip....

'32oz





















APRIL FOOL's”

“crap, you know you could have played along for AT LEAST a few minutes!!!!!!!! LMAO”

“Actually, Crazy Pace and the PA boneheads saw the word 'blizzard' and signed up for the trip..

'32oz”

“Ha! I wouldn't put it past those silly boneheads!”

“Hey it's April in the mountains, you never know what you are going to get.”

“WOOHOO!!!!!!!!! Two more hours of being at work and then.......a week in the woods. I am excited.”

“meeeeeeeeeee toooooooooo! ok, let's leave right now!

See you guys tomorrow at the campground. We will leave the light on for you late comers.”

“You all suck......

21 hours until I get out...

I'm hoping to be down there around 9 or 10...

I will listen for the drunken TT stewfest...

'32oz”

“WooHoo!! My hike starts Sat. Hope you guys have a great trip. Say Hi to Trekngirl and SunSeeker. Tell them I been enjoying keeping up with them on the trail journal website. They should be in that area.”

“Awesome, I was hoping there would be some tt'ers in the area.. My back is a little heavier then I anticipated so I'm going to need some help carrying gear...

'32oz”

“If that works out let me know !!!”

“WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OUTTA HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

'See' you all in about a week..

The AT is calling....

'32oz”

“Well, I am home..

I will not be submitting a trip report because I have signed over the publishing rights to John Krakauer. His book INTO THE ABYSS - Calamity in the Smokies should be on shelves before Christmas...

How the hell Mocs found the trail is beyond me, since I could barely find the trail he had blazed an hour after he went through. At one point I was literally 10 minutes behind 2 hikers and their trail had been wiped out...

It got so bad the North Bounders who had stayed in the shelter with us, hiked south 2 miles and hitched into town rather then stay in the shelter another night or hike into Fontana...

Note to self: Next time you sign up for a Creek Dancer Hike make sure that you have trip insurance....

Pictures to follow...

32ozslush”

“ut oh”

“Stovie, you should have been there.. we could have used your expertise...

'32oz”

“Ship building? LOL

Pics please.”

“Glad to hear you made it out ok. Did you come out on Tuesday or did you stop at Cable Gap Shelter for the night? I had to posthole to the shelter, but after that, I followed a couple of other footprints to Fontana. That final decent was the slick part, I fell 3 times, but luckily, the only thing hurt was my pride.

Overall, I thought it was a great trip. CD had everything well planned out, there were just a few varibles (health, weather) that were out of her control. It was actually the most beautiful snowfall I have seen, I just didn't like it when the wind was howling and it was pelting me in the face.

I will get my pics up tomorrow.”

“Pictures are posted..

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/570884213tywqGI

Mocs we made it to Fontana Dam by 4:00 or so on Tuesday. Lightfoot had hitched a ride and was at the 'hilton' when I arrived.. I followed your trail when I could, but did a bunch of postholing myself..

I wiped out once, maintaining my feet, but sliding backwards down part of the hill... the trail was really dicey by the time we went through, and I'm thinking that there were only 2 or 3 hikers behind us.

Most either stayed at the shelter, or headed back south and got off of the trail at the road south of the 700 ft 1/2 mile climb..

Had a great time, even if we couldn't get to CLingman's Dome..

'32oz”

“Wow, sounds like a few of HPM's spring break high adventure trips with the Scouts. Glad you're okay. You know you'll never forget this one.”

“Hey is that mouse alive or dead?”

“It was alive... It was stuck in the trail...

It finally got to a point where it could get out, and it scampered of..

It was the only sign of wildlife that I saw in the 14 miles into Fontana.. I did hear some birds and a woodpecker or two, but no tracks in the snow. I am assuming any tracks were quickly blown away, as the wind was pretty intense.

'32oz”

“Glad everyone got out safely. I had to get off trail at Iron Mtn. Gap after spending previous day stuck at Cherry Gap shelter. Took 3 Hrs. to hike 2.5 miles to the road. Snow was knee deep most of the way, waist deep in some places”

“D@mn, I forgot to mention, we ran into Trekkngirl on Sunday. She was at the firetower at the bald just south of NOC (my maps are in my car, and I can't remember the name)..

She left soon after we arrived, but Creek ancer and I ran into her again 5 miles or so south of NOC..

She seemed in good spirits, and was moving along fine...

'32oz
last edited: 4/09/09 8:54:30 AM”

“My pics are now up:


by Mocs123”

“nice pics. Looks like yall had awesome weather of both extremes.”

“Yes. What a difference a 24 hours can make. At 4:30 PM at the NOC it read 78* and a day later it was 32*, snowing, and very windy. On Tuesday, it was 27* in my tent at 7:30AM. I didn't bother to check it later in the day, it was cold and windy enough that I didn't want to stop moving.”

“very cool!”

“You boneheads would have loved it... My only regret was being unable to get to Clingman's dome....

Planning a July '09 trip to finish what we started...

'32oz”

“I'm alive, my knees are still killing me......not sure what all I did to them but it looks like a couple of days wasnt enough.

Mocs, what kind of tent and sleeping pad did you have? I forgot.

Aside from the pain I really enjoyed it and everyone was very very nice.”

“Hope you heal fast nemster.... it was great meeting you.. Hope to hike with you again soon..

'32oz”

“My Tent is a Big Agnes Seedhouse 1SL.

My pad is a Exped Downmat 7 which is too heavy to use in the summer, but with a R value of 5.9 makes a great winter pad. I am a cold sleeper and have had it to 4* and been plenty warm”

“Nemster...hope you are feeling better. I was talking to a FB friend who was telling me about running to this group on Sunday and helping one of them with hurt knees hike out. When he mentioned CreekDancer I knew who the group was.

Hope you heal well.”

“what did you do with creek dancer? did you all make her stay out in the woods or did you
trade her for some good hiking stuff...
looks like you all had a great trip.. hope to see you all at trail days..”

“Small world isnt it? We had luch at the tower and I was rested and felt fine. Unfortunately as soon as I headed down it was absolutely painful for my knees. I yelled at 32oz and creekdancer to wait and let them know I didnt think I could make the 8 miles into the NOC. Creekdancer went back up with me to see if these guys were still there that were driving from the ranger station road. They were gone, but the other hiker was taking the wesser creek trail to his car and offered me a ride to the NOC. It was still a 4 mile hike down and very painful, but it was better than the alternative. I ended up camping at the NOC for a couple of days until the rest of the group got to fontana dam where the cars were to come and get me. I just need to drop some pack weight and let my knees get better and I will be ready to go again.”

“Not much of a trip report. I was expecting a little more poking fun at me or some kind of weird trail name after that. :((”

“Where is Creek Dancer with the trip report?”

“Maybe she is trying to sort through the mess and figure out how to explain it.”

“lol @ nemster!

I will work on the trip report and post something later today or tomorrow. I had am amazing time with everyone, even if I was only left with one stinkin' hiker from the original group by the time I got to my car at the end of the hike!

Nice pics you guys!”

“What a small world! The hiker community is a great bunch of people. Those guys were really nice to help out. I could tell Nemster was in severe pain and I was very thankful when they offered to help. I told the guys that we would some day pay it forward and help out another hiker.”

“creek dance is not stuck in the woods or traded for hiking stuff. woooooooooooo hoooooo she might still show up at trail days”

“Creek Dancer - Thanks for putting this trip together, it was a good one.”

“I had one of the chili mac mountain house when I was at the NOC. It was REALLY good!!!!!!! I saw you eating yours that night and it looked good. They have them at Walmart for 4.88. No more trying to put together the crap again like I did.”

“It indeed is a small world. It proves what I have said so many times that the people in the hiking communittee are the greatest. Sure there are a few bad apples but there always has to be a few rotten ones in the bunch!

Newster...glad you are better. NOC is a great place to have to crash..!!!
last edited: 4/12/09 2:09:06 PM”