Second day
Getting started
We began our second day on the trail by waking up at Stover Creek Shelter. I don’t think we fully realized that we were on the AT trying to complete this incredible adventure. As we walked, we discussed when we thought we’d realize we were doing it, we were on the Appalachian Trail heading towards Katahdin. The morning was foggy and humid, but we didn’t let that affect our mood. We woke up and got to work. Alex made coffee and I went to filter water. Lihat juga pwej. Then we pack up camp and continue on our way.
Lucky Path Magic
Turk was very worried about this salamander.
We played a game of hop with our fellow hikers as we inched closer to our campsite. They stopped to filter water and we passed them, we stopped to have lunch and they passed us. It was like we had to walk the trail with them but we didn’t have to make small talk along the way. Just after finishing lunch, we stumbled upon an unopened log of pepperoni. Score! We got some magic on the trail, but we had no one to thank. As the day progressed the fog disappeared and the sun finally appeared. We arrived at Horse Gap and noticed a hiker with her backpack talking on the phone. She seemed upset and told us that she had fallen this morning and tried to overcome the injury, but couldn’t. She said someone was coming to get her and she had to get out of the way. Alex comforted her, she always knows what to say, it must be the counseling degree. We gave him a hug and started climbing the mountain.
Preparing the camp 
We finally arrived at Gooch Shelter and there were so many people there! Fortunately we found a spot and started setting up camp. After finishing all the camp tasks we headed to the shelter to hang out with the other hikers. There was a fellow hiker who was making popcorn with his camp stove. We watched and marveled and finally someone gave him the name Chef. It was cool to see someone receive their route name in real time.
third day
Morning Hike and Sunrise at Woody Gap
Sunrise at Woody Gap
The next morning we woke up early, but not by choice. Around 3:30 am, a group of people got up and started making quite a racket. We didn’t let this get us down, we packed up camp and started hiking around 5am. It was one of our first hikes in the dark and we loved it. We arrived at Woody Gap right at sunrise and it was absolutely beautiful. We stopped there to have a snack and filter some water. As the water seeped in, a trail angel gave us some leftover candy and it made our morning so much better. My parents taught me to never accept candy from strangers, but this seemed like an appropriate exception.
lazy lunch
Nap time after lunch
Our goal was to go 10 miles and we were making great time thanks to our early start. We stopped at Lance Creek Campground for lunch around 11am We had 2 more miles to complete so we stopped for a leisurely lunch. We took a nap and sunbathed. After filtering some water and finishing lunch we decided to peel. Before leaving, we left a short message for the next hiker and passed on a trail blessing.
Rain in the forecast
We arrived early at Jarrad Gap and picked out the tent sites. It was nice to relax the rest of the afternoon once camp was set up. In the afternoon, other hikers began arriving at camp. Rumor had it that some hikers would go off trail for the night to avoid so-called «severe weather.» There was talk of strong winds, heavy rain and possible hail. After a long debate, Alex and I decided to stick it out. From what we saw it didn’t look like it was going to be that bad, or so we thought… We all lit a fire and got together to hang out and get to know each other. It is very interesting to hear people’s motivation to climb the AT. Everyone has their reasons, but it seems like we all have a mutual appreciation for the outdoors and challenging the status quo. We finally headed to bed, we needed a good night’s sleep. The storm was approaching.
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any products or services you purchase using links in articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price they would otherwise pay, and their purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of bringing you quality backpacking information and advice. Thank you for your support!
For more information, visit the About page of this site.
