North Carolina and Tennessee: The Walk

Yes, I attacked Georgia and went 50/50 with other hikers on the trail. Some hated it more than me and others loved the state. Having entered North Carolina and Tennessee since then, here is my take on both states combined.

Starting in North Carolina, there were only two sections that were really physically difficult to get through. Bly Gap and Stecoah Gap. For me, absolutely brutal slopes and maybe with how I feel now in terms of physical strength they are not as hard as they were then.

The Georgia PUDs were infuriating, but North Carolina must have had better trail teams that understood that you can hike around a mountain and not up and down it. The overall trail was much better cleared and smoother. However, being 7 feet tall, I have still been dodging branches and trees that for most hikers they walk right under without the branches snagging their backpack or cutting their face.

Leaving Franklin NC, it was cold with snow flurries and strong winds, but the views began to change and we began to see more and more open views, fire lookouts, and very pretty landscapes. To be honest, I was blown away by the beauty that was to come. I can see why a lot of people quit in Georgia, but North Carolina made me glad to be stubborn and finally start enjoying the trail a little more.

Tramily arrives and then disappears

On my PCT trip, my tram started on day 1. On the AT it started on day 13 and lasted 11 days before everyone had to take time off the trail for a while. It’s great to walk with other people, learn who they are, and just have people to talk to all day long.

Of the 34+ days I’ve been hiking, I’ve only spent 11 days hiking with other people. I’ve spent a lot of time alone and many days I haven’t seen any other hikers. On the PCT I needed people for my mental health, however, on the AT, while I really enjoy company, hiking alone has allowed me to be in my head a lot and think about all the things I came here to focus on and work on without distractions, so in some ways, I’ve enjoyed it, but I’m close to figuring out everything I needed for this hike. People will come and go along the trail, but the most important thing is to stay in touch with the people back home and let them know that just because I’m here hiking doesn’t mean they’re not always on my mind.

Miles and smiles

Life on the road hasn’t been what I expected, but I guess that’s life. Now, after 400 miles, I look back and remember how many times I have smiled. I’m running more miles than a lot of people, sometimes running 25-30 miles a day and people often ask me if I enjoy going at a faster pace. Yes and No. I’m not going to enjoy every part of the trail, but what I do enjoy are the mountain views, wildlife, and new plant species I’ve never seen before. A friend of mine asked me for photos of plants and it makes me stop more and enjoy the tiny flowers, the strangest looking plants, and the new growth every day. Sometimes I get down on my knees to take photos of the smallest flowers or insects crawling on the ground and that in itself is very rewarding to take the time to enjoy the little things and not focus all day on covering X amount of miles.

Top 5 Places in North Carolina/Tennessee

1. GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS

It started on a cold morning before the sun came up, snow on the ground and ~70 miles of spectacular scenery. I saw my first deer on day 1 in the Smokies and my first time at a shelter that I hated for being stuck with snoring people. I tried to get to Clingmans Dome to see the sunrise, but the fog completely trapped me. The snow and ice made the trail a little treacherous at times, but I really enjoyed being at the elevation and in the evergreen forests. I did my biggest day on the trail yet in the Smokies at 30.1 miles and at the time it was my best day on the trail.

2. UNAKA MOUNTAIN

From Beauty Spot, where trail angels from the class of 2023 were cooking wood-fired pizza and there were great conversations, came UNAKA Mountain. I suspect most people wouldn’t think twice about this little mountain, but it took my breath away. Absolutely beautiful mountains and evergreen trees. Lihat juga qjvh. The rain continued and although I wanted to camp at the summit, the rain forced me to hike another 13 miles that day and took me to 23 miles during the day hiking through Hurricane Helene blowdowns and lightning close enough to feel.

3. EXIT THE CON

This may come as a surprise to anyone who has hiked the long uphill climb from the NOC, but I absolutely enjoyed the 27 miles of mostly uphill hiking out of the NOC. It was tough and very hot (at least for a guy from Washington State), the climb, although long, was very easy going and I enjoyed the uphill battle that really had some great views, especially at Cheoah Bald.

4. Laurel Fork Falls

I started at mile 398.6 at Isaac’s Cemetery, where I thought it would be a great, quiet place to camp. At 1:37 the police woke me up. Thinking I was in trouble for sleeping in the cemetery I got a little scared. Turns out they were looking for a guy (unknown for what) but they searched the woods with canines for 2 hours before leaving. Exhausted from a night of interrupted sleep, I started early before dawn, passed mile 400 and was feeling pretty good. By 2 p.m. I had hiked 18 miles and was about to begin the descent toward Laurel Fork Falls. The rain came in and forced me to go under a rock ledge 2 times and I didn’t think I would have enough time to get to the falls. I finally made it to the falls at 6 pm, but the river was so loud that I didn’t want to camp nearby. The waterfall, river, and gorge were absolutely stunning and I would have enjoyed staying in this area for days, but I ended up walking uphill until dark and found a semi-flat spot on the side of a mountain overlooking the town of Hampton Tennessee and called it a night. Amazing day and 29 miles a day.

5. THE ROAN HIGHLANDS

There had been a lot of talk about the Roan Highlands among day hikers and hikers for over 200 miles before reaching it. I didn’t know what to expect and I hadn’t seen any photos and I was so glad I hadn’t done any research on the AT before starting this hike. Walking into Carvers Gap immediately stole my heart. I had no idea the East had so much beauty. I camped on the first exposed bald spot and although the wind was already blowing over 30 mph, I knew the sunrise would be incredible from my spot. The morning brought the best sunrise I have ever seen. The next day I didn’t see any hikers and the views did not disappoint. Little Hump Mountain was a beast, but it had very rewarding views at the top.

3 DAYS LEFT IN TENNESSEE

There are only 3 days left in Tennessee before we reach Virginia and I’m starting to enjoy the trail. Realizing that not every day is going to be fun, at least North Carolina and Tennessee changed my perspective of the AT compared to Georgia and if it weren’t for Georgia, even if it’s just a few miles, I now have no intention of YOYOing. It hasn’t been easy but I’m learning to enjoy it even on the hard days. Virginia is calling and looking forward to Virginia Blues!

I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE TRAIL CREWS WHO CLEANED THE HURRICANE HELENE TRAIL!!! A LOT OF HARD WORK AND IT SHOWS!!

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