Day 25 – Newfound Gap to Pecks Corner Shelter: mile 207.7 to mile 218.2 We got back to Newfound Gap about 8:00 AM where the ground was covered by a dusting of snow and temps were well below freezing. The hiking was a bit tricky in places as the water on the trail had frozen…
Month: March 2022
Entering the Smokies
Day 18 – NOC to Locust Cove Gap Campground: mile 136.7 to mile 147.4 The climb out of the NOC was brutal. For the first 5 miles we gained 500 feet per mile. The amount of descent during the first half of the day was almost zero. Approximately 2 miles out of the NOC is…
Franklin to the NOC
Before we get into the details of each day since the last blog, you’re probably wondering what NOC is. First time I heard it I was wondering as well. NOC stands for Nantahala Outdoors Center. The trail passes right through their complex. It turns out this is one of the largest white water rafting and…
Welcome to North Carolina
Day 6 – Unicoi Gap to Addis Gap: mile 52.5 to mile 64.7 We had a relatively long hike of over 11 miles today that started with a steep climb up Tray Mountain. Along the way we experienced our first true trail magic! The owner of Boots Off Hostel in Tennessee was set up at…
And so it Begins
Our journey started in Maine where my brother-in-law, Joe, took us to the airport in Portland to catch our flight to Charlotte, NC. We were picked up at the airport by our good friends, Gary and Cheryl. They brought us to their house for the night and drove us to Amicalola Falls State Park the…