Day 41 – The Station at 19E to Moreland Gap Shelter: mile 395.3 to mile 413.7
After two days off the trail we were happy to get out and get moving again. We walked the 0.7 miles to the trailhead and commenced to cover over 18 miles of trail. Our time off was preplanned but lined up perfectly with the winter storm. The Station at 19E was using overflow floor space to accommodate hikers.
Today’s hike would best be described as moderate with water falls, rivers, and tumbling brooks for scenery. We did have a few distant views of mountains, including one that showed the balds from the highlands covered in snow. I’ve seen pictures from other hikers that went through during and after the storm and they are gorgeous. I’m still glad we weren’t in it.
Day 42 – Moreland Gap Shelter to Boots Off Hostel: mile 413.7 to mile 428.5
We packed up a wet tent and started hiking around 7:00 am. We made good time until the treacherous climb down to Laurel Fork Falls. The falls were worth it!
Shortly after the falls, we came to the day’s big climb. We climbed about 1800 feet over a 2.5-3.0 mile stretch. It was then downhill to the Boots Off Hostel. They had done trail magic for us early in our hike. We stayed in a tent cabin with a double bed. It was very comfortable and we enjoyed our stay.
Day 43 – Boots off Hostel to Iron Mountain Shelter: mile 428.5 to mile 444.5
Once we left the hostel, we hiked along Watauga Lake for quite awhile. Today’s hike was mostly uphill but spread out over the full 16 miles. Once we gained the elevation, we would hike a ridge line into Damascus. Nothing much exciting happened today and as a result, I did not take many pictures.
Day 44 – Iron Mountain Shelter to Abingdon Gap Shelter: mile 444.5 to mile 460.5
We woke up to a lovely sunrise but things did not stay nice. We had a miserable middle of the day. It began raining and sleeting around 11:00 am and continued until after 2:00 pm. It was cold and we were miserable. The forecast said it would clear after 2:00 pm and the sun would be out for the evening.
We almost called a hostel for pickup but decided to trust the weather report and pushed on. It did eventually clear and the sun was indeed out for the late afternoon and early evening. After setting up the tent, we hung a line and put our wet clothes out to dry. The best part of the day was knowing that we only had 10 miles to get to Damascus.
Day 45 – Abingdon Gap Shelter to Broken Fiddle Hostel in Damascus: mile 460.5 to mile 471.0
The hike into Damascus was mostly down hill. The weather was cool in the morning but quickly warmed in the sun. We got into town just before noon and was able to check into our room before getting lunch and doing our chores.
Lunch at the Damascus Diner was delicious. After our lunch, we did some shopping and picked our mail at the post office. We walked the mile or so out of town to get some resupply at Food City.
Once again, being in a trail town has given us an opportunity to get to know fellow hikers we’ve spent time on the trail with. We had dinner with Tim that we met in Franklin. The next day, we went to the local distillery to meet a young family we spent a few nights with. The Corbetts are homeschooling their 16 year old and 12 year old while they hike the trail. We had a great time getting to know them better.
Amy Answers Questions
Scary animals?
No. We’ve seen small birds, squirrels, and one rabbit. We saw a small herd of deer. We’ve heard owls, woodpeckers, and coyotes but haven’t seen any.
Scary people?
No scary people but a few unpleasant hikers that we’d rather not see again. In particular, there is one hiker we’ve come across a few times who’s only adjective starts with an “f”. For the most part, we’ve enjoyed meeting lots of people in a wide age range (12 to 73) from different parts of the country, Montreal, Quebec, and a few from Europe. We’ve also met a surprising number of people from Maine.
How are the feet & shoes holding up?
Dan had a blister in the first few days but it healed pretty quickly. Our feet get sore sometimes but nothing too debilitating. I just replaced my shoes. They had almost 300 miles on them before we started the hike, so they had close to 800 miles by the time we got to Damascus. The tread was worn and I was slipping more on rocks and roots. I called ahead to a local outfitter and they set aside an identical pair for me.
| Day | Miles | Total Asc | Total Desc | Steps |
| 41 | 18.4 | 4501 | 3730 | 50997 |
| 42 | 14.8 | 3057 | 4786 | 42759 |
| 43 | 16.0 | 4612 | 2611 | 43333 |
| 44 | 16.0 | 3015 | 3333 | 43431 |
| 45 | 10.5 | 987 | 2808 | 37950 |
Don’t know why it’s surprising about a lot of Maine people being on the trail. It’s probably on the bucket list of a quarter of the states population.
Love reading your hike …Im so excited for you both stay safe 💓
You both continue to amaze. You’re rocking the beard, Dan. When you finally finish your 2200 mile trek, surely it will feel strange to begin walking a normal life without backpacks – feel like you’re floating.
Is that a journal Amy is keeping at the Boots Off common area?
Thanks again for taking the time to keep us updated.
Amy is signing us in on their log book. Most hostels and shelters have them. People use them to see if hikers they’ve met have been through or not. We often forget to sign them.