July 19 - The Day Before the Whites

Post date: Jul 26, 2012 11:20:43 PM

After several days of the threat of rain, this day, from a weather perspective was beautiful.

This day was all about providing AT hikers with a reintroduction to elevation increases and a very small taste of what lie ahead. One mile out of camp the trail turned upward and increasingly rocky as "Five Pair" hiked to the summit of Smarts Mountain, the first 3000+ foot elevation seen in over ten days. As she headed downward and then turned again upward, she next encountered the Eastman Ledges where she met up with "Old Goose" and "Dream Time".

The next segment of the hike saw an increase in elevation of 1450 feet over the next three miles to the summit of Mt. Cube’s south peak. At the summit of Mt. Cube "Five Pair" had cell service and contacted Ground Control and was advised that her oldest son had been in an accident in Greece and was being transported to a hospital in Athens for surgery on his leg.

Having been advised that all regarding her injured son was in hand, "Five Pair" continued her hike down 2,000 feet and then up 1,000 feet to the Ore Hill campsite where she set up her tent and called it a day. This site used to be occupied by a shelter until last year when a fire destroyed it.

1778.2 miles complete/406.2 miles to go