HIKE DIARY
Backpacking & thru-hiking
is not always blissful
AT/NC: Rock Gap to Wayah Bald
Big climbs and views plus a mountainside of woodland flowers end with a zero day.
AT/NC: Standing Indian to Rock Gap
The day is cloudy which adds to the drama atop Albert Mountain lookout with new friends.
AT/NC: Dicks Creek to Standing Indian
A spectacular arrival in North Carolina ends with sunset/moonrise camp atop a 5,000-foot peak.
AT/GA: Unicoi to Dick’s Creek
The day after spitting rain and a town rest is glorious with views to Lake Burton and camping alone.
AT/GA: Poplar Stamp to Unicoi Gap
As forecasted, it rains all day, but even in mist, the forest is magical – as is the wee German town of Helen where we get dry.
AT/GA: Blood Mt to Poplar Stamp Gap
It’s a five mountain day through Neels Gap and into a spectacular spring day.
AT/GA: Gooch to Blood Mountain
It’s a fantastic day of up and down with magical spring green mountain views and sunset on the highest peak on-trail in Georgia.
AT/GA: Springer to Gooch
The real first day is glorious, though hot, with birds singing loudly and flowers lining the walk.
AT/GA: Amicalola Falls to Springer Mountain
I add nine miles on the ‘approach trail’ through Amicalola Falls State Patk, the highest cataract in Georgia, walking to mile 0.
Atlanta
I’m reading about a pro long distance walker as I set out for Springer Mountain. Edward Payson Weston preached of walking’s benefits at the dawn of the automobile age.
Arizona dreamin’
After I finished the Arizona Trail, I continued hiking and backpacking in places the trail misses and came to terms with a changed body.
AZT: Rain Collector to Superior, via LOST trail, 18 miles
The final piece of trail ends at Picketpost just before the Superstition Mountains. I opt to walk into Superior through a lovely riparian canyon.