Thursday, November 26, 2009
Mice
Especially along the southern part of the Appalachian Trail, it is common to find shelters infested with mice. People seem to leave enough food scraps that they want to live there. If they get hungry enough, they will even eat paper and sometimes the registration books are partly eaten up. To avoid having food eaten by mice during the night, people hang their food bags on a contraption shown here. The mice cannot get down the string and around the upside-down can.
One solution is to carry a few mouse traps. One northbound thru hiker this year got the trail name 10x10 because at one shelter he caught 10 mice before 10pm. He must have been popular with the other hikers!
Some of the southbounders started carrying traps as well. Here is the result of a night's work.
Some of the southbounders started carrying traps as well. Here is the result of a night's work.
Hiking in a Hurricane
10 November 2009
Hurricane IDA hit during my hike of the southern part of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. The rain came from the southwest and combined with cold wind from the northwest. Since the Appalachian Trail runs along the main ridgeline, it gets hit hard by the weather. Early in the morning the trail climbed to it's highest point of the entire trail, Clingmans Dome. It was all in a cloud with rain blowing almost horizontally. No views today. Passing two other shelters, stopped to see who was there and to check the trail registers. It seems that almost everyone was spending the day holed up. Eventually the wind and rain soaked through my REI raincoat and the shirt underneath. Only hiking fast and hard generated heat enough to keep me out of hypothermia. At the end of the day, reached the Spence Field Shelter. Nobody else there. The signs and trail register warn that the area has high Bear activity. It seems that they like the nuts that fall from the trees surrounding the shelter! Cold and with fingers barely working, I unpack, warm up, and cook dinner. Although the shelter has "bear cables" outside to hang food out of the reach of bears, it is hard for me to envision going outside in the intensifying storm. Any sane bear would stay holed up and wait for better weather before foraging. The storm raged all night and started to pass in the morning. The food had been hung in the shelter away from mice but not bears. Neither got my food during the night. The following morning, put on my cold wet clothes and started hiking.
Hurricane IDA hit during my hike of the southern part of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. The rain came from the southwest and combined with cold wind from the northwest. Since the Appalachian Trail runs along the main ridgeline, it gets hit hard by the weather. Early in the morning the trail climbed to it's highest point of the entire trail, Clingmans Dome. It was all in a cloud with rain blowing almost horizontally. No views today. Passing two other shelters, stopped to see who was there and to check the trail registers. It seems that almost everyone was spending the day holed up. Eventually the wind and rain soaked through my REI raincoat and the shirt underneath. Only hiking fast and hard generated heat enough to keep me out of hypothermia. At the end of the day, reached the Spence Field Shelter. Nobody else there. The signs and trail register warn that the area has high Bear activity. It seems that they like the nuts that fall from the trees surrounding the shelter! Cold and with fingers barely working, I unpack, warm up, and cook dinner. Although the shelter has "bear cables" outside to hang food out of the reach of bears, it is hard for me to envision going outside in the intensifying storm. Any sane bear would stay holed up and wait for better weather before foraging. The storm raged all night and started to pass in the morning. The food had been hung in the shelter away from mice but not bears. Neither got my food during the night. The following morning, put on my cold wet clothes and started hiking.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
There are bears, people who want to feed them, and no hunters to thin them out. When the bears get used to hiker food, problems ensue.
There are warning signs.
This is a bag shreded by a bear sitting on top of the shelter a day or so before my stay.
On a related topic, the Standing Bear (hiker) Hostel is located just north of the park. All the basics are provided.
Max Patch
07 November 2009
Max Patch is one of the sections NOBO's always mention as one of their favorites. It was nice to finally see it! As a "bald", there are 360 degree views from the top with mountains as far as the eye can see.
Max Patch is one of the sections NOBO's always mention as one of their favorites. It was nice to finally see it! As a "bald", there are 360 degree views from the top with mountains as far as the eye can see.
Bear Snack
29 October 2009
During the big climb up to Grassy Ridge, the warming sun shone and at 10:30am it seemed to be a good time for a snack. Stopped on the trail, unpacked my food, and started spreading peanut butter on a bagel. While topping it off with honey, a loud rustling noise came from my right. Looked up to see a Black Bear headed directly for me about 100 fee away. He definately smelled the honey. What to do? Looked over at my belongings spread around and decided packing and hiking away quickly was not an option. Then remembered the suggested actions. Stood up to "look big", then started yelling to scare the bear off.
The bear stopped. The bear stood up on his hind legs.. just as I had done. It peered in my direction for a mement, then turned around and quickly moved off on all fours.
Close call! Sorry, no pictures...
During the big climb up to Grassy Ridge, the warming sun shone and at 10:30am it seemed to be a good time for a snack. Stopped on the trail, unpacked my food, and started spreading peanut butter on a bagel. While topping it off with honey, a loud rustling noise came from my right. Looked up to see a Black Bear headed directly for me about 100 fee away. He definately smelled the honey. What to do? Looked over at my belongings spread around and decided packing and hiking away quickly was not an option. Then remembered the suggested actions. Stood up to "look big", then started yelling to scare the bear off.
The bear stopped. The bear stood up on his hind legs.. just as I had done. It peered in my direction for a mement, then turned around and quickly moved off on all fours.
Close call! Sorry, no pictures...
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Appalachian Trail - Part 11
Another "Border Crossing"
Watauga Lake from the ridgeline...
Laurel Fork Falls near Kincora Hostel
This reminds me of Japan
Barn converted to Overmountain Shelter for distance hikers (and mice)
These friendly folks have served (excellent) free meals to 2,000 hikers over the years. Already thru hikers themselves, they offer books on Christianity to those who are looking for information and direction in their lives.
Grassy Ridge/Carvers Gap Area. This is a "Bald" with excellent views.
Favorite trail photo of myself.
Another border... not many left!
Hiking in the Clouds
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