Day 9

Yesterday was really something. 

We woke up briefly at 5:20 to the sound of pouring freezing rain outside of the shelter. At 730, we woke back up, started to prepare for the day, and ate breakfast. By 820, we had our rain gear on, and stepped out from underneath the dry shelter, into the freezing rain. 

For the next 5 hours and 50 minutes, we didn't stop moving. We descended a few small peaks off of wayah bald until we were at the bottom of rocky mountain. For the day, we had two big climbs, Rocky, and Wesser. 

The climb up rocky actually went surprisingly quick. It was a nice gradual incline, and the rain hadn't completely soaked us through yet. This was about to change. 

Before summiting rocky, there was a 2 mile ridge walk that you had to do, called the copper ridge. You pretty much got up to elevation, but then had to walk over to rocky mountain proper. Most of this walk was fairly exposed, and the rain really started to come down during this time. 

From rocky, we dropped down 1000 feet into tellico gap. The entire walk downhill was extremely slippery due to the freezing rain. Most of nanthahala has exposed roots, rocks, and mud on the trail, so with icy conditions, we had to watch our steps. 

Once at tellico gap, we had an 800 foot climb up wesser bald, which was pretty much right uphill. Typically, something directly up would get my calves, but the rain was so overpowering that none of us really cared about the hike and we flew up the mountain. 

By this time, there was ice forming on all of the little bushes and branches around us, even the leaves and mud were getting crunchy underneath our feet. 

After another 2 mile ridgeway coming down from wesser, we had a 5.5 mile, 3000 foot descent into the NOC ahead of us. The climb down really got our ankles and knees. 

At 210, we rolled into the NOC. After hiking for slightly under 6 miles, we had gone 16 miles, which included 3000 feet of ascent and 6000 feet of descent. We absolutely cruised through the day. 

Walker and I avoided any bad falls, but Spencer took quite the nasty spill and ended up on his face coming down into the NOC. The trail in the nanthahala really is something else. In many section, the trail is no wider than 2 human feet next to each other. Pair that with a 15 degree slope, mud, and having a 60 degree sloped cliff right off the trail, and you get pretty sketchy hiking conditions. 

After eating at the rivers edge restaurant at the NOC, our day got way more interesting. To get out of the multiple inches of freezing rain that had fallen, I had booked us a "room" at the NOC's "bunkhouse." When we stepped into the room, we noticed a couple of things: no power, no heat, no bedding, and the walls were maybe 2 layers of plywood. 

I immediately walked back down the hill, about a quarter mile, to the general store to ask them what was going on, and at this point, I was only slightly frustrated. When I got to the general store, I tried to open the front door and it was locked, 20 minutes before closing time. I knocked since there was someone inside, and they basically told me to go away. So, at this point, we had no power, no heat, no way to charge our electronics of course, no way to do laundry, no bedding, I had paid 10 dollars for towels to take a shower that we couldn't even take, and absolutely zero respect from the NOC. Basically, none of the amenities that I had paid $100 dollars for, we could use. I then started walking back uphill to where our room was and met Spencer and Walker halfway up the hill. I immediately told them everything, and that we weren't staying there a single second longer. 

Thankfully, we were able to get a ride from a shuttle / trail angel 20 minutes into bryson city, where we are now taking a zero, to get a motel. 

We were treated like humans again, got a nice motel room, we're able to shower, and the owner said we can do laundry here as well instead of going to a laundromat. 

All this to say -- the NOC is getting absolutely boycotted from here on out. Absolutely ridiculous accommodations and zero customer service on their end. I don't even think they got power back at all last night.  

All in all, as of writing this around noon today, we're feeling decent. We decided to take a zero since we've been hiking for 9 days straight, and having gone 140 miles, we're feeling a bit sore. My ankle is bothering me a bit, Spencer's knees are getting him, and walker's left ankle is a bit swollen. 

On a more positive note, if anyone reading this ever goes to bryson city, eat at the Everett Street diner. The food there is unbelievable! For breakfast I got their mountain man breakfast which included: 

- 2 big pancakes 

- 2 strips of bacon

- a sausage patty 

- 2 eggs

- a plate of hashbrowns

- a bowl of grits 

- two biscuits smothered in sausage gravy 

Lo and behold, I'm absolutely stuffed. We'll do some laundry this afternoon and finish drying off our gear, and then go get some wings and play pool at one of the local bars here. 

The hiking was what is was yesterday -- and I will never get upset with the weather, that's all apart of the journey. The NOC, on the other hand, is more dead to me than the ATC (Appalachian trail conservancy). 

Looking forward to the rest of the zero, and then getting to Fontana dam and the base of the smokies in the next two days.

Daily recap:

- hiked 16.3

- from mile marker 120.6 to 136.9

- from wayah bald shelter to the NOC

- high temp was 35 and freezing rain

- low temp (morning) 33

- low temp (tonight) who cares I'm indoors

- ascent: 3000 feet (roughly)

- descent: 6,000 feet (roughly)

Thanks for reading.

Tyler M.