June 11, 2024 2 min to read

AT Blog: 52 and 53

Long Hikes to Nonexistent Meals

Day 52:

As I wake up and pack up, I run into Hangloose at the shelter again. He had funny notes and stickers in most shelter logs and we ran into him a couple of days ago. He got to the shelter around 8 last night after I had settled in my tent.

I saw my goodbyes and head off. Today’s hike starts to intersect with the Blue Ridge Parkway with its many overlooks. The parkway used to be where the trail was, now the trail runs off to its side in many instances. The terrain is flat allowing for fast travel.

I run into multiple overlooks on the parkway, which is great cause they have good views and trashcans. There’s also dozens of hawks at each overlook, riding thermals to gain altitude. At otter overlook I take a lunch break then keep going.

Eventually the trail breaks off and goes up cove mountain, the “biggest” climb of the day at 500 feet. Near the top is Cove Mountain shelter, which I skip on by since it’s only around 4 pm and it also lacks a water source.

I descend the mountain to the Jennings Creek crossing for camp. I head to the nearby Middle Creek Campground hoping to use their camp store and bathrooms. Unfortunately the one employee who runs the booking and store left early for surgery, but another employee let me know it’s OK if I use the campsites.

It’s unfortunate that I didn’t get a meal, but at least I got to charge my devices?

Day 53:

I leave meadows Campground. It’s unfortunate that it didn’t work out for me, as getting a ressupply and a meal would have been nice, at the very least I had power to charge devices. I head back to the trail, to save some time I decided to rough it up the hill, cutting off .6 miles of road walk. Probably not the best decision as it was a steep hill and took a while to get up it.

Once hiking, the trail is not that bad. I take a breakfast break at Bryant Ridge Shelter, then keep going. I see a couple hikers throughout the day but not many.

Today has a lot of climbing compared to the last few days. I’m going up to Apple Orchard Mountain, the tallest part of the AT until New Hampshire. At the top there is a FAA radar dome site, and shortly after is the “guillotine.” There’s a small canyon with a rock wedged near the top, dangling over the trail.

On the way down I stop at Thunder Hill Shelter, where I run into Taxi, he is trying to make big miles since he is taking a prolonged break in a few days. He soon passes in front of me, while I stop at Petite Gap for the night. I go ahead and arrange a shuttle to pick me up tomorrow at noon to resupply at Glasgow.