Six-Moon Journey: Getting high on the ridges of the Tennessee Divide
March 23, 2015: Mountain Crossings at Neels Gap to Low Gap Shelter, 11.5 miles, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Rain at dawn. Clearing by the time I got up at about 7:45. Great that Fran stayed at the hostel to last night, even on the bunk right above me. Hikers all over this morning, but in an orderly manner. Fran microwaved us cups of coffee. Could’ve waited for the store to open for coffee and breakfast sandwiches.
Hard to leave hostel, nothing unusual there. walked through the stone arch of the main building; only place where AT goes through a structure. Headed north to Bull Gap, where I’d camped in 1977. Fran hiked along to the top of Levelland Mtn, then we said another beautiful goodbye. Going to miss you my dear!
Bit of a roller coaster trail way over Wolf Laurel Top and Cow Rock Mtn. Long descent to Tesnatee Gap at 3500 feet. Lunched there with other hikers. Trail magic of sparkling water in cooler at gap. big ascent of Wildcat Mtn followed, tough right after lunch. Up on top of the ridge, reached section Fran and I hiked on 2008 trip to Atlanta and then to the mountains here.
Great but all too short ridge walk, then descent to Hogpen Gap. Someone had planted yellow daffodils at a couple spots on descent, the only sign of spring for many miles. Next 4.4 miles… fabulous high ridge walking along the Tennessee Divide. The Divide separates the major watersheds in this region of the country; all waters east of the Divide flow into the Atlantic while everything west flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
Blue skies, puffy white clouds, warm sun, cool breeze. Hiking on top of the world today!
Low Gap Shelter an old-style Georgia AT shelter, same one that was here in 1977 for sure. Spring and small stream. Nice sunny hollow, although sun is dipping below the ridge at 6:45. Three in the shelter, more than two-dozen tents scattered about.
Good day coming up tomorrow, about 13.5 miles to other side of Unicoi Gap. All good. Great, great hike this far.
