Day 4

Weather:
Sunny, no rain.

Today's Hike:
Big Cedar Mountain to Neel's Gap - 9.6 miles

We were hiking in 3-4 foot snow drifts for at least 75 percent of the day which was a pain in the ass. It's like walking through sugar sand at the beach with 30 lbs. on your back. Not the most ideal, but hey, what can ya do? The trail is the trail and one way or another that trail leads to Katadhin.

The afternoon was fun though, at least for me. We had our toughest hike yet up Blood Mountain (the highest point in GA along the AT) which is a climb from 3,600 feet at Woods Hole Shelter turn- off to 4,461 feet within 1.3 miles. The hike reminded me of hiking in Joyce Kilmer Wilderness in Nantahala National Forest. The terrain is a little rocky, and the trail sides are lined with rhododendrons, and great vista views of the blue ridge mountains along rocky outcrops. When we reached the top, I met and had a great time talking to a father/son team of day-hikers/future AT hikers.

On the way down I was practically jogging all the way to Mountain Crossings at Neel's Gap. I couldn't wait to get a shower and stuff my face with food. When I reached the Gap the bunk house was full so we went to an off-site cabin down by Helton Creek Falls (also ran by Mountain Crossings). After securing a place to recoup for the evening, I bought a large cheese Tombstone pizza and ate it all!

This hostel was awesome; way better then sleeping at the bunks at Mountain Crossings. Also staying at the hostel were three hikers; Armageddon, Ramblin Man, and Cool Breeze. I would like to extend a huge thank you to Armageddon who moved to the sofa bed in the living room because he said he snored like a B52. This meant Cindi and I had a room to ourselves to sleep in peace and quite and it also meant that I didn't pay 15 bucks to stay in a bunk house full of people who snored like grizzly bears and lose sleep. Definitely worth the extra 5 bucks.