Day 31: The Band is Back Together!

Closed Trail: Newfound Gap (208.0)

Starting Point: Green Corner Road (241.8)

Ending Point: Groundhog Creek Shelter (249.0)

Total miles: 7.3 trail miles

Steps: 22,825

Injuries: None

Achievements: Snowbird Peak

First and foremost, the band is back together!  Blaze has rejoined us.

So let me explain what happened today.  With the bad weather, the Park Service has closed Newfound Gap, our entry point.  Talking with people at the NOC, based upon the weather, it probably will not open until Saturday or Sunday.  We already took a triple zero -- one for rest, one for healing and one to allow Blaze to rejoin us.  Gatlinburg is expensive.  We cannot spend another night or two in town.  It is already packed with hikers.

I proposed that we hike the trail in front of us.  If we cannot get back on a Newfound Gap, then let's get on at the spot after that.  Everyone agreed, so we hired a shuttle to do that.

It is the same principle as when I advanced on the PCT to avoid the Redding Fire.  I'll hike the trail that is in front of me.  If it is closed, then it isn't trail.

With fresh and healed legs, the hike was easy.  There were some excellent views.

Tomorrow, we have don't have much choice.  There is a shelter at 8 miles, and one at 13, but the one at 13 was polluted by two hikers who stayed in the shelter despite having a virus which gave them diarrhea and vomiting.  Nice huh?